More than 163,000 kids entered. One of them is from Conyers, and he’s still standing.
Antario Jacas is a quarterfinalist in the Youth Athlete of the Year Competition, a national contest run by the Why Not You Foundation. Russell Wilson and his wife, Ciara, started the nonprofit in 2014. One of its goals is giving kids in underserved communities the tools to chase their dreams.
And Antario has big ones. He wants to be a doctor and a professional basketball player.
His hero on the court? No hesitation.
“My favorite basketball player is Steph Curry,” he said.
He’ll also tell you basketball beats soccer, in case anyone was wondering.
Here’s how the contest works. Kids start by writing a short essay. The foundation then picks entrants to show off their talents, and the field moves into a bracket-style tournament decided by social media votes. The top vote-getter in each group moves on.
The winner takes home $25,000, an ad for 3Brand in Sports Illustrated, and mentorship from a lineup of professional athletes.
For the Jacas family, the payoff has already started. Antario’s mom, Amanda, said watching strangers rally behind her son has meant the world. She said the competition is lifting up whole families and pushing them to believe in their dreams and go after them.
Want to help a Conyers kid go the distance? Votes count.
You can support Antario at athleteoftheyear.org/2026/antario-5957, and follow the race to the finish at athleteoftheyear.org.
