Mike will talk about his dad pouring the concrete for a court for him and his cousins to play on in the same lot that the UCAN campus is located today! Mike is a founding member of the NLARA and has brought energetic leadership to re-establishing an inclusive and fun culture around competitive basketball. In addition to various camps and clinics he runs throughout the year, Mike also established and runs the Jr Go League, a 10-week competitive 7th and 8th boys’ basketball league for youth in North Lawndale schools.
Mike cares deeply about the young people growing up in North Lawndale and always makes sure to create programming that anyone would feel lucky to be a part of. With a staff of top-notch coaches and a love of the game, Mike is a leader in defining how to coach and support young people.
When asked about the impact of the NLARA, Mike said:
“Through the NLARA, I was able to legitimize the work that I’ve always been doing. I became an established non-profit, 5 years into doing the work for Endless Energy. I was able to be exposed to leaders, community-wide and within non-profit management, to develop processes to keep Endless Energy going and growing. I learned how to collect data, to fundraise and story-tell about the impact of my programming. I was able to grow and learn without a personal or financial expense to me.”
On September 10th and 11th, Mike will be running the 3rd Annual Trust the Process Camp in collaboration with UCAN, Play Like a Champion and Old St Pats.
