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Our Program

Our Organization

Program

The Atlanta Celtics History

The Atlanta Celtics Youth Athletic Program was organized in 1990 because of the need to provide additional opportunities for students that loved sports and were
interested in the possibility of a career in athletics. We began with one team and are currently averaging twelve teams per season. Over the years, the Atlanta Celtics
have become a household name to spring/summer fans, college recruiters, high school students, evaluators and professional scouts. Because of the programs’ long
term success sportswriters, prep school evaluators, and college coaches rate the Atlanta Celtics as one of the top Grassroots programs in the nation. The following
accomplishments explain why:

  •  Eleven AAU National Championships!
  •  100 AAU State Championships!
  • Two Junior Pro National Championships!
  •  Three BCI National Championships!
  • Two Adidas Big Time National Championships!
  •  Three Adidas Super 64 National Championships!
  •  Three Adidas Gauntlet National Championships!
  •  Three Adidas 3SSB National Championship!
  •  Three National Top Teams of the Summer Awards!
  •  Seventeen McDonald’s All-Americans!
  •  Forty-two Players have moved on from our Program to play Professional
    Sports!
  •  Twenty-eight have moved on from our Program to the NBA!
  •  Four Players have moved on from our Program to the NFL!
  •  Over 700 Players have earned Division One College Scholarships!
  • A reputation of the utmost integrity in working with
    players/parents/coaches/scouts!

Mission

The Mission of the Atlanta Celtics Youth Program is to plan, promote, organize, and implement a comprehensive and competitive spring and summer basketball program that will give students an advantage in earning a college scholarship with an enhance opportunity to compete professionally. 

Objective

The objective of the Atlanta Celtics Youth Athletic Program is to teach life skills to students interested in pursuing basketball as a means of acquiring a college degree.  

Style of Play

The Atlanta Celtics Youth Athletic Program stresses an aggressive style of play that emphasizes the development of the basic fundamentals of the game. The team concept is an absolute necessity with tremendous intensity on defense. This concept demands that the student athlete be in great mental and physical condition.  

Competitive Edge

Georgia/South & North Carolina/Florida/Alabama continues to be states that produce a high number of very talented student athletes. However, there is
occasionally a player with unique potential to be that next exceptional prospect. The competition to recruit those players is extremely intense. Our primary
objective is to demonstrate our ability to give those students a distinct advantage in achieving their goals.

Atlanta Celtics Brand

The Atlanta Celtics Brand is well known nationally for its excellent reputation. We have over thirty-six years of experience of not only developing student athletes, but also
getting them qualified, accepted, and graduated from colleges throughout the country. Additionally, more players have gone on to become McDonald All-Americans, play in
the NBA, played professionally in other countries and coach on the college level from our organization than any other grassroots program in the nation.
Even though we are extremely proud of all the students that participate in our program; we hold a special place in our heart for those young men that compete on the college
level, earn a degree from college and are now living productive lives with their families while making a meaningful difference in their local communities. It’s our desire to make a difference in the world by feeding into the lives of all the students we serve, values that will make them conscientious citizens. Many of our former students serve as
mentors and coaches for our current students. It’s especially rewarding to see second generation Celtics competing in the program. It’s the best stamp of approval an
organization can possibly receive from an alumnus; allowing their child to follow in their footsteps wearing the Atlanta Celtics Brand.

Community Service

We encourage our students to participate in three annual events that we place particular attention to encouraging our students in the importance of community service: First on
the Saturday of the Martin Luther King weekend; we participate in a homeless feed project. We prepare box lunches and distribute them to the homeless living under the
bridges in Metro Atlanta. Secondly, prior to Thanksgiving and Christmas each year we encourage our students to participate in a food distribution program that is sponsored by the local churches in our community. Additionally, our older students volunteer as counselors and instructors at basketball player development programs held each year in
June and July. It gives the student an opportunity to make a difference in lives of young people, while teaching them a game they really love playing. These community service projects empower our students to make a positive change in the world.

Administrative Staff

  • Karl McCray, President 
  • Corey (Hulio) Smith Boys General Manager