In an effort to help create champions on the court as well as off it, the Miami HEAT, Gatorade, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida have teamed up to offer South Florida youth recreational basketball leagues a chance to feel the HEAT Experience by taking part in the HEAT Youth Basketball program presented by Gatorade. As a member of the program, your participants will be eligible to receive an exclusive HEAT Youth Basketball package and special HEAT offers.
Select member leagues will also be afforded the opportunity to gain excellent on and off-court basketball training and instruction on improving their basketball and teamwork skills from the HEAT players and coaches themselves at special basketball clinics. The clinics will also highlight the importance of healthy dietary choices and physical activity among our youth.

ACADEMIC & SPORTSMANSHIP COMPONENT
The Miami HEAT in association with the Miami Herald will also be making special Team Player Spotlight recognitions throughout the youth basketball season to participants that demonstrate exemplary effort in academics and sportsmanship. To nominate an outstanding student-athlete, please contact James Varsallone at the Miami Herald at 954.538.7153 or jvarsallone@herald.com. The nomination must include the name of the nominee, name of parent/guardian, home address, home phone number, email address, school currently attending, grade level, name of the basketball league participant is enlisted in, whether league is a travel or recreational league, and copy of the most recent report card and/or interim/progress report. The Miami Herald's selection committee will make their selections known in the Neighbors section of the Miami Herald and on the Miami Herald youth sports web page every month.

Youths selected for the Miami HEAT/Miami Herald Team Player Spotlight will receive the following:

• Two (2) tickets to a Miami HEAT home game
• Recognition at a HEAT home game
• A special HEAT gift pack
• A certificate of achievement