HIGHLIGHTS   PARTNERSHIPS   PRESS BOX   

HIGHLIGHTS  ^top^

League sponsors shrink from $45K to $3K, baseball plays on

June 9, 2009
http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/06/09/little.league/index.html

June 9, 2009

Colleges and the economy Plenty of targets for budget ax

June 2, 2009
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/30/SPQQ17SUGM.DTL

As Costs of Sports Rise, Students Balk at Fees

June 2, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/30/sports/30colleges.html?_r=1&sq=with%20costs%20of%20college%20sports&st=cse&scp=1&pagewanted=print

Golf team raises funds to continue program

April 20, 2009
The varsity golf program will continue for at least one more season after members of the golf team raised close to $22,000 in donations to cover its costs, according to three members of the team. The University has not yet officially announced the return of the team for next year, but it hopes to do so after the April break, according to Dean of Student Life Rick Sawyer. Captains Aaron Hattenbach '09 and Alex Podell '09, as well as Aaron Cusato '12, told the Justice that the team would return next season. "I think [the Athletics Department] wanted to allow [Hattenbach] to make the announcement himself and have some kind of press conference," Sawyer said, adding that "I can't say they're definitely coming back next year." However, Hattenbach said, "For now, I can tell you now we're going to have a team next year, and the [Department of Athletics] wants to make it official after April break." The team has raised $21,115 from about 80 donors, Hattenbach wrote in an e-mail to the Justice. He also said there are "two more $500 pending pledges that are not included in [the $21,115] figure." The cost of running the golf program is $22,000, according to Director of Athletics Sheryl Sousa '90. "Things are looking good but we are still waiting to record a few more deposits before we can confirm that all the money needed has been raised," Sousa wrote in an e-mail to the Justice. "These funds will hopefully be collected over the next week or so and we should be prepared to issue an announcement when students return from break." "We're going have a team next year, but nothing has been confirmed," Custato added. The team previously learned that the University planned to terminate golf as a varsity sport at the completion of this spring season in a meeting with Sousa Jan. 26. At the meeting, she told the team that an estimated$22,000 was needed to support the team for one more season by the time the annual budget was approved at the Board of Trustees meeting March 25. But despite not having the exact amount needed by the time the Board of Trustees met, Sawyer said the Board had no problem approving the team's status for next season. "Leading up to that meeting, they were so close [to raising the money] that nobody here was going to be slicing the cheese that thin with them," he said. "It was clear that they were as good as done." He added, "It's just a matter of crossing the Ts and dotting the Is, but it certainly appears that they've been successful." Several players said Hattenbach took the initiative to lead the fundraising efforts. Hattenbach and his teammates contacted friends, family, alumni and a professional fundraising agency-My Sports Dreams-to gather the necessary funds while also working with the Department of Athletics. "We've got money coming in through each player's mailbox, Development, Athletics, [coach Bill Shipman's] office, so it's [been] difficult to keep track of it all," Hattenbach said. "[Sousa and I have] been trying to touch base and add up what both of us have and compare numbers and make sure all the pledges and donations are in." Hattenbach noted that a $7,500 matching gift from the family of a Brandeis golf alumnus pledged Feb. 13 propelled the fundraising effort. "Once we reached $7,500 and got that matching $7,500 gift and went up to $15,000, my feeling was-and what I was told by several people-that if we had the majority of the money in [by the time of the Board of Trustees meeting], we'd have the team," Hattenbach said. Sawyer praised Hattenbach's efforts for taking the lead in fundraising efforts. "[Hattenbach has] done an incredible job," he said. "I don't know what his transcript looks like this semester, but I know that he's put every waking hour into this, and for a senior to do this for his team is just extraordinary." Several team members say they hope to endow the program so they can compete beyond next season. Hattenbach said he was told that it would require around $300,000 to support the team for 10 more years and believed it was necessary to "cement relationships" with donors to complete that task. "We're going to keep on raising [money] to have enough for at least 10 years," Podell said. "We reached [our original] goal and want it to go on as long as possible." However, Sawyer said, "The University wouldn't be involved in an endowment itself. They would accept to hold an endowment and manage it, but these days to have an endowment with the amount of money to support them [would be] a stretch." "It's been a bit of a roller coaster from when they told us we weren't going to have a team to all the efforts we've spent contacting people and trying to raise the money, so it's nice to see all of our efforts pay off," Cusato said. "We're excited for [Hattenbach] and excited for the team, and we're happy that the rising seniors at least will be able to compete at Brandeis as a varsity team," Sawyer said. BOSTON.COM

