From World Champion to Guiding Light: Cletus Coffey’s Journey of Reinvention

I’ve known Cletus Coffey for a while now, and I truly admire what he’s doing with his “Be The Torch” program. Cletus didn’t wake up one day and decide to help others—he lived through the struggles himself. His journey from being a world-class athlete to navigating life as a single dad, and ultimately, a coach for other dads, is rooted in real experience. He’s been where many of his clients are, and he’s turned those hardships into a framework that helps other men thrive.

Cletus didn’t just wake up one day and decide to help others; he lived through his own struggles and emerged with a proven framework that helps other men thrive. His “Be The Torch” program is rooted in real experience, not theory. He’s been there, done that, and now he’s lighting the way for others to follow.

When the pre-dawn stillness settles each morning, Cletus Coffey remembers a time not long ago when that early hour felt like an unbearable weight. As a single father of three young children, he often woke up lost and overwhelmed – a stark contrast to the days when he was a world-class athlete starting his mornings with purpose and discipline. Coffey had once reached the heights of professional sports, only to later find himself struggling with the very ordinary challenge of getting out of bed with a sense of direction. His journey from glory on the field to clarity in fatherhood is a testament to resilience, reinvention, and the power of finding purpose beyond the scoreboard.

Chasing Athletic Dreams

Long before he became a coach to fellow dads, Cletus Coffey was defined by big dreams on the field. Growing up, sports were his sanctuary. “Being an athlete is all I desired to be as a kid,” he says – athletics gave him an identity and an escape from early family hardships​. Coffey poured himself into competition, becoming a standout three-sport athlete in high school and a two-sport star in college, determined to go pro​. His unwavering drive paid off. By his early twenties, Coffey was suiting up as a professional football player, pursuing a career that spanned the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the Arena Football League. In a few short years, he even added a world championship to his résumé by winning a masters Track & Field world title as part of Team USA​.

On the surface, Coffey’s athletic career seemed charmed. He had achieved what so many only dream of: a degree in one hand and a pro sports contract in the other. He was, as one podcast described, a “former professional and world champion athlete” who had lived out his childhood dream​. Those years taught him about high performance, teamwork, and the intoxicating thrill of victory. But they also set the stage for an identity crisis that would hit when the cheering stopped.

Identity Lost After the Final Whistle

Coffey’s sports journey came to an abrupt halt in his mid-20s. After four years in the pros, a routine play turned disastrous — he fractured his leg and shredded the ligaments in his ankle​. Just like that, the career he’d spent a lifetime chasing was in jeopardy. “Very few athletes retire voluntarily,” Coffey has noted, and he was no exception. He rehabbed obsessively and even made it back on the field, but the explosive speed and physical dominance that once defined him were now shadowed by pain​. At just 26 years old, Cletus Coffey was forced to face the looming question every athlete dreads: Who am I if I’m not an athlete?​.

The transition was brutal. When Coffey played his final game, he didn’t just lose a sport – he lost his sense of self. The man who had been fearless and “determined to live out my dream” on the gridiron suddenly felt deeply unsure of his purpose​. Over the next decade, he drifted from job to job, city to city, chasing anything that might replicate the rush of game day. “I was attacking life with the same drive I had as an athlete, except something just didn’t feel right,” he later admitted, recalling how each new venture left him unfulfilled​. He tried sales roles he didn’t care for and even launched a series of businesses that failed to take off. By his own count, he “failed three businesses” in those years – setbacks that stung at the time, yet each taught him something about perseverance and passion​. Still, the victories were few and far between. Coffey spent his 30s “bouncing around in sales jobs he did not like,” a restless former athlete searching for a new playbook for life​.

Privately, Coffey’s personal life was also unraveling. The confidence and swagger he’d once carried onto the field were replaced by shame and doubt. “Soon I found myself a divorced single father of three,” he has written, describing his lowest point. Feeling like he had let everyone down – his kids, his ex-wife, himself – Coffey sank into a depression​. He was “lost, broke, depressed and searching for help”​. Every morning felt like a battle. Some days, he could barely summon the energy to face the daylight, dreading the chaos of getting the kids to school and the emptiness that followed. Cletus Coffey – one-time world champion – was now struggling just to win the day.

A Spark in the Dark

What do you do when you’ve hit rock bottom? For Coffey, the answer came in the form of an inner spark – a faint but persistent reminder of the drive that had once pushed him to greatness. In the depths of his struggle, he began to rebuild himself from the inside out. It started with small steps: early morning jogs to clear his mind, scribbling in a journal before his kids woke up, devouring personal development books after tucking them in at night. Piece by piece, he was, in his words, “working on myself, attempting to understand how to get into the game of life on my terms”​.

As Coffey clawed his way out of the darkness, a new sense of purpose began to crystallize. Patterns emerged from the chaos. “As I began to light a path out of the darkness I was in, a pattern and a framework for success emerged,” he recalls. “The light went off. All of my experiences had finally come together, showing me the way to meaning, purpose and where I could add real value to the lives of others”​. In trying to save his own life, Coffey inadvertently discovered a philosophy that could save others. He realized that the lessons which fueled his athletic success – discipline, focus, relentless practice, teamwork – were exactly what could lift him and others out of mediocrity in everyday life.

That realization ignited what would become Coffey’s new mission. In 2017, he channeled his ideas into a program he boldly named “The Recovering Athlete.” It was a 12-step blueprint aimed at helping former athletes like himself navigate life after sports​. The concept: treat the end of an athletic career like any other significant loss, something to recover from through introspection and growth. He tackled issues like the “loss of belonging” once the crowds are gone, how to find a new passion that sparks joy, and ways to experience that competitive “high” beyond the field​. Coffey soon found he wasn’t alone—other ex-athletes, as well as military veterans and even retiring musicians, resonated with his message of reinvention​.

Most importantly, Coffey was changing himself in the process. With each workshop he led and each client he mentored, he felt a bit more “like himself again”​. The same man who had once wondered if his best days were behind him now saw that his second act was just beginning. “I believe becoming a master of your true authentic self is the most powerful and effective way for men…to have the greatest amount of freedom, flexibility, fulfillment and happiness in their lives,” Coffey explains of his coaching philosophy​. In other words, the key to thriving was not chasing someone else’s definition of success, but mastering who you truly are.

Mastering a New Game: Digital Empowerment

As his confidence and sense of mission grew, Coffey confronted a new challenge: how to spread his message to those who needed it. In the modern era, that meant mastering the digital game. In his athletic days, Coffey’s achievements spoke for themselves on the field. But now, if he wanted to reach fellow single dads and struggling former athletes around the world, he needed to amplify his voice online. It was time to become as adept in digital marketing as he once was in running routes and catching passes.

It wasn’t an easy pivot. “In 2019, I knew very little about digital marketing. I consumed it, but didn’t understand how to create it,” Coffey admitted in a candid Facebook post​. A few years earlier, desperate to promote one of his fledgling businesses, he had hired a marketing agency and hoped for the best. “Not knowing much I trusted (and paid) them a lot to get my message out. The result… ZERO. Nothing. Got taken,” he wrote bluntly, pulling no punches about that failed experiment​. The experience left him frustrated, but also fired up. Rather than give up on marketing, Coffey resolved to teach himself. Just as he’d done in sports, he went into training mode – devouring courses on social media strategy, seeking out mentors, and practicing by promoting his own content.

That hard work paid off. Over time, Coffey transformed into a savvy digital marketer in his own right. He learned to leverage social media, podcasts, and online communities to share his story and vision. He built a personal brand that was authentic to the core, openly sharing both his victories and vulnerabilities. This authenticity in marketing became one of Coffey’s strengths. “Your marketing has to come from a place of authenticity and vulnerability,” he emphasizes – a lesson he gleaned from realizing that slick advertising means nothing if your story isn’t real. By being genuine, Coffey started attracting an audience who saw themselves in his journey.

His growing marketing acumen and compelling message soon caught the attention of industry leaders. In one interview, DigitalMarketer’s Mark de Grasse noted that Coffey’s work “exemplifies finding your niche and being passionate about what you’re selling”​. The former athlete who once felt like a rookie in the business world had become enough of an expert that he was featured on marketing podcasts and blogs, discussing how to translate the mindset of a champion to entrepreneurship. He even contributed thought leadership articles on platforms like BlitzMetrics, outlining “5 Keys to Massive Success in Life After Sports” and sharing his personal transition playbook with others​. In those writings, Coffey was characteristically honest about the messiness of his journey. “It took me over a decade of struggle, failures, finding myself broke and broken before I found a way out,” he wrote, imploring others not to give up hope​. That vulnerability, paired with actionable advice, further cemented his credibility in both the personal development and digital marketing arenas.

