All-New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) First Team selection twice. A second All-NJAC team selection as well as an Honorable Mention. D3Football.com All-Region Team selection. Most interceptions for the Red Hawks last season.
And now, the founder of The Fitness Foundation.
Fifth year defensive back Brennan Ray, alongside his partner Andre Knowles, created this foundation in order to influence athletes and other people to sustain a healthy balance in life.
On the website, which was just published at the beginning of the month, users get to learn more about Ray and Knowles, as well as the other aspects of their foundation. Ray and Knowles wanted to work on themselves before embarking on this creation.
“My partner and I have been very active in the fitness community by providing as much valuable information [as possible] paired with inspiring others to take action with developing their bodies,” Ray said. “The motivation to create this platform for others came from seeing it work firsthand on ourselves. Our mission is to impact.”
The graphic found on the website, showing how the foundation centers on the mind, body and soul.
Photo courtesy of The Fitness Foundation.
That is exactly the mission statement found on The Fitness Foundation website; in short, to develop a blueprint for people to be healthy and continue to do so down the line. And to accomplish this, Ray and Knowles developed an e-book along with programs tailored to different diets to teach people their knowledge on fitness and nutrition.
The foundation even has a free client consultation for anyone looking to better themselves right away.
In the Montclair State University circle, many know Ray, who is CPR-certified and is currently interning for the West Point Army football team. But not as many may know his partner, Knowles. Knowles is a certified stretch therapist and has also had experience being a trainer, coach and mobility specialist.
When Knowles first met Ray when he was in his freshman year of college, the two knew right away their relationship would last.
“We actually met in a setting not including football at all,” Knowles said. “We were rushing a fraternity together and instantly clicked. However, seeing him juggle football, school, and extracurriculars really motivated me to want and be more for myself.”
Andre Knowles specializes in body therapy and weight loss, and he and Ray spent late nights developing the foundation.
Photo courtesy of The Fitness Foundation
Ray explained why The Fitness Foundation is important to them.
“[The Fitness Foundation] is super important to us because we brought ourselves out of such a dark place that many people are living through and don’t have the guidance to find a way out,” Ray said.
In an emotional piece done by another recent graduate, Julia Radley of the Red Hawk Sports Network, last December, Brennan Ray spoke about these mental health struggles and how it is okay to speak out and show emotion.
Ray expands on how being a part of the Red Hawk football team specifically drove him to where he is now with the culmination of The Fitness Foundation.
“My time with the Red Hawks has boosted my passions tremendously to continue impacting under-developed kids around the world,” Ray said. “Being a leader of the football team, there are many incoming freshmen looking for a role model to follow and I made sure to take as many teammates [as I could] under my wing to develop them into the best student-athletes possible.”
And the first stop for Ray and Knowles to further this journey is a part of something called the Motivated for More Tour. The purpose of this tour, according to the foundation’s website is “to make sure [students] can achieve optimum growth and create a foundation for themselves.”
This stop will take place at Ray’s alma mater and the beginning of his personal development journey, Lower Cape May Regional High School, on July 29. The camp will consist of lessons on how to set goals and make a personal routine, improving mobility, agility, strength and nutrition, along with a lunch provided by a local chef and even a potential guest speaker.
Brennan Ray started his development journey at Lower Cape May Regional High School, the first stop of The Fitness Foundation’s tour.
Photo courtesy of The Fitness Foundation
Ray said he was looking at a couple of former NFL players to fill in that spot but, as of now, the spot is still to be determined.
Knowles along with Ray has long-term plans for the foundation so that it can continue to grow and become something groundbreaking.
“Long term, for The Fitness Foundation, I hope we can impact and connect with students all over the world to help them build healthy and sustainable lifestyles,” Knowles said.
A flyer for the Motivated for More Tour.
Photo courtesy of The Fitness Foundation
It’s always exciting to see what the upperclassmen from Montclair State do with the remaining time they have on campus and use what they have learned to better their community or other communities. Ray and Knowles are already hard at work to make sure the next generation of athletes follow good habits and stay strong through thick and thin.
For more information on The Fitness Foundation, visit https://www.thefitnessfoundationllc.com