My Sports Dreams has Passed the $20 Million Mark

February 17, 2009
My Sports Dreams is proud to announce that it has officially raised over $20 million dollars for college, high school and youth athletic teams. As news of the current economy becomes grimmer, more and more teams are turning towards My Sports Dreams' innovative approach to fundraising. The fundraiser takes less than 1 hour for athletes and coaches, no risk and no selling is involved and a profit is guaranteed. It also gives back to the donors by providing hundreds of dollars in savings from places like Nike, Hertz, Choice Hotels, Home Depot and many more!

Average Credit Card Donation Hits $68

January 3, 2009
My Sports Dreams is reporting that the average credit card donation has now hit $68, jumping from $64. My Sports Dreams fundraising program has set itself apart from other fundraisers by allowing coaches to take donations by credit card. The advantage is that the average check donation is around $33, making credit cards donations more than twice as profitable. Furthermore, My Sports Dreams adds an additional 10% to donations made online and 5% to credit card donations over the phone. This has allowed thousands of sports teams nationwide see huge profits with little effort.

My Sports Dreams Reaches the 10,000 Client Milesto

July 1, 2008
My Sports Dreams, the nation's leading provider of 'product-less' fundraising services to college, high school and elite travel teams announced today that its client base has surpassed the 10,000 team milestone. The company projects that by the end of 2008, total clients served by My Sports Dreams will exceed 12,000. Looking back over the brief history of the company, My Sports Dreams has experienced explosive growth in the collegiate marketplace. The company which was created by the Kern brothers, Jordan and Adam, and their brother-in-law, Jon Goldman has helped teams from some of the most prestigious institutions in the country, like Johns Hopkins, Tufts, Stanford, Cal, Wesleyan, Emory and so many more which has been a tremendous honor and privilege. My Sports Dreams is now looking to expand into the high school market and bring this revolutionary fundraiser to thousands of more athletes.

PARTNERSHIPS  ^top^

Missouri Basketball Coaches Association

March 16, 2009
The goal of the Missouri Baseball Coaches Association (MBCA) is to support and recognize the achievements of baseball coaches and athletes in Missouri. The MBCA reports regional baseball news, holds clinics, sponsors tournaments and provides athletes with scholarships. 'The MBCA is a fantastic organization and partnering with My Sports Dreams will lead to great things for the athletes and coaches of Missouri,' commented Tom Hess, Vice President of Sales for My Sports Dreams. www.digitalsports.com/organization/id/1371839.aspx

Maxx Football

March 16, 2009
Founded by Mark Juhl and Pete Moore, the Maxx Football Machine was designed for off-season development of Linemen in the weight room, working on strength and speed while using proper football technique. Today, the Maxx Football Machine is a must-have for all football programs and My Sports Dreams is happy to help provide the necessary funds to purchase one. 'All athletes should have access to the best equipment available and My Sports Dreams has become an integral part in making that happen,' says Adam Kern, co-owner and Vice President of Client Services. www.maxxfootball.com

Miami Valley Football Coaches Association

March 16, 2009
MVFCA is home to 110 high school football teams in one of the most competitive regions of Ohio. 'Providing MVFCA members with an opportunity to raise $10,000 or more without forcing the players to go knocking on doors selling candy or magazines is a huge win for the association!' replied one MVFCA member. www.mvfca.com

