Premier Players Magazine - November Edition

Page 1

RELATIONSHIPS / HEALTH / FINANCE / GIVING BACK

WWW.PREMIERPLAYERS.COM

From Foster Care To World Champion

Simone Biles Freddie Solomon Community Award

A Look At The

Candidates Bodyweight

Workout NOV 2023

$5

MJ

Billions & Counting Tops Athletes Turn VC


The World’s First Luxury SUV


7817 N. Dale Mabry Highway * Tampa, Florida 33614 * (813) 531-7409

The World’s First Luxury SUV


ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE SELFWINDING CHRONOGRAPH CASE: Black ceramic case and blue ceramic bezel, glare proofed sapphire crystal and caseback, blue ceramic pushpieces and screw-locked crown, titanium pushpiece guards and links.

DAIL: Smoked blue dial with “Méga Tapisserie” pattern, black counters and external zone, white gold applied hourmarkers and Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating, black inner bezel.

BRACELET: Blue calfskin strap with titanium pin buckle and interchangeable strap system. Additional black rubber strap.

www.AUDEMARSPIGUET.com


TABLE OF CONTENT Freddie Solomon Award – A Look At The Candidates FOUNDER Carnell Moore 813-833-3495

EDITOR/CONTRIBUTORS Carnell Moore Jonathan Fuller, Buffalo Jeffrey Weiss, Wayne State Susan Lax, Kentucky Dusty Sloan, Ashland Shelly Poe, Auburn Kat Castner, Duke Greg Steiner, Eastern Michigan Steve Rourke, UCLA Steven Fink, South Carolina Matthew Dowdy, Texas Tech Scott Strasemeier, Navy

AADVISORY BOARD Jordan A. Moore Executive Director Carlos McCain DCRG Solutions Dr. Albert Kabemba Medical Director, ANR Clinic Carnell Moore

MAILING ADDRESS P.O. Box 341064 Tampa, FL 33694-1064

SHIPPING ADDRESS 201 E Kennedy Blvd Ste 950 Tampa, FL 33602

CONTACT INFORMATION O: 813-833-3495 F: 813-968-2882 E: editor@premierplayers.com

No Equipment Necessary For A Great Workout Top 10 Athletes Turned Venture Capitalist

From Foster Care to World Champion

Contact Us At Editor@premierplayers.com To Contribute Articles & Photos Our Premier Players Awards Are A Voice For The Fans!


Nominations Pour In For The 2023

Freddie Solomon Community Spirit Award Who is Freddie Solomon? A dual-threat quarterback that played college football at the University of Tampa and went on to play 11 seasons in the NFL as a wide receiver. He played three seasons for the Miami Dolphins before joining the San Francisco 49ers where he helped win two Super Bowl championships. Then the Sumter, SC, native known as “Fabulous Freddie”, came back to Hillsborough County to make a more lasting impact. Solomon devoted the next 12 years of his life to the youths of Tampa Bay, working with the Sheriff’s department to teach kids life lessons through football. His efforts impacted more than two decades of youths and his lessons are still carried on in the community. Mr. Solomon passed away on February 12, 2012, after a nine-month battle with colon and

liver cancer. However, the Freddie Solomon Community Spirit Award continues his efforts to help make the world a better place by annually honoring a collegiate football player who has impacted the lives of others through giving and community service. Each college football season, colleges and universities submit nominees for the award via an e-mail to editor@premierplayers.com by Nov. 15th. Nominations contain details of the candidate’s grade point average, recent community involvement, and why the candidate should receive the award. The Solomon Family selects the recipient of the award after reviewing each player’s submission. However, here is a brief look at some of the top candidates for the 2023 Freddie Solomon Community Spirit Award:


Max Michel DE, Buffalo, Grad Student

Noah Nicklin OL, Wayne State, Grad Students

JJ Weaver OLB, Kentucky, Senior

Max recently earned the MidAmerican Conference’s 1-MAC Student-Athlete Award for his tremendous impact and excellence in inclusion efforts.

The son of a landscaper, Noah Nicklin has never been afraid to get his hands dirty.

