ABOUT THE WJBL
FOOD NETWORK CONTACTED ME ABOUT FILMING A TV SHOW IN A SMALL TOWN IN TEXAS. IT WAS THE TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL BBQ STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. I WASN'T INTERESTED, DIDN'T WANT TO PARTICIPATE, BUT THE PRODUCTION COMPANY CALLED IN A FAVOR FROM YEARS PAST SO I WENT. SOON AFTER ARRIVING IN THE SMALL TOWN (WITH A POPULATION OF 3,000 BUT THE FOOTBALL STADIUM HOLDS 15,000--IT IS TEXAS AFTER ALL), I REALIZED THAT THERE WAS NOWHERE I'D RATHER BE.
THE KIDS I MET WERE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT COOKING BBQ. THEY WERE SEEKING ANY KNOWLEDGE THAT I MIGHT GIVE THEM, SOAKING IT UP LIKE SPONGES. THEY WERE SO PROUD OF THEIR PITS, THEIR COOKING METHODS, AND THEIR PHILOSOPHIES OF THE CRAFT. THESE CHILDREN THOUGHT THEY WERE LEARNING TO COOK BBQ BUT WHAT I SAW WAS YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN LEARNING SO MUCH MORE. THEY WERE LEARNING WORK ETHIC, MORALS, STANDARDS, TEAM-BUILDING, AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS.
AFTER JUDGING SOME OF THE BEST BBQ THAT I HAVE EVER HAD PRESENTED TO ME, I STARTED THE JOURNEY BACK HOME WITH A NEW INSPIRATION. I WANTED TO CREATE AN ORGANIZATION WHERE YOUNG ADULTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY COULD PARTICIPATE IN EVENTS AS THE ONE THAT I HAD JUST WITNESSED FOR MYSELF. I CAME HOME AND THE WORLD JUNIOR BBQ LEAGUE WAS BORN.
WE ARE A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION WHOSE MISSION IS TO NURTURE YOUNG MINDS BY PROVIDING EVENTS THAT TEACH THE IMPORTANT SKILLS OF LEADERSHIP, TEAMWORK, AND WORK ETHIC. IF THIS ENDEAVOR AND DREAM OF MINE CAN REACH OUT AND GIVE JUST A HANDFUL OF KIDS THE DREAM THAT I'VE DREAMED OR HELP TEACH THEM THE CORE VALUES NEEDED IN LIFE, IT WILL ALL BE WORTH IT. OUR FUTURE LOOKS MUCH BRIGHTER WITH THESE CHILDREN LEADING OUR NATION IN THE YEARS TO COME.
