Georgia Stars 2031 Gold 8th Grade Jr EYBL Open Announces March 2027 Golf Tournament

The Georgia Stars 2031 Gold 8th Grade Jr EYBL Open will host a major fundraising golf tournament in March 2027 to officially kick off the team’s 2027 EYBL/AAU season while raising awareness and support for The Next Play Initiative.

This event will bring together golfers, businesses, corporate partners, community leaders, families, coaches, and supporters who believe in creating meaningful opportunities for young people through athletics, education, mentorship, and emerging technology.

The golf tournament will support two connected priorities:

• Preparing the Georgia Stars 2031 Gold 8th Grade Jr EYBL Open for the 2027 EYBL/AAU season

• Launching and expanding The Next Play Initiative’s youth-development programs

Funds raised will help support the team’s tournament registration fees, travel, lodging, meals, gym rentals, equipment, player development, coaches’ stipends, and other expenses necessary to compete successfully during the 2027 season

However, the primary purpose of this golf tournament is to generate the funding, partnerships, and community awareness needed to launch and expand The Next Play Initiative.

Sports Is the Connection. Opportunity Is the Mission.

The Next Play Initiative uses youth sports to connect student-athletes and other young people with opportunities beyond the playing field. The program will introduce participants to mentorship, leadership development, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, mental health and wellness resources, and some of today’s fastest-growing technologies.

The initiative is not about telling young athletes that their athletic goals are unrealistic or that they need a backup plan. It is about fully supporting their athletic development while also giving them greater knowledge, stronger relationships, practical experiences, and more control over their futures.

First Summer Initiative: Youth Drone Training

The first major program supported by the golf tournament will provide 20 young participants with hands-on drone training during the summer of 2027.

Participants will learn:

• Safe and responsible drone operations

• Basic flight controls and maneuvering

• Drone safety and equipment inspections

• Airspace awareness and responsible flying

• Introductory photography, video, mapping, and commercial applications

• How drones are used in construction, agriculture, real estate, emergency response, public safety, infrastructure inspection, and other industries

• The educational and future opportunities available within drone and autonomous-systems technology

Each participant will receive a personal training drone, giving them the ability to continue practicing and developing their skills after completing the program.

This experience will do more than introduce young people to new technology. It will build confidence, responsibility, problem-solving skills, technical knowledge, and curiosity about possibilities they may not have previously considered.

Future Programs in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence

The drone program will be the first step in a larger strategy. Future Next Play Initiative programs will introduce young participants to:

• Robotics operation, programming, installation, and maintenance

• Artificial intelligence and emerging technology

• Automation and autonomous systems

• Cybersecurity and digital technology

• Entrepreneurship and technology-based business opportunities

Our goal is to create a continuous pathway through which young people can discover their interests, develop practical skills, meet industry professionals, and gain exposure to technologies shaping the future.

Why This Golf Tournament Matters

Some families have access to advanced training, technology, competitive sports, mentors, and professional networks. Many others do not. The Next Play Initiative is designed to help close that opportunity gap.

The March 2027 golf tournament will allow the team, families, sponsors, and community partners to come together around one shared mission: supporting young student-athletes while opening doors for more young people throughout the community.

We invite golfers, businesses, sponsors, donors, and community organizations to participate. Support may include:

• Golf-team registrations

• Corporate sponsorships

• Hole sponsorships

• Event sponsorships

• Donated products and services

• Technology and equipment contributions

• Student scholarships

• Food, beverages, prizes, and tournament-day support

• Mentors, instructors, and industry presenters

Every registration, sponsorship, donation, and partnership will help the Georgia Stars 2031 Gold 8th Grade Jr EYBL Open begin the 2027 season with strength while helping The Next Play Initiative provide its first 20 young participants with drone training, practical experience, and personal training drones.

Additional details—including the official tournament date, golf course, registration process, sponsorship packages, participation opportunities, and event schedule— will be announced within the next couple of weeks. We encourage golfers, businesses, community organizations, and supporters to stay connected as we prepare to officially open registration for this important event.

This tournament represents much more than one day of golf. It is the beginning of a long-term effort to connect sports, technology, education, and opportunity.

Support the team. Expand the mission. Help create the next opportunity for a young person.