Our History

The Brooklyn Youth Sports Club was founded in 2009 as an academic support and college-preparatory initiative serving kids from all over Brooklyn. In our first year, BKYSC worked with 30 students, most of whom lived in Bed-Stuy, Crown Heights, East New York, Brownville and Bushwick. This first group of fourteen and fifteen year olds kids were all really good kids and showed a true passion for the game they loved; they also had no program to turn to for academic support and college guidance. That where BKYSC came in.

After the first year with that first group, it was clear that the greatest impact we could have as an organization would be based on the idea that basketball could serve as an entry point to meaningful learning and academic engagement. In 2011, BKYSC implemented the academic component of the program. Ever since, in order to step foot in the gym, BKYSC has required all students to participate in a minute-for-minute ratio of academic support programs. This policy is non negotiable; it is also the reason our programs works - our kids are actively engaged in our programs and work hard because they are motivated by their own passion and interests. From there, the possibilities for learning and growth are unlimited.

Ultimately, the goal of the organization is to assist students in their pursuit of college enrollment. Since inception, BKYSC has maintained a 100% college enrollment rate. Those first thirty kids - and then every single BKYSC kid after that - has gone on to enroll in college. With over $3M in scholarships awarded to BKYSC youth, an average SAT score increase of almost 250 points, and now over 300 program participants per year, BKYSC will soon celebrate 10 years of providing quality programming for kids all around Brooklyn!

Our Team

The Board of Directors

Benjamin Ezra, Entrepreneur, Board Tresurer

Brad Tobin, Principal, Tobin Consulting Group

Bradford Watson, CEO & Founder, Spinach Records

Diandra Barnwell, Brand Development, Producer

Gerald Castaldo, Vice President, Bregal Sagemount

Jake Nidenberg*, Vice President of Finance, Spring Education Group

Jed Limmer, Managing Director, D.A. Davidson

Jeff Fischer, Senior Vice President, CBRE

Jelani Roy, Agent, BeGreat Sports

Kevin Rivera, Vice President, Park Avenue Building Supplies

Matthew Monness, Monness, Crespi, & Hardt

Nicky Easley, Warner Music Group, Board Secretary

Niles Ellis*, Research Analyst, Goldsmith & Co.

Rachel Hammer, VP Prime Finance, JP Morgan

Raina Bretan, Paypal, Manager, Board Chair

*BKYSC Alumnus

We're in the neighborhood.

If you're curious to learn more, want to collaborate or just looking to say hi, we would love to hear from you. Drop us an email at information@bkysc.org or visit us at our office located 100 Dobbin Street, Brooklyn, NY 11222