Cletus Coffey’s foray into digital marketing wasn’t about becoming an ad guru or chasing vanity metrics. It was about amplifying impact. By learning how to navigate Facebook ads, email funnels, and content creation, he gained the tools to connect with the very people he was driven to help. He’s even been seen coaching others on these skills – in one recent BlitzMetrics training video, Coffey walked through optimizing Facebook ad campaigns with the same focus on improvement that he once applied to game film review. The competitive fire was still there, only now the “scoreboard” he cares about isn’t sports wins; it’s the number of lives improved by his message.

Lighting the Torch for Fellow Dads

All of Coffey’s experiences – the triumphs and the tribulations – have coalesced into his current passion: coaching and empowering other fathers to reclaim their lives. He often says that his coaching business was born from necessity. “I did not begin building the Be The Torch coaching programs to free other single-dads from the pain… they were settling for. I discovered this philosophy and framework while trying to save my own life,” Coffey admits​. Having walked through the fire himself, he’s determined to be the torch that helps light the way for others.

Today, Cletus Coffey is the founder of Torch Training and the creator of the Be The Torch movement – a coaching and mentorship program specifically geared toward single dads who are business owners. His mission is straightforward and deeply personal: to help men who feel “seemingly left behind” find structure, purpose, and control in their lives​. In Coffey’s eyes, single entrepreneurs who are fathers face a unique crucible. They juggle the demands of running a business with the responsibilities of raising children, often while nursing old wounds of divorce or personal disappointment. It’s a lot to carry, and too many, Coffey realized, were doing it in isolation just as he once did.

The ethos behind Be The Torch is that fatherhood and personal ambition don’t have to be at odds – in fact, when balanced well, each can fuel the other. Coffey coaches his clients to create what he calls “a life your business can fit into, not a business that consumes your life”​. It starts, quite literally, with how they start their day. One of Coffey’s core teachings is developing a powerful morning routine as the foundation for success. He learned firsthand that the early hours can either make or break a day for a busy dad. “Your morning determines your day,” Coffey often reminds his followers, underscoring that the habits in that first hour after waking cascade into every aspect of life.

In his coaching, Coffey doesn’t mince words about the destructive routines many men fall into. “You know damn well that tapping your phone, slurping coffee, and shoveling garbage in your mouth is NOT the way a man who’s on a mission starts his day,” he chides in one podcast episode, calling out those easy-to-form habits that sap energy and focus. “Yet your body and mind? It’s addicted. Conditioned. You’ve become a prisoner to your weakness before the sun even comes up,” he warns, speaking from experience about how hard it can be to break morning bad habits​. The solution, in Coffey’s playbook, isn’t a magical burst of motivation – it’s discipline. “This isn’t about motivation. This is about discipline,” he emphasizes, highlighting a lesson he took from sports and applied to his mornings​. By instilling discipline at the start of the day – whether through exercise, meditation, journaling, or simply a healthy breakfast and meaningful time with one’s kids – Coffey believes anyone can “shine the light on ourselves first, to illuminate our own path to freedom, fulfillment and happiness”​.

His clients have taken that message to heart. Coffey recalls a recent success story of a single dad entrepreneur who, after coaching, dedicated two hours each morning to improve his mind, body, and relationship with his children – without missing a beat in his business​. It’s a transformation Coffey is incredibly proud of. The same father who once claimed he was “too busy” now finds that investing in himself at dawn pays dividends throughout the day: he’s more patient with his kids, more focused at work, and no longer ends his days in burnout. These are the kinds of victories Coffey lives for now. Each time a dad tells him “I feel like I’m in control of my life again,” Coffey knows the torch he lit in his own dark times is lighting someone else’s way.

Living His Legacy

What makes Cletus Coffey’s story so compelling is its authenticity. He doesn’t pretend to be a superhero or a slick guru who has it all figured out. He openly shares the messy parts: the ego hits of business failures, the lonely nights after his kids fell asleep, the mornings he hit snooze because facing the day felt too daunting. This raw honesty has become one of his greatest strengths. “I get you. I know what you are going through,” Coffey tells the men who come to him for help​. They believe him precisely because he’s been there. And they see in his current life that change is possible.

At 45 (give or take – Coffey jokes that former athletes count age differently), he now stands as a figure of hard-won wisdom and inspiration. Yes, he’s a world champion athlete with impressive credentials, and yes, he’s a digital marketing adept who can navigate modern business terrain. Those accomplishments give him credibility. But it’s his role as a father and mentor that gives him purpose. Coffey often invokes the concept of the “Power 5” – a framework he teaches that focuses on five key areas: psychology, physiology, people, profits, and presence​. It’s essentially a holistic game plan for life, balancing mindset and health, relationships and work, financial success and personal fulfillment. It’s also the very balance Coffey strives for each day in his own household.

