About Us
We help your child find hope by providing a place to belong so they can breakthrough, achieve excellence, and make an impact.
WHAT WE DO
Founded in 2013, Empower ME Academy provides a holistic training experience. Student-Leaders develop better basketball skills โ and in addition, improve their attitude, commitment, and discipline. Ultimately, our Student-Leaders become well-rounded leaders and adults, successful on the court and in life.
Mission
To unlock each young human's leadership potential for a lifetime of achievement and meaningful impactโin sports and life.
Vision
Sports becomes the ultimate magnet to attract ALL kids and young humans, while creating the safe-haven environment that optimally enables the development of leadership skills for life through the process of self-actualization. After graduating, these leaders will carry a framework for being a positive and productive member of society through their own unique expression of what it means to be a good person.
Our culture
EMAโs culture defines us. It is what we stand for and value as an ecosystem of people pursuing a shared mission. It is the powerful force that guides the way we work together, treat each other, and treat those around us.
EMAโs culture is our differentiator, and when it comes to life, it is our competitive advantage.
The following values create EMAโs culture of familyโour superpower.
(4) CORE VALUES
Trust
Nothing is more valuable to us than the trust we cultivate with our families, team, and everyone in our ecosystem. We earn this trust through our professionalism, honesty, transparency, excellence in customer service, and asking for feedback.
Relationships
Relationships are the fabric of EMA. We create powerful relationships by cultivating raving fans, not clients, and by treating people better than they expect by exceeding their expectations. If our families, partners, and team are raving about us, then we have achieved our goal. Weโll ALWAYS value people and our relationships over profits.
Integrity
Always tell the truth. We believe that nothing is more important than our reputationโbehaving with the highest levels of integrity is fundamental to who we are.
Inclusion
Working with people of different backgrounds, cultures, demographics, and thinking styles helps us grow into better professionals and leaders. We accept people as part of the EMA community when their intentions and heart align with wanting to become a good person and positively promote others' journey. We recognize and acknowledge that people are at different starting points. This means that each person is unique. However, we do not align with malintent or intentional hate that is counter to this intention.
(7) Leadership BEHAVIORS
We Develop L.E.A.D.E.R.S.
Listening
Listen with ears to hear you. Listen with eyes to see you. Listen with heart to connect with you.
Empathetic
Seek genuine connections by understanding the needs of others and being aware of their feelings, thoughts, and body language.
Accountable
Embrace mistakes to become your best version.
Daring
Engage every challenge with courage and enthusiasm by taking risks without fearing failure.
Energy-giving
Raise the confidence of others by making people feel good about themselvesโevery day.
Resilient
Bounce back stronger from setbacks with hope and optimism.
Self-less
Prioritize WE over me.
(4) EXPERIENCES
Positive outlook
At all levels of the organization, we exemplify our values. What we expect from each other and our studentsโwe see the best in everyone.
Passion
We are grateful that we have a job that feels more like a lifeโs purpose.
Bold
We embrace going beyond our comfort zone.
Mindfulness
Our ethos gives everyone the enthusiasm and safe space to think โ to be present โ leading to mental agility, resilience and self-awareness.
Access and Inclusion Story
From the very first day EMA started its operations, the organization has prioritized access and inclusion. Since 2014, EMA has awarded over $500,000 in tuition assistance to over 100 student-athletesโ in need. Currently, 20% of its students receive assistance.
2014
$2,000 awarded
5 students
2015
$40,000 awarded
20 recipients
2016
$76,000 awarded
40 recipients
2017
$110,000 awarded
50 recipients
2018
$120,000 awarded
75 recipients
2019
$80,000 awarded
40 recipients
2020
$50,00 awarded
43 recipients
2021
$36,000 awarded
26 recipients
Our Founderโs Story
Coach Jerome Gumbs leads a healthy lifestyle that revolves around making sure each Student-Athlete gets the support they need to succeed on the court and in life. The responsibility he carries in doing so is his greatest privilege.
READ HIS FULL STORYARE YOU
ENROLLED?
APPLY TODAY
Ready to join the
Empower ME Academy?
Awesome. Weโre about something bigger than basketball. And we want you to be a part of it.
For our son Maddox, Empower ME has been the best and most important academic or athletic after school program.
Stephen Davis
Father of Maddox Davis
(HS Class of 2021)
SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER
Learn, grow, and grab first dibs on what we offer. Get our Empowering News (E-NEWS) โ written by Coach Gumbs and the EMA Team โ every month.
You asked, we listened! You wanted more opportunities to play? Join the first of our triannual ๐ฏ๐ฉ๐ฏ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ง๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐.
๐๏ธ We are thrilled to announce a save the date for this year's ๐ง๐๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ ๐ง๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ held on Saturday, November 25th. Stay tuned for more info!
Itโs generational โก๏ธ
We are thrilled to invite you to join STOP & Learn, an incredible college-style practice program that has had a life-changing impact on everyone who takes part.
๐๏ธ Upcoming schedule for September:
Saturday 23rd
โข Lightning/Thunder: 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM (30 min film)
โข Storm (HS): 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM (no film)
Friday 29th
โข Lightning/Thunder: 6:30 PM - 9 PM (30 min film)
โข Storm (HS): 6:30 PM - 9 PM (30 min film)
๐๐๐ ๐ฑ๐ญ๐ข๐บ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด ๐ธ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฃ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ต ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ด๐ต ๐๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ณ๐ฏ ๐ด๐ฆ๐ด๐ด๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ด ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ข๐ด๐ด๐ช๐ด๐ต.
