WS Chronicle

In the beginning of 2020, Drew Cone was gearing up for his first coaching job at the collegiate level, but COVID-19 canceled that plan. Out of that disappointment, ConeWork was born.

ConeWork is a basketball training program that Cone developed after the pandemic altered his initial plans. Over the last sevem months, Cone has been able to steadily build his clientele to the point where training is his new passion.

“It’s kind of funny because I had one plan, but God had other plans for me,” said Cone. “I was supposed to be a college coach, but when COVID hit, basically everything got pushed back.

“I’ve trained a little bit, but not really, because I was still in college, so I had to train myself as well, so I couldn’t really give my all into training someone else,” Cone said. “I just said I was going to see where it goes, and God blessed me with a couple of clients. I have been very blessed to have the success that I have had and it’s definitely not me, it’s all God to be honest with you. I never would have thought I would have a business up and running, especially so quickly.”  

Cone says he enjoys seeing others get better, especially the younger players. He feels more young people should step up and showcase their talents in all avenues of life to help combat all the negativity going on around the country.

“For me, it’s about basketball, but I talk about life as well,” he continued. “Work ethic and your attitude towards the game translate off the court as well.”

It was no surprise for Cone that he slid into the world of training so easily. Cone says he was blessed to have such great coaches that prepared him for this trade without him even knowing it at the time. Cone’s father was also a trainer, so he had that pedigree in him from a young age.

Cone is a 2015 graduate of East Forsyth High School. He played basketball there and on the next level, first at Greensboro Technical Community College before heading to Pfeiffer University and finally at Ecclesia College.

“They poured a lot of knowledge into me, so I have been seeing workouts daily and watching film for a while,” said Cone about his past coaches. “In high school and college, we did things outside of the norm, where now when a kid sends me film, I know how to break down the film and the game so I know what their strengths and weaknesses are.

“Basketball to me is mostly mental; if you can believe it, you can do it and that’s what I try to preach to my clients.  You just have to tap into it and it’s all about confidence and confidence comes through work, so you just have to put in the work.”

Even though this was not his plan to begin the year, Cone said he is “all in” with his training career.  

“It’s crazy because God has really shifted my focus,” he said. “I can’t really coach at the collegiate level and train at the same time, and I can’t impact as many kids coaching since I would be dealing with my college guys.

“I love what I am doing now, and I can’t predict the future. I thought I could predict it earlier, but God switched it all up, so I am just leaving it in His hands and whatever direction he wants me to go, that’s where I am going to go.  I am just following His lead.”

Cone said he trains small children all the way up to the professional ranks. He says if a client is willing to put in the work, he will train them. Cone feels his knowledge of the game translates well into his training program.

“It’s the knowledge that I have and really just my overall IQ, because that is what really helped me as a small guard,” Cone went on to say. “I can pass on the knowledge of the game to the younger generation. Everybody does drills, but what kind of impact are you having on that particular child? They see that I am not just out here for their money or selfish gains, but I truly want them to get better.

“I attack everybody’s weaknesses and I make you uncomfortable, that’s all a workout is, just making you uncomfortable, and that’s what I pride myself on.”

Cone says it’s not all him that is making his training program successful. He gives all credit to God and says the Lord lives and speaks through him. 

“What I preach is just stay in your lane, work hard and trust Him and that’s what I am doing,” Cone said about his mentality on training. “I will just stay in my lane and He gets all the glory. At the end of the day, I just hope people see Him through me and if they don’t, I am not doing it right.”

Cone likes how the game of basketball has changed in recent years; however, he does wish there was more defense being played. He adapts some of his training toward how the game is being played now, along with the specific needs of each client.

The next move for Cone is to have his own facility to work out of. For more information about ConeWork, please visit his Instagram page @Cone_Work or text him at 336-918-5064.