In coaching circles and on social media, Coffey has earned a bit of a reputation as a “Dad Whisperer” for the entrepreneur set – the coach who speaks the language of men who refuse to choose between their ambition and their family. In part, that’s because he infuses his sports analogies and competitiveness into his coaching. He frames personal development in terms men who spent Sundays on the football couch can appreciate. In one coaching session, Coffey playfully asked a client, “You think Kobe left the Mamba Mentality on the court when he became a dad?” The point hit home: the same intensity that drives a man in business or sports can be channeled into being an amazing parent. Coffey is living proof of that credo. His family is no longer his excuse for why he can’t hustle; they’re his reason for hustling smarter and with heart.

As of today, Cletus Coffey’s mornings look very different than they once did. He rises early not out of anxiety, but out of excitement for what the day holds. There’s a structured routine – a morning workout or run (a nod to the athlete he’ll always be), a few minutes of mindfulness to get centered, and breakfast with his kids where phones are off and conversation is on. By the time many people are hitting snooze, Coffey has already conquered the hardest part of his day: showing up for himself. The result, he says, is a sense of control and peace that eluded him years ago. “Freedom is on the other side of your discipline,” he wrote in a recent post, capturing the simple truth that set him free. In reclaiming his mornings, he reclaimed his life.

Credibility Built on Perseverance and Purpose

Spend even a few minutes talking to Cletus Coffey or scrolling through his content, and one thing becomes clear: he has zero interest in hollow accolades. What drives him now isn’t adding another trophy to his shelf (physical or metaphorical), but seeing the tangible impact of his work on others. Still, his credentials are worth noting. Coffey is a sought-after speaker and has shared his story on podcasts, at sports conferences, and business events. He’s been a coach and trainer for over 20 years in various capacities, from mentoring elite athletes on the track to coaching entrepreneurs in the boardroom​. And he continues to learn and evolve. Ever the athlete, he subscribes to a mantra of continuous improvement – whether it’s tweaking his coaching curriculum or staying updated on the latest digital marketing trends to better serve his clients.

For Coffey, the ultimate measure of success is the community he’s building. The private Facebook group he runs for single dad business owners is steadily growing, full of daily posts where members cheer each other on for waking up at 5 AM or share breakthroughs like reconciling with an estranged child or finally delegating tasks at work to be home for dinner. Coffey is in the thick of those conversations, commenting encouragement, offering tips, and sometimes delivering tough love. He’s the first to celebrate a win and the first to challenge an excuse.

In highlighting Cletus Coffey’s journey, it’s tempting to call it a comeback story – the washed-up jock who reinvented himself. But that doesn’t quite capture it. To hear Coffey tell it, every chapter of his life happened for a reason: “All of my experiences had finally come together,” he reflects, grateful even for the painful ones, because they showed him where he could “add real value” to others​. His athletic career wasn’t a dead end; it was the proving ground for his character. His stumbles in business weren’t failures; they were courses in resilience and creativity. His struggles as a father weren’t a weakness; they became the source of his greatest strength and empathy.

Carrying the Torch Forward

As our conversation winds down (with Coffey squeezing it in between school pickups and a coaching call), he shares one last insight that sticks in my mind. “I realized I was chasing the wrong trophies,” he says, referencing the years he spent trying to recapture his past glory. “All the things I thought I wanted – the titles, the money, the approval – none of it mattered if I wasn’t proud of the man I saw in the mirror each morning.” It’s a simple idea, but coming from someone who once basked in stadium applause, it carries weight. Now, each day is less about proving something to the world and more about fulfilling his own potential and helping others do the same.

Cletus Coffey set out to be a champion in life as he was in sports, and in the process, he became something perhaps even more impactful: a champion for others. His story reminds us that life’s gold medals sometimes come disguised as second chances, and that the end of one dream can be the beginning of a purpose far greater. As he often tells the dads in his program, the game isn’t over – you’re just stepping into a new arena.

In that new arena, Coffey is right there on the field with them, whistle in one hand and a torch in the other, lighting the path toward a future where fathers lead with purpose, businesses thrive with balance, and every morning starts with the promise of a win.

Are You Ready to Make a Change?

If you’re ready to take control of your life and find purpose, Cletus’s “Be The Torch” program is the place to start. Reach out today and take the first step toward reclaiming your mornings, your mission, and your legacy. This could be the turning point you’ve been waiting for.