ABOUT AF
Athlete Foundation is a 501(C)3 non-profit organization focused on broadening the awareness of athletic possibilities and opportunities through education and outreach. In other words, helping people find a sport they’ll love.
Athlete Foundation is a collection of former elite athletes who wish to share their knowledge of - and passion for - a variety of less-known sports.
AF MISSION
Our mission is to help you, your family, and everyone in your community to explore lifelong physical fitness, mental wellness, and fun activities through instruction and mentorship.
Our objectives:
- Expose
Introduce people to non-traditional sports - Engage
Put equipment in their hands and let them experience the basics - Empower
Help them find the opportunities that these sports provide.
HISTORY
AF’s parent organization, Cycling Development Foundation (CDF), was created in 2012 for the sole purpose of operating/managing the Astellas Pro Cycling Team which competed throughout the U.S. and abroad from 2012 to 2016. The Astellas team operated as a UCI-licensed men’s team with a primary focus of developing young riders into Olympic and UCI World Tour candidates. The team enjoyed great success winning notable races on the US calendar.
Plans to add a women’s team were cut short when the loss of sponsorship brought the entire operation to an abrupt halt.
The 5-year story of the Astellas Pro Cycling Team and the fickle nature of sports sponsorship has been fully documented in the book, “American Pro” available through Amazon and VeloPress.com.
CDF management continues to search for a sponsor with the goal of returning to UCI competition.
In 2019, CDF created Athlete Foundation to expand their original mission and established a goal of identifying and inspiring new athletes in a variety of non-traditional sports, including rowing, speedskating, cycling, nordic skiing, stand-up paddling, snow shoeing, adventure racing, and more.
PROGRAMS
- SportFinder
Engaging corporate wellness programs to help people find a lifetime sport/fitness activity. - FutureSport
Helping underserved youth find their place in sports through the Oakland County PAL program and Boys and Girls Club of Oakland County - SportExpo
Taking our sports into public places to find new audiences at Health and Fitness Expos. - Event and Club Finder
Partnering with existing events to bolster participation and event production. - Brown Bag Lecture Series
Pairing former Olympic athletes with speaking opportunities at corporate events.