Thank you for checking out the Project Athletes blog page.  Due to increased traffic on our Facebook and Instagram pages, Project Athletes will be moving its storytelling from this blog to Facebook and Instagram.

We have found it is easier to reach you with the most up to date Locker Room information, highlights, and announcements, and photos on social media.  Be sure to "like" and "follow" Project Athletes on Facebook and Instagram! Or click on the icons below. 

CHAMPAIGN- Project Athletes is thrilled to announce Fall 2017 programming with the Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club in Champaign, IL. This partnership opens the only Project Athletes Locker Room offering evening training sessions for  junior and senior high athletes free of charge.  Project Athletes and the Don Moyer Boys and Girls Club encourages academic and character accountability by requiring participants to attend Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club study hall 2X per week and perform Don Moyer Boys & Club community service 1X per week in order to participate in training sessions.    Project Athletes launched its inaugural program at the Don Moyer Boys & Club in August 2016 working with athletes looking for off-season training, athletic support, mentoring, and to be a part of a team each week.

CHAMPAIGN- The Stephens Family YMCA partners with PROJECT ATHLETES to launch Fall Speed School & Winter Sport Pre-Season Training for teens across east central Illinois.  Registration is NOW Open!   Project Athletes is one of the Stephens Family YMCA's new teen outreach programs. It opens structured athletic training and mentoring opportunities for teens across east central Illinois regardless of athletic or financial abilities. Fall Speed School will help young athletes engage in sports training and mentoring independent of organized sports teams and/or to support off-season training from their organized sport.  Project Athletes Fall Speed School will run at the Stephens Family YMCA September 12th - November 2nd, 2017.  Registration for the Stephens Family YMCA Locker Room is available on this website and additional details are below.   Additional Fall 2017 Project Athletes sessions and Locker Room sites to be announced soon!

Summer 2017 Speed School was a success enrolling 55 young athletes representing 11 schools from across central Illinois.  Teens got faster, stronger, and more fit as Project Athlete coaches lead them through tough training.  Athletic assessment data was tracked for most of the athletes and proved athletic improvement.  Our young athletes received reprieve with water balloons, snacks, guest speakers, and games.  It was a great summer and we look forward to seeing our summer program athletes at Project Athletes sessions at their schools, the Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club, and the Stephens Family YMCA this Fall! 

CHAMPAIGN- PROJECT ATHLETES partners with the Stephens Family YMCA to launch Summer Speed School 2017.  This 8-Week Summer Speed School will focus on speed, agility, flexibility, and conditioning. Participants will learn the correct mechanics of Acceleration, Top Speed Running, and Change of Direction; along with the improvements to the body’s total conditioning, this training will increase the athlete’s performance on the field of play.  YMCA Wellness Director and Project Athletes Director Mark Germano will lead training. Summer Speed School is a collaborative effort between the Stephens Family YMCA, PROJECT ATHLETES, and local schools.  It will bring together athletes from more than eight schools across Champaign County.

CHAMPAIGN- Jefferson Middle School’s Opening Day sets a new opening day record for PROJECT ATHLETES. Nearly 60 athletes joined the PROJECT ATHLETES Jaguar Locker Room at Jefferson Middle School in Champaign this week.   Monday, January 23, 2017 marked the start of the 12-week program at the school. Sessions will run two times per week. Sessions begin with athletic training including warm-up, speed & agility training, conditioning and cool down.  Mentoring and “homework time” follow for the remaining 30-45 minutes of the session.  The Jefferson Middle School Jaguar Locker Room leadership and coaching staff includes Head Coaches Kam Fry & Matt Rossbach, Mark Germano, Danielle Wilberg, Ryann Monahan, Lance Lyell and Leland Jackson.  Guest speakers are lined up to come speak with the athletes during mentoring sessions.   Participants at the Jaguar Locker Room and all PROJECT ATHLETES Locker Rooms include young athletes working on their athletic training off-season from their organized sports team , athletes who are not a part of an organized sports team but seeking athletic training and a "team" atmosphere, and athletes who are new to athletic training all together. 

CHAMPAIGN- PROJECT ATHLETES is expanding! PROJECT ATHLETES opens the Tiger Locker Room at Urbana Middle School in Urbana, Illinois and Jaguar Locker Room at Jefferson Middle School in Champaign, Illinois this month.
 
The expansion means more than 60 additional athletes will have access to safe after-school programing that gets them physically active, elite athletic training, mentors, academic coaching and encouragement, and a "team" atmosphere to be a part of whether or not they are a part of an organized school sports team.
 
PROJECT ATHLETES will now be operating at five sites impacting nearly 150 young athletes every week. Plans and a new partnership are also being explored to open the first PROJECT ATHLETE Locker Room at an elementary school.
 
January 2017 also launched the beginning of Session 2 for most of the PROJECT ATHLETE sites.
Participants who have been with us since Session 1 are showing improved speed and athleticism, losing weight, and gaining more self-confidence.  Locker Room site supervisors are also reporting grade and school attendance improvement for many participants while they were active in PROJECT ATHLETES during fall 2016 school semester when compared to spring 2016.
 
Session 2 will also bring in more mentors for students who will assist with homework, character development, and help foster positive guidance with their life choices.
 
Many exciting things are happening with PROJECT ATHLETES! If you know of anyone interested in being a part of our PROJECT ATHLETES coaching staff, please have them contact us!
 
Monetary donations are always needed to help the program grow and reach more young athletes. Donations can be made on this website by clicking the “donate” button at the bottom of the homepage.  In-Kind donations of athletic shoes, drinks, and snacks are always appreciated and needed as well.