Persona #2: Phys-ed high school teacher/ volunteer coach
Audience B: Community leaders
Why a PAL Coach Makes Sense for This Campaign:
Detroit PAL (Police Athletic League) is a nonprofit organization that teams up with the Detroit Police Department and Detroit community volunteers to help kids find their potential through sports and mentorships. Every year, PAL works with more than 19,000 children and teens in the city, providing them with programs in many sports like basketball, baseball, cheerleading, and much more.
PAL’s programs are also much more than just giving kids the chance to play sports, they’re focused on helping kids build their character and skills by creating safe spaces where they can develop skills, have fun, and learn and grow. PAL does not own its own facility with courts or spaces for sports; instead, they partner up with local Detroit schools, churches, and community centers to host their practices and games, making it easier for kids to get involved without having to go far.
The secret to PAL’s success lies in its awesome volunteers. Every year, over 1,900 people sign up to be coaches and mentors. Many of these volunteers come from the same neighbourhoods and upbringings as the kids they support, which makes this personal connection bring a real value and understanding to their support.
That’s why focusing on a PAL coach as one of our personas makes so much sense for Whirpools’ campaign. These coaches know and understand what families in Detroit go through. They understand that a lot of kids join PAL because it’s the only option they can afford; they don’t have access to travel teams or private athletic programs. Using a coach as an example shows how powerful real community support can be.
Persona 2: David J. Hall. Phys-ed teacher and volunteer coach for PAL
David J. Hall is a 39-year-old physical education teacher and volunteer basketball coach from Detroit. As someone who grew up in a low-income neighborhood without access to paid sports programs, he now uses his career and spare time to give back through Detroit PAL. His story connects to what this campaign is about, which is supporting Detroit families who work hard but don’t always have the essentials, like a washer or dryer at home.
Demographics:
Name: David J. Hall
Age: 39
Location: Warrendale, Detroit, Michigan.
Education: Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology (with physical education concentration) at Wayne State University (2004-2009). He completed Michigan State approved teacher preparation program and passed the MTTC certification for K-12 physical education.
Occupation: Physical Education teacher and basketball coach at Cass Technical High School (2015-present)
Hobby: He spends evenings and weekends volunteering for Detroit PAL’s basketball program, where coaches can support middle and elementary school teams with flexibility (either seasonally or year-round).
Family: no kids, single.
Household Income: $45,750 annually.
Values and Beliefs:
Believes every kid deserves a shot, no matter what their background is.
Believes that mentorship can change the direction of a young person’s life.
Believes in giving back to his community and helping as much as he can
He values the commitment of showing up and doing your best every day, no matter what
He values being someone that kids can count on by being consistent and showing up for others, especially when it matters most
Digital habits-
Facebook: David frequently uses Facebook to stay connected with family, friends, and colleagues, as well as to follow local community events and school activities.
YouTube: He uses YouTube to watch coaching tutorials and stay updated on NBA news and updates, as well as watch the games from Cass Technology’s high school basketball team (since they have their own YouTube channel).
LinkedIn: David has a LinkedIn profile to connect with other teachers and coaches while sharing similarities and seeking opportunities for collaboration with them.
What kind of messaging resonates with him?
Tone: David connects with content that’s positive and down-to-earth. He doesn’t like content that sounds overly sales-y; he just needs it to be clear, straight to the point, respectful, and focused on real value. Adults in his age group (30s-40s) tend to appreciate messages that feel genuine and focused on solutions rather than being emotional.
Style: He prefers informative content that’s easy to digest, like quick explanation videos, interview clips, or short articles with helpful tips that are easy to scan. He watches YouTube coaching tutorials and reads Facebook posts from trusted community groups. He doesn’t like to be overwhelmed with heavy text or anything that feels overly promotional.
Messaging: David responds the best to content that speaks to his values such as things like community impact, mentorship, and helping kids succeed. Messages that highlight how small acts (like volunteering, donating, or showing up) can make a big difference in a community.
Visuals and CTA:
Campaign visuals should feature real people and real community impact, not things that look fake and forced like they’re using stock images. The calls to action that work best are the ones that sound helpful, not demanding. For example, “Learn how to support your community,” or “See how local kids are making progress.”
Goals and Motivations:
Wants to give back to the same kind of community he grew up in by using basketball to inspire kids but also help parents behind the scenes who might be struggling to afford everyday essentials.
Believes in the power of mentorship and wants to be someone students can look up to.
He takes pride in helping kids build confidence.
Loves coaching because it lets him stay connected to basketball, which shaped his life.
Feels a personal responsibility to help kids succeed, especially those facing real life challenges like he did growing up.
Believes that sports can teach life skills like discipline, teamwork, and resilience and wants to make sure kids who can’t afford sports expenses still get the chance to learn these lessons.
Challenges:
Budget cuts and lack of funding in Detroit public schools make it harder to run quality gym and athletic programs.
He doesn’t always have enough equipment or proper space to coach the way he’d like to
Balancing a full-time teaching job with volunteer coaching means long hours and limited free time
Watches his kids show up without proper gear and clean uniforms, knowing he can’t fix everything, even though he wants to.
He sometimes covers small costs himself, such as snacks, bus fare, or basic gear, just to make sure kids can stay involved.
Upbringing:
Neighborhood: He grew up in Chadsey-Condon, a lower-income neighborhood located on the west side of Detroit where many homes were run down, and there weren’t a lot of safe or well-kept parks and public spaces.
Family background: He was raised by a single mom who worked full-time in retail. Money was tight growing up, and they didn’t always have access to the basic necessities like home appliances or extra money for special outings or, specifically, extra money for after-school programs like basketball.
Early Education: He went to school in the Detroit public school system in the early 90s, during a time when there were significant budget cuts and school closures all throughout Detroit. Between 2000 and 2015, the district closed 195 schools because of the mass decline in enrollment and financial cuts.
Extracurricular activities: Passionate about basketball but unable to afford travel teams or coaching, David would play with friends and take advantage of public spaces to practice as much as he could. He met people along the way who became mentors for him.
Employment: To support his mom, he would take on part-time jobs such as bagging items at grocery stores, shoveling snow during the winter and mowing lawns during the summer to help as much as he could. This reflects a common life for a young teen who came from a low-income household in Detroit.
Influence of sports: Playing sports always gave David something positive to focus on while growing up. It helped him stay motivated and connected, and the mentors he had along the way made a big impact on him. That’s a big part of why he chose to become a Phys-ed teacher and coach to give back the same way others helped him while he grew up.
As someone who’s seen firsthand how hard it can be for families to afford the basic necessities, David knows just how impactful something like a washer or dryer can be for families. It’s more than just convenience; it’s about helping families feel confident and supported.
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