I sat down to write this and realized that for ten years, I haven’t just been a coach. I’ve been a witness.
I’ve watched sneakers go from pristine to worn out. I’ve watched nervous seven-year-olds grow into confident college women. And I’ve watched a community prove that your zip code should never be the ceiling of your soul.
I couldn’t help but wonder… can you actually engineer destiny? Or is it something you have to hunt down in a humid gym at 7:00 AM? As I look back at Passion 4 Youth from 2016 to 2026, I realized the answer is both. You have to design the blueprint, but you have to have the heart to build it when nobody is watching.
Ten years ago, we started with nothing more than a ball, a borrowed gym, and a vision. I saw the quiet truth hiding in plain sight: our kids were being sidelined by a “pay-to-play” culture. I wanted to provide access to every athlete, no matter their circumstances.
In the beginning, it was boys and girls, basement gyms, and community centers. We launched Ballin’ in the Park because I wanted to see our young people back in the sunshine and our families back in the stands, just enjoying each other. There were no sponsors then—just a handful of dedicated moms and dads who decided to pour into the youth until the cup ran over.
As the years passed, the mission sharpened. I realized that while everyone was teaching athleticism, no one was teaching intelligence. Our girls, specifically, needed a different kind of development—one rooted in IQ, confidence, and mentorship.
We shifted our focus. We moved from “helping girls play” to engineering how they learn. We started journaling workshops, college tours, and mindset training. Parents started saying, “This feels different,” and for the first time, our girls started saying, “I finally feel seen.”
When 2020 shut the doors of every gym in the country, we didn’t stop. We couldn’t. We did virtual mental health check-ins. We did outdoor workouts. That season forged our identity: We are a community first, a program. Basketball will always be the vehicle—but it will never be the destination.
We didn’t just want to teach the game; we wanted to transform it. That’s why we built the EDGE System and the IQ Leagues. We created the Jr. Coaching Leadership Track—a paid workforce pipeline—because I want our young women to be the bosses, not just the players.
And because our growth deserves guardians, we are forming the Black Diamond Alliance. A board of powerhouse women who stand as the foundation beneath our next decade. They are the architects of our integrity.
To every athlete who ever trusted me with your dreams: you didn’t just play for P4Y. You built this. You are the reason we are moving into Legacy 2035.
The next decade isn’t just about sports. It’s about:
We aren’t just celebrating an anniversary. We’re celebrating a movement that belongs to every girl who ever walked through our doors.
Ten years ago, we started with a basketball and a belief. Today, we are preparing you for life.
Every girl deserves a pathway. Every girl deserves a mentor. And every girl deserves to engineer her own legacy.
Keep your head up and your IQ higher. We’re just getting started.
With love and intentionality,
Coach Audrey Taylor