Athletic Publishing

March 10, 2009
Athletic Publishing produces The National Directory of High School Coaches and The Blue Book of College Athletics and maintains a database of college and high school coaches nationwide. Currently they have over 290,000 high school and college coaches and are continually updating their information. 'This is a perfect match for My Sports Dreams because together we can help athletes reach their full potential at the high school and later at the college level,' says Jordan Kern, co-owner and Vice President of Marketing at My Sports Dreams. www.athleticpubco.com

Texas Track & Field Coaches Association

August 20, 2008
The TTFCA represents 850 track coaches in Texas and was established to represent the outstanding track & field officials, athletes, and fans in the great state of Texas. "My Sports Dreams is going to solve a lot of budget problems for track teams throughout Texas,' said Stuart Kantor, President of the TTFCA. 'Now, everyone will have the opportunity to attend more meets and purchase the equipment and gear they need.' www.Ttfca.com

United States Specialty Sports Association Soccer

July 10, 2008
USSSA Soccer is located in Osceola, Florida and has a membership of over 8,000 soccer teams nationwide. USSSA provides league administration and hosts regional and national tournaments. This partnership provides an incredible opportunity for My Sports Dreams to impact thousands of youth soccer teams and make it easy for them to reduce travel and equipment expenses. My Sports Dreams sales manager for soccer teams, Ryan Daly remarked that he is 'thoroughly looking forward to the opportunity to raise lots of money for all of the soccer teams involved with this association.' www.usssasoccer.net

National Collegiate Wrestling Association

July 7, 2008
The National Collegiate Wrestling Association is home to more than 180 college club wrestling programs nationwide, providing a range of information including scheduling and regional and national tournaments. The NCWA also hosts a national ranking service that is used by over 1,100 high school wrestling programs. 'This partnership will open up a lot of opportunities for both My Sports Dreams and wrestling teams nationwide,' said Adam Kern, co-owner of My Sports Dreams. www.ncwa.net

Sports Image

June 20, 2008
My Sports Dreams announced today that it has reached a partnership agreement with Sports Image, LLC. It doesn't get any easier than this to make your home field or court look incredible with a new scoreboard by Sports Image. 'My Sports Dreams is excited to help teams raise money in an effort to improve their playing fields with Sports Image scoreboards,' commented Chris Hall who is the Sales Manager for high school teams nationwide at My Sports Dreams. www.sportsimageinc.com

Golden Goal Tournament Park

June 12, 2008
Golden Goal is located near the Adirondack Mountains and is an ideal place for soccer training for all skill levels of competitive youth teams due to its Olympic-like atmosphere. The facility can hold up to 700 athletes at one time and the week-long training sessions culminate in a play-off for a championship cup. 'My Sports Dreams is thrilled to be teamed up with Golden Goal,' said Jon Goldman, co-owner and Managing Director of My Sports Dreams, 'our partnership will allow for more teams to have the opportunity to experience a high-level of training at Olympic level facilities' www.goldengoalsoccer.com

Euro-Tech Soccer

March 21, 2008
Euro-Tech is the leading operator of soccer residence camps and domestic soccer tours for American teams and is a major player in the rapidly expanding soccer travel industry. Their residence programs enable elite travel and high school teams to spend up to two weeks in immersive practice sessions at regional college campuses where they can receive a high level of training at first rate facilities. 'We are honored to help athletes reach their dreams of competing at the college level,' Jordan Kern, commented, co-owner of My Sports Dreams. www.eurotechsoccer.com

