Talent should not be wasted because a family had to figure it all out alone.
The Players Collective connects young athletes and their families with structured development, trusted guidance, purposeful camp experiences and opportunities that help them grow on and off the field.
More Than the Game.
What “Collective” means here
We are a nonprofit network of athletes, families, mentors, professionals, donors and community partners working together to expand athlete development and access.
The Players Collective is an independent 501(c)(3) youth-development organization. We are not an NIL collective, recruiting service, sports agency or school booster organization. Financial assistance is awarded through charitable program criteria and is not compensation for athletic participation or performance.
Talent is everywhere. Access is not.
Our founders watched extraordinary athletes go without basics in the middle of a powerhouse college program — and the system had no answer for it. Today the landscape is even more complicated: there are more ways than ever to get resources to young athletes, and more regulations around every dollar.
That combination is exactly why The Players Collective exists. Talent and ability live in every zip code, but the opportunities don’t reach every kid — the camps, the exposure, the path to a D1, D2, or JUCO roster and the education that comes with it. Athletics should open doors to an education and a career, not be a gate only some families can afford to walk through.
You should not need inside knowledge to make the right next move.
Families are expected to understand training, camp schedules, registration deadlines, travel, recruiting rules, academics, eligibility, NIL, college pathways and more — often while trying to decide which opportunities are actually worth the time and cost.
The Players Collective helps families make sense of that road. We organize information, connect athletes with credible people and build structured experiences around development — not hype.
What families gain
- Fewer scattered decisions
- Clearer development priorities
- Purposeful camp planning
- Trusted education and mentorship
- Support with logistics and access
Go to the right camps for a reason.
A camp schedule is not a strategy. Our Camp Circuit helps families move from random registrations to purposeful planning.
We research programs, camp formats, dates, costs, deadlines and position needs. Then we help participating families understand which opportunities fit the athlete’s stage of development and goals.
Depending on the program, The Players Collective may coordinate registration, travel, lodging, transportation and approved chaperones. Families receive a clearer plan, fewer logistics to manage and more support before, during and after the experience.
Research
We study the programs and the purpose of each opportunity.
Plan
We organize deadlines, travel details and expectations.
Prepare
Athletes arrive ready to learn, compete and communicate.
Three connected programs. One athlete-development system.
Families do not all need the same level of support. Our programs create multiple ways to learn, participate and receive help.
The Collective
Open education, community and athlete development.
The Collective gives athletes and families access to useful information and shared experiences without requiring high-touch enrollment. Programming may include recruiting and NCAA eligibility education, NIL and financial-literacy workshops, parent sessions, leadership development, camps, clinics, college tours, career exploration and conversations with former college and professional athletes.
The Inner Circle
Limited-capacity, application-based development.
The Inner Circle is for athletes and families ready to commit to a more structured plan. Depending on age, sport and available resources, participants may receive coordinated athletic development, camp planning, recruiting education, academic guidance, mentorship, leadership training, financial literacy and personal-development support.
Athletes are selected for program fit, readiness and available capacity — not because we rank them as “the best.”
The Access Fund
Financial assistance that removes barriers to participation.
The Access Fund helps eligible participants with approved costs such as camp registration, travel, lodging, training and educational development. Awards are based on documented need, program fit and available funding. The Players Collective makes award decisions and controls how charitable funds are used.
A structured path, with room for different family circumstances.
Every Inner Circle athlete follows an application and review process. Participation is limited so the organization can provide meaningful support and deliver the program responsibly.
Application review considers: athlete and family commitment, maturity, coachability, academic standing, age, sport, developmental need, program fit and current capacity. Qualified applicants may be offered a waitlist when the program is full.
Three participation paths
Full-pay
The family pays the established program cost.
Partially subsidized
The family contributes and the Access Fund covers an approved portion.
Fully sponsored
The Access Fund covers approved costs based on documented need and available funding.
The Access Fund provides access, not income.
Whenever practical, The Players Collective pays approved vendors directly. When a family must pay first, a documented reimbursement may be available for a pre-approved expense.
Support may cover:
- Camp and clinic registration
- Approved travel, lodging and meals
- Training and athlete development
- Educational and leadership programming
- Qualified health, recovery and performance services
What it is not
Access Fund support is not pay-for-play, NIL compensation, a reward for statistics or unrestricted cash for athletic participation.
Donors support a charitable program or eligible group. Donors do not choose a specific athlete to receive their contribution.
We started focused so we could build the model the right way.
Our first major pilot centers on offensive and defensive linemen. That focus gives The Players Collective a clear way to test athlete enrollment, assessments, training, mentorship, camp planning, travel, family communication and financial assistance before expanding to additional sports.