As a Community & Leadership Development major, J.J. knows how to work with and inspire others in line with his passion for student grief support. His summary of community service includes:

“He makes us do our fair share of work around the house,” Nicklin Here is a short list of some of Max’s said, referring to his father. “But he's never made us do it alone. He's • Started a foundation called “15 community services activities: always right there with us.” for Freddie” while in high school to - Organized team members to help visit and help feed the homeless. So, when Nicklin received word that stock clothing for distribution to • “15 for Freddie” morphed into he was named one of the brightest families with extreme needs. “The Perfect Fit” upon his arrive to and hardest working scholars at UK in 2019 . - Coordinated a multi¬week toy Wayne State University, he wanted • Visited a local elementary school drive for kids of displaced families to immediately share the news to talk about his polydactyly and and organized a family fun day with with his dad. emphasize to the kids that being giveaways and free resources. different is okay. “That was a good phone call to - Served twice a week in the kitchen make,” said Nicklin, who was • Organized a football camp for and food receiving department. He selected to this year’s Mike children in his hometown of spearheaded event with Louisville. Ilitch School of Business 25 Under teammates to serve food to the • Organized an event called “Back 25. “Obviously, mom and dad love homeless. to School with J.J.” for which he hearing stuff like that.” bought backpacks, school supplies - Coordinated a movie night for kids The Mike Ilitch School of Business and offered free haircuts. with disabilities and their families. • Organized an event called The 25 Under 25 program recognizes Perfect Fit Bike Drive; Bought and students who have demonstrated - Managed a sports camp day at handed out 111 bicycles; and gave success in at least two categories Bills stadium and gathered entire a talk to the kids about being a football team to help coach the kids (academics, leadership, positive impact in their community. professional development and through drills. • After losing his father to campus or community service). - and Max had a major impact in homicide and his high school coach Nicklin has more than 90 hours of leading a Community Healing to cancer, J.J. struggled and is now community service while response to the mass shooting at an advocate for mental health and maintaining a 3.91 gpa as an MBA Tops Supermarket. counseling on UK campus. student.


Trent Maddox QB, Ashland, Junior

Elija McAllister OLB, Auburn, Grad Student

Ja’Mion Franklin DT, Duke, Grad Student

Trent has been a leader among Ashland University student-athletes since he stepped on campus.

McAllister received his bachelor’s degree in medicine, health and society with a double minor in business and psychology in 2021. He then completed a master’s degree in education with a 3.9 gpa at the end of 2022 where he learned about diversity and urban studies. Both degrees from Vanderbilt.

Ja’Mion volunteers to help package, sort and check food donations for distribution of over 1.25 million pounds of food per year.

The junior QB is the Great Midwest Athletic Conference StudentAthlete Advisory Committee chair and the AU SAAC president. Trent also earned another title – member of the 2023 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team. "Super thankful," Maddox said. "It's not about me, it's not about what I've done. Ultimately, I desire to do these things because the Lord has given me these desires. It is, honestly, 100 percent honor and glory and praise to the Lord, because of what the Holy Spirit does." Maddox joins Zach Bernhard (2016), Austin Phillips (2021) and Austin Brenner (2022) as Eagles to earn spots on the AFCA Good Works Team. According to the AFCA, Ashland's three consecutive Good Works Team members is tied for the ninth-longest streak since the program began. He has made a positive impact as (click here to read more)

Now working on a Ph.D. in education at Auburn (one of only two FBS players nationally pursuing a Ph.D. while competing), the team captain’s community service include: • Founded the All For One, One For All Foundation • Goes several times a month to read to local schools and speak on the importance of education • Has energized his teammates into getting involved with community service • Organized a back-to-school supply drive with Auburn Boys & Girls Club with his teammates • Got several of his teammates involved with Tigers Give Back Day (click here to listen more)

“Growing up was hard a lot of the time as we struggled financially so much that the only source of food that we had or could get was by way of our local food pantries. I know that we would’ve went hungry without them, so this organization that helps families that rely on the pantry is dear to my heart because that’s where I came from. If I can help get a meal on the table for those in need, I feel accomplished because I would not be here today without those who did it for me. It’s really a full circle moment for me to be giving instead of receiving,” says Ja’Mion. Other organizations the Duke Football Accountability Team Leader helps include: - Durham Rescue Mission & Urban Ministries of Durham - Reading with the Blue Devils - Duke Children’s Hospital - Orange County Humane Society - Be The Match - and Emily K Center while also earning numerous football awards.


