"22 years later, the mission hasn't changed—only the size of the opportunity."

"22 years later, the mission hasn't changed—only the size of the opportunity."

Today marks 22 years for AKA SPORT.

Keeping Kids and Families Active through Sport.

And on Monday, we kick off what will be another memorable AKA Summer. Dozens of All Sports Camps. School programs. Leadership opportunities. Thousands of moments that will shape confidence, friendships, memories, and growth.

At the same time, The PARC continues to come alive—evolving into the gym, wellness facility, recovery center, and most importantly, the community builder it was always intended to be.

Together, AKA SPORT and The PARC are pushing me, our leadership team, and our staff to levels I never could have imagined. And for that, I am grateful.

I'm grateful for the progress. I'm grateful for the people. And strangely enough, I'm grateful for the struggles. Because the struggles have been real.

But as Kobe was spot on in quoting his HS English teacher, "Rest at the end, not in the middle."

That’s the remedy. Just keep going, no matter the challenge or the struggles. No doubt about it, Earnest Shackelton, “By endurance, we conquer.”

22 years into this journey, and I can honestly say the challenges don't disappear. They simply change shape. If anything, building The PARC has stretched me more than ever before. There are days when the vision feels crystal clear, and there are days when I stop and wonder whether the dream is too big, too ambitious, or too far away.

That's the reality of building something that doesn't yet exist.

It's exciting. It's terrifying. It’s enriching, and yes oh so exhausting.

Yet somehow, it's all so worth it.

The Staff and I, we've been on an incredible streak lately, certainly over the last few weeks. Watching this young AKA leadership team operate over the past 2 weeks especially has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.

The teamwork. The energy. The confidence. The collaboration. It's been remarkable.

So for all the criticism directed toward Gen Z, let me tell you something: they’re ready and their future is bright. These young professionals coming through AKA today are going to make an impact wherever life takes them. They care. They work. They lead.

And because of that, AKA kids and families are in very good hands.

As for me, I'm sticking with Kobe tonight.

“Those times when you get up early and you work hard; those times when you stay up late and you work hard; those times when you don’t feel like working, you’re too tired, you don’t want to push yourself, but you do it anyway; that is actually the dream. That’s the dream. It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.” (Kobe Bryant jersey retirement speech, Dec. 18, 2017, Staples Center, Los Angeles)

And maybe that's what 22 years has taught me more than anything.

By endurance we conquer. One day at a time. One challenge at a time. One opportunity at a time. With the right people, the right plan, and the right attitude, amazing things can happen.

We've come a long way from a small youth sports organization that simply wanted to keep kids active using multi-sports camps as our theme program. Today, with AKA and the PARC, we're building healthier communities through movement, wellness, recovery, leadership, and connection.

And we're just getting started.

Thank you to every coach, parent, athlete, staff member, supporter, partner, and friend who helped turn this idea into reality. And congratulations to all the graduates! Here's to the next chapter for all of us.

Best wishes and Happy Summer, everyone, CS