Dozens of 16-18 year-old South Florida high school athletes from Miami-Dade and Broward counties were given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience one-on-one mentorship as well as on and off-the-court coaching from the best in the business, during the daylong Summer Groove Youth Sports Conference, held on Thursday, July 15th at Miami Jackson Senior High School.
As part of Seminole Hard Rock Presents The Summer Groove Hosted by Zo & D. Wade, Gatorade and Nike teamed up to host the event that was developed to give current high school athletes the tools needed to be successful, whether they make it as professional athletes or not. Hundreds of students gathered to learn basketball fundamentals, participate in numerous interactive activities, and hear key messages about discipline and perseverance that can be applied to all aspects of life. As an added bonus, professional athletes from around the league, including Alonzo Mourning and Dwyane Wade, attended to share their inspirational stories of achievement, making it a memorable summer experience for all.
Classroom discussions throughout the day included: transitioning from high school to college, led by empowerment speaker Dennard Mitchell; relationship management, led by Terrance Cribbs (founding partner of Better Communities of America and Director of Special Projects and Family Living at Work America, Inc.); maintaining a positive image and interpersonal communication skills, led by image consultant, Jackie Davis Brown. Panel discussions were led by Alonzo Mourning and Dwyane Wade, with assistance from Nykesha Sales (WNBA), Coach Katie Meier (University of Miami Women’s Basketball Coach), Leah Wilcox (NBA, VP of Player & Family Relations), and Fred Whitfield (President, Charlotte Bobcats). Discussion topics included the struggles panelists faced transitioning from high school to college and then from college on to the professional world, and how they managed to turn their love of sports into a career.
A subsequent two-hour college basketball workout was led by Wesley Frater, featuring drills, games and interactive competitions as the kids took to the court with participation from Alonzo and Dwyane. The kids received goodie bags containing NIKE, Gatorade and Sports Authority Products at the end of the day.
“Having the opportunity to share the knowledge, skill and experience acquired over the years with these students was just as invaluable to me as it was for the students themselves,” said Mourning. “Our aim is for every student to apply what they have learned to every aspect of their lives, on and off the court.”
“Seeing the desire to learn in the eyes of these students was overwhelming,” said Wade. “Working alongside these kids during the course of the day took me back to when I was an eager high school student, devoted to being as disciplined as I could be. The advice and guidance given to me by the sports icons I looked up to still remains with me today as my own personal code of honor. We hope these kids take away the same essential set of rituals for their everyday lives.”
Now in it’s 14th year, Seminole Hard Rock Presents The Summer Groove Hosted by Zo & D. Wade takes place throughout South Florida July 14-18, 2010, with the majority of events taking place at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. The Summer Groove has become one of the largest fundraising events of the year, raising funds for programs supported by both Alonzo Mourning Charities and Wade’s World Foundation, who provide services to youth and their families throughout the community.
The 5-day Summer Groove kicked off on July 14th with The Summer Groove Golf Classic hosted at Doral Golf Resort & Spa; Youth Sports Conference Hosted by Gatorade & Nike July 15th; Youth Basketball Clinic Hosted by Gatorade & Nike July 16th; Alters Law Firm Summer Groove Comedy Jam hosted by Heineken at Hard Rock Live July 16th; Michael Fux Foundation Summer Groove Youth Empowerment Summit and Publix Charities Summer Groove Benefit Gala, themed “Aqua y Fuego, A Sizzling Summer Night” at Hard Rock Live, takes place July 17th; the Block Party Hosted by Pepsi and Carnival Cruise Lines Summer Groove All-Star Basketball Game at AmericanAirlines Arena take place on July 18th.
To purchase tickets or for more information visit www.TheSummerGroove.com or call (305) 476-0095.