College Swimming Coaches Association of America

March 16, 2008
The CSCAA was created in 1922 and is the oldest coaching association in America celebrating its 75th anniversary this December. Over 5,000 college swimming coaches from two-year and four-year schools are represented by the CSCAA. My Sports Dreams is excited to work alongside one of the nation's top college swim coach associations and help many of their teams raise thousands of dollars for travel and equipment. 'In these trying economic times, My Sports Dreams will help swim teams throughout the country raise the money required for long distance travel especially for the winter break training period,' stated Peter Hager Sales manager in charge of swim teams for My Sports Dreams. www.cscaa.org

Shoot-A-Way Basketball

March 8, 2008
Shoot-A-Way, Inc. is the manufacturer of the leading automated rebounding and passing system for basketball teams. Shoot-A-Way's systems have become a must-have technology for basketball teams at the college and high school levels. Their units allow teams to dramatically increase the number of shooting repetitions executed by every player in practice which research has proven translates into higher shooting percentages in games. 'The Gun is the best basketball Shooting machine and My Sports Dreams wants to help every team be able to purchase one,' states Chris Hall who is the Sales Manager for basketball teams nationwide at My Sports Dreams. www.shootaway.com

ProBatter

January 5, 2008
Pro Batter is the gold standard in baseball and pitching machines. They can be found in every major league ballpark and at hundreds of top Division I programs. These pitching machines cost well over $50,000 and even though every team wants it, price is often the main deterrent. 'My Sports Dreams is going to give coaches an opportunity to purchase these machines that they wouldn't normally have had before,' says Sales Manger for Baseball teams, Mike Sekkas. www.probatter.com

California and Arizona Junior College Athletic Ass

April 5, 2007
The California and Arizona Junior College Athletic Associations are two groups that represent more than 125 two-year colleges in the west and southwest, many of which are fielding national championship caliber athletic teams. The junior college athlete, especially out west, is a serious competitor seeking to prepare for a playing career at the four-year level. These are minor league athletes with major league potential. One athlete commented that 'what's desperately needed for these programs is more resources and funding, and that's where My Sports Dreams can really help.'

National Club Baseball and Softball Association

June 16, 2006
The NCBA and NCSA are headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA and include more than 300 club teams on college campuses nationwide competing for conference, regional and national championships. Club sports are a fantastic match for My Sports Dreams. Club teams practice, play and compete like varsity programs but they receive practically no funding from their colleges. Instead, these teams rely on individual fees - a struggle for players who are full-time college students - and fundraising. 'Club teams need support financially so that they can focus on the game and not on bake sales or car washes,' commented Jon Goldman, co-owner and Managing Director of My Sports Dreams and 'that's where we will make an impact.' www.clubbaseball.org www.clubsoftball.net

American Collegiate Hockey Association

June 14, 2006
The ACHA is home to more than 310 college club ice hockey programs nationwide, providing a range of information including scheduling and regional and national tournaments to its membership. Ice hockey is one of the most expensive sports due to costly rink rental fees and travel expenses. 'The partnership with the ACHA is so important because these teams desperately need help to meet their budget needs,' stated Sales Manager Megan Murphy. www.achahockey.org

Euro-Sporting

January 8, 2006
My Sports Dreams announced today that it has reached a partnership agreement with the US-based division of Euro-Sporting, the leading provider of travel and tournament services to American teams competing in Europe. Euro-Sporting is the undisputed king of high level soccer travel to Europe. When teams from the United States want to travel abroad and have a first class experience on and off the field in major European destinations, they call Euro-Sporting. 'Unfortunately trips to Europe are generally quite expensive, but that is where My Sports Dreams can help. Every athlete should have the opportunity to compete internationally,' commented one high school coach.

