INDIANAPOLIS — A local nonprofit focused on helping young athletes prepare for college and beyond got support from a major company.
Leadership, scholarship, athletics: That's what Sho Obemeata, the founder of Advancement Through Athletics, hopes to instill in the student-athletes he trains.
"We believe in developing them as people. They are going to be contributing members of society, on the college campus and for the world as well," Obemeata said.
What makes this program so unique is that it helps student-athletes face hurdles on and off the track.
"Success on the track is great to identify, but ultimately, the stopwatch does stop at some point, and those spikes don't fit anymore. What do you have outside of sport? That's what Advancement Through Athletics is," Obemeata said.
Under Armour recently awarded a grant to ATA to help support its mission of developing well-rounded student-athletes for college and careers.
The grant will help with programming, uniforms, transportation and lodging for competition events.
Athlete Isabella Wilborn said she's thankful a major company finds value in ATA's mission.
"It just shows there is something special about this and what he's doing. I think Under Armour sees how special we are," Willborn said.
Obemeata is a former USA Olympic track coach and now trains some of the best young athletes in the state.
Some students come from underprivileged communities. He said it's important for them to know their worth, and this program does just that.
"They are golden. They are wonderful, well-invested scholars. We want to tell and reinforce you're worthy," Obemeata said. "Just because you are coming where you're coming from doesn't mean you shouldn't have access to those great things."