Long Beach City College Teams Up With Honest Game and Gatorade

LBCC to leverage new academic eligibility tracking software to help student-athletes reach their post-secondary education goals 

 

LONG BEACH, California (September 21, 2022)

Long Beach City College (LBCC) announced today a new partnership with the Honest Game Foundation to use the power of sport to create equity and access to more pathways to four-year colleges for student-athletes. Honest Game, the industry leading technology company that helps student-athletes track and navigate college academic eligibility, is working with LBCC to create a data-driven pathway to four-year colleges for all students, further enhancing current efforts to support LBCC students’ education planning. The partnership between LBCC and Honest Game Foundation is fueled by Gatorade’s multi-year Fuel Tomorrow commitment.

“I can say with certainty that Honest Game will be a true game changer, both in the recruitment process and in how we support student-athletes through their academic journeys at LBCC,” said Kal Stewart, director of athletics for LBCC. “At this level, we have never had direct access to a student’s qualifier or non-qualifier status. Possessing this knowledge will help our athletic department exponentially.”

“As a former student-athlete at LBCC, I understand how there is a brief period of time to showcase academic and athletic talents at the community college level,” said Long Beach Community College District (LBCCD) Board of Trustees President Uduak-Joe Ntuk. “But now by partnering with Honest Game, LBCC can improve our student’s game plans to better navigate some of the pitfalls that can derail a student-athlete’s ability to transfer onto a four-year institution.”

For nearly 80 years, LBCC has been dedicated to providing an excellent experience in a student-centered environment. With Honest Game’s help, LBCC students will be on track with approved courses necessary for NCAA eligibility, creating an educational pathway for students to play college sports at the next level. Honest Game has already started working with LBCC staff, students, and families to create roadmaps for each student.

“Long Beach City College is very excited to partner with the Honest Game Foundation as this will further enhance our current efforts to support our students’ education planning, and provide more equity and access to pathways that will lead them to transfer to four-year universities,” said LBCCD Superintendent-President Dr. Mike Muñoz.

Athletic Coordinator Ashley Rippeon and LBCC Head Football Coach Brett Peabody worked with Honest Game to examine student-athletes’ academic standing, a crucial step in preparing them for eligibility after they leave LBCC. Now with the academic and compliance knowledge to assist student-athletes, the athletic department can identify opportunities for students to be recruited to four-year schools.

“Working with Honest Game has been a game changer for us here at LBCC. They provide a comprehensive and individualized academic eligibility report for each of our players which makes planning for their future seamless,” said Head Coach Brett Peabody. “We had no way of knowing how to assist our players and partnering with Honest Game has made the difference like night and day.”

“Student-athletes have a brief period of time to showcase their academic and athletic talents at the community college level, but with Honest Game, we can now improve our game plans to better navigate some of the pitfalls that can derail a student-athlete’s ability to transfer onto a four-year institution,” said Stewart. “As an advocate of student success, I see Honest Game’s platform becoming a significant addition to our array of academic resources and competitive advantage for LBCC.” 

Nearly one million student-athletes are deemed academically ineligible each year as a result of avoidable or recoverable errors, such as enrolling in classes that do not meet NCAA requirements. This statistic increases to one in two student-athletes from underserved communities. As the industry-leading academic compliance solution, Honest Game helps high schools automate the complex and constantly changing NCAA rules and requirements. Honest Game currently assists more than 100,000 users and hundreds of high schools across the nation simplify the academic eligibility process and reveal a clear pathway to post-secondary opportunities.

“We exist to leverage students’ passion for sports as a motivation for learning,” said Kim Michelson, CEO and Co-founder of Honest Game. “What’s most exciting is students realize their potential after using Honest Game. We’re on a mission to level the playing field so that every student-athlete has a fair and equitable opportunity to attend college.”

Gatorade and Honest Game Foundation teamed up earlier this year under the brand’s Fuel Tomorrow Initiative, a multi-year equity in sports commitment that is focused on ensuring every athlete has equal opportunity to play sport and realize their potential. Gatorade’s goal is to help millions of kids get into the game by helping to break down the barriers that young athletes face, through collaborations with leading social impact organizations, including Honest Game.

“Gatorade knows sport has the power to change lives, which is why we’re committed to addressing the hurdles preventing student-athletes from continuing their athletic pursuits. In partnership with the Honest Game Foundation, we’re helping to bring LBCC equity and access to the resources athletes need to realize their full potential,” said Jen Schmit, Gatorade senior director of community marketing.

While the Honest Game Foundation and Gatorade partnership is more recent, Gatorade has been giving back to athlete communities for years. Since 2017, Gatorade has donated more than $3 million to organizations whose missions are to keep athletes in the game.

Along with Long Beach City College, Gatorade and the Honest Game Foundation will also support additional schools in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area as well as KIPP Metro Atlanta Public School in Georgia.