We are thrilled to announce PROJECT ATHLETES is an official 501(c)(3) approved charitable organization!  PROJECT ATHLETE Founders received official notification through a letter from the US Government that official 501(c)(3) tax exempt status was granted November 29, 2016 retroactively effective June 5, 2016. 

PROJECT ATHLETES helps nearly 100 young people every week in the Champaign-Urbana, IL community. This news will help us grow and reach even more junior and senior high students get active, get elite off-season training, receive an athletic support system and be part of a team- the PROJECT ATHLETE TEAM. 

Please consider donating to the PROJECT ATHLETE mission by clicking the "donate" button on this website.

CHAMPAIGN, IL- Nearly 30 middle school students join the PROJECT ATHLETES Team as PROJECT ATHLETES opens it's third LOCKER ROOM.  Opening Day at Franklin Middle School in Champaign, IL was a success!  

Opening Day's workout focus was "acceleration." Participants learned about how improving their acceleration will improve their success in their specific sport(s) and their fitness over all.  Athletes will see success in their workouts when they accelerate to their top speed more rapidly, and their short sprints will be faster at the end of the program than at the beginning. 

Opening Day mentoring discussed the importance training off-season from their sport and how PROJECT ATHLETES is now their "team" if they are not involved in an organized sport.  Participants were also reminded that participation in PROJECT ATHLETES includes striving academic improvement, attending school and living with a strong moral character. 

PROJECT ATHLETES provided participants with t-shirts and shoes to students in need of them. 

Enjoy the photos and video from Opening Day! 

PROJECT ATHLETES is excited to announce a new Locker Room Opening at Franklin Middle School in Champaign, Illinois. Start date is Monday November 7, 2016.  PROJECT ATHLETES Coaches will work with students after school every Monday and Wednesday 3:00P-4:30P.  The Locker Room is open and FREE to ALL Franklin Middle School Students.
 
Franklin’s Locker Room opening marks the first junior high school Locker Room for PROJECT ATHLETES.  PROJECT ATHLETES received an overwhelming amount of requests and advisement that there is a great need for PROJECT ATHLETES programing in junior high schools and that students would benefit greatly from PROJECT ATHLETES athletic training and mentoring.
 
Junior high school students are one of the most important age groups to offer supervised activities, guidance, mentoring and opportunities to enhance one’s confidence and sense of belonging. 
 
PROJECT ATHLETES offers junior high students a “team” to be a part of.  PROJECT ATHLETES will be the “team” for students who are seeking off-season athletic training from their sport and for students who did not receive a spot on a sports team they tried out for.
 
PROJECT ATHLETES fosters life’s positive outlooks in ways that help guide athletes on their journey through junior and senior high school. Focused on physical conditioning, this elite structured mentoring program recognizes and promotes academic standing, goal setting and balance in their lives.

PROJECT ATHLETES is always in need of support to maintain and grow operations to serve as many young athletes as possible.  Monetary donations help expand Locker Rooms and add more coaches to Locker Rooms so more students can attend sessions.  Monetary donations also help ensure all student athletes have the proper athletic attire and nutrition to set them up for success.  Students receive athletic t-shirts and shoes and shorts are provided to those in need. To support PROJECT ATHLETES programing, please click on the "donate" button on the projectathletes.com "home page".

PROJECT ATHLETE participants have been working hard for weeks to prepare for the next season of school sports try-outs.  Dozens of PROJECT ATHLETE participants had team try-outs this week and many more have them in the next two weeks.  

Recent large-group and small-group PROJECT ATHLETE mentoring sessions focused one getting ready for try-outs athletically and academically.  Students were reminded school attendance, turning in assignments and good academic standing are crucial parts of making and actually being able to participate in school sports teams.

We were excited so many of our athletes who had try-outs this week made the team! For those who did not, PROJECT ATHLETES is a team they will be a part of to continue athletic training and mentorship. 

PROJECT ATHLETES Directors and Coaches paid some of those students a surprise visit at their school this week to congratulate them.  We also visited one dedicated hard-working PROJECT ATHLETE participant who was down he did not make his school basketball team.  We pulled that participant out of his class to let him know we helped arrange for him to be the basketball Team Manager.  He could not have been more excited. 

PROJECT ATHLETES will always be a place for athletes who do or do not make their school sports team, in or out of season from their sport, to get specialized personal athletic training, a team atmosphere, encouragement, support and mentorship.

PROJECT ATHLETES is looking forward to working with our football players and other fall sports season athletes as part of their off-season Speed & Agility training. 
 

