Vision

Bring Chosen to your Borough. Bring Chosen to your City.

Vision & Mission

Mission

To equip and inspire youth and young adults (ages 6-25 y/o) with life and leadership skills through basketball, biblical teachings, and character development.

OUR FRAMEWORK

PARTNER

Partner with Community Based organizations & Churches that are aligned with our mission.

CLINICS

Led by College, High School, Professionals & Key Coaches in community that foster character development while playing creatively.

SPEAKERS

We provide character development, inspirational speakers & faith-based speakers - dependent on organizations need.

BASKETBALL

We provide Round Robin Structured basketball intramural focused games that build confidence for players on all levels focusing on sportsmanship, excellence, and making friends on and off the court.

Core Values: C.O.D.E.S

Community Involvement:

We continually strive for deeper engagement in each of the communities we are privileged to serve.

Opportunities:

We continually strive to introduce our players to people, resources and organizations that can help them excel in life.

Deeper Relationships:

We continually strive to build deeper relationships with our players by letting them know we truly care for them. 

Excellence:

A spirit of excellence is the standard at our organization, anything less is unacceptable.

Stewardship:

We continually strive to be accountable and transparent in all the resources which have been entrusted to us.

Meet the Team

Manny Maldonado

Founder

  • One of the North East’s most recognized and accomplished HS coaches (Beacon High School and School of the Future), Mark Jerome’s basketball experience covers all levels on and off of the court.  His reputation is one of patience and integrity and he is highly committed to making ethical decisions. In addition to his successful HS record of 135-24 during 7 years at Beacon HS years and a final-4 run before covid interrupted the 2020 season, Mark also coaches on the AAU circuit, helping several student athletes reach their goal of playing college basketball. Mark coached on the Nike Circuit until he founded Team Jerome, which competes on the Under Armor Circuit traveling across the country.Mark grew up on New York City’s up on the Upper West Side. He went on to become a Division-1 player at Lafayette College and was described as a leader on the court with a very high IQ and the ability to see plays before they happened.After a stint in the Dominican Republic playing basketball and then becoming a TV reporter, he was hired as the Executive Director of the Riverside Church Basketball program, which he headed for 10 years before starting his own companies, Live City Basketball and Global Professional Sports. Live City Basketball is New York City’s premier basketball league that attracts hundreds of teams throughout the Northeast. Global Sports provides high level coaching for boys and girls through teams, camps and clinics. Mark has coached current NBA players Donovan Mitchell, Eric Paschall and his son Ty Jerome. Additionally, he has coached several boys and girls who have become D1, D2 and D3 players. His relationships with college coaches across the country and his experience with recruiting allow him to support students and their families through every aspect of both the pre-college and college process.

Abby Quiles

Court Director

  • One of the North East’s most recognized and accomplished HS coaches (Beacon High School and School of the Future), Mark Jerome’s basketball experience covers all levels on and off of the court.  His reputation is one of patience and integrity and he is highly committed to making ethical decisions. In addition to his successful HS record of 135-24 during 7 years at Beacon HS years and a final-4 run before covid interrupted the 2020 season, Mark also coaches on the AAU circuit, helping several student athletes reach their goal of playing college basketball. Mark coached on the Nike Circuit until he founded Team Jerome, which competes on the Under Armor Circuit traveling across the country.Mark grew up on New York City’s up on the Upper West Side. He went on to become a Division-1 player at Lafayette College and was described as a leader on the court with a very high IQ and the ability to see plays before they happened.After a stint in the Dominican Republic playing basketball and then becoming a TV reporter, he was hired as the Executive Director of the Riverside Church Basketball program, which he headed for 10 years before starting his own companies, Live City Basketball and Global Professional Sports. Live City Basketball is New York City’s premier basketball league that attracts hundreds of teams throughout the Northeast. Global Sports provides high level coaching for boys and girls through teams, camps and clinics. Mark has coached current NBA players Donovan Mitchell, Eric Paschall and his son Ty Jerome. Additionally, he has coached several boys and girls who have become D1, D2 and D3 players. His relationships with college coaches across the country and his experience with recruiting allow him to support students and their families through every aspect of both the pre-college and college process.

Karen Naranjo

Social Media Manager

  • One of the North East’s most recognized and accomplished HS coaches (Beacon High School and School of the Future), Mark Jerome’s basketball experience covers all levels on and off of the court.  His reputation is one of patience and integrity and he is highly committed to making ethical decisions. In addition to his successful HS record of 135-24 during 7 years at Beacon HS years and a final-4 run before covid interrupted the 2020 season, Mark also coaches on the AAU circuit, helping several student athletes reach their goal of playing college basketball. Mark coached on the Nike Circuit until he founded Team Jerome, which competes on the Under Armor Circuit traveling across the country.Mark grew up on New York City’s up on the Upper West Side. He went on to become a Division-1 player at Lafayette College and was described as a leader on the court with a very high IQ and the ability to see plays before they happened.After a stint in the Dominican Republic playing basketball and then becoming a TV reporter, he was hired as the Executive Director of the Riverside Church Basketball program, which he headed for 10 years before starting his own companies, Live City Basketball and Global Professional Sports. Live City Basketball is New York City’s premier basketball league that attracts hundreds of teams throughout the Northeast. Global Sports provides high level coaching for boys and girls through teams, camps and clinics. Mark has coached current NBA players Donovan Mitchell, Eric Paschall and his son Ty Jerome. Additionally, he has coached several boys and girls who have become D1, D2 and D3 players. His relationships with college coaches across the country and his experience with recruiting allow him to support students and their families through every aspect of both the pre-college and college process.