๐ฅ๐ฒ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ: This program is designed exclusively for our most advanced students and has been instrumental in the growth and success of many of our HS and College Student Leaders.
Sign up link in bio. Don't miss out!
You asked, we listened! You wanted more opportunities to play? Join the first of our triannual ๐ฏ๐ฉ๐ฏ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ง๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐.
๐๏ธ We are thrilled to announce a save the date for this year's ๐ง๐๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ ๐ง๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ held on Saturday, November 25th. Stay tuned for more info!
Itโs generational โก๏ธ
We are thrilled to invite you to join STOP & Learn, an incredible college-style practice program that has had a life-changing impact on everyone who takes part.
๐๏ธ Upcoming schedule for September:
Saturday 23rd
โข Lightning/Thunder: 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM (30 min film)
โข Storm (HS): 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM (no film)
Friday 29th
โข Lightning/Thunder: 6:30 PM - 9 PM (30 min film)
โข Storm (HS): 6:30 PM - 9 PM (30 min film)
๐๐๐ ๐ฑ๐ญ๐ข๐บ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด ๐ธ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฃ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ต ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ด๐ต ๐๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ณ๐ฏ ๐ด๐ฆ๐ด๐ด๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ด ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ข๐ด๐ด๐ช๐ด๐ต.
๐ฅ๐ฒ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ: This program is designed exclusively for our most advanced students and has been instrumental in the growth and success of many of our HS and College Student Leaders.
Sign up link in bio. Don't miss out!
Thereโs nothing quite like the feeling of connecting with like-minded leaders such as David Meltzer (@davidmeltzer)
Heโs a top-notch specialist in his field, and our CEO, Coach Gumbs (@coach_gumbs), recently sat down with him (virtually) to answer a thought-provoking question.
โก๏ธ Tune in to hear what was said...
On Sundays, we hoop! ๐
#HappyHispanicHeritageMonth
Join us in celebrating the many contributions, diverse cultures, and extensive histories of the Hispanic community ๐
โBelieve in your potential. Your only limitations are those you set upon yourself.โ Roy. T Bennett
Take your game to the next level with us, a people-before-profit social enterprise dedicated to empowering YOU!
You asked, we listened! You wanted more opportunities to play? Join the first of our triannual ๐ฏ๐ฉ๐ฏ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ง๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐.
๐๏ธ We are thrilled to announce a save the date for this year's ๐ง๐๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ ๐ง๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ held on Saturday, November 25th. Stay tuned for more info!
Itโs generational โก๏ธ
We are thrilled to invite you to join STOP & Learn, an incredible college-style practice program that has had a life-changing impact on everyone who takes part.
๐๏ธ Upcoming schedule for September:
Saturday 23rd
โข Lightning/Thunder: 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM (30 min film)
โข Storm (HS): 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM (no film)
Friday 29th
โข Lightning/Thunder: 6:30 PM - 9 PM (30 min film)
โข Storm (HS): 6:30 PM - 9 PM (30 min film)
๐๐๐ ๐ฑ๐ญ๐ข๐บ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด ๐ธ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฃ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ต ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ด๐ต ๐๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ณ๐ฏ ๐ด๐ฆ๐ด๐ด๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ด ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ข๐ด๐ด๐ช๐ด๐ต.
๐ฅ๐ฒ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ: This program is designed exclusively for our most advanced students and has been instrumental in the growth and success of many of our HS and College Student Leaders.
Sign up link in bio. Don't miss out!
Thereโs nothing quite like the feeling of connecting with like-minded leaders such as David Meltzer (@davidmeltzer)
Heโs a top-notch specialist in his field, and our CEO, Coach Gumbs (@coach_gumbs), recently sat down with him (virtually) to answer a thought-provoking question.
โก๏ธ Tune in to hear what was said...
On Sundays, we hoop! ๐
#HappyHispanicHeritageMonth
Join us in celebrating the many contributions, diverse cultures, and extensive histories of the Hispanic community ๐
โBelieve in your potential. Your only limitations are those you set upon yourself.โ Roy. T Bennett
Take your game to the next level with us, a people-before-profit social enterprise dedicated to empowering YOU!
๐๏ธ SAVE THE DATE
Mark your calendars for the November USF games at the @chase_center ! Not only will our USF Dons win, but EMA's positive impact on the community will be recognized during the game ๐
If you're a former, current, or future EMA family in town, please let us know so we can share a discount code. The event will be unforgettable, so join us in your EMA gear as we celebrate our entire EMA family.
๐ You can find more info about the game in our bio.
#WNBAplayoffs start today! ๐
Check out how our student-leaders did with our WNBA themed trivia!
๐ช๐ต๐ผ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ช๐ก๐๐ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐น๐?
Let us know in the comments below ๐๐พ
๐ฃ REGISTRATION IS OPEN! Sign up for our Thanksgiving (11/20-22) & Holiday (12/18-22) Clinics ๐
๐จ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ: From now until the end of October, we will be holding an Early Bird Special (28% OFF) for our Holiday Clinics!
๐ Sign up link in bio!
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