CHAMPAIGN- PROJECT ATHLETES surpasses 1,000 minutes of getting teens ACTIVE!  

PROJECT ATHLETE participants are fitter, faster, and stronger.  They also have more self-confidence as a result of the program. Muscle memory improvement is apparent and drills are executed more efficiently.  It is incredible to watch the improvement from the first day of training to where they are today.  

PROJECT ATHLETES is currently training a variety of athletes including basketball players, track & field athletes, cheerleaders, and baseball players. We look forward to those athletes in-season to join us when their fall sports season is completed.

PROJECT ATHLETES is also training a number of teens not involved in any organized sport but who want to be more active, get more fit, and need an athletic training support system. ​PROJECT ATHLETES is offering these teens a unique opportunity for specialized athletic training, a team atmosphere and mentorship.  Their confidence skyrockets as they complete the workouts and improve.  They are proud of themselves and we are proud of them!

PROJECT ATHLETES has also donated 10 pairs of athletic shoes to teens in need of more supportive training shoes. 

Please consider supporting PROJECT ATHLETES by donating and sponsoring an athlete today. 

CHAMPAIGN- PROJECT ATHLETES participants are stepping up as leaders within their Locker Room as part of PROJECT ATHLETES' Leadership Series.  The Leadership Series is part of PROJECT ATHLETES 12-week programing structure. The Leadership Series started this week at the Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club in Champaign, IL.

Coaches mentor participants on the life skills of leadership, what it means to be a leader as an athlete, and how to apply it to their life.  Next, the athletes apply what they learn.  The athletes separate into teams and are given an opportunity to be a leader among their peers.  Team captains lead their teams. The camaraderie, positivity, and watching the teens step up as leaders is truly inspirational. 

More exciting news: PROJECT ATHLETES is coming to Urbana High School in Urbana, IL! We will be there Tuesdays 3:30-5:30 starting Tuesday, September 20th.  Teens will participate in PROJECT ATHLETES training that includes speed, agility, core, flexibility, and balance training. Teens will also have an opportunity for homework.  Food and drinks will be provided.  The program will be FREE for all students and is funded by 21st Century Community Learning Centers. 

PROJECT ATHLETES is excited to announce a new partnership with IBC - Illinois Business Consulting. PROJECT ATHLETES was selected among numerous non-profit organizations and companies-  to be assigned a team of top tier students from the University of Illinois IBC program. 

With a 1-in-5 acceptance rate, IBC’s 300-member talent pool comes pre-screened and represents students from 50 different disciplines.  IBC will help make PROJECT ATHLETES, INC. even better, stronger and more influential on our teens and our communities as we expand LOCKER ROOMS across the country.

Illinois Business Consulting (IBC) is the largest professionally-managed, student-run university consulting organization in the country. IBC provides students with real-world project opportunities while helping clients solve challenges and identify opportunities. IBC conducts more than 70 projects every year with Fortune 100, mid-sized and startup companies and nonprofit organizations.  http://www.ibc.illinois.edu/

PROJECT ATHLETES, INC. is honored to have the support of and partnership with IBC.
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PROJECT ATHLETE participants more than double during the first official week of programing at the Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club LOCKER ROOM. Teens took part in speed and agility training, core and finished each session with flexibility and balance work.  Teens are excited to be there and bring more friends each session. They are hardworking and really great athletes.  We have posted some videos and pictures of their work on our Facebook page and below. We are so proud of them and their dedication.  WCIA featured PROJECT ATHLETES in their evening newscast Tuesday. You can find the link here http://www.illinoishomepage.net/news/local-news/project-athlete-gives-teens-free-training and on our Facebook page.  All teens in east central Illinois are welcome to any session. We operate Tuesday and Thursdays 6:30P-8P and Sunday 4P-5P.  Please contact us if you have any male or female workout shoes that are in good condition. We could use extra pairs!

Nearly two dozen athletes participated in the PROJECT ATHLETES Launch Days at the Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club August 9th and 11th. PROJECT ATHLETE coaches lead the teens through speed, agility and core training.   The teens also got an inside look at the accountability portion of the program which requires teen athletes to attend school, maintain a minimum GPA and uphold a strong character in order to participate in the program.  The teens worked incredibly hard and are eager for the program to start! The launch days were inspirational for both the teens, coaches, founders and program coordinators at the Boys & Girls Club. The program will operate free for all teens at the Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club beginning Tuesday August 23.  Programing will run Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.  All teen athletes are welcome.