Mark Jerome

LES Lead Clinician

  • One of the North East’s most recognized and accomplished HS coaches (Beacon High School and School of the Future), Mark Jerome’s basketball experience covers all levels on and off of the court.  His reputation is one of patience and integrity and he is highly committed to making ethical decisions. In addition to his successful HS record of 135-24 during 7 years at Beacon HS years and a final-4 run before covid interrupted the 2020 season, Mark also coaches on the AAU circuit, helping several student athletes reach their goal of playing college basketball. Mark coached on the Nike Circuit until he founded Team Jerome, which competes on the Under Armor Circuit traveling across the country.Mark grew up on New York City’s up on the Upper West Side. He went on to become a Division-1 player at Lafayette College and was described as a leader on the court with a very high IQ and the ability to see plays before they happened.After a stint in the Dominican Republic playing basketball and then becoming a TV reporter, he was hired as the Executive Director of the Riverside Church Basketball program, which he headed for 10 years before starting his own companies, Live City Basketball and Global Professional Sports. Live City Basketball is New York City’s premier basketball league that attracts hundreds of teams throughout the Northeast. Global Sports provides high level coaching for boys and girls through teams, camps and clinics. Mark has coached current NBA players Donovan Mitchell, Eric Paschall and his son Ty Jerome. Additionally, he has coached several boys and girls who have become D1, D2 and D3 players. His relationships with college coaches across the country and his experience with recruiting allow him to support students and their families through every aspect of both the pre-college and college process.

Jason Curry

Brooklyn Lead Clincian

  • Founder of Chosen NYC

Meet the Board

Yvette Hamiltion

  • My Name is Yvette Hamilton , I've been Retired from working with the City of New York 3 years now . I've been Volunteering with Chosen NYC for 2 years. Its a exhilarating joy to be a small part of a Organization that gets the privilege of injecting the life changing Gospel and Testimony of  the unconditional Love of Jesus Christ into the hearts of the next generation , through the eyes of sports.

Zach Van Veldhuizen

  • One of the North East’s most recognized and accomplished HS coaches (Beacon High School and School of the Future), Mark Jerome’s basketball experience covers all levels on and off of the court.  His reputation is one of patience and integrity and he is highly committed to making ethical decisions. In addition to his successful HS record of 135-24 during 7 years at Beacon HS years and a final-4 run before covid interrupted the 2020 season, Mark also coaches on the AAU circuit, helping several student athletes reach their goal of playing college basketball. Mark coached on the Nike Circuit until he founded Team Jerome, which competes on the Under Armor Circuit traveling across the country.Mark grew up on New York City’s up on the Upper West Side. He went on to become a Division-1 player at Lafayette College and was described as a leader on the court with a very high IQ and the ability to see plays before they happened.After a stint in the Dominican Republic playing basketball and then becoming a TV reporter, he was hired as the Executive Director of the Riverside Church Basketball program, which he headed for 10 years before starting his own companies, Live City Basketball and Global Professional Sports. Live City Basketball is New York City’s premier basketball league that attracts hundreds of teams throughout the Northeast. Global Sports provides high level coaching for boys and girls through teams, camps and clinics. Mark has coached current NBA players Donovan Mitchell, Eric Paschall and his son Ty Jerome. Additionally, he has coached several boys and girls who have become D1, D2 and D3 players. His relationships with college coaches across the country and his experience with recruiting allow him to support students and their families through every aspect of both the pre-college and college process.

Radames Medina

  • Every business needs a numbers person. Radames Medina likes to consider himself that go to person who has been developing himself over the last 23 years. Radames, a corporate accountant and tax professional, is excited to be on the board for Chosen NYC. 

Nena Ugwuomo

  • Nena Ugwuomo has worked at the intersection of technology, education, and finance for over a decade.  She is the Founder and CEO of Student Dream, a nonprofit closing the racial wealth gap in America by training black and brown youth to build wealth.  Under Ugwuomo’s leadership, Student Dream has trained over 1500 youth – from 120 schools and colleges – to create their personal visions for money and life, improve their financial health, learn about investing, and start companies that have raised $1 million in business funding.

    When not practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Nena is committed to empowering people – especially those historically oppressed – to love God, love their neighbors, and leave an inheritance for their grandchildren.