TFT Back-to-School Sports Access Summit 2026

TFT STaff Writer

Creating Access, Education and Opportunity for Student-Athletes and Families

The landscape of youth sports in America has changed dramatically. Recruiting, reclassification, transfer rules, college eligibility, NIL, social media, academics, branding, mental health and the growing business surrounding young athletes have created opportunities that previous generations could hardly imagine. At the same time, these changes have made the journey increasingly complicated for families trying to determine what is best for their student-athletes. That is why The Follow Through LLC is hosting its first Back-to-School Sports Access Summit, a free community event designed to bring student-athletes, parents, grassroots leaders and sports-industry professionals together for a day of information, strategy, education and networking.

The idea behind the Summit comes from the personal and professional experiences of The Follow Through owner and founder Sean F. Van Dorn Sr. A former athlete himself, Van Dorn is also the father of three boys who are each competitive in their own right. His youngest son, who is on the autism spectrum, also competes in Special Olympics. Those different athletic journeys have helped shape his belief that there is no single pathway for every athlete and that access, education, advocacy and opportunity should extend to athletes of different abilities and families from every background.

As a parent, Van Dorn has experienced firsthand how difficult it can be to keep up with an ever-changing sports environment. At the same time, he has spent years helping other student-athletes and families navigate their own journeys. Sometimes that has meant putting together a recruiting package for an under-recruited athlete. Other times, it has meant advocating for an athlete by calling coaches or athletic directors within his network, connecting families with resources or simply helping a parent understand what questions need to be asked. Those experiences eventually led to a larger realization: families should not have to already know the right people or have significant financial resources just to gain access to credible information and experienced professionals.

The sports environment those families are navigating has undergone enormous change. The introduction of the NCAA transfer portal, evolving transfer and eligibility rules, additional eligibility considerations following COVID-19 and the arrival of NIL opportunities for college athletes have all contributed to a different collegiate landscape. Those changes eventually reach high school and grassroots sports as recruiting strategies, roster management and athlete development evolve. Reclassification has become part of more family conversations, academic planning has become increasingly important and decisions that can affect a student-athlete's future are often being made at younger ages.

At the same time, social media has created another playing field altogether. A young athlete can post an electrifying basketball highlight, break a long touchdown run or produce an impressive training video and potentially reach thousands of people in a matter of hours. YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and other platforms have allowed some athletes to build audiences and recognizable personal brands long before they reach college. That attention can create legitimate opportunities, but it can also create pressure, unrealistic expectations and new questions about branding, content, reputation and business. As companies, investors and other commercial interests increasingly recognize the value of the youth-sports marketplace, families need to understand both the opportunities and the risks that come with it.

The problem is no longer a lack of information. Families are surrounded by information every day. The challenge is determining what information is accurate, what applies to their athlete and whom they can trust. A social media post cannot always explain the differences between rules that may vary by sport, state, governing body, association, division or individual circumstance. Sometimes a family needs to speak directly with a coach, athletic administrator, compliance professional, attorney, educator, trainer, mental-health specialist, nutrition professional, media specialist or another person who works within the sports industry every day.

The Back-to-School Sports Access Summit is being created to help close that gap by giving families free access to those types of conversations. The Follow Through wants student-athletes and parents to have an opportunity to sit in the same room with experienced professionals, hear different perspectives, ask questions and begin building relationships. Making the event free is intentional because access to useful information should not be determined solely by a family's ability to pay for it.

The Summit is also intended to benefit the entire sports community. Grassroots leaders, coaches, administrators, business owners, specialists and other industry professionals will have an opportunity to meet one another, exchange ideas and develop relationships while engaging directly with student-athletes and parents. The Follow Through believes networking should not be limited to people who already know how to get into the room. Sometimes the best way to create access is simply to create the room and invite the community inside.

