The SPIN Foundation and Sports Power Infrastructure Launch “First Whistle” — A Sports-Powered Workforce and Supplier Development Model

Farmingdale, NY— In a bold step toward reimagining how America builds its future, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit The SPIN Foundation and Sports Power Infrastructure (SPI) have launched First Whistle: Intro to Sports Power Infrastructure, an initiative that fuses the spirit of athletics with the precision of industry to measure, train, and mobilize the workforce shaping America’s infrastructure.

The program harnesses the unifying power of sports to accelerate measurable progress in workforce and supplier development, while advancing community investment. In just two weeks, SPI identifies workforce candidates, engages local suppliers, and delivers verified outcomes that strengthen competitiveness for contracts, grants, and public–private funding. A 30-day lead time ensures that each deployment is strategically aligned, data-driven, and community-centered.

At its core, First Whistle represents the moment when preparation becomes performance. The program bridges the mindset of athletes—discipline, teamwork, and resilience—with the innovation powering America’s $2 trillion infrastructure economy. The U.S. infrastructure sector currently faces a shortage of more than 500,000 skilled workers across construction, energy, broadband, and manufacturing, industries critical to sustaining local economies and community growth. First Whistle responds directly to that challenge by helping project owners, suppliers, and educators build local pipelines of talent ready to meet this unprecedented demand.

“When the whistle blows, it’s the signal that opportunity is live,” said William Certain, Executive Director and Co-Founder of The SPIN Foundation. “Our goal is to make sure every community is ready to play, compete, and win in both sports and the industries shaping America’s future.”

A defining feature of First Whistle is the Sports Power Ratings Qualifier, a performance-based readiness assessment that merges athletic ability with career potential. Participants are evaluated across two categories, Speed, Strength, and Agility Performance, and Education, Career, and Infrastructure Readiness, to generate a readiness score powered by AI benchmarking. The system measures athletic performance through seven combine-style drills, ranks results by age and gender, and classifies participants at Rookie, Pro, or All-Star levels. It also evaluates certifications, training, and leadership experience to align each individual with workforce and supplier opportunities in infrastructure, manufacturing, and energy sectors.

“The Sports Power Ratings Qualifier transforms engagement into data,” said Tenicka Chaney, Senior Director at Sports Power Infrastructure. “Sports have always been about performance under pressure. We’re using that same energy to measure readiness, connect opportunity, and build community, proving that performance, preparation, and purpose can exist in the same space.”

Each First Whistle activation includes:

• The Sports Power Ratings Qualifier, where youth and adults complete athletic and professional readiness assessments.
• Filmed stakeholder storytelling sessions featuring local business, workforce, and civic leaders.
• Workforce and supplier discovery connecting small and diverse businesses to infrastructure opportunities.
• Educational Coaches Clinics, open to the public, where mentors, sports coaches, and community leaders engage in leadership and safety training that strengthens civic and workforce development.

These activations demonstrate measurable economic and social value by expanding local hiring, increasing small business participation, and strengthening trust between industry, government, and the communities they serve.

First Whistle is already in active discussions with development, workforce, and supplier partners in several U.S. states exploring deployment within their infrastructure markets.

All funds are managed through the Sports Power Infrastructure Fund, administered by The SPIN Foundation to ensure transparency, fair-market contracting, and measurable impact.

As the first whistle sounds, the message is clear: it’s time to turn preparation into performance and ambition into impact.

To join as an investment partner or host an activation, visit www.SportsPowerInfrastructure.com/contact

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