Follow My Steps. Shooting for Success: Building Futures On and Off the Court
At first glance, Shooting for Success looks like a high-energy basketball tournament. Sneakers squeak across the gym floor, the scoreboard buzzes, and the crowd cheers as young athletes push for victory. But if you pause and look closer, you’ll see that this event is about much more than basketball—it’s about preparing young people to succeed in life.
Why Basketball?
For many youth, basketball is familiar territory. It’s exciting, fast-paced, and fun. But Kashawn Sanders, president and co-founder of the Follow My Steps Foundation, saw an opportunity to connect that excitement to something deeper.
“Too often, at career fairs, students go to the tables with the best giveaways. They skip the tables that could actually change their lives,” Kashawn explained. “We wanted to flip that experience. What if we disguised a career readiness event as a basketball tournament? What if we made learning about careers just as exciting as stepping on the court?”
That question became the spark for Shooting for Success.
A Passport to Possibility
Here’s how it works: before any student can dribble a basketball, they’re handed a career passport booklet. Every vendor at the event represents an industry—finance, education, trades, entrepreneurship, athletics, and more.
Students must visit each table, listen to the vendor’s story, and have a real conversation about what that career path looks like. Only then do they get their booklet stamped. And without a completed passport, there’s no tournament entry.
This simple but powerful rule shifts the focus. The real prize isn’t just scholarship money or even a championship win—it’s exposure to career paths that can shape a lifetime.
“Basketball is what brings them in,” Kashawn said, “but knowledge and connection are what they take home.”
More Than a Game
The event welcomes middle schoolers, high schoolers, and now college students. Parents benefit too—they get to see their children introduced to opportunities that might have been out of reach otherwise.
And there’s something magical about the finale. The championship game takes place on center court at the Basketball Hall of Fame. For a young person who grew up dreaming of basketball greatness, standing under those lights is unforgettable. But what makes it even more powerful is knowing they got there by engaging with mentors, professionals, and community leaders who believe in their future.
“Too often, at career fairs, students go to the tables with the best giveaways. They skip the tables that could actually change their lives.”
The Heart of Follow My Steps
Follow My Steps isn’t just about events—it’s a movement. Founded in April 2020 during the pandemic, the organization was built on the simple idea that no young person should walk alone. Every participant creates a five-year plan. Every mentor shares not just their successes, but their struggles, too.
Kashawn reflected, “I see so much of myself in the youth we work with. It’s like looking back in time. I can’t mentor my younger self, but I can guide the next generation.”
From cultural events that celebrate diversity to credit-for-life workshops that teach real-world money skills, Follow My Steps is relentless in its mission: to help youth believe in themselves, make a plan, and follow it step by step.
How You Can Be Part of It
Shooting for Success is only possible because of community support. Here’s how you can help:
Parents & Students: Sign up at FollowMySteps.org
Middle school entry is free, high school is $10, and college is $25 per player.
Volunteers: Lend youFollowMySteps.orgr time and energy to help run the event or mentor a student.
Sponsors & Businesses: Fund a team, sponsor scholarships, or host a vendor table. It’s a chance to inspire the next generation while connecting with potential employees and customers.
A Partnership That Stands Out
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