The Mission of the Houston Defenders Program is to cultivate and inspire young men through their participation in basketball to excel both academically and athletically. The organization instills the principles of strong character, integrity, and self-development. We strive to build strong men who will ultimately be productive citizens in their community and society.

In 2004, Aaron Harrison with the assistance of Chris Crawford established the first Houston Defenders team. This team featured the likes of Aaron and Andrew Harrison, Chilton Young, Eugene Wright and others. The aforementioned young men became the pillars for what would change the face of Houston basketball. Soon after the inaugural team, the likes of Derrick Griffin, Shaquille Cleary, Wesley and others would join forces to move this once Houston based team to the National Level. The team would go on to be crowned National champions in The Houston Defenders youth basketball program has been one of the nations top programs for more than 10 years. Under the leadership and vision of current President Aaron Harrison, many athletes have watched their basketball dreams become a reality.

Mr. Harrison understood the value of providing opportunities for others, so after years of serving only 1 elite level team, Aaron with the assistance of DJ Anderson begin the process to expand the Houston Defenders family in The Houston Defenders grew from 1 team in 2004 to 13 teams by The expansion led to the addition of the SETX branch of the Houston Defenders (formerly Texas Ball Hawks). Under the leadership of Coach Jay Dill, whose belief that no kid should be left behind, made the merger a great success. Presently, the Houston Defenders organization provides basketball opportunities for more than 200 kids throughout the state of Texas!

“Coming together is a Beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success”…. Henry Ford. The success of the Houston Defenders organization is measured not in wins and lost, but the desire to meet our goals. As a National grassroots basketball program, we strive to help our family members offset the cost of higher education through athletic or academic scholarships. Over 90% of program graduates have received scholarships to NCAA Universities. Even more impressive, all graduates from the Houston Defenders organization that are enrolled at an NCAA college continue to be both academically and athletically eligible.

The Houston Defenders Athletic Foundation prides itself on bringing forth the STUDENT aspect in student- athletes. We are committed to assuring that the young men in our organization are excelling both athletically and academically. The organization strives to provide young men with a well-balanced experience. As an youth organization, we understand and value the importance of a strong academic foundation. Therefore, one of the cornerstones of the organization is academic excellence. Our academic motto is “Beyond Eligibility”. The aforementioned motto stresses the importance of assuring that the young men within our organization will strive to excel beyond the benchmark of “just being eligible.” Our educational programs are designed to prepare these young men to achieve academic success at the collegiate level. Many of the programs we offer will help to build a solid foundation for our student-athletes. As the NCAA continues to enhance the academic requirements for potential student-athletes, we will not allow our student-athletes to fall short. Our guidance is focused on preparing our student-athletes to look “Beyond Eligibility”. A large number of our student-athletes attend high schools that lack the resources and rigorous academic coursework that will prepare them to do well on the standardized exams. Therefore, it the Houston Defenders organization pledges to offer assistance and guidance for our student-athletes. Participating in SAT/ACT prep courses is required for all juniors and seniors in the organization.

In order to gain exposure for our student-athletes, we must participate in NCAA Certified Tournaments. These tournaments are attended by college coaches and scouts throughout the nation and have become the primary outlet for scholarship offers in the sport of basketball. Our summer schedule takes us outside the state of Texas and the season ends in late July with a trip to Nationals in Las Vegas, NV. As you can imagine, the costs for a team of 10 players to travel can be overwhelming for families and coaches.

In order to makes these dreams a reality for these young men, we are asking for your support in the form of a Website Advertising Sponsorship. Airfare, hotel costs, and tournament fees for our summer circuit will cost an estimated $7000 per team. Our goal is to raise $35,000 for our 5 Beaumont based Houston Defenders teams. Website Advertising Sponsorships are being made available to businesses in the form of a website banner. Please consider a sponsorship today and help fulfill the dream of attending college for our student-athletes.

Large Fixed Banner – Intro Splash Page $5000 per Year Industry Exclusive Fixed Advertising Spot Availability – ONE Spot

Medium Rotating Banner – Intro Splash Page $600 for Six Months or $1000 per Year Rotating Advertising Spot Availability – Unlimited

Small Rotating Banner – Inside Home Page $500 per Year Rotating Advertising Spot Availability – Unlimited

On behalf of the Houston Defenders, I want to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to learn about our organization and mission to assist in the lives of these fine young men. Please visit our website at TheHoustonDefendersBasketball.com