Ballin On The Beltline
(CEDAR HILL, TX) Cedar Hill Independent School District freshmen and sophomores are
learning some important lessons about academic and athletic success from business executives and professional athletes, all while social distancing.
Cedar Hill resident Erica Molett, a parent of a CHISD freshman, started the non-profit, “Beyond The Ball” last year, to encourage scholar-athletes to focus on creating both academic and athletic goals. The camp is called “Ballin On The Beltline” and also features scholars from neighboring DeSoto ISD. The website is beyondtheball.net
It features speakers from corporations such as Nike, Sony, the NBA, NFL and more. All of the speakers volunteered their time to be involved with the program.
CHISD Gear Up Grant
It was made possible through a CHISD GEAR UP Grant, and Molett is a CHISD Gear Up Grant Partner.
GEAR UP works with the CHISD Classes of 2023 and 2024 – something they’ve done since
those scholars were in middle school.
“We work with these scholars on college readiness and career readiness,” CHISD GEAR UP
Grant Director Angele Hodges said. “We had to be creative because of COVID-19 social
distancing, and we wanted to present it in a way that would be exciting to the scholars.”
Currently, twenty-five CHISD scholars are enrolled in the camp, but space is still available for this year’s camp.
The camp includes speakers who are experts from the fields of sports medicine, sports
marketing, entrepreneurship, strength training and Science, Technology, Engineering, Art &
Math (STEAM).
Each scholar will receive a copy of the late Kobe Bryant’s book, “Mamba Mentality”, as the
camp features a book study for Bryant’s book.
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the camp could not be held, in-person, but Molett said she
wants scholars to be able to learn important lessons from key executives, while they are social distancing at home.
“Today after interviewing Powerhandz Power to Give Foundation, I learned that being an
entrepreneur can take you out of your comfort zone and is very rewarding,” Cedar Hill Early
College High School freshman Caleb Minnifee said.
Later this week, scholars will hear from current Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Joshua
Dobbs, who earned an Aerospace Engineering degree and starred at the University of
Tennessee’s honors college.
During football offseasons, Dobbs has worked with different aviation and aerospace companies, including NASA.
Among the guest speakers are:
- Tristan Ellison, Junior Olympics Boxing Trainer
- Jason Wingate, Beyond The Ball Trainer
- D’Juan Woods – Super Bowl Champion Wide Receiver with the New Orleans Saints/Private Trainer
- Jabari Johnson – Heads Up Foundation, Founder
- Irv Roland – Irv Roland Basketball Training International, Founder
- Reginald Johnson – Dallas Mavericks Advance Scout
- Armein Kirkland – CHISD Teacher/Coach
- Jedidiah Collins– Former Dallas Cowboys Fullback/Certified Financial Planner
- Dr. Shaun Garff – Methodist Hospital, Grand Prairie (Family Medicine Doctor)
- Adam Hewitt-Peak Performance Project, General Manager
- Joshua Dobbs-Jacksonville Jaguars Quarterback
- Michael Ledo – RISE Sports Advisors Founder
- Saeed Ahmad – UCLA Pre-Law Professor
- Danyel Surrency Jones & Darnell Jones – PowerHandz Power To Give Foundation
- Rickey McCoy- Playstation Product Owner (CHISD Alum)
- Jess Bombacie – UX Designer User Experience Manager
- Darren James – KAI Architects President
- Tenaya McDaniel-NBA, Talent Acquisition Coordinator
- Robby Ficker – Converse Marketing Manager
