Former drug dealer now helps youth with free exercise classes
Jaquan Adams, 28, says he doesn鈥檛 charge most of his clients, who are middle school and high school-aged children, because he doesn鈥檛 want anything to stand between them and a positive role model
Jaquan Adams, 28, says he doesn鈥檛 charge most of his clients, who are middle school and high school-aged children, because he doesn鈥檛 want anything to stand between them and a positive role model
Jaquan Adams is trying to give back to the community he says he wronged.
The 28-year-old West Side native has dedicated his free time to mentoring youth in his neighborhood with a free exercise class at Lione Park after serving nearly four years in prison.
It鈥檚 his self-assigned penance for the years he spent selling drugs to his neighbors, a practice he says 鈥渄estroyed good families.鈥�
鈥淲hen I was incarcerated, it gave me a lot of time to sit back and think, and I figured it鈥檚 time for me to start giving back,鈥� Adams said, proudly wearing his Ryda Fitness shirt before one of his bi-weekly classes at Lione Park. 鈥淎dversity builds character. It made me a better person today.鈥�
He鈥檚 thankful now for the time he spent in prison. Adams said while he was keeping his friends and neighbors hooked on his products, he was dealing with an addiction of his own.
鈥淚 was addicted to the money,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 know I hurt a lot of families with that. I took away a lot from a lot of people. It鈥檚 time to give back.鈥�
Adams recalled his youth on the West Side, and the tough times his family faced financially. He looked for any way to help put food on the table.
鈥淲hen I was younger, the guys I looked up to were drug dealers. That鈥檚 all I knew,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here was no food, we were struggling and I looked to the next best thing. I was a product of my environment.鈥�
Nine months into his prison sentence, Adams said something clicked and he was overcome with remorse for his actions and how they affected the people he loved at home. He began writing letters and making phone calls to the families he sold drugs, apologizing and promising to make amends.
鈥淚t really hit me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 started to realize what I had done.鈥�
As Adams reminisced about these tough times, children explored the obstacle course he set up in preparation for his clients. He remembered what Lione Park and his mother鈥檚 apartment looked like just a few years ago and said he was grateful for the improvements that have been made.
鈥漈he kids, they love this, even if they鈥檙e not in the class," he said. 鈥淚 let them play with the ropes and run through the cones. It鈥檚 good for them to have something nice.鈥�
Adams quickly obtained his personal trainer certification after being released from prison last year. The Westhill High School graduate and former running back on the school鈥檚 football team said he spent a lot of time learning about health and fitness while he was incarcerated and wanted to turn his interest into a career.
His Ryda Fitness classes are offered mostly for free — he charges for adult classes and personal training services. But he says he doesn鈥檛 charge most of his clients, who are middle school and high school-aged children, because he doesn鈥檛 want anything to stand between them and a positive role model.
鈥淎 lot of these kids, they don鈥檛 have any guidance,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 just trying to show them that there are a lot better things for them out there. I want them to see there鈥檚 a way out of here.鈥�
Born and raised on the West Side, Adams decided not to return to the neighborhood when he was released from prison and instead lives with an aunt in North Stamford.
鈥淲hen it comes to the transition, you have to have your mind right,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 easy to fall back to what I used to do ... I don鈥檛 think I need to come back here. I wouldn鈥檛 go back to the way I was if it was the last thing, don鈥檛 get me wrong, but I just need to be past this place.鈥�
That doesn鈥檛 mean he鈥檚 spending any less time on the West Side, though.
鈥淚 feel like I can help everyone out here,鈥� he said, gesturing to the evening crowd at Lione Park. 鈥淚鈥檓 here to change lives through fitness and lift people鈥檚 self esteem.鈥�
Adams, who has a day job at Trader Joe鈥檚 and is helping his friend launch a juice stand at Cove Beach, has big plans for his fitness business, but said he鈥檚 not in a rush to expand just yet.
鈥淚 would love to grow this outside of Stamford, get a gym,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut a lot of kids are looking up to me right now. That鈥檚 what I鈥檓 thinking about. They know me, they know my parents. When they see me doing good, they鈥檙e going to follow.鈥�
Ryda Fitness takes over Lione Park on Thursdays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. For more more information, follow Ryda on Instagram @rydafitness.
[email protected]; @noranaughton