Chase Griffin QB, UCLA, Grad Student

OL Brian Dooley OL, Eastern Michigan, Senior

Dakereon Joyner RB, South Carolina, Super Senior

All the accolades and awards pale in comparison to his first love, which is his faith in Jesus Christ. The multi-award winner openly acknowledges every opportunity and gifting comes from above.

Zach Conti has been a dedicated and hardworking member of the Eagles football team for four years. Throughout his college journey, he persevered with remarkable determination, paying his own way through school without the support of a scholarship.

Dakereon has pledged to donate money to a non-profit or a charity for every touchdown he scores this season.

Chase, who completed his Bachelor’s degree in only two years before moving on to his master’s program all while being a star athlete, says “I know that through my faith which keeps everything in perspective for me these things which may seem out of bounds or out of reach are entirely possible. If you believe that Jesus died for us and rose 3days later, then any of these little goals we have should seem very attainable.” His desire is to share his gifts and talents with impoverished and underprivileged people. Chase takes his God-given platform seriously and uses his name, image, and likeness to bring awareness to the plight of California’s hungry children. Food insecurity is an actual threat to school children, but Chase is a champion for this pressing cause and shedding light in the darkness. (click here to hear more)

Head Coach Chris Creighton, aware of Conti's financial struggles, had long wished to secure a scholarship for him. "We're at 85 scholarships; we have 85 given out, and no matter how many times or how many years I go to the NCAA and say, 'Yeah, but man, I'm just telling you we need 86.” The NCAA rule was followed. However, the universe had a different plan in mind. The unexpected turn of events began when senior teammate Brian Dooley walked into Coach Creighton's office with a lifechanging proposition. "Coach, that guy has earned it," Dooley passionately asserted, referring to his teammate, Conti. "I've talked this over with my family, and if there's a way to make this happen, I'm willing to give up my scholarship (click here to read more)

The 6’ 1”, 229-pounder from North Charleston, SC, is in his sixth season with the Gamecocks. He originally signed as a quarterback, was moved to wide receiver early in his Carolina career and has played running back in his final season with the Gamecocks in 2023. He was the MVP of the 2021 Duke’s Mayo Bowl win over North Carolina and recipient of the Gamecocks’ Unselfish Teammate Award. Off the field, Dakereon has been very active in the community. A summary of his community service includes: - Shop with the Jocks: Shopped with kids from Epworth Children’s Home during Christmas - Blessings in a Backpack: Packed food items and wrote cards to children - MLK Day of Service: Handed out food to the homeless - and Held Football Camps in his hometown.


Tony Bradford Jr. DL, Texas Tech, Super Senior

Xavier McDonald OLB, Navy, Senior

Bradford is the driving force behind a Texas Tech football program that has committed countless hours of community service during his career, contributing to visits to local elementary and junior high schools, the Ronald McDonald House, the Texas Boys Ranch, South Plains Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity, Burgers and Badges and area children's homes. Bradford has also helped organize community cleanups and voter registration drives in East Lubbock not far from the Texas Tech campus where he was able to encourage and ultimately brighten the day of many underserved youth through pick-up basketball games and various other activities.

McDonald, who is the starting striker (outside linebacker) on the Navy defense has completed close to 50 hours of community service over the last year. He has made several visits to the Naval Academy Primary School in Annapolis to talk to the kids about his upbringing and provide a story of hope. He has also served as a tutor at the Naval Academy in thermodynamics.

