CAIRO, Ga. (WTXL) — Rhodney Donaldson is Cairo, Georgia. After graduating from Cairo High, he went on to play basketball and baseball at Troy, and later, he played baseball professionally. He's never forgotten the city that's made him who he is, which is why he continues to give back to his hometown. His goal? To make sure kids like him have the same opportunities they would in bigger cities.
"The need is here, in little Cairo where I grew up," he said. "My purpose is a little bit bigger than moving it somewhere else for people I don't know."
Down a quiet road in Cairo, is a yellow building, and inside that yellow building? Team 24 Training.
"I actually started with two clients at $30/hour."
That was in 2016. Seven years later, Donaldson is making sure kids in Cairo have the best of the best.
"He wants to get this town bigger and he wants to get better athletes in this town," said Beau Blanton, who's been training at Team 24 for several years.
Team 24 offers training in several sports, plus speed and agility.
"These kids come out here, and they don't have opportunities like this around here," said Christian Maige, who trains and also coaches at Team 24. "He doesn't want to leave anybody out to have to pave the way like he had to."
"It's in a small town, because I'm a small town guy," added Donaldson. "I would much rather see the kids from here benefit from it."
Donaldson said he wants nothing more than to give back to his hometown.
"I've gotten better at my speed and agility, and just working harder and having a better mentality," said Miles Windham, who trains at the facility.
"It's a really good opportunity to be so local and have so much work that he knows and all that stuff that he knows to put into us," added Autumn Chapman, a softball player who also trains at Team 24.
A local guy pouring in to his local community.
"My ultimate goal is to impact and change somebody's life that didn't think they could."
"For him to stay here, it's a phenomenal opportunity for all of us," said Ricky Walker, who trains and coaches at Team 24. "Without coach staying here, I don't know where I'd be."
"I've had about 35 kids go to college from my facility alone, and just to see that is the reason why every morning I get up, and I absolutely love what I do," said Donaldson.
And that's why people find that little yellow building down a quiet road in Cairo.
