Todd Sowell is the Associate Director of Community Programs at Asphalt Green. He started out as a REP Coordinator, and the hard work and dedication he learned from playing professional basketball saw him rise quickly to Senior REP Coordinator, REP Manager, and Community Programs Manager. He will celebrate his 10-year anniversary with the organization in July 2023.
To Todd, sports is everything. “I don’t think I’d be anywhere without sports,” he says. Todd grew up in New York City, playing everything you could think of: stickball, baseball, softball, basketball. But it wasn’t until high school that he settled on the one that would define his life: basketball.
Todd attended Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School, a school renowned for its track and basketball programs. An important milestone came when he joined the Amateur Athletic Union, an organization devoted to the promotion and support of young athletes. “I didn’t start playing AAU until sophomore year of high school,” he recalls, “most people play AAU from 8 years old.” Nevertheless, he quickly achieved distinction on his high school team and was recruited to play for St. Peter’s University on a full-ride scholarship.
Todd continued to excel on his college team. He credits sports not only with giving him a free education but also with letting him see the world. The college paid for his first passport, and he fondly remembers standing on the Great Wall of China, where he had travelled for competition. After college, he played professionally in Canada and Israel, and eventually Portugal, where he stayed until a broken leg took him out of the action. He could have gone back to playing the sport full-time, but during rehab he started to consider his career options. Professional coaching wasn’t his speed, so he started looking for ways to give back through the sport that had given him so much.
Todd has spent nearly a decade at Asphalt Green working in Community Programs, and he keenly feels the importance of service. “It’s our job to keep Asphalt Green on mission,” he says, “It’s great to have the fee-based programs and generate revenue, but in community programs, we give everyone the opportunity. I think opportunity is a key word.”
Learn more about all of our programming for the NYC community by visiting our Community Programs webpage or reaching out to communityprograms@asphaltgreen.org. Plus, you can make an impact and help give more kids a chance to find a sport they love by donating to Asphalt Green!
Donate today! Your donation helps to support our community programs and our ability to share the power of sports and fitness across New York City.