Flint United Teams Up with YouthQuest to Serve Flint Students

Flint United basketball began in March 2021, founded by Flint native Kevin Mays, who was inspired by a desire to add to the already established professional sports in the area by bringing a basketball team to the city. The team plays against other regional and national teams in The Basketball League.

Mays, a two-time NCAA All-American, hopes to encourage the youth of the community to pursue a future in sports, be it on the court or behind the scenes.

“I hope this can be a launchpad to kids in our community with sports,” says Mays. “My wish is that the team will not just bring a good time to the youth of Flint & Genesee but to keep working for what they want. I hope it inspires them to continue their journey.”

Recently Flint United and YouthQuest have forged a partnership that will combine fun with an opportunity to learn more about the behind-the-scenes work done with the team.

“It gives me pleasure to announce our partnership with Kevin Mays and the Flint United Basketball team,” says Willie Buford, associate program director of Youth Quest for Flint & Genesee Education & Talent. “This multi-faceted collaborative connects the community to Flint’s Professional basketball team in several ways.”

All YouthQuest students are being given free admission to all Flint United home games with a discount given to their parents. Students involved in YQ Biz will also have the chance to design shirts for the team available at upcoming games.

“YouthQuest has been a vital part of a lot of kids’ lives in our community,” says Mays. “It’s important for kids to explore different ideas and opportunities.”

As students work with Flint United to see what it takes to put on basketball games for the community, they will also get a chance to see what it is like to work in the sports industry.

YouthQuest students in the YQ Biz program are also being given the opportunity to not just design shirts for games but to handle other operations jobs like helping to make sure the court is dry between timeouts and assisting with sales as they get to know more about how a professional basketball team is run behind the scenes.

YouthQuest is made possible through the generous support of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and 21st Century Community Learning Centers.