Funding Student Athlete's Future

The United Sons and Daughters AAU basketball program is one of the premiere AAU basketball programs in the country, having sent teams to the AAU National Championships in each of the past four years. In 2010, the boys 10th-grade team finished third in the nation at the AAU National Championship in Little Rock, Arkansas. Last Spring/Summer (2015) our boy’s 17U team won three Live Period Events in front of Division 1 and 2 college coaches from all over the country. Five players from that team have gotten offered by Division 1 colleges like; Iona, Fairfield University, Jacksonville, University of Maine, Cal State Bakersfield, University of Toledo, Seton Hall, Virginia Tech, St Johns, Manhattan College, Vanderbilt University etc. Last year, our girls' team made the National Tournament in Orlando. The teams are comprised of players from all over CT, NY and MA. One of our girls have been offered by Division 1 schools such as the University of Delaware and Bucknell University. Many of our players come from underprivileged backgrounds or difficult home situations and cannot afford to pay the fees associated with the program (tournament fees, hotel costs, uniforms, coaches, travel, gym fees, sneakers, insurance etc. etc). The organization does as much fund-raising as possible every year to make sure our boys and girls have the opportunity to compete at the highest level. Not only do we need funds for the regular season (from late February through late June), but we would also like the players to have the opportunity to compete this summer in highly ranked tournaments in July (Live Period Events/Division 1 College coaches) and possibly nationals again, if they qualify. The players work so hard to improve their games and deserve a chance to pursue their goals and dreams. We do not want to disappoint them. When USAD first made the national championship in Orlando Florida at Disney World  7 years ago several of the players flew on a plane for the first time (things that some of us take for granted). In addition to airfare, we needed to raise funds for lodging, meals, and a van to transport the boys to and from the tournament sites.

We have watched some of the players compete together as a team for eight years. The ones who previously struggled in school have improved their grades tremendously by being around other players who excel in school. Both sides of the tracks have spent the night at their teammates home as well with no reservations.  The students who come from a more fortunate situation than some of the others develop an appreciation for their lives when witnessing what some of the other players  go through on a daily basis. It has been much more than a rewarding athletic experience. These boys' and girls' lives have been changed forever by working together for a common goal, thus helping us live out our mission statement; bringing together student athletes (boys & girls) of widely diversified backgrounds to bridge the economic gap, transcending racial, social and economic differences in order to foster long-term relationships among student athletes culminating in an unbreakable bond-WE ARE ONE.  All but one of our former players who were eligible for college are currently on college campuses. One of them is an All American Baseball player at Penn State University, one an All American Basketball player at Iona College and one was an elite golfer at Wake Forest who soon will turn pro. Two of the three kids just mentioned, families have struggled economically and with the help of our program they received full athletic scholarships. We have other success stories as well but those three stand out. Even if basketball was not their main sport their experiences at United Sons and Daughters will last a life time. As you are well aware, our country functions best when people are brought together and are encouraged to interact with people of different ethnic and socio economic backgrounds which helps us find out how the other person lives and thinks. What better way to do this than thru sports!! In so many ways we are the same and different at the same time. Many of our kids go to college with preconceived notions (media driven) on how a certain culture acts, thinks, lives and talks with no basis for their thoughts. So you ask, “Why is this important to me”? I was an African American kid who was born and raised in the inner city until the age of nine years old.  I moved to the suburbs or "burbs", when I was 9 and went to a prestigous Prep High School.  As a result, I was better prepared for college than 80 percent or more of the kids that are attending our universities today. I can relate to the city kid and the suburb kid. I secured a degree in communications from Fairfield University and was able to harness my talents on the basketball court and played professconal in the states and overseas for years. Without the help of my former teachers, coaches , mentors and parents I would have never accomplished any of that. Your experiences growing up help mold you for the future. , Well mine taught me how to lead young people by being subservient to their needs as my teachers, coaches, parents and mentors did for me.    As you can see in the cover picture the USAD program gives  back to other worthwhile causes like the Ronald McDonald House. 
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