In Spring 2009, Game Plan Academy (GPA) opened camp for the first time. Fast forward one full year, and now GPA has replicated its success in Sacramento and has expanded into Compton successfully. And with success comes thankfulness. All the mentors at GPA, which now includes former professional athletes Gio Carmazzi, Alex Van Dyke, Lyle West, and Tyus Edney, have enjoyed volunteering their time this spring to provide (what we hope are) inspirational resources to students who may not normally have access to these services. Collectively, which includes Brian Geremia, David Campos, Matt Carmazzi, Billy Downing, and Kai and Brent Pottenger, we are thankful for all those mentors who have me

Above: Brent Pottenger with former Sacramento Kings player, Tyus Edney (and his son) "You have to have a backup plan," shared one student-athlete this past weekend at GPACompton. Game Plan Academy (GPA) opened camp this past Saturday in Compton, California (Los Angeles). Over the past few months, my brother, Kai Pottenger, and I have worked collaboratively with the Compton Unified School District, Revolution Test Prep, and the University of Southern California to create a small pilot program for male and female basketball players at Dominguez, Centennial, and Compton high schools. The goal of GPA is to provide students (for free) with personalized and professional academic and athletic

Former NFL athletes Gio Carmazzi and Alex Van Dyke returned for year two of the Game Plan Academy camp Sunday. Offered to high school freshmen, sophomores and juniors in the Sacramento area, the camp combines football and academics with the goal of translating hard work on the field into classrooms off the field. Most of the approximately 10 staff - student athletes themselves - grew up in Sacramento attending Jesuit High School, including former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Gio Carmazzi. While Carmazzi did not have wild expectations for the first season, he said he was pleasantly surprised at the outcome so far. "The three returning quarterbacks from last year, they're doing so well

 "5:30 in the morning." "Euphemism." & "Saturday night." Mayor Kevin Johnson shared his authentic tales of the past with student-athletes at Game Plan Academy (GPA) this past Sunday at Hiram Johnson High School, leaving them with with one final message in the process: "Give back. Whatever you do, always remember to give back." Remembering the days when he scored 48 points in the Hiram Johnson High School gymnasium as a standout Sacramento High School student-athlete who led the state of California in scoring, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson was simply "KJ" for the day, mixing in humor with serious pleas while expressing words of encouragement and sharing pearls of wisdom and lessons le

One of the keys to serving local communities effectively is supporting existing institutions that already provide valuable services. The Sacramento Food Bank is one such institution. This past Saturday, Game Plan Academy (GPA) students assembled alongside GPA mentors, Jesuit High School alumni, teachers, students, parents, and staff as part of a GoDoGood project.  The mission of GoDoGood is to capture people's energy to 'do good' and put these passions into action in local communities. The Sacramento Food Bank provides an excellent outlet for Sacramentans who want to 'do good' for those in need in a well-organized, structured, and warm, supportive environment. GoDoGood brought a talented,

Remember, it's the little things that matter in life. As an entertaining reminder, watch Game Plan Academy's first edited football footage video here:  www.youtube.com/watch "Great job. Way to hustle, stay focused. It's the little things that are going to change our games -- it's the little things," shares Alex Van Dyke with the GPA students. This is what GPA is all about; mentorship in action--sharing the 'little things' and those perceptive 'tricks-of-the-trade' that will help students succeed in the classroom, on the playing field, and, ultimately, in the game of life. With wise, warm words of encouragement flowing at Game Plan Academy (GPA), bonding between mentors and students has

"Tweet!" Coach Alex Van Dyke, a former NFL wide-receiver and All-American at the University of Nevada, Reno and the operating owner of AVD's Going Vertical!, blows his whistle (Alex loves his whistle!) to rally the Game Plan Academy (GPA) student-athletes to huddle up. "GPA on three. One. Two. Three. GPA!" Coach Gio Carmazzi, a former NFL quarterback and National Scholar-Athlete at Hofstra University, leads the weekly GPA huddle cheer to conclude the football session during week four of eight this past Sunday, marking the half-way point of GPA. "Half-time!" Energy, enthusiasm, and excitement levels were high this past Sunday at GPA as student-athletes relished their opportunity to tra

Game Plan Academy (GPA) is awesome: the students are awesome (they represent Monterey Trail, Hiram Johnson, Rosemont, Highlands, Burbank, McClatchy, Rio Linda, Sheldon, and Florin High Schools), the facility is awesome (Hiram Johnson High School), the mentorship team is awesome (see www.GamePlanAcademy.com), the guest speakers are awesome (they include Mayor Kevin Johnson and Marty McNeal, to name a few), the sponsors are awesome (they include the Positive Coaching Alliance and Wells Fargo), the concept is awesome (the goal is to develop well-rounded student-athletes), and the camp is going awesomely (come out this Sunday from 10:30 AM - 2:30 PM to see the program in action)! With so much

On Sunday, March 15th, Game Plan Academy (GPA) launched at Hiram Johnson High School. Thanks to the generous sponsorships from Positive Coaching Alliance (www.positivecoach.org), Wells Fargo, and Avanti Restaurant Solutions, what was five months ago a clear vision with a windy path ahead, is now printed logo-wear, yard-markers, test-prep materials, and a group of forty student-athletes working to improve their performances on the field and in the classroom. A local, grassroots initiative, GPA attempts to equip students with a "game plan" for life. Spanning eight Sundays, students receive structured SAT preparation, focused college counseling, and rigorous athletic training. Working with

Social challenges abound in Sacramento: homelessness, health disparities, hunger, and educational achievement gaps. Tackling these challenges effectively requires creativity and collaboration: Sacramento needs local social innovation by dynamic community members. Of course, solving these challenges seems daunting, perhaps overwhelming. But, from the bottom-up, with some energy and effort, small local actions by many community members (Sacramentans) can produce a critical mass of support capable of making positive impacts in people's lives. Game Plan Academy (GPA) is one such project. Yes, Game Plan Academy (GPA) will not, on its own, reverse the widening academic achievement gaps betwee