ORLANDO, Fla. — The nonprofit organization, Athlete Connections Foundation, is designed to use sports to teach important life lessons for youth.

University of Florida Hall of Fame basketball player Dan Cross founded the organization. 

What You Need To Know

  • The Florida Get Down is a holiday Thanksgiving showcase and has been an event going on for six years now. The event features around 18 boys basketball teams, with some of the country's most elite players

  • Dan Cross, Founder of the Athlete Connections Foundation says being able to build memorable relationships with players and teaching them valuable lessons is what brings him joy

  • The Athlete Connections Foundation host the annual showcaseses and aims to empower boys and girls through the power of sports, providing them with the skills, knowledge, and exposure they need to excel both on and off the court

Coming from a family of basketball and the opportunities it gave him, Cross says events like Saturday's the Florida Get Down, mean the world to him. 

The six-year-old event is a holiday showcase that brings together around 18 high school basketball teams from around the state of Florida as well as Georgia.

Players get to talk with scouts and veteran coaches while creating unforgettable memories right in their community.

Basketball sparked Cross' idea for the event, as he and his brothers were able to go to college on athletic scholarships.

"I’m just now paying it forward,” he said.

For Cross, he uses these events to drill in confidence and advice for players on and off the court.

“In this case, it becomes therapy for me. It’s the only time when I’m at peace," he said. "So when I’m able to watch these young adults play I’m able to give my little two cents to the game. They get to hear from somebody who’s played the game at the highest level so that’s what these games do for me personally.”

(Spectrum News/Destiny Wiggins)

One of the showcase's student-athletes, Kamari Thompson, has been playing basketball for as long as he can remember. He attends Jones High School in Orlando. 

“Basketball puts me in my comfort zone. I can be myself when I’m playing basketball. I don’t have to worry about anything else,” said Thompson.

Thompson says the game of basketball can turn a young boy's dream into his reality. He too, has a piece of advice for young players. 

“Work with what you got. Don’t try to do everything, don’t try to do too many things at once," he said. "Just work with what you got and keep it slow and steady, and everything will come at its time."