All it takes is one opportunity, one moment, one person to believe for a child to have the hope that they can achieve their dreams. Through House of Victory, USC Men’s Basketball student-athletes recently helped provide that opportunity for a group of local hoopers during an NIL engagement. 

House of Victory, the Official NIL Collective of USC Athletics, hosted a group of twenty elementary and middle school aged kids from the Challengers Boys & Girls Club at Galen Center for a basketball clinic with men’s basketball student-athletes.

“From the moment we arrived at Galen Center, the kids were excited to be there,” said Karen Quiroz, the Director of Athletics and Health at the Challengers Clubhouse. “Although they were a bit nervous about being in a new environment, their excitement to connect with the basketball team was evident.”

The kids present were specifically selected by the Challengers Clubhouse for this opportunity and many of them were participants in the Club’s previous basketball programming. The timing was perfect as the next league season begins in January and this experience sparked a lot of interest for new signups or, for those who have already signed up, to get in the gym and continue practicing.

The student-athletes led different group activities including drills and games to develop skills in dribbling, passing, shooting and defense. 

“Having the opportunity to be trained by collegiate athletes is incredibly inspiring for our young members,” said Quiroz. “It broadens their perspectives and shows them that attending college for the same goals is an achievable aspiration. The entire men’s basketball team was fantastic in making our students feel welcomed and providing excellent coaching.”

Located just down the street from campus, the Challengers Clubhouse has been providing opportunities to local, underserved youth since 1968 and is part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro LA system, which serves several underprivileged communities across Los Angeles. House of Victory’s Men’s Basketball student-athletes have participated in several events at the clubhouse, meeting the kids on their own turf.

Beyond this clinic and the on-site visits from men’s basketball, House of Victory has also arranged a facility tour with football student-athletes and on-site visits from student-athletes across a variety of sports including: football, women’s basketball, men’s tennis, beach volleyball and more.

For more information about events like this one, follow House of Victory on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X. If you’d like to make a charitable contribution to support the work of House of Victory student-athletes in the community at events like this, you can make a tax-deductible contribution here.