The Playing Court to Victory...Overcoming Obstacles
Tony "Elmo" Ward was born April 20, 1958 in Lebanon Tennessee. His father, Louis Dale Ward, was a heavy equipment operator for 58 years. His mother, Patti Ward, was a devoted Christian housewife. Elmo grew up in a family of twelve with seven brothers and five sisters. His brothers, Corey, Gary, Ken, Keven, Terry, Joel and five sisters, Wanda, Karen, Cresseda, Melody, and Gail, all graduated from Lebanon High School. Elmo graduated from Lebanon High School in Tennessee in 1976. In 1977, he attend Cumberland Junior College and Columbia College, an NAIA School in Columbia Missouri. During his career, from 1984-1994, he played in the Puerto Rican Basketball League, also worked for Ron Smith as a look-a-like and won a Marvelous Marvin Hagler look-a-like contest in Los Angeles California.
Tony believes that anything is possible if you believe in yourself and you have determination, dedication, desire, and always keep the LORD first in your life. When he was 12-years old, he played in a national YMCA tournament in Louisville, Kentucky against former NBA legend Darrell Griffith, who played his Collegiate Career at the University of Louisville Cardinals. Elmo started lifting weights when he was 14-years old. Forty-one years later, he is still lifting because of his drive to become a successful athlete.
As a former Lebanon High basketball star and football standout, he suffered a serious drug and alcohol addiction. As a youngster Ward worshipped his dad’s hard work and perseverance. Ward’s dad was also a semi-pro baseball player for “The Lebanon Clowns”, in the “Old Negro League” team that traveled the South. Being very driven, his sharpest skill was competition, drive, and sportsmanship. Read more about Elmo...
Tony believes that anything is possible if you believe in yourself and you have determination, dedication, desire, and always keep the LORD first in your life. When he was 12-years old, he played in a national YMCA tournament in Louisville, Kentucky against former NBA legend Darrell Griffith, who played his Collegiate Career at the University of Louisville Cardinals. Elmo started lifting weights when he was 14-years old. Forty-one years later, he is still lifting because of his drive to become a successful athlete.
As a former Lebanon High basketball star and football standout, he suffered a serious drug and alcohol addiction. As a youngster Ward worshipped his dad’s hard work and perseverance. Ward’s dad was also a semi-pro baseball player for “The Lebanon Clowns”, in the “Old Negro League” team that traveled the South. Being very driven, his sharpest skill was competition, drive, and sportsmanship. Read more about Elmo...