Special Announcement: Christian Smiley

(Long Island, N.Y.) - As Christian Smiley gears up for the next round of basketball playoffs with his team at The Knox School, his influence is spreading beyond the basketball court to the classroom and boardroom. Through his role as our NIL Brand Ambassador, we prioritize investing in industry education, leadership, character in addition to sports development like all of our efforts.

Christian recently completed an intensive five-month program with the Sports Power Infrastructure team, all while balancing his studies at his college prep school, The Knox School, in St. James, NY. His training with us focused on understanding the business, community impact, and challenges in critical infrastructure sectors, including energy, construction, manufacturing, telecommunications, transportation, healthcare, and social services.

In life, it’s the work done in silence—when no one is watching—that defines great students, athletes, and professionals. As he prepares for his next steps in searching for the right Junior College that aligns with his career and sports aspirations, we couldn’t be prouder of the additional work and commitment he has taken in his role with Sports Power Infrastructure.

Over the next six months, we’ll be releasing several exciting announcements showcasing Christian’s contributions to our work that he has been diligently working on behind the scenes. Through his hands-on involvement, these initiatives will benefit other student-athletes, volunteer coaches, teams, and local families. His journey proves that success is not just about personal achievement but also about creating opportunities for others.

Announcement #1: Sports + Industry Qualifier Events and Launching the Sports Power Infrastructure Brand Ambassador Network

We’ve grown to admire Christian for prioritizing his education, family, teams, and community. The opportunities he has earned and continues to work towards are ones he wants others to have as well. While we host large-scale Sports + Industry Combines, Christian has helped create a smaller-scale version to teach student-athletes about the business of sports and infrastructure while they learn and earn.

For those of you that may not know, Christian started his journey with us after being identified for his impressive high school basketball career. Though he was raised in Wyandanch, N.Y., his talents were showcased in the Amityville School District, N.Y., where he was a standout player. He significantly impacted the court, leading his team to regional championships and earning All-Conference honors. His talent and leadership continued to shine at Bay Shore High School, N.Y., where he further established himself as a rising star in the sport. He was named All League, All Conference, All County, First Team All Long Island, and 6th Team All State, taking home the Suffolk County Championship and Long Island Regional Championship. However, it was his grades and countless letters of recommendation from teachers, coaches, volunteers, and professionals that praised his work ethic, leadership, and character that made us select him as our first NIL Brand Ambassador.

Christian is passionate about having other student-athletes follow in his steps. He believes they don't need to have a million followers online to validate their positive contribution to their families, teams, and communities. Alongside our new brand logo launch, Christian will host two Sports + Industry Qualifier events in New York and New Jersey this spring. These limited events will be open to youth (grades 5-8), teens (grades 9-12), and adults over 18. Drawing from his recent five-month educational training with the Sports Power Infrastructure team, Christian identified the industry focus of these Sports + Industry Qualifiers. Alongside each participant's Scouting Report assessment, the industry exposure will emphasize:

• Civil Utility Construction

• Energy

• Photonics

• Artificial Intelligence

The sports athletic focus of each qualifier will provide evaluation and ranking within the following drills:

• 40-Yard Dash

• Vertical Jump

• Running Jump

• Broad Jump

• Shuttle Run

• Pro Agility

• Push-Ups

Lastly, our newly created Brand Ambassador Network will allow other student-athletes, trainers, and coaches to host similar Sports + Industry Qualifiers in addition to other benefits to also learn and earn. Christian will lead the recruitment of a committee for the Spring/Summer season, consisting of student-athletes, teachers, and coaches from various sports and educational backgrounds. This committee will evaluate youth, teens, and adults (both current and former athletes) who care about the economic and workforce benefits of sports and infrastructure.