GatorMade makes trip to Disney World, Central Florida Gator Club
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The GatorMade program took its first trip of 2023 over the weekend. A group of more than a dozen players and staff members made the drive down to Orlando for an opportunity to network and have some fun.
It started Friday at the Central Florida Gator Club Alumni Mixer, where student-athletes had the opportunity to meet professional UF alumni from the area.
“Orlando is such a hub for Gators, so we’re incredibly excited to represent our city but more importantly, represent Gator Nation, host these guys, meet these guys, help them network for the future,” said Mitchell Lamoriello, president-elect of the Central Florida Gator Club, in the video below.
The Florida players at the event included Jaelin Humphries, Mark Pitts, Cahron Rackley, Riley Simmonds, Tyler Waxman and mid-year enrollees Cameron Carroll, Jordan Castell, Sharif Denson, Kamran James, Roderick Kearney, Bryce Lovett and Treyaun Webb.
“I made some great connections tonight,” Webb said. “Just talking to a bunch of alumni and hearing their knowledge and soaking in the advice from them. It’s been a fun experience.”
GatorMade Coordinator Diane Lebon and the players then spent Saturday at Disney World, where they had a chance to expand their leadership skills and learn about business practices first-hand. And, of course, enjoy Magic Kingdom Park.
What is the GatorMade program?
The GatorMade program, launched by Napier in January 2022, is a holistic player-focused and purpose-driven initiative that develops football players during their time at UF and beyond.
“We are excited to continually share the life-changing impacts of GatorMade with our scholar-athletes, staff, alumni, investors, corporate partners, and fans,” senior director of player relations and GatorMade Savannah Bailey said. “To connect with GatorMade is to connect with our young men as people, not just as players — to commit to their development and support their growth as they represent the University of Florida for the rest of their lives.”
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The program provided Florida players with several opportunities last year, including a jam-packed month of June. The most notable initiative was UF’s first-ever service abroad mission: a 10-day trip to Greece with 16 student-athletes.
Men’s Wearhouse measured the entire Florida football team for two custom-tailored suits, and GatorMade provided a financial literacy session for the players from the NIL consulting firm Team Altemus.
The program also held an Etiquette Dinner at Spurrier’s Gridiron Grille in June for the 2022 signees who reported to campus for enrollment. The early enrollees also took part in the dinner.
Director of nutrition Kelsee Gomes even showed the football players how to grill during the summer with former Florida offensive lineman Shannon Snell. And over spring break, nine UF football players spent four days in Atlanta for a weekend of professional exposure, exploration, and experience.
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