We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Anthony Passalacqua and Sal Fabozzi a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Anthony and Sal, thanks for joining us today. Alright, so we’d love to hear about how you got your first client or customer. What’s the story?
The journey to our first client is really the foundation of everything we’ve built today. It started with a single player—before Shootin’ School even had a name. My father’s close friend had a daughter who wanted training, but I refused to train her unless I had a plan and a facility. I already knew I wanted to change the game of basketball on Staten Island, and I wasn’t going to start without a clear vision. That mindset set the tone for what Shootin’ School would become—a structured, intentional program that prioritized real player development.
After growing Shootin’ School for six years, I met Sal Fabozzi, and that’s when the next chapter began. Sal had just run an event called Coach Fabozzi Cares as part of a college project, and it turned into a major opportunity. From that event, we launched Because We Can Sports, focusing on group training for beginner-level sports. It wasn’t long before we found ourselves working with many children with disabilities, which reshaped our perspective on how sports programs could be structured.
Three years into BWC, Sal and I pushed each other (or maybe challenged each other) to take the leap—he left his Division 1 coaching job at ASA in the city, and I left my role as a triple-licensed high school teacher in social studies, special education, and CTE. We dedicated ourselves fully to growing the company.
We spent the next four years expanding our reach, working with thousands of kids, until the pandemic hit. With schools and gyms shutting down, we were left with two choices: either close the company or find a way to keep going. That’s when we made the decision to open our own facility, JumpShotz. We trained kids in driveways, ran virtual workouts, and did whatever we had to do to keep our programs alive.
Coming out of the pandemic, we pivoted again, securing a contract as a vendor for the NYC Department of Education. This allowed us to expand BWC’s reach beyond just training and clinics. We started providing recess programs, field days, and after-school programs—giving schools structured sports experiences that emphasized teamwork, skill development, and inclusivity. These programs helped schools reduce conflicts during recess, create engaging physical activities, and provide students with meaningful athletic experiences beyond the traditional classroom setting.
Then came a defining moment. A parent approached us and said something that changed everything:
“We love that you train our kids and use sports as a vehicle to keep them active—but they have nowhere to actually play.”
That one statement made us realize that training wasn’t enough. These kids needed a place to compete, to feel like they truly belonged in sports. So, Sal and I started a league for children with special needs, paying thousands of dollars out of our own pockets to get it off the ground. It was never about profit—it was about giving these kids the same opportunities as everyone else. Eventually, we were advised to open a non-profit because people believed in our mission and wanted to help support it.
That’s how The Integrated Athletic Initiative was born in 2021. Looking back, getting our “first client” wasn’t about just one person—it was about building something bigger, something that continues to evolve. Every step, from that first player at Shootin’ School to the kids at Coach Fabozzi Cares to launching The Initiative, has been about creating more opportunities and making sports accessible for all.
Anthony and Sal , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
We are Anthony Passalacqua and Sal Fabozzi, lifelong athletes, former college basketball players, and co-founders of Shootin’ School, Because We Can Sports (BWC), and The Integrated Athletic Initiative.
Sports have been at the core of our lives since we were kids, and from early on, we knew we wanted to give back to the community that raised us. What began as a passion for training young athletes has grown into a full-scale movement—providing opportunities for kids of all backgrounds, skill levels, and abilities to thrive through sports.
What We Do & The Problems We Solve
Together, we operate Shootin’ School, a premier basketball training program that helps athletes develop not just their shooting form, but their basketball IQ, confidence, and mindset—the full package needed for long-term growth.
Through Because We Can Sports, we’ve expanded our impact beyond basketball to provide:
✔️ Recess Programs – Helping schools structure their recess to reduce conflicts, increase engagement, and promote healthy play.
✔️ After-School Sports – Skill-building programs for children of all levels, from first-timers to seasoned athletes.
✔️ Field Days & School Events – Large-scale, interactive sports days that combine fitness with fun.
Through our nonprofit, The Integrated Athletic Initiative, we focus on sports inclusion—creating meaningful experiences for children with disabilities and those who are often excluded from traditional leagues.
We saw a major gap—kids were training, but many had nowhere to actually play. That’s why we started special needs leagues, initially funding them ourselves, before formally launching our nonprofit to scale the mission.
Now, we’re taking that mission to an entirely new level.
A Game-Changer: 100,000 Square Feet of Possibility
In a life-changing moment for our organization, 100,000 square feet of space was donated to The Integrated Athletic Initiative. This isn’t just a piece of land—it’s the future of accessible youth sports in our community.
We’re now in the early stages of transforming this massive piece of land into a multi-purpose athletic center and community hub, with plans to include:
Inclusive sports courts and training spaces
Adapted programming for children with special needs
Community wellness and recreation rooms
Event and education space for schools and local partners
This facility will allow us to serve more kids, more families, and more schools than ever before—and give every child a place where they feel welcomed, supported, and inspired to grow through sports.
What Sets Us Apart?
Athletes giving back – We’ve walked the path, and now we’re building the road for the next generation.
We train, develop, and create opportunity – Whether it’s high-level training or inclusive school programming, we meet kids where they are.
