Connecting One to Each Other

Article Title: The Wildcat Experience This event connects our youth in the community and encourages inspiration and motivation between the two groups.

I&I International Foundation recently had the opportunity to team up with New Tampa Wildcats, a recreational youth football league in Tampa, Florida, and the neighboring High school’s Varsity Football team, the Wharton Wildcats. This event not only kicked off I&I International’s first event in Tampa, but it promoted the start of a new tradition between the two teams - having the youth football league participate in pregame festivities before the start of the Varsity football season. There are few words that can truly depict the inspiration and motivation this event brought about in the New Tampa community. For the New Tampa Wildcats, this was a chance to see what it's like to be a varsity athlete and to learn first-hand the commitment and discipline you need to have to be a part of a winning team both academically (The Wharton Football team ranks in the top ten in Academics in Hillsborough County) and athletically. For the Wharton Wildcats, this was a chance to reflect on how much they have accomplished since playing recreational football and how many kids already look up to them for their current accomplishments. And to our New Tampa community, this was a chance to bring our youth together. A special thank you goes to Wharton’s principal Mike Rowan and his administrative staff, Varsity Head Coach Mike Williams and his coaching staff, New Tampa Wildcats President Chantel Negron and her Executive Board, I&I International's Vice-President Brad Branson, and the New Tampa coaches, parents, players, and many student volunteers that made this event possible.