Rather than attempting to teach families every rule in a single afternoon, the Summit will focus on awareness and practical guidance. Conversations will address areas such as recruiting, eligibility, reclassification, academic credits, dual enrollment, college pathways, the transfer landscape, NIL, branding, media training, social media, content creation and emerging technology. The discussion will also extend beyond recruiting and exposure to mental health, nutrition, rest and recovery, injury prevention, sports science, burnout and sustainable athlete development. Families should leave knowing more about what questions to ask, what issues to watch and where to find credible answers when circumstances become more complicated.

There is also a larger purpose behind the event. The Follow Through believes young people must be developed as more than athletes. Most student-athletes will eventually reach a point when organized competition ends, whether that happens after high school, college or a professional career. The question then becomes: what happens when the ball stops bouncing? The discipline, relationships, education and experiences gained through athletics should help prepare young people to build careers, businesses, families and meaningful lives beyond competition. Athlete development should therefore be about preparing young people for life through sports, not simply preparing them to play sports.

Sports will continue to change. Rules will change, technology will change and new business opportunities will emerge. The Follow Through cannot predict every change that is coming, but it can help families become better prepared to navigate them. By creating free access to information, relationships and experienced professionals, the organization hopes to give families something more valuable than hype: knowledge, preparation and a network they can continue to build upon.

The Follow Through LLC — Prepare. Perform. Prosper.

A WAVE OF TALENT NAVIGATES THE AMATUER SPORTS WORLD WITH A NEW LOOK AND DEFINITION

TFT STaff Writer

DEFINING YOURSELF: HOW ENTREPRENEUR DARNELL L. JAMES LINKED COMPETITION, CULTURE & COLLEGE ATHLETES WITH THE DEFINITION BRAND

T-shirt designer, entertainer, and entrepreneur Darnell L. James understands the power of defining yourself, especially when competition plays a central role in shaping who you are. A former college athlete at Virginia State University, James transformed his passion for creativity, performance, and personal expression into The Definition Brand, a clothing line built on the belief that individuals must define their own identity rather than allow others to define it for them. That philosophy came to life during a recent photo shoot featuring three rising freshman basketball talents from Fayette County, Georgia, including Anthony Perry, a 6'5'' freshman point guard with the Louisiana Knights Post-Graduate Program, Christian McAllister, a 6'4'' freshman guard at Tuskegee University, and Sean Van Dorn Jr., a 6'6'' freshman shooting guard at Georgia Southern University. 

The shoot, photographed by KIC IT Films LLC, marked the first opportunity for these young athletes to collaborate with a brand built on excellence, perseverance, and authenticity. Assisting KIC IT Films LLC on set was freelance videographer intern Justtus “Shalom” Williams, a Film and Television Production student at Southern Crescent Technical College. Williams, who also contributes as a videographer for The Follow Through, used this opportunity to strengthen his portfolio and demonstrate the skills that have propelled him into the sports videography industry.

Throughout the session, the athletes reflected on their days at Fayette County High School, recalling the competitive battles and formative experiences that shaped their development on and off the court. Now stepping into their first year of collegiate and post-graduate basketball, the shoot served as both a reunion and a celebration of their continued growth. During the session, Darnell James offered insights on discipline, competition, and self-definition, emphasizing the importance of understanding who you are and embracing your own journey.

This collaboration also highlights the growing opportunities created by Name, Image, and Likeness. Under the current NIL landscape, student-athletes can leverage their platforms to partner with brands that align with their values. Through marketing campaigns, photoshoots, and ambassador roles, freshman athletes like Perry, McAllister, and Van Dorn Jr. can begin building their personal brand early in their careers. For entrepreneurs like James, NIL offers the chance to partner authentically with emerging talent whose drive reflects the mission of The Definition Brand.

For The Definition Brand, this project represents more than a photoshoot; it symbolizes the powerful intersection of culture, sport, and self-definition. For the athletes, it illustrates how basketball can lead to opportunities that extend far beyond the court. For the community, it stands as a reminder that when creativity and athleticism come together, they create pathways that redefine what is possible for the next generation.

To explore The Definition Brand, support the movement, or purchase apparel, visit their Instagram page athttps://www.instagram.com/thedefinitionbrand/.