Birmingham · Jefferson County
Alabama Youth Athletics opens the world of competitive sport — with track & field at its heart — to young athletes across the Birmingham area, no matter what their family can afford.
Our mission
Alabama Youth Athletics is organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes: to promote and encourage track, field, and cross-country running, and to teach the young people of our community what the sport can build in them.
We believe the track is one of the few places where effort is measured honestly and every athlete is given the same distance to cover. Our work is to make sure a child's access to that lane isn't decided by a registration fee.
So we lead with access — structured, coach-led training that a family can reach — and we stand behind it with fee assistance for the athletes who need it, so cost never becomes the reason a kid stops running.
“Confidence is based in your belief in your own preparation.”
Who we serve
Our practices are hosted at A. H. Parker High School, in the heart of Birmingham City Schools — a community where the barriers to organized sport are financial long before they are athletic.
Sources: U.S. News & World Report and Birmingham City Schools public enrollment data.
A season of youth track carries real costs — club registration, meet entry fees, travel to regional and national competitions, and gear. For many families in our community, those line items are the difference between a child competing and a child sitting out.
That's the gap we exist to close. Alabama Youth Athletics keeps training reachable and directs donor and grant support to the athletes for whom a fee would otherwise end the season. The goal is simple: talent and effort decide who runs — not household income.
Programs
Alabama Youth Athletics is the parent nonprofit behind a growing family of youth programs — built so an athlete has somewhere to go all year, not just one season.
Our marquee club: structured sprints, middle-distance, and field training with competition at local, regional, and national levels for athletes ages 4–19. Coaching staff drawn largely from former collegiate athletes, led by a USATF Level 2 certified coach.
Visit bhmexpress.com →A girls flag football team we built as a bridge for our athletes once track season ends — keeping girls competing, coached, and connected to a team year-round instead of losing the off-season. Led by head coach Deantro Collier.
Our athlete testing and development track — measuring speed, mechanics, and progress so every athlete has a clear, individual path to improvement rather than a one-size program.
A dedicated fund, now being established, to cover registration and meet fees for athletes who qualify — turning donor and grant dollars directly into starting lines.
“Always be looking for your next plateau.”
News & updates
Milestones, announcements, and what our athletes have been up to.
August 2025
Alabama Youth Athletics was formally incorporated and granted federal tax-exempt status, clearing the way for donor and grant support to reach our athletes directly.
2025–26 Season
Our flagship track & field club opened registration and welcomed its first athletes to the track — the first of what we hope is many seasons to come.
2025–26 Season
A new post-track-season pathway for our girl athletes, led by Coach Deantro Collier, keeping them coached, competitive, and connected to the team year-round.
Coaching & safety
Parents are trusting us with their children. We treat that as the first responsibility, not an afterthought.
Our head coach holds USA Track & Field Level 2 certification in Sprints, Hurdles & Relays — an advanced coaching-education credential — and has developed athletes to All-American honors over a career in the sport.
Coaching staff are U.S. Center for SafeSport compliant, the athlete-safety standard used across Olympic and youth sport in the United States.
Our staff is composed largely of former collegiate athletes who know the sport from the inside — the training, the standards, and the recruiting path.
Governed by a board of directors under an adopted conflict-of-interest policy, and covered by $1 million commercial general liability insurance — including participant accident coverage and abuse & molestation protection.
Leadership
Alabama Youth Athletics is governed by a volunteer board of directors — coaches and professionals from the same Birmingham community our athletes call home.
Co-Founder, President & Incorporator
Jelani co-founded Alabama Youth Athletics in 2025, where he serves as president and is the organization's incorporator, and is head coach of Birmingham Express Track & Field, specializing in sprints and middle distance. He is a USATF Level 2 certified coach in Sprints, Hurdles & Relays and holds a B.S. in Biology, a B.A. in Music Business, and an MBA, all from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He coached youth track & field in the Birmingham community for four years before co-founding AYA to make that training reachable for every family.
Co-Founder & Secretary
Gerrick is a Birmingham native and graduate of A. H. Parker High School, and a devoted husband, father, and U.S. Navy veteran with a bachelor's degree in Business Finance. A SafeSport Certified coach pursuing his USATF Level 1 certification, his passion for the sport grew from watching his own daughter fall in love with track and field. He believes success extends beyond medals — his goal is to help every athlete grow in character, work ethic, and teamwork within a family-oriented culture.
Co-Founder
Coach Dee is a Birmingham native who played collegiate football at Jacksonville State University and Auburn University. He has coached youth football in the Birmingham community for several years and now leads the Birmingham Blazers Girls Flag Football team, giving AYA's athletes a coached, competitive home once track season ends.
Co-Founder & Treasurer
Ronald D. Smith, EA is a Birmingham native and graduate of A. H. Parker High School who went on to run track and play football at Tuskegee University, helping lead the Golden Tigers to a 51–7 record and the 2007 HBCU National Championship. He earned All-American honors and still holds the second-fastest 100-meter time in Tuskegee history, earning induction into the Tuskegee University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2023. Ronald holds a B.S. in Accounting from Tuskegee, is an Enrolled Agent, and founded Precise Tax & Accounting. He brings that financial expertise directly to AYA's board, helping keep the organization accountable to the donors and families who trust it.
“Committing to the process is more important than your commitment to an outcome.”
Accountability
Everything a funder or donor needs to verify who we are — and confirm that a gift is tax-deductible.
Verify our exempt status directly on the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search using our EIN. Governing documents and financials are available to funders on request.
Our sponsors
Alabama Youth Athletics is grateful to the local and regional businesses that invest directly in our programs and the young athletes they serve.
Proud sponsor of Alabama Youth Athletics and Birmingham Express Track & Field.
Visit hoerlhomes.com →Proud sponsor of Alabama Youth Athletics and Birmingham Express Track & Field.
Visit bluejireh.com →“We have a duty to build our own community. Don't join a team — be a part of building the things you want your community to enjoy.”
Support a young athlete
Contributions to Alabama Youth Athletics are tax-deductible and go to work close to home — covering the fees, gear, and travel that decide whether a young athlete in our community gets to compete.
Every dollar is a barrier removed. Give securely through our donation form — or reach out to sponsor a season or partner with us.
Secure donation processing via Zeffy · or call (205) 527-9131
Choose what fits — every level keeps an athlete on the track.