Trusted by schools – As DOE vendors, we’re helping transform how physical activity is delivered in NYC schools.
More than sports – We teach confidence, teamwork, and leadership skills that last far beyond the game.
What We’re Most Proud Of
We’re proud of the real-life impact—the quiet moments when a parent says their child feels like they finally belong, the school that sees a shift in student behavior because of structured recess, or the athlete who finds their confidence on the court.
And now, with our newly donated facility, we’re most proud that we can scale that impact, creating a space that will serve thousands of children and families for years to come.
What We Want People to Know
If you’re a parent looking for a quality sports program, a school administrator seeking customized athletic support, or someone who believes that sports can change lives—we built this for you.
At the end of the day, we’re not just running programs.
We’re building a movement—one that ensures every child has a place to play, grow, and belong.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
One of the keys to our success has always been our ability to pivot. We don’t see it as simply adjusting—we see it as continuously providing what our customers need. Our customers are diverse: we train high-level athletes and beginners, work with principals in challenging school environments and elite academic institutions, and provide programs that adapt to the unique needs of each setting.
Our ability to customize what we do for every individual client is what makes us special. Our goal is simple: deliver what’s needed, when it’s needed. That often depends on a variety of factors, but listening to our customers and solving their problems is what truly sets us apart.
The Pandemic Pivot – A Defining Moment
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we could have easily shut everything down. Schools were closed. Facilities wouldn’t rent to us. Parents were afraid to send their kids to train. The situation was bleak.
But instead of folding, we pivoted—again.
We adapted in every way possible:
✔️ Virtual Training – We launched online shooting courses and virtual skill sessions to keep kids engaged.
✔️ Outdoor & Driveway Workouts – If gyms were closed, we’d train wherever we could, even in people’s driveways.
✔️ Travel Basketball Expansion – We took over an existing travel team, giving kids a chance to keep playing when organized sports were nearly non-existent.
✔️ Our Own Facility – When no one would rent to us, we found a rare available space on Staten Island. After a few visits, we made the decision to go all in and build our own basketball court.
This wasn’t just about survival—it was about reinvention. Instead of scaling back, we expanded and came out of the pandemic stronger than ever.
Pivoting Every Day
The truth is, we pivot constantly. Every school we work with, every team we coach, and every player we train has different needs. One day, we’re working with a high-level athlete refining their shot mechanics, and the next, we’re designing a structured recess program for a school in a tough neighborhood that needs better student engagement.
We’re not just a basketball company. We’re not just an after-school company. We’re an all-sports company that solves problems through our vehicle: sports.
Whether it’s a global pandemic, a changing school system, or a new challenge in our industry—we adjust, adapt, and keep moving forward.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
Both Sal and I are living examples of how The 10% Entrepreneur by Patrick McGinnis can change lives.
When we started Shootin’ School and Because We Can Sports, we both had full-time jobs—Sal was a Division 1 basketball coach, and I was a triple-licensed high school teacher. At the time, our business was just a side hustle, something we were passionate about but never truly saw as something that could replace our careers.
At one point, we both thought: This will never be more than a part-time thing. After all, we had careers, responsibilities, and the security of steady paychecks. But The 10% Entrepreneur completely shifted our mindset and showed us a clear path forward.
The Power of the 10% Entrepreneur Mindset
McGinnis lays out a strategy that resonated deeply with us—starting as a 10% Entrepreneur, where you dedicate a small portion of your time, energy, and resources to a business venture while maintaining your main job. He argues that you don’t have to risk everything immediately to start building something meaningful. Instead, you test, refine, and scale strategically.
That’s exactly what we did.
For years, we operated Shootin’ School and BWC while still working our full-time jobs, slowly growing the business and proving to ourselves that it could sustain us. Eventually, we both reached the point McGinnis describes in the book—the moment where our side hustle was no longer just a side hustle.
Taking the Leap – Becoming Full-Time Entrepreneurs
McGinnis talks about moving from a 10% Entrepreneur to a full-time Serial Entrepreneur, and when we saw that the path was real, we finally felt the freedom to take the leap.
The book taught us:
✔️ You don’t have to risk everything at once – We didn’t quit our jobs overnight; we built a foundation first.
✔️ Your network is your greatest asset – Many of our opportunities came from relationships we built over time.
✔️ Entrepreneurship is about problem-solving – Whether it was pivoting during COVID or expanding into new markets, the principles in the book helped guide our decisions.
Once we embraced that entrepreneurship wasn’t an “all or nothing” decision, everything changed. We went from working on our business in our “spare time” to leading it full-time—and we haven’t looked back since.
The Impact
Now, we use that same entrepreneurial thinking in everything we do—whether it’s launching new programs, expanding our nonprofit, or adjusting to the needs of our customers. The 10% Entrepreneur didn’t just help us build a business; it gave us the mindset to continue growing, adapting, and thinking like true entrepreneurs.
If there’s one book we’d recommend to anyone looking to start something of their own while still maintaining security, this is the one. It helped us build a business that started as a passion project and became our life’s work.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bwcsports.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tia.initiative/?igsh=YjhlMGpibTl4NW9n&utm_source=qr#
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shootinschool#
Image Credits
Devon Waschitz