Conversations with Avner Arama and Tori Glynn

Today we’d like to introduce you to Avner Arama and Tori Glynn.

Avner and Tori, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
The moment I graduated from high school, I felt unfinished in the basketball world. I felt that I loved the game more than anyone I have ever met & I worked really hard without getting very far as a college basketball player. Learning how to pivot away from being a player to a coach at 18 was a monumental push forward for my basketball career. My girlfriend told me to apply as head coach of my old middle school & to my surprise, I got the job.

Ten years later, I have now become a respected veteran head coach of boys & girls athletics, & more importantly a basketball skill trainer for the hoopers who truly just want to be a better version of themselves each & every day. I feel as though I have every underdog back–I’ve been in their shoes but I didn’t have someone who believed in me the way I believe in my clients. I thrive in being the voice for hoopers who haven’t found theirs yet. I thrive in the in-between.

The journey IS the destination. The growth in confidence through hard work is the reward! I charge a very affordable rate compared to other trainers. Underprivileged kids need that voice, that trainer, that believes in them & believes that their journey just doesn’t end at the neighborhood basketball court. If love & hard work molds my young athletes, then I feel the foundation is set for them to succeed in any aspect of life.

Now that is just my basketball life. My life is much more than my passion for the game. I travel a lot. The reason being is my girlfriend of 10 years. Tori. My soulmate. In the year 2009, I met someone who, I believe, is a person cut from the cloth of Jesus or Buddha. I’ve never met anyone more empathetic, wise, & nurturing. She’s a middle child of 6 & I’m an only child. Our balance has been heaven-sent. There is no other way I’d be the man I am today without her guidance & advice. Together, we have seen over 40 states in these last 3 years. She loves to travel & explore.

Through her journeys, I have had the chance to train athletes all over the U.S, I have had the chance to learn & understand the culture of different states, cities, and towns. We lived in Las Vegas for 3 years too. We’re both originally from South Florida. We move everywhere together. We’re thinking Salt Lake City or Seattle is next for us. We love the west side of the United States. Our east coast energy definitely helps us, but the east coast as of now is not where we belong.

Today, she is working on her youtube channel (toristrails), her clothing brand (@runawaycowboyco), & her photography through toristrails. I am working on my basketball training through @servantbasketball & my youtube channel (@neteroshi).

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
For Avner, the road has been a little more simple. Growing up in a quiet, conservative home, was easy. He was able to walk across the street to his private Christain school and enjoy hanging with friends and family on the weekends. However, things haven’t been the same for me, Tori. I’m one of 6 kids. My father has been in and out of my life, all my life. He struggles with bad mental health as well as a plethora of other issues.

My mom is someone who’s been on her own since she was 13, and while I look up to that, it’s been hard to go along for the ride. She’s moved us across the country several times, trying to find her place in the world. As a kid, we were always moving or struggling financially. We lived in places like Las Vegas and North Carolina. Although I was sad as a kid moving away from my friends and father, the second we hit the open road my eyes widened. I could not believe how beautiful the world was.

Unfortunately, the struggles I went through growing up, carried on through my mental and emotional health. I was diagnosed with bad Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety disorder. My OCD usually shows up with health anxiety and hypochondria. My GAD emerges mostly because I’m always worried about my family. I want them to be happy and do good. Especially, since I have 3 younger siblings.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Tori: Traveling is something that has really shown me there are ways to calm my anxiety. I’ve been to 17 national parks within the last 3 years and I’ve visited almost 40 states. Avner and I have lived on the road twice, once for 6o days and once for 21 days. Both of those adventures have been absolutely amazing, and I’m so grateful for them. I decided to document almost all of my travels on my youtube channel: toristrails. I also started an Instagram where I can connect to others who love traveling but also create awareness for anxiety and other mental health struggles.

Photography is something that has really become such a big part of my life these past few years. Moving away from Florida and living in Las Vegas was an absolute dream, being able to drive to Sedona on a whim or any of the Utah national parks. I hope that my photography will be able to tell a story of someone who is able to go out and enjoy the serenity of nature, even when there is so much chaos in your life or in your mind. I plan on making a portfolio of my prints, and hopefully selling them sometime soon. I also hope my youtube channel can gain a little more traction and inspire everyone to get outside and breathe in some fresh air.

Avner: I am a basketball trainer. I am proud of developing confidence in athletes who need it. I believe that this new era of athletes suffers from anxiety and depression. I feel a lot of kids do not know how to motivate themselves. I am empathetically aware enough to target troubled youth & help them seize opportunities they have not considered before. I am known for being charismatic, positive, encouraging, tough, resilient. What sets me apart from the others is the amount of care I have for each and every one of my athletes. I break them down from the ground up.

I give them the fundamentals I have learned over all these years & with that foundation, they will already be better than who they were before. Fundamental skill is the true blueprint for an excellent hooper. I love making sure that anyone I train is more fundamentally sound than their peers. I really do teach simple, yet profound gems!

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Avner and I have been traveling around the United States and enjoying all the beautiful national parks and nature there are to see and we realize how blessed we are to be able to do that. I think finding a place or something that gives you peace is so important, especially right now in this world. We are on the east coast right now trying to enjoy family, but we are ready to be back out west and on some more adventures.

I want to encourage those who are just sitting inside on their phones, those feeling depressed, anxious, to go outside. Breathe in some fresh air. Enjoy what you have around you, there’s beauty in every state, every city, and town. We’ve been lucky enough to explore the quiet farming towns of Washington, to the bustling city of Austin, Texas.

There is so much to see in this world and the time is now. You don’t need a huge chunk of change in your bank account to enjoy this life. Just start by walking out of your front door.

Contact Info:

• Email: toristrails@gmail.com
• Website: https://toriglynn.wixsite.com/toristrails
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toristrails/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnfN5QuKS96cLFOqyp8bZaw
• Other: servantbasketball.wordpress.com