Local Sports Agency Supports Its Athlete Clients Holistically

Collective Uplift Co-Founder Aaron Garland and NFL Player John Robert Spillane with children during the Spillane Youth Football Camp. Photo provided by Collective Uplift.
Collective Uplift Co-Founder Aaron Garland and NFL Player John Robert Spillane with children during the Spillane Youth Football Camp. Photo provided by Collective Uplift.

Local Sports Agency Supports Its Athlete Clients Holistically

By Tia Carol Jones

Aaron Garland co-founded the Collective Uplift in November of 2024 with the purpose to provide elite service to athletes. Garland had been a football player at the University of Connecticut and heard stories from former teammates and people in the football world about the transactional nature of sports agencies. He wanted to create a sports agency that was personable and supports the athlete holistically.

“For us, we do more than just negotiate contracts, we help our athletes develop character. We let them know it is important for them to have a relationship with God, also we share books with them, because we understand one day sports is going to end and we want these guys to be prepared for life after sports,” he said.

Garland believes that for athletes, it is not just what they do on the field, but also what they do off the field. The Collective Uplift has about 20 clients, the majority of whom play football, but Garland said they are looking to expand their clientele to other sports. Garland said the clients find them through referrals from people in football circles.

The Collective Uplift also reaches out to players that they think would be a good fit for the agency, mostly through social media. Garland said the goal is not to sign every player they see, Collective Uplift is more intentional, choosing to find players who are in alignment with what the agency does and who want to be holistically developed. They have conversations with the young players they sign to get to know them first, build a relationship and see if it is a good fit.

“We’re not looking to work with everybody, we’re looking to work with the right kids,” Garland said.

Garland said that in the coming year, Collective Uplift is looking forward to impacting as many people as possible, impacting their clients and providing them with the resources for them to be the best they can be, on and off the field. They are also looking forward to providing their clients with elite service and ensuring they have everything they need to be successful.

“We’re also looking forward to growing and impacting more young men and women in the sports world and to continue to build a community of athletes,” Garland said.

The Collective Uplift recently worked with their client Malik Elzy to put on a youth football camp at Simeon High School. The event was well attended and also featured other clients of the sports agency.  When it comes to what sets Collective Uplift apart as a sports agency, Garland said it is their holistic approach. He said they don’t just focus on contracts or branding. He said contracts and branding are the easy part.

“We develop the whole athlete. From personal development to long-term career planning, we’re building legacies,” he said. He added that he believes that Collective Uplift is unique in that it makes sure that God is at the center of everything they do.

For more information about Collective Uplift, visit www.cusports.biz.

Latest Stories

Latest Podcast

STARR Community Services International, Inc.