United Soccer Academy

December 16, 2005
United Soccer Academy (USA) is a prominent soccer program that offers community soccer camps, team training, high school camps and soccer squirts. USA is also know for developing national all-star teams of top American youth soccer players who are then sent to Sweden to compete in the world's largest amateur tournament, The Gothia Cup. 'My Sports Dreams is excited to work along side USA and help to develop the next generation of soccer stars,' commented Jordan Kern, co-owner and Vice President of Marketing at My Sports Dreams www.unitedsocceracademy.com

Coast to Coast Baseball and Softball

December 4, 2005
My Sports Dreams announced today that it has reached a partnership agreement with Coast to Coast Baseball and Softball (CTCBS). CTCBS is a national organization that arranges weeklong trips to the Caribbean, Europe and Australia for 600 top high school players every year. International travel is an incredible athletic and cultural experience, but it is also extremely expensive. My Sports Dreams will allow Coast to Coast the ability to make this incredible experience more affordable to thousands of athletes. Tony Rogowski, an athlete traveling with Coast to Coast wrote 'I started out looking to raise about half the cost of the trip to Puerto Rico. When I raised more, it didn't shock me. The fundraiser works really well!' www.coasttocoastathletics.com

National Soccer Coaches Association of America

March 20, 2005
National Soccer Coaches Association of America is based in Kansas City, KS and is the largest single sport coaches association in the world with more than 26,000 members. NSCAA provides clinics and week-long courses nationwide and they award over 10,000 individuals for their achievements every year. 'My Sports Dreams is proud to work with such a well-respected organization,' said Jon Goldman, co-owner of My Sports Dreams and Managing Director of My Sports Dreams. www.nscaa.com

Intercollegiate Women\'s Lacrosse Coaches Associati

March 10, 2005
The Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Association (IWLCA) membership is comprised of women's lacrosse coaches at colleges and high schools nationwide. Lacrosse is one of the fastest growing sports in America today and the women's game has really become a force on the college athletic scene. As with any rapidly growing sport, new player technology and training tools are being introduced on an almost daily basis. 'My Sports Dreams is happy to support women's lacrosse teams and help them to purchase new equipment they need to reach their full potential,' said Megan Murphy, Sales Manager for My Sports Dreams. www.iwlca.org

National Field Hockey Coaches Association

February 10, 2005
The National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) membership includes head field hockey coaches at colleges and high schools nationwide. Field hockey is a wonderful sport that does not get enough attention or resources. The athletes and the coaches are unbelievably passionate about the game. Jordan Kern stated that 'My Sports Dreams is excited to be new members of the NFHCA family and we are looking forward to working with the coaches.' www.nfhca.org

PRESS BOX  ^top^

Donation Match Program - Credit Card Donations Will Now be 100% Matched!

February 25, 2009
My Sports Dreams has unveiled its new plan to match every credit card donation 100%! Yes, 100%! Previously every online donation made to an athlete's team, My Sports Dreams matched it by 10% and for every donation by phone there was 5% added on. From now on, however, any credit card donation - by phone or by internet - will be matched 100%. With the help of partners MTC - Limousine & Corporate Coach, Hertz Rental Car, East Bay, Momentum Media and One Call Now, My Sports Dreams is offering college, high school and youth athletic teams to earn more money than ever before! No other fundraising program offers 100% match. Now not only does the fundraising campaign take only one hour with no risk and no selling, teams can practically double their earnings!

My Sports Dreams Unveils the Coach Locker Room

October 15, 2008
In an effort to make fundraising even more painless, the bosses at My Sports Dreams have created the Coach Locker Room. This new procedure will allow coaches to see their sponsorship letter and edit the text easily without having to email or open any links. It also allows coaches the opportunity to attach team photos, headshots of themselves and rosters. The Coach Locker Room will decrease the amount of time it takes My Sports Dreams to get the shipment out to the coach from the day it is ordered.

My Sports Dreams has a new location!

October 14, 2008
After months of anticipation, My Sports Dreams has finally moved offices. From its humble beginning in Jordan Kern's basement, My Sports Dreams has grown to a staff of 28 full-time employees and a countless number of interns. The need for a new space was desperate, but we can now report that My Sports Dreams has arrived in a beautiful new office. Still located in Bedford Hills, NY about an hour north of New York City, My Sports Dreams will now be able to expand its company with room to spare.