It’s not totally surprising that David Singleton is the founder of a growing business focused on youth sports.

“My father and I grew up eating, sleeping and dreaming of basketball,” Singleton says.

He was raised in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, a small community just west of Philadelphia—where some of basketball’s all-time greats have played, including Joel Embiid, Charles Barkley, and Wilt Chamberlain.

From Basketball to Businessman

Singleton went on to play college ball and then had a stint as a professional basketball player in Morocco. When he saw his own professional basketball career coming to a close sooner than he had hoped, he reflected on his early years playing in leagues and tournaments hosted by his local YMCA.

His love of the game was as strong as ever, and so was his desire to coach and help others pursue their sports dreams—especially his own three children, whom he shares with his Canadian wife, Claudia. His business was born: Prolific Sports House, a youth sports training facility for basketball, soccer, hockey, and more.

“Basketball is all I knew, so it was a no-brainer for me to stick around basketball,” says Singleton, known as Coach Dave. “I’ve trained kids since I was 14 years old and always had a passion to help someone get better.”

When Prolific launched in Calgary in 2020, Singleton showed he was a scrapper on and off the court. To make his dream a reality, he had to build a 17,000-square-foot facility, replete with two full-size basketball courts, two half-courts, a cardio and fitness area and an entertainment area and lounge for watching training videos and basketball games.

Building the Dream

Launching a top-tier facility from scratch wasn’t a slam dunk. As an entrepreneur, he had to first find a reliable bank to provide financial advice and funding.

“The only bank willing to believe in my vision and see the potential was BMO,” Singleton explains. “We were a brand new business and concept, but I’m thankful that they took a chance on me.”

Five years on, Prolific is going strong. Singleton’s team has started a college prep school that helps athletes aspiring to play sports in college; he and the business have earned positive media exposure; and in 2024, Prolific opened a second location in the north end of Calgary.

Perhaps most satisfying for Singleton is his business’s role in the community nurturing athletes through what he calls “the P Way.”

“We have built so many long-lasting relationships with families and players who are finally getting their recognition,” he beams. “We have a few NCAA D1 athletes that have trained in our program and have truly committed themselves to learning the P Way.”

What lies ahead for Prolific? Singleton credits his wife and kids as his motivation to remain ambitious: “Branching to the USA, two to three more locations, and just developing more kids to one day play at the highest level or accomplish their goals.”

This Black History Month, BMO is proud to be part of Coach Dave’s journey as an entrepreneur and a leader in the Calgary community providing equal opportunities for athletes to realize their own goals and dreams.