Purpose:

To provide underserved youth with a mentor relationship with a Houston Comets player;

To offer program participants the opportunity to attend a Houston Comets game to witness their mentor at work;

To encourage youth to set and pursue long-term goals with particular emphasis on literacy and education.

Demographics (not firm):

Children ages 8-14 who are not currently involved in any other mentoring program;

Expressed interest in the Houston Comets, basketball or sports AND;

Demonstrated need for improvement in literacy skills.

Program:

Donor purchases a block of 28 season tickets for 17 Houston Comets home games.

Donor may choose from our list of organizations or designate one that falls into the program categories.

Tickets are provided for each game to the chosen organization(s).

Post-game, the organizations will collect to an area in the arena for a short talk and Q and A from a player about achieving their goals and dreams.

After each game, children are encouraged to write a composition about their experience and interactions with players. Based on these stories:

--- A panel of three judges will review and select one written composition from all submissions based on: 1) composition content, 2) impact of the program on the child and 3) the child’s level of involvement in the program.
--- The program participant whose composition is selected will be allowed to invite their Comets player-mentor to lunch date (e.g., community center, school cafeteria, etc.) at a mutually agreed upon date and location.

Incentive:

Donor will receive in-game recognition via a recorded Comets player Public Service Announcement to appear on the video board thanking them and explaining the program, followed by a complete listing of all program donors.*

Donor will receive logo representation on all Goal Tenders-related collateral material.

Donor will receive recognition in the community programs section of the Houston Comets website.

Donor will be invited to attend a special recognition game.

*except for exclusivity of select sponsors in Reliant Arena