NEW YORK CITY (June 18, 2021) – Up2Us Sports, a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring youth through coaching and sports, welcomed pro athletes and celebrities to its eight annual – and first-ever virtual - gala on Tuesday, June 15th.

The star-studded virtual event raised more than $130,000 to support the organization, which will go towards training coaches in sports-based youth development and placing them in under-resourced communities.

“The time is now! We need to change how we as a nation look at youth sports. It is an avenue for promoting health academics and social emotional well-being,” said Paul Caccamo, Founder and CEO of Up2Us Sports. “Our gala was a celebration of the potential of sports to accomplish all these goals. Our Coaches of the Year exemplify sports-based youth development in action.”

The evening started with an array of conversations with sports champions including Olympic Legends Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Martin Brodeur, Teresa Edwards and Sebastian Coe, NCAA Basketball Hall of Fame Coach Roy Williams, former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, Co-Founder and CEO of the WNFC Odessa Jenkins, 2x WNBA Champion Alysha Clark and 9-Year NBA pro John Henson.

Up2Us Sports Ambassador and the NFL’s first African American female coach, Collette V. Smith, interviewed the organizations’ 2021 Coaches of the Year, Janeicia Neely (KIPP East Primary and The 18th Ward, New Orleans, LA) and Lio Quezada (Northern Virginia Wrestling Club and Virginia Ramblers Wrestling Club, Fairfax, VA).

Other special appearances were made by former pro volleyball player and NY Times bestselling author Gabrielle Reece, world-renowned big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton and actor and producer Naomi Watts. Conversation moderators included Up2Us Sports Board Members Dan Mannix and Renee Brown, Up2Us Sports Senior Director of External Affairs & Organizational Learning Dr. Ahada McCummings, President & CEO of LaChica Sports Angela LaChica, Alabama State University Head Women’s Volleyball Coach Penny Lucas-White, Up2Us Sports Coach Alum and Peaceplayers’ U.S. Director of Programs & Partnerships Sally Nnamani, and Miss New York 2021 Sydney Park.

The event was co-hosted by performer, actress, singer and author Sandra Bernhard and Up2Us Sports Founder and CEO, Paul Caccamo.

Scroll through screenshots from the virtual event below: