Philadelphia Youth Basketball

Yesterday was a proud PYB moment!

At the 2026 Horizons Summit presented by Jobs for the Future (JFF) in Washington, DC, PYB’s Director of Skilled Building Trades, Greg Thomson, and PYB Young Leader Amin Ray joined the panel “Skilled Trades: An Opportunity to Strengthen the Economy and Create Quality Jobs for Millions.”

They represented work that is already making an impact through Varsity Trades Academy, PYB’s holistic workforce development model designed to create more inclusive, supportive, and meaningful pathways into the skilled trades.

Varsity Trades Academy is now in the seventh month of its early cohort, with 40+ young adults, including Amin, enrolled in classroom-based and hands-on learning across carpentry, electrical, welding, masonry, HVAC, and plumbing. Alongside technical training, participants are developing power skills such as relationship-building, teamwork, punctuality, and time management, while also engaging in academic acceleration.

Greg brought the program-building side of the story: the design, partnerships, training model, and support systems behind Varsity Trades Academy. Amin brought the voice and lived experience of a PYB young leader building his future through the program.

Together, they showed what makes PYB’s approach different: we build with young people, not just for them. And through our broader Kinder-to-Career work, PYB is walking with young leaders as they build skills, confidence, relationships, and real options for their future.

Thank you to Jobs for the Future for creating space for this important conversation, and congratulations to Greg and Amin for representing PYB with purpose and pride!

Our Early Years Development Camp and Lace Up & Learn Up Summer Camp Series campers recently traveled to The Funplex Amusement Center in Mount Laurel, New Jersey for a day of waterpark fun, amusement rides, connection, and joy!

At PYB, field trips like this are part of how we create positive, safe experiences for our young people. They get to explore new places, build relationships with peers, strengthen confidence, and feel a sense of belonging within PYB programming.

Basketball may be our cultural connector, but our work is bigger than basketball. We are creating opportunities for young people to grow, thrive, and see what is possible for themselves and their communities when we all come together.

Thank you to FunPlex for working with us to give our young people an amazing, safe, and memorable experience!

Two years ago, PYB cut the ribbon on the Alan Horwitz “Sixth Man” Center and celebrated alongside hundreds of community members who helped bring the vision to life!

That moment marked more than the opening of a facility. It marked the beginning of a place-based ecosystem designed to support young people, families, and community partners through holistic youth development.

Today, the Sixth Man Center continues to grow as a community hub where basketball serves as the cultural connector and optimal environment for skill-building. Through coach-mentor relationships, on- and off-court programming, wellness resources, career-readiness opportunities, and partnership-powered support, young leaders are building communication, collaboration, accountability, resilience, and leadership skills that carry over into school, work, life, and community.

We are grateful to every youth participant, family, staff member, coach-mentor, partner, donor, and neighbor who helped make this vision real. The Sixth Man Center is not just serving the community. It is being shaped by the community.

Two years in, we remain committed to building a Philadelphia where all youth are supported, empowered, uplifted, and thriving.

To view the photos and relive the day, please visit:
https://phillyyouthbasketball.passgallery.com/-ribboncuttingcommunitycelebration/gallery

Trailblazing leadership… and a meaningful conversation rooted in PYB’s mission! It was an honor to welcome Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker and Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield to PYB and The Alan Horwitz "Sixth Man" Center.

Together, they engaged in a conversation centered around PYB’s mission, programs, organization, culture, and Center, seeing how basketball opens the door to mentorship, skill-building, Kinder-to-Career support, and community-led transformation.

We’re incredibly grateful to have Mayor Parker as an advocate for us and for sharing the PYB model with a like-minded leader committed to building stronger futures for young people and their communities.

Philadelphia 🤝 Detroit

One week ago, PYB and the Alan Horwitz "Sixth Man" Center welcomed leaders from Detroit, Michigan, and Pennsylvania for a day centered on opportunity, youth investment, and building futures that last.

A Michigan delegation, including U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin, Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield, and Michigan Secretary of State and candidate for Governor Jocelyn Benson, visited our facility to learn more about PYB’s mission, programs, organization, culture, and Center, and how our Kinder-to-Career model can help inform the development of a world-class youth facility in Detroit.

That same day, U.S. Senator Dave McCormick and Senator John Fetterman came to PYB to promote the importance of Invest America Accounts for families with young children and to elevate the broader importance of wealth-building and financial education.

Together, these moments reflected what PYB is building every day: a holistic, community-driven ecosystem where basketball opens the door, young people build skill sets and mindsets, families gain access to resources, and communities grow stronger!

From Philly to Detroit and beyond, we’re proud to help advance a future where more young people have the support, opportunities, and pathways they need to lead.

Have questions about debt, credit, or getting back on track? This workshop is for you. 💰

Join Philadelphia Youth Basketball and Firstrust Bank for the next class in our Building Financial Futures Series: Managing Debt.

📅 Wednesday, July 8
⏰ 5 PM to 7 PM
📍 The Alan Horwitz “Sixth Man” Center
4250 Wissahickon Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19129

Together, we’re helping families build the skills and mindsets to make informed financial decisions, strengthen their futures, and create a lasting impact at home and in the community.

Register for free here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScS8ZFMGviPXPBLgdqadWmJw9kLE8WPTTJAI8yzYoR_tTF_hg/viewform?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=firstrust_financial_futures&utm_content=post

The Alan Horwitz “Sixth Man” Center will be closed on Saturday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day. 🇺🇸

We hope everyone has a safe, fun, and relaxing holiday with family and friends. We’ll see you back at the Sixth Man Center soon! ❤️💙

☀️ Last week, PYB kicked off 8 weeks of summer programming!

From late June through late August, hundreds of young people and young leaders, from rising Kindergarteners through young adults up to age 29, will come through the Alan Horwitz “Sixth Man” Center for safe, supportive, full-day experiences that help them grow on and off the court.

This summer includes:

🏀 Lace Up & Learn Up: Basketball, leadership, and confidence-building through play
📚 Early Years: Learning, movement, literacy, and social-emotional growth
🙌 Teen Rec: Safe evening space for connection and mentorship
🎤 Sports Journalism with Temple: Media skills, storytelling, and career exposure
💼 Work-Based Learning: Paid experiences and professional skill development
🛠️ Trades and Career Workshops: Hands-on exposure to future career pathways through our Varsity Trades Academy
🤝 Co-located Partner Programs: On-site resources from mission-aligned partners
🥗 Healthy Meals: Daily nourishment that supports full participation through free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and nutritious snacks throughout the day for fuel.

At PYB, summer is more than keeping young people busy. It is about creating a safe space where they can be heard, valued, seen, challenged, supported, and surrounded by people who believe in their future.

As more children and families look to PYB for safe spaces, mentorship, meals, learning, and summer opportunity, philanthropic support matters more than ever.

Your gift helps us meet the growing demand and provide the holistic experiences young people deserve.

Support PYB summer programming today: https://give.phillyyouthbasketball.org/give/584619 #!/donation/checkout?eg=true

New blog alert ‼️‼️‼️ from our partner, NovaCare Rehabilitation: https://www.novacare.com/why-choose-us/blog/after-a-fall-what-to-do-when-you-take-a-tumble-and-injure-your-wrist-hand-or-arm-b/

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