Earvin “Magic” Johnson – CEO, NBA legend and Los Angeles Dodgers owner – will deliver the keynote address at this year’s National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS) Youth Sports Congress. The Congress, held in conjunction with the Athletic Business Conference & Expo, is the preferred source of information and education for all professionals involved in youth sports.
 
This year’s Congress will be held in San Diego, Calif., on Nov. 20-23. The three-day event features comprehensive educational training on innovative topics in the field of youth sports.
 
Johnson, who will speak on Friday, Nov. 22 during the event, knows a thing or two about success. At every step of his life he's worked his way to the top.
 
It was a triple-double performance during Johnson's sophomore year of high school at Michigan's Everett High that inspired a Lansing State Journal sports writer to dub the 15-year-old phenomenon, "Magic." From there, the legend was born.
 
Next came his college days at Michigan State. One National Championship and Final Four Most Outstanding Player award later, he was on to the NBA. As the floor leader of the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers, Johnson racked up three MVP awards, five NBA Championships and 12 All-Star appearances. In 1992 he added a gold medal to his resume as a member of America's "Dream Team."  And while his no-look passes and drives to the hoop will always come to mind when people think of Johnson, his headline-grabbing accomplishments have not been limited to the hardwood.
 
Magic Johnson Enterprises is a business empire with a net worth of roughly $700 million. 
 
As chairman and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises, Johnson owns movie theaters, restaurants, and gyms. He introduced the MAGIC prepaid MasterCard and has been in partnerships with reputable businesses like Starbucks and T.G.I. Friday's. Ebony magazine hails him as one of the country's most influential African American business leaders. Early in 2012, Johnson pulled off his biggest deal yet as his group of investors bought the Los Angeles Dodgers.
 
For all of his successes, there have been plenty of missteps, including a failed TV show and a failed line of sporting goods stores. But when times are tough, Johnson turns to lessons he learned on the court.
 
"For me, it always goes back to something I learned in basketball," Johnson says. "There's winning and there's losing, and in life you have to know they both will happen. But what's never been acceptable to me is quitting."

The NAYS Congress is open to all youth sports administrators. The traditional Youth Sports Track includes education sessions specifically designed to meet the needs of Certified Youth Sports Administrators (CYSA), park and recreation professionals, military youth sports directors, representatives from YMCAs/YWCAs, Boys & Girls Clubs, private league and administrators and other significant administrators who are involved in youth sports. The Academy for Youth Sports Administrators is designed for front-line professionals who oversee youth sports and who are interested in earning the CYSA credential.

In addition to all the traditional benefits of being a Congress delegate, attendees will also have access to several of the great Athletic Business Conference events, including the keynote sessions, welcome reception and the Expo.
 
Click here for more information about the Youth Sports Congress, email yscongress@nays.org or call (800) 688-KIDS (5437).