For many, sports hold a special place in our hearts. Whether you were a student athlete, a parent of a budding athlete, or a student athlete currently, we can agree that sports form part of the fabric of our society. One thing that most of us fail to think about when it comes to sport is the cost. For a brief period of time, I used to play on an AAU Basketball team. Everything was a cost. A general membership fee, a fee for jerseys, a fee for tournaments, a fee to help pay for the cost of travel… I think you get it. For some of us, these costs don’t mean much. For some inner city youth, it can be the limiting factor for participation.
Shandrea Moody- Wilson, a mother of a student athlete herself, noticed this need and decided to step into action.
Urban Not Average (UNA) is a nonprofit based out of Los Angeles, California who is in operation to improve the lives of talented student athletes throughout inner cities who face financial challenges when it comes to the expenses needed to play sports. Urban Not Average caters to the significant emotions, nutritional and socioeconomic issues that urban athletes face on their path to wellness and outside of play. By focusing on the whole individual, student athletes have the tools to be successful not only in sports, but everywhere.
Athletes ages 5-18 can participate in programs that include transportation support (to and from games), tuition support, mentoring in nutrition, health and mental wellness, and college preparatory activities.
Shandrea recalls some of her favorite moments with the program: “The smiles on the children’s faces as they have succeeded winning the gold medal is priceless. Just being a part of the student seasonal accomplishment means everything to UNA.” UNA has not just changed the lives of these student athletes, it has also changed Shandrea as well. She now sees each day as a “life changing” opportunity. Her drive to help as many student athletes as possible is what motivates her, and she enjoys playing an active part of her community.
UNA is different than other organizations of the sort because they focus on the whole person. Despite the challenges that COVID has inflicted on many small businesses and non-profits, they have used this time to focus on strengthening current initiatives for the upcoming year.
You can find out more about Urban Not Average on their website: www.urbannotaverage.com
Candace Green is a Birmingham, Alabama transplant by way of Washington DC. She enjoys reading, writing, cooking and eating amazing food, and Marvel movies. She is an author and blogger. You can follow her on IG: c_dog93.
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