Young Athletes, Inc is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization cofounded in 1997 by Rod Strickland, Steve Burtt and their former youth coach LaMarre Dyson. Young Athletes’ mission is to help disadvantaged youth in New York avoid the detrimental influences of poverty and achieve their full potential. We provide a safe-haven for children in which they receive social, educational and athletic services in a comprehensive out of school time program.

In 1998, Young Athletes, Inc. (YAI) made a commitment to addressing the scarcity of quality summer basketball league programming for New York City youth. Driven by the desire to invest in the community where he grew up, cofounders Rod Strickland and LaMarre Dyson, created a powerhouse contender in the NYC playground basketball circuit.

For more than 25 years, Young Athletes has hosted this initiative that provides a weekend opportunity for youth competition attracting teams from all over the tri-state area. At its height, the league serviced over 1,000 youth, ages 10 - 17. Today, competition runs over 9 weekends and games are held in the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx. In 2024, we will service 480 youth, ages 8 – 14, from June 22nd – August 25th. The Rod Strickland Summer League is an organized operation that is sought out annually by youth coaches seeking intense competition for the youngsters they are attempting to mold into champions.

Notable past league participants include Kia Vaughn, Shannon Bobbitt, Epiphany Prince, Erving Walker, Doron Lamb, Steve Burtt, Jr., Kendrick Clark, RJ Davis and many more Division I and Division II players. Our title/apparel sponsor has been Nike since 2016. Past sponsors include the Women’s Sports Foundation, the Catalog for Giving of NYC and Gatorade.