For many students at Newman University, it’s not unusual to see Head Athletic Performance Coach David Akao energize a room.
After all, he’s spent more than four years working with young athletes through his business, NPWR Training, and a little over a year motivating Newman’s student-athletes in the weight room.
What is new is that lately, he’s been doing it from behind a DJ booth.
Known increasingly around campus as “DJ Dave,” Akao has turned a weekend hobby into a growing side business, a fundraising platform and a way to deepen his connections with the Newman community.
How it started
Akao, a lifelong music fan, spent months teaching himself the fundamentals of mixing tracks from his home office.
“I’ve always loved music and admired DJs, so I had the idea to start DJing,” he said. “While I love training athletes, I believe everyone needs some sort of hobby and creative outlet to keep them fresh.”
What began as curiosity quickly became commitment. After practicing on his own for about six months, Akao sought guidance from one of Wichita’s most respected DJs: DJ Carbon.
Known offstage as James Bobetsky, DJ Carbon has been a prominent figure in Wichita’s music scene for more than 30 years. He performs regularly at weddings, grand openings and community events and has been credited with helping pave the way for more DJs in the city. In addition to performing full time, he teaches DJ lessons at Guitar Center in Wichita.
Akao took advantage of these lessons and learned from “the best” for a couple months, he said.
“DJing is just like training — at first you struggle, but the more repetitions you get, the more you learn and grow,” Akao said.
The experience also reinforced an important lesson: “the value of reaching out to mentors and people who are more experienced than you,” Akao said.
“Taking lessons with DJ Carbon helped accelerate my learning and reminded me that you don’t have to figure everything out on your own,” he added. “He taught me that DJing is a lot about preparation — prepping your playlists, talking with event coordinators beforehand, setting cue points and making sure everything is ready before the event starts.”
Perhaps the biggest lesson Akao learned was knowing how to read a crowd and adjust the music to meet their preferences.
“Being able to notice things like head bobbing, swaying, dancing, singing along or people losing interest can tell you a lot,” Akao said. “Learning how to read those reactions and adjust accordingly has been one of the biggest lessons I’ve taken from him.”
DJing for a cure
As Akao’s DJ confidence grew, he found a way to combine music with service.
Earlier this year, he launched an initiative called “DJing for a Cure” while participating in Blood Cancer United’s Visionary of the Year fundraising campaign — a cause that was deeply personal to him.
“One of my longtime clients was diagnosed with AML (Acute Myeloid Leukemia) and served as our Honored Hero for the campaign,” Akao said. “My mom is also a breast cancer survivor, so cancer has impacted my family as well.”
Through seven fundraising events, Akao DJed cycle classes — including an opportunity at WeRide — fitness competitions, bingo nights and community celebrations while raising money for blood cancer patients and their families.
“The events helped raise thousands of dollars for Blood Cancer United and also opened the door to paid opportunities for me as a DJ,” he said.
Bringing the music to Newman
Akao’s DJ journey has also found a place on campus.
Of his 14 gigs to date, three have been Newman events: the Jetspys end of year athletic awards, Student Life’s Spring Fling event and the Spike Out Cancer Volleyball Tournament fundraiser supporting junior Brooklyn Lane, who was diagnosed with cancer in spring 2026.
“Being able to DJ events connected to Newman has been a really cool experience because I already spend so much time around campus through athletics and strength and conditioning,” Akao said.
The experience has also helped him engage with students in a different way than he does in the gym. It also helps him step outside his comfort zone, a challenge he encourages his student-athletes to do as well.
“Oftentimes, at events the DJ is also emceeing and making announcements throughout the event, which isn’t much different than giving a speech before or after a workout, leading a team meeting or addressing a group of athletes,” he said.
Whether he’s leading a workout or selecting the next song in a playlist, Akao sees similarities between coaching and DJing.
Both require preparation, reading people and creating an environment where others can thrive.
“The most rewarding aspect of my job at Newman is building relationships with the student-athletes and making a small impact on their lives.”
David Akao, head athletic performance coach at Newman University
Akao said he hopes to grow his skills, book regular weekend events and eventually DJ at weddings.
“There are a few Newman athletes who are engaged or will likely be getting engaged in the future and they’ve joked about having me DJ their weddings,” he said. “I think that would be a fun and unique full-circle experience.”
For now, the coach-turned-DJ is focused on learning, serving and enjoying the ride.
“More than anything, I want to keep gaining experience, learning and putting myself in different environments,” Akao said. “I want to continue having fun with it while also using DJing as a way to give back.”
