Handshake America: Coaching & Scholarship Program Information

STUDENT-ATHLETE APPLICATIONS FOR 2025 PROGRAM DUE NOVEMBER 20, 2024

Handshake America creates life-coaching relationships with gritty student-athletes to help them realize their potential for success and inspire them to influence others.

Originally inspired by John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success, Handshake America developed its Five Practices (5Ps): Perseverance, Passion, Positivity, People, and Presence.

The Program helps student-athletes leverage their experiences gained through competitive sports to become more aware of the basic elements and definition of “success”.

The Program consists of:

 1. Assignment to a Team of three (3) Handshake America Coaches and 5 peers from different high schools

2. Eight (8) Team Coaching Sessions throughout the year

3. Minimum of $1,000 Postsecondary Scholarship, upon successful completion of the program

4. Inclusion in our National Handshake America Network, and ongoing access to our interactive, digital “Locker Room”

The first Handshake America Scholarship Program began in 2012 with three student-athletes in Columbus, Ohio; and expanded to Metro Atlanta in 2017, into Western N. Carolina in 2021, and Charlotte, NC in 2024. To date, the Program has selected over 530 student-athletes in the four cities and plans to expand to other areas across the nation.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE AND HOW TO APPLY