The respect Bradford has gained off the field has led to a bigger voice for important topics on campus and within the Big 12 Conference. Bradford is a longtime member of the Texas Tech Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and was selected in 2022 to represent the university as part of the Big 12 Champions for Life campaign. With that, he was able to attend the Big 12's annual meetings that May as a (click here to read more)

McDonald overcame an enormously challenging childhood to become a high achiever in both academics and athletics in high school. He somehow managed to excel in football, track and field and academically, while working 30 to 35 hours a week and taking care of four younger siblings. McDonald took on that heavy responsibility as a freshman in high school after both his parents were incarcerated simultaneously. To help support himself and his siblings, McDonald got a job as a cashier at Winn-Dixie. During football season, he would ride a bicycle from Northeast High to the grocery store and work from 5:30 (click here to read more)

GATORADE PERFORM THIRST QUENCHER Electrolytes To Help Replace What You Sweat Out





A 10-Minute Bodyweight Workout That Builds Strength Without The Equipment

A bodyweight workout could help you build muscle and strength across your entire body while improving flexibility and cardio fitness, with no weights necessary. If you travel often, or just need a convenient bodyweight workout you can attack from home, this is your program. The 10-minute home workout comes from Fraser Wilson, who clocks millions of views and subscribers to his YouTube workouts. This particular beasting might look simple with 30 seconds of work per exercise, but the rest only comes in snippets, and exercises are performed back-to-back — although you have full permission from Fraser to pause as often as you need. “Functional” bodyweight workouts are brilliant for building functional muscle and strengthening your body. In fact, we swear by this calisthenics workout here if you don't have weights handy. But

what do we mean by “functional?” Well, nearly every move in this workout is a compound exercise — meaning it recruits multiple major muscle groups and joints — which could help you build up your everyday strength and mobility (think push-ups and mountain climbers). When used several times a week, it’s the most efficient way to hit muscles multiple times.

As a trainer, I firmly believe that you should train multiple muscle groups several times a week where possible, especially if your goal is to improve your strength or build muscle mass. While isolation exercises like bicep curls undoubtedly have a time and place by strengthening one area of the body, compound exercises get the job done quickly and efficiently and target more muscles in just a few exercises, also increasing your overall calorie burn. For beginners, you can follow along with Wilson’s


video below and pause when you need a breather. Otherwise, move quickly to the next exercise with little to no rest until Wilson grants a 30-second break. It’s worth watching the video at least once before giving it a go so that you know what to expect. The images to your right contain some of the moves Fraser will take your through. You could even grab the best adjustable dumbbells to increase load and intensity. But trust me — you won’t need it. Watch Fraser Wilson’s 10-Minute Workout While there aren't any sets or reps to follow, try to stay consistent with your reps and aim for at least 8-12 per exercise. During the wide pushups, you’ll target more of your chest and shoulders — compared with narrow push-ups that torch the triceps, so focus on controlling the movement and giving your chest a good squeeze at the top. A few exercises require you to maintain a plank position for back-to-back work. If you struggle with wrist mobility, I recommend dropping onto your knees where possible and giving your wrists a quick stretch in the allotted rests. During core exercises like toe crossovers, Russian twists, or oblique crunches, try to keep your core tight and breathe into your diaphragm rather than your chest, working for the full 30 seconds if possible. The workout routine is pretty core-heavy, but if you’re craving crunches over burpees, check out this Pilates ab workout for abs and glutes for a more direct approach.

Regardless of how you prefer to exercise, throwing a few bodyweight workouts into the mix could challenge your muscles and keep you motivated, especially if you’re recovering from injury and need to work back up to weights. The research strongly agrees, and according to this study, bodyweight training helps you develop lean muscle mass and improves your body’s control, coordination, and muscle endurance. And before you ask, there are burpees. But we can manage 30 seconds of anything, right? Story by Sam Hopes


CHANEL


TWEED MADEMOISELLE NECKLACE A CREATION THAT EVOKES THE ALLURE OF GABRIELLE CHANEL, WHO ILLUMINATED HER OUTFITS WITH STRANDS OF PEARLS. HERE, INSTEAD OF PEARLS, ARE 5 ROWS OF DIAMONDS, INCLUDING A DAZZLING CENTRAL ROW OF 22 OVAL-CUT STONES. ON THE SIDE OF THE NECKLACE, A TWEED RIBBON RECALLS ANOTHER SIGNATURE ELEMENT OF CHANEL STYLE. WHITE GOLD AND DIAMONDS. 1 5.01-CARAT OVAL-CUT DFL DIAMOND.


