Hillside Connection

Hillside Connection was founded in March of 2017 and incorporated as a 501(c)(3) public charity in March of 2019 with a mission to “leverage the game of basketball to create pathways to opportunity for kids in Southern Colorado Springs”. We believe in a five-tiered approach towards youth development, consisting of five pillars to success: sports development, enrichment activities, community engagement, competitive play, and academic/family support services. Since 2017, more than 1,000 youth have participated in Hillside Connection’s programming. All programming is donation based. Scholarships are available for all participants! Our organization serves youth boys and girls (grades 1 - 8th) with a strategic focus on enhancing programming for youth transitioning into high school via "pathways programming". The majority of our youth come from single parent and/or low-income households and a multitude of school districts. Throughout the year, youth participants are exposed to a variety of fun experiences designed to refine psychosocial skills, motor skills, develop civic engagement and to learn more about Colorado Springs - Olympic City USA. Past experiences that have broadened the horizons of our youth include field trips to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, National Cyber Security Center, Olympic Training Center, and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum, as well as community engagement projects like re-striping and installing hoops at the Memorial Park Basketball Courts. Additional articles that highlight our impact above and beyond sports include: "Downtown Ventures Partners with Hillside Connection to Connect Youth with Downtown Business Community": https://bit.ly/3baCfnd "Hillside Connection provides elite training FREE of charge for Colorado Springs youth": https://bit.ly/2OAiw1I "Hillside Connection offers a unique opportunity for Colorado youth sports amid dwindling numbers across America." https://bit.ly/2OGazYF