Sasha Ghavami has become a leading figure in the sporting world when it comes to athlete representation. His career, however, took an unexpected turn when he decided to go into business with his mother. Five years later, he shares his mother with more than a hundred young dreamers.
Ghavami had given us an appointment at Toi, Moi & Café in Rosemère, on boulevard Curé-Labelle, last Wednesday. The place was packed with young workers. Wires from laptop chargers snaked between cups and plates on almost every table. The rays of the sun threaded through the wooden blinds and the strata of light sank in the restaurant as in a dinner from Vermont.
Hoda arrived first. Heading towards the back of the restaurant trying to catch a glance, she finally arrives at the penultimate table. ” It’s you ? “, she says before laughing without restraint as there will be dozens during the meal.
While waiting for her son, like most mothers, she talks about her exploits. Say how proud she is of him. “Sasha can’t take a no. That’s why he is where he is. He is always busy. »
Speaking of the wolf, his offspring shows up a few minutes later with a well-dressed white polo shirt and his briefcase.
Our photographer Hugo-Sébastien was waiting for them on the terrace for a photo shoot. The chemistry is palpable and their looks don’t lie.
If their VA-AS college recruiting business has been doing so well for the past five years, it’s mainly because of this connection. The duo is not only complementary. It is also compatible.
Since May 2018, Hoda and Sasha have helped more than a hundred young people obtain a place in universities or preparatory colleges, in the United States and Canada, to continue their studies while playing high level sport. Twenty-six of their athletes have been placed in college. Twenty-five in colleges. The other half are simply not old enough to be placed officially.
The matriarch briefly knew about the matter, because her other son, Sasha’s brother, had already taken the steps a decade ago to pursue his tennis career in the university ranks.
As she helped my brother, there are other parents around us who have asked her to help them navigate the process.
Sasha Ghavami, about her mother
Today, their mission is to assist student-athletes and their families in their college placement process. Their tenure with a youngster ends when he finally enters college. In such a case, mission accomplished.
Ghavami already has his own agency with which he manages the careers of NFL and CFL players. These two projects are completely separate.
For university recruitment, “it’s [sa] mother who runne THE show he said, stepping back and putting his hands in the air, as if to wash it off. “Me, I am there in support, I help. We divide the tasks. »
Never downtime
A mother works full time. On the occasion of Mother’s Day, many are able to achieve it. Lynda Lemay was not mistaken.
Since Hoda and her son take care of hockey, football, tennis, golf and soccer players, among others, respite periods are rare.
“I always say it’s my third career and it’s by far the best,” she says in her charming English accent. Oh, my God, that’s something! I have the honor of following young people who impress me. They work hard, they are persistent. We have great athletes in Quebec. Even if they may not all become professional athletes, what we experience with them are the best years of their lives. »
Now his phone never stops ringing. When it is not an athlete who writes to him to announce his last good result, it is the coach of an American university who calls him to know the profile of a possible hope.
Ghavami continues to throw flowers to the one who gave him life 31 years ago: “I find it extraordinary. At first, she was not used to the world of sports. But my mother is a mother. A real mother. So when we have young people on board, she treats them like her children. »
The idea of creating a bond with the athletes and their families is essential. It is even fundamental for Hoda, who refuses to be formal. The impression of having an increasingly extended family keeps her very much alive and above all younger. She feels like a mother in the plural.
“When you have clients, it can be cliché, but they become part of the family. So it’s impossible for me to let a young person down. I would go crazy. If he puts in all the effort, I have to help him. »
Fiston remembers with nostalgia their beginnings. Looking back, he can only be delighted to have had the audacity to involve his mother in the adventure. “She has improved so much over time and that makes me very proud. She embarked on the project without knowing if we were going to have a single client, and after five years, things are going really well. »
The perfect duo
While father-to-son or mother-to-daughter success stories often make the headlines, mother and son success stories are more unusual. However, neither of them seem to care too much about it. For them, the recipe works. And that’s the main thing.
“Even if there are disagreements…he’s my son. There is nothing stronger than that. What do you want me to tell you! »
Hoda assures that she and her son always end up finding common ground, but this ability to sometimes express their ideas and opinions freely, even if they are contrary, is necessary for the success of the duo. “We are able to say no to each other, but we work well together, because we will never make a decision without consulting each other”, specifies the agent.
The waitress interrupts the conversation to take orders. A wrap for Hoda and a simple decaffeinated latte for Sasha.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Sasha Ghavami and her mother together run a consulting firm for student athletes.
There’s a reason we work together. My mother gained experience. Me, college credits, NCAA rules, courses, registrations, I didn’t know how it worked, but my mother did.
Sasha Ghavami
While he has his own career, Ghavami is swooning over his mother’s accomplishments, as there is nothing trivial about what she does on a daily basis. “It’s absolutely beautiful, because to see that she’s gotten into it and is succeeding, I find it very stimulating. »
The majority of their talks have to do with the company and the future of young people, even in family celebrations, “we will tell each other the real business”, concedes Ghavami, but their relationship seems to be rock solid.
An exemplary mother-son relationship in which mutual respect and reciprocal admiration reign, but above all a sincere and eternal love.
“I am proud of what we have managed to do together. My mother, above all, I love her. The key to our success is that we remain ourselves, comfortable and honest. We work as a team and we keep it simple. »
“Okay, I’m paying for your coffee because you’re my son and I love you too,” Hoda exclaims, standing up.
At the same time, his phone starts ringing. She answers and then passes it to Sasha. “See, we weren’t lying,” she laughs.