Top 10 Athletes turned Startup Investors Sports endorsements have had a long reputation for being the financial lifeline for some athletes' postcareer. Another avenue for post-career income is through investing in real estate. With athletes frequently traded between teams and rarely staying with their home team, developing expertise in property investment can be a smart strategy. In addition, real estate holds a relatively low bar for entry and can be a major source of passive income.

from the deal. Not to mention, the success of The Jordan Brand which almost hit $5B in revenue in 2021. Jordan’s ownership in the Charlotte Hornets after he bought it in 2010 for $175 million, is what skyrocketed him to a billionaire when the value of the franchise rose to into the billion mark. In terms of startups, Jordan has reportedly made 11 investments with the most recent being in the NFT marketplace, MetaPlex, during its Series A.

However, the rise of tech startups and social media has begun to reshape how athletes handle their finances. As a result, a growing number of professional athletes are taking on a new role: venture capitalist.

Other Investments: Dapper Labs, aXiomatic Gaming, Gigster, Buzzer, and WatchBox.

Michael Jordan Michael Jordan was the first player in NBA history to become a billionaire due to a combination of endorsements, sponsorships, corporate partnerships, and investments. Jordan has been in partnership with Nike for almost 40 years with some estimating the sports star making close to $1.6 billion in total

Shaquille O’Neal O’Neal holds stakes in several restaurant franchises including Five Guys, Auntie Anne’s, Papa John’s, and Krispy Kreme. Additionally, he has invested in an estimated 150 car washes and 40 fitness centers. In terms of tech startups, O’Neal famously invested in Google’s Series A round in 1999 before it went public in 2004 at a $100 million valuation. During the same time, O’Neal reportedly invested in another tech giant, Apple Inc. In addition, he made a $1 million


investment in Ring video doorbell which was later bought by Amazon for $1 billion. Another profitable investment was in the ride-sharing app Lyft, which after making an initial investment in 2013, went public in 2019 at a $22 billion valuation. Other Investments: Oura, Limbo, FORTO Coffee, Vitaminwater, and MAXPRO Fitness.

Serena Williams Serena Williams is one of the few female General Partners that came out of the professional sports world. Before entering venture capital, her success in tennis helped secure a $55 million contract with Nike, which was one of the largest endorsement contracts ever signed by a female athlete. Other profitable endorsements included Gatorade, Beats by Dre, and Pepsi. In 2014, Williams founded Serena Ventures after learning that fewer than 2% of all venture capital funding went to women. Today, the firm has made close to 60 investments with 53% of those companies founded by women. Additionally, 47% of those companies are led by Black founders while 12% are led by Latino founders. Some of the fund's most notable investments include Impossible Foods, Noom, and MasterClass which all have over a billion-dollar valuation.

Other Investments: Tonal, Clubhouse, Ours, Billie, and Daily Harvest.

Roger Federer Besides a number of successful brand partnerships with Mercedes and Uniqlo, Federer is most recognized for his investment in the Swiss running shoe and apparel brand, On. The exact amount is undisclosed but some estimate he invested close to $54 million in 2019 while also supporting product development of THE ROGER line. The company went public in 2021 at a valuation of $6.5 billion. Federer is believed to have a 3% stake in On, valued at around $180 million. Federer also invested in the Chilean food tech startup, NotCo, which achieved unicorn status after it raised $235 million in its Series D round. NotCo has a $1.5 billion valuation.

Mario Götze Companion-M is a dynamic media and venture firm co-founded by pro footballer Mario Götze, aimed at empowering early-stage entrepreneurs in technology, SaaS, climate tech, health tech, and web3. With a portfolio of over 40 startups, including ed-tech platform Junto and sports tech startup ScorePlay, Companion-M's investment strategy


centers on a deep connection with the founding team and a shared vision for transformative innovation. The ultimate goal is to identify and support startups that can have a positive impact on society, driving the journey toward a better future. Besides startups, Companion-M also invests in funds like World Fund, a Berlin-based climate tech fund. Other Investments: Sanity Group, Comstruct, Qualifyze, Parloa, and DR SMILE.

