Stockton's Team Elevate program earns national ranking as athletes get college recognition
STOCKTON – Kids and teens in Stockton are flocking to a program that's offering them the opportunity of a lifetime.
It's called Team Elevate and through a combination of great coaching and a lot of hard work, several athletes are starting to get noticed.
Vince Carter putting people through their paces. Carter is a personal trainer and coach for Team Elevate.
"We're up to almost 300 kids now, in 10 years," Carter said.
A non-profit designed to teach and reinforce valuable life skills to Stockton area kids, a program that's earned national ranking and recognition.
"It's a brotherhood. It's discipline. It's honor. It's respect. It's morals. It's family," said Ryan Walker.
Walker works alongside Carter and is proudly taking this team to the next level.
"Coach, uncle, dad, whatever I go to be for them, I am," Ryan said.
"We got Nikko Juarez, top running back in our area. We got Corey Waters, top wide receiver in our area. Top quarterback, incoming freshmen," Ryan said.
Waters has been with the group since he was 6 years old. He's learned discipline and accountability on and off the field.
"You can't really do everything you want," he said. "You gotta really listen here. Other places you could probably get away with it. But here you can't."
The wide receiver and strong safety is getting looks after a recent tournament at Cal Berkeley.
"They like the way I was playing they gave me an offer," Waters said.
Incoming freshman Elijah Walker is also getting noticed by Cal.
"Just congratulating me on how good I did throughout the tournament. Guess they were watching me the whole time," Elijah said when asked what the coach said to him.
The future is bright for incoming sophomore running back Juarez after a meetup with the University of Reno coach at a tournament in Oregon a few weeks ago.
"I was doing good there and then they pulled me aside and asked me if I wanted to go visit the campus and they took me to the head coach and they offered me," Juarez said. "It was a really cool experience."
It's still early for these athletes but they are appreciative.
"I like to cherish every part of it," Waters said.
Carter already seeing the fruits of his labor of love.
"Because a lot of our kids see what they see every day, so we want to get them out and show them more," Carter said. "What that does is inspire them. To see more in life and that's what we're doing, we're trying to change lives here."
If you want your teen to become a part of this program, you have to try out in late November. Last year, more than 350 tried out.
There are eight teams, from ages six up to juniors in high school.