Early experience. Real movement.
In 2026, four athletes took part in a Vanderbilt camp experience coordinated through The Players Collective with donor support. The experience represented approximately $3,110 in athlete access and program support.
The pilot also included summer camp experiences connected with Oklahoma, TCU, Oklahoma State and Arkansas.
These experiences are helping us build a repeatable system for preparing athletes, supporting families and turning community support into purposeful access.
Development
Preparation, training and clearer next steps.
Exposure
Purposeful experiences at college programs.
Support
Planning, logistics, mentorship and access.
We measure more than offers.
Recruiting outcomes matter, but they are not the only measure of athlete development. As the program grows, we will report:
- Athletes and families served
- Camp registrations funded
- College visits completed
- Training and mentorship hours
- Education hours
- Financial assistance awarded
- Donor dollars deployed
- Partner organizations
- Program completion
- Postsecondary outcomes
No single coach, facility or family can provide everything an athlete needs.
The Players Collective is building a trusted network that brings the right people and resources together around the athlete.
Athletic development
Facilities, position coaches, strength coaches and speed specialists.
Health and recovery
Qualified sports medicine, physical therapy, athletic training, nutrition and mental-performance providers.
Education
Colleges, career technology centers, tutors and financial-education partners.
Mentorship
Former athletes, professionals, coaches where permitted and business leaders.
Corporate support
Companies that fund programs, travel, meals, transportation, technology and facilities.
Philanthropic support
Foundations, community funders and giving programs that expand access.
Building a home base without waiting for a building
Our long-term vision is an athlete-development environment that brings training, recovery, education, mentoring and family support together. We can begin through partner facilities and vetted providers, then grow into dedicated Players Collective space as the program proves its impact.
Over time, we plan to build strong operating networks in both Oklahoma City and Tulsa — not necessarily two buildings, but two connected communities of credible partners.
Partner with The Players Collective
Can your organization provide space, expertise, services, transportation, meals, technology, funding or another resource that helps athletes develop? Let’s build something useful together.
Built by a board with distinct roles and one shared mission.
The Players Collective is led by a three-person board. Branndon Braxton leads much of the athlete-development and external relationship work. Kierston Willoby builds and operates the infrastructure that allows the programs to function responsibly and grow. Stacie Prince keeps the board’s records, minutes, and governance documents in order.
Branndon Braxton
Co-Founder & President
Athlete Development & Partnerships
Branndon guides athlete-program vision, football development, camp and university relationships, mentors, coaches, trainers, community partnerships and external representation.
Kierston Willoby
Co-Founder & Treasurer
Kierston leads organizational infrastructure, governance, financial controls, program operations, sponsorship administration, donor systems, technology, applications, travel coordination, reporting and growth planning.
Stacie Prince
Secretary
Stacie keeps board records, meeting minutes, and governance documents in order — the documentation that keeps a nonprofit board accountable.
Football is the platform. Youth development is the mission.
Athletic ability alone does not guarantee opportunity. Families also need information, planning, credible relationships, financial resources and a clear understanding of the road ahead.
The Players Collective exists to close that access gap. We help young athletes develop as players, students, leaders and people — with preparation for what happens in sport and what comes after it.
Help turn talent into access.
Young athletes often have the talent and desire to advance but not the money, information, transportation or connections needed to reach the right opportunities. Your support helps The Players Collective close those gaps.
Small monthly gifts build dependable access.
Whether you give $5, $20, $25 or more each month, recurring support helps us plan ahead, respond to real needs and build programs families can count on.
Online giving is being set up — choose “I want to donate” in the contact form and we’ll send you the giving link.
Choose where your gift helps
Greatest Need
Flexible support for the organization’s most important current needs.
Access Fund
Approved financial assistance that removes barriers to participation.
Athlete Development
Training, education, mentorship and program delivery.
Travel & Camps
Approved registrations, transportation, lodging and supervised experiences.
General Operations
The systems behind the mission: insurance, background checks, staff, chaperones, technology, travel coordination, accounting and administration.
Fund a program. Underwrite a cohort. Remove a barrier.
Companies and major donors can support a camp circuit, travel cohort, educational series, development season, Access Fund award pool or other defined program need. In-kind partners can also provide facilities, recovery services, transportation, lodging, meals, technology and professional expertise.
What brings you to The Players Collective?
I’m an athlete or parent.
Start with public resources or apply for structured support.
I’m a trainer, mentor or provider.
Tell us what you do and how you could support the network.
Get in touch
Tell us who you are and what you need — athlete or parent, donor, company or provider — and we’ll point you to the right next step.
Prefer email? [email protected]
Media consent is separate and optional. Participation may require signed travel, medical, transportation, safety and activity releases.