Lebron James Several fruitful investments have made Lebron James the second NBA player to reach billionaire status, the other being Michael Jordan. James invested in Blaze Pizza and owns 19 franchises. His original $1 million investment has now grown to over $25 million. James also held a stake in Beats Electronics before Apple ultimately bought the company for $3 billion. In addition, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lindsey Vonn, Cindy Crawford, and Lebron James founded the health and wellness company Ladder. Other personal endeavors include the production company Springhill Entertainment and the media company Uninterrupted. Not to mention, James invested in the Fenway Sports Group and as a result became part owner of the Boston Red Sox, Liverpool Football Club, and a few other teams.

Kevin Durant Durant founded the sports, media, and entertainment company Thirty Five Ventures (35V) in 2016 along with business partner Rich Kleiman. The fund has made an estimated 40 early-stage investments in areas of information technology, fintech, cryptocurrency, health and wellness, and media sectors. Some of the highlights in his investment track record include Robinhood, in which he invested in 2017 at a $1.2B valuation, and in July of 2021, went public at a $32B valuation. Another was the food delivery app, Postmates which he made a $1M investment in 2016 and was later acquired by Uber in 2020 for $2.6B. Along with the Postmates investment, Durant was part of a marketing campaign delivering Nikes to people who ordered them through Postmates. Other Investments: Whoop, Coinbase, Overtime,

Skydio, and Yoshi.

Alex Rodriguez Rodriguez leads A-Rod Corp which includes a venture arm that has internal and external capital invested in over 30 companies. In addition, Rodriguez cofounded VCP Ventures, which is a partnership with Marc Lore. VCP invests in technology and techenabled B2B and B2C companies operating in the sports, media, and entertainment sectors. The firm prides itself on offering the VCP playbook and network to founders to put them on an accelerated growth timeline. One notable early investment by ARod Corp was in the social media app, Snapchat, buying shares in 2016 when its parent company was still private. The company went public in 2017 with a $23.6 billion valuation. Other Investments: Sonder, Density, Wonder, Hai, and Bandit.


Earvin “Magic” Johnson

Chris Smalling

Magic Johnson Enterprises was founded in 1987 as an investment conglomerate to provide high-quality products and services toward supporting ethnically diverse and underserved urban communities. Johnson, who recently hit billionaire status, was the first person to reach a franchise agreement with Starbucks in which he acquired and eventually sold 125 stores. Other lucrative deals were in sports teams with his co-ownership of MLB LA Dodgers, NFL Washington Commanders, WNBA LA Sparks, and MLS LAFC. In 2022, Johnson released an NFT Anthology set in collaboration with Dapper Labs’ NBA Top Shot. The venture fund reportedly has 10 portfolio companies where they invest in areas such as energy, analytics, software, and sports. Johnson also serves on the board of directors for Cameo which allows celebrities to send personalized messages to fans and sports licensing company, Fanatics.

Smalling co-founded For Good in 2021, a venture capital consultancy. The fund offers between $50,000 to $1 million to founders tackling social and environmental issues. A past investment includes Piñatex, a pineapple-leaf textile, by creators Ananas Anam. Since being commercialized in 2016, Piñatex has been used by 500 brands. There has also been a number of investments in food tech including All Plants which offers plant-based meals. In addition, Heüra makes 100% plant-based meat products. Before starting a venture, Smalling is said to have entered the investment space through a series of “cold calls” to founders building interesting companies. In fact, Smalling contacted the founders of All Plants and Ananas Anam through a cold email.

Other Investments: Uncharted Power, ShotTracker Jopwell, and SimWin Sports

Story written by Uma Patel, VC Content Creator

Other Investments: Virtue Drinks, Change Foods, The Pack, Vurger, and Heights.


Jerry Vaughn President | Managing Partner J. Galt Finance Suite Jerry helps you get business credit for your company EIN that’s not linked to you personally or your personal credit. Secure HIGH-limit vendor, store, fleet, and cash credit in your business name without a personal guarantee or personal credit check. No

collateral or cash flow is required for approval. When Jerry is not actively helping clients, you can find him spending time with his wonderful wife and life partner of 33 years, Richell, his two incredible children Courtney and Zach, his rescue dog Jeffrey, and driving his 1962 Ford Galaxie 500 Muscle Car.


