the why
performance ecosystems
Where athletes learn, work, compete, replenish, and recover - together. Because sports builds more than athletes, it builds:
Discipline + Mentorship + Community + Opportunity
Split Sets Foundation
why tennis?
Maybe you never even thought of Tennis as an option for youth sports? Maybe it’s because it was never introduced to you.
Perhaps, your son or daughter wanted to play and you tried to find an option to have access to the sport but did not have the resources to join a private club or country club.
Perhaps, you researched where to get tennis lessons and found that it was cost prohibited for your whole family. (At approximately, $300/wk).
Or perhaps, after taking numerous lessons you found there were no options for local competition and opportunities to compete were several hours out of town which stacks on additional costs.
Families whose children choose tennis as a sport quickly feel the financial burden for training and access to competition are well out of reach. Opportunities for our youth to develop in tennis, if you don’t belong to a private club quickly dissolve. For some kids tennis is never really introduced as a real possibility. And for the ones who fall in love with it, the cost, the travel, and the lack of local infrastructure can make it hard to stay in it.
+ease of entry +financial burden +teach specialized skills +accessible among marginalized populations +access to infrastructure
Split Sets Foundation
why basketball?
In basketball, the talent is here. The discipline is here. But dedicated spaces built round real development are still to rare. What starts getting lost is bigger than sport. When a young person loses access they don’t just lose court time. Basketball has always been bigger than the game for me. It’s something that brings people together, creates structure for kids, and gives young athletes confidence, discipline, and opportunities they may not have otherwise. I want to use basketball to positively impact families and create a safe environment where kids can grow both on and off the court.
Through training, mentorship, and hosting tournaments, we’re not only helping young players develop their skills, but also teaching teamwork, accountability, and leadership. The tournaments also create real value for New Orleans by bringing in teams and families from different cities who support local hotels, restaurants, and businesses. Our vision is to build something meaningful in the community where basketball can open doors, inspire kids, and give them something positive to be connected to.
+focus on teaching the fundamentals +training/coaching players at multiple levels +importance of tournaments +access to infrastructure
Split Sets Foundation
why wellness?
With more than half of American youth playing privatized sports, most of them specialize at early ages.
This specialization creates opportunities for injury and burnout at higher numbers historically.
Our partner, Health care provider will provide a backbone of support for education and programming for athletic development and injury prevention. To provide wellness and knowledge back into the community.
+injury prevention +recovery +access to wellness programs +sport-specific +education-linear lines to professionalism +nutrition
Split Sets Foundation
why together?
There are young athletes in this city with real talent, real discipline, and real hunger—but not always the kind of access that lets them keep going. Not because they are not willing to work. Not because they do not have potential. But because the support, the affordability, and the environment they need just aren’t always there. Too many athletes start running out of pathway long before they run out of passion.
Our 3 non-profits are changing the path TOGETHER. We believe in bringing this Performance Ecosystem back to the playground TOGETHER. We believe that youth sports in community can do more than develop athletes. It can rebuild community TOGETHER .
That’s why this project matters. Split-Sets Foundation and Wes Johnson Elite were born out of the belief that sport can do more than develop athletes. It can build: Mentorship. Life Skills. Belonging. Friendship. It can create the kind of opportunity that helps young people stay connected to a future.
split-sets foundation X wes johnson elite X lcmc/tulane are changing the path TOGETHER.
“this facility is about giving kids the outlet, structure, and mentorship that i didn’t have.”— Wes Johnson