June 11, 2019
Bio:
As one of the co-founders of PYB, Doug Young has played an integral role in PYB’s success from the very beginning. Basketball has been a passion since childhood; from attending Five Star and Sixers basketball camps in the Poconos to playing weekly pickup on the Narberth courts, the game has always been part of his life. As he explained, “It has always been a place of comfort, expression and camaraderie. I’ve met some of my best friends and have some of my favorite memories from playing basketball.”
A Lower Merion High School grad, Doug played high school hoops with Kobe Bryant and served as team captain senior year. Doug attended Dartmouth College, where he first discovered his passion for coaching, serving as a volunteer assistant for the local middle and high school teams in Hanover, New Hampshire. He experienced first-hand what it meant to give back through the game and being a mentor.
After college, Doug moved to New York City and worked in the marketing division of the NBA league office. Doug was there during the launch of the D-League (now G-League), the WNBA, and helped create initiatives that brought players and fans closer together. Doug eventually returned home to Philadelphia and his hometown of Lower Merion, serving as communications director for Lower Merion School District. He also got back into coaching, becoming an assistant boys basketball coach at Lower Merion and helping guide the Aces to multiple state championships.
Doug remains a member of the Aces coaching staff, but in 2017 left the District to launch his own business, Athletes’ Ink, which provides communications and branding services to professional athletes and sports brands. Athletes’ Ink manages blogs, social media and general communications strategy for a variety of sports clients. Young has worked with athletes like Kobe Bryant, Eli Manning and Mason Plumlee.
Connection with PYB:
As co-founder of PYB, Young has always had a deep passion for giving back and working with kids; striving to give kids the opportunity to play the game that has impacted him so deeply. As he said, “I wanted to be part of a cause I believe in, that’s rooted in my passions and interests.” Doug believes PYB has become an important connector in the Philadelphia basketball community and in the city, bringing together people from all walks of life. Basketball has opened so many doors for Doug, and he believes that the game — through PYB — has the power to open doors for Philadelphia youth in a transformative way.
Goals for PYB:
Doug wants PYB to change the lives/trajectory of as many kids as possible. As he explained, “How can we go from impacting hundreds of kids’ lives, to tens of thousands in a meaningful, sustainable way? That’s what we want to accomplish through PYB.” He is also focused on how PYB can effectively evaluate change through quantitative and qualitative methods. Doug is hopeful that through a consistent, positive approach to helping kids, PYB can effect community change throughout Philadelphia. He believes that PYB’s programs, from academic enrichment to basketball coaching and mentorship, can yield limitless results.