1962

Ford Galaxie 500


From Foster Care System To World Champion Gymnast

Simone Biles

Helps Kids

DREAM

BIG

Known as the greatest gymnast of all time, Simone Biles is an inspiring athlete who overcame all odds to rise to the top. Born to a mother struggling with addiction, Biles, and her three siblings, were put into foster care system when she was three years old. Wanting to help kids in similar situations, in 2017 Biles partnered with Mattress Firm Foster Kids, which donates clothes and school supplies to foster kids and their families. Biles stepped up to raise awareness for their annual donation drives. She told PEOPLE about her time in foster care: “I was so young, I didn’t quite understand what was going on. But I recall some of the kids coming to the foster home with only the clothes on their back and a backpack.” Adopted by her grandparents in 2003, Biles is now helping other kids in her former situation pursue their dreams. She knows the importance of having at least one constant person in your life from when you’re young, all the way through high school graduation. That’s where Friends of the Children comes into play. Founded in Portland, Oregon, in 1993, Friends of the Children nurtures longterm relationships with foster youth to help them discover their life’s purpose and realize their potential. Each foster youth is matched with one mentor, or Friend, for at least 12 years. Eleven million children live below the poverty line in the U.S. Of these children, 400,000 are in foster care. The average child stays in the foster care system for over a year and moves homes multiple times. Stability and guidance during their formative years are often missing. This lack of meaningful connection has realworld consequences. Up to 80 percent of foster youth experience significant mental


health challenges, while one-quarter will enter the criminal justice system within two years of leaving the system. Kids in foster care are also five times more likely to experience PTSD in adulthood than the general population. Friends of the Children recognizes that lack of stability plays a significant role in their development. The nonprofit pairs each foster youth with one mentor who commits to sustaining and nurturing a relationship with them. The results are astounding. For Friends of the Children alumni, 93% avoid the justice system, 83% graduate from high school, and 98% avoid early parenting. Research shows that stable relationships help foster youth become more resilient and increase their longterm well-being. “It’s that constant in your life — that one person to lean on when it feels like no one’s

there,” says Biles. “That’s why I was like, ‘Can we bring a chapter to Houston?’” Biles wants better for her hometown. After dedicating her second Wheaties box to Friends of the Children, she helped bring the nonprofit to Houston. “I hope these kids dream big and dream bigger after that and never give up,” says Biles. “And they know that these mentors and their friends are rooting for them — for success, for happiness, through anything that they’re going through.” Friends of the Children is supported by Stand Together Foundation, which partners with the nation’s most transformative nonprofits to break the cycle of poverty. Also visit www.mytoastlife.com for more information about professional athletes serving their communities.




Premier Players Sports Foundation’s 6th Annual

SOCCER TOURNAMENT

Helping Kids Participate In Sports & Victims of Human Trafficking

Nov. 11th Register Now or DONATE

3pm-8pm on November 11th, 2023, at IBC Recreation Fields Come Play, Sponsor, Donate, & Watch This Fun Community Event _____ EVENT Sponsor: $5,000 (Included In Event Title, Signage/Display, Website Ad & Speak At Event) _____ REFEREE Sponsor: $1,000 (Corporate Logo/Name On Back of All Referee Tees) _____ TEAM Sponsor: $500 (Logo/Name On Front of 1 Team Jersey) _____ PLAYER(S): $25 Per Player or $300 Per Team _____ DONORS: Give Any Amount To Help Kids & Support Victims of Human Trafficking Name: ______________________________

Cell Phone: _________________

Email: ____________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Size: _____ Credit Card#: ______________________________________ Type: ______ Exp: _______ Sec Code: _____ Make checks payable to Premier Players Sports Foundation and mail to P.O. Box 341064, Tampa, FL 33694

FAX Form to 813-221-7491 * EMAIL to Jordan@premierplayers.com * TEXT/CALL 813.833.3495 with Questions

Click Here To Register Online or Visit www.premierplayers.com/Events


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.