University Park Youth Athletics Praises Crete-Monee For Unprecedented Facility Access

Crete-Monee Board of Education Meeting | April 21, 2026

Article Summary: Leadership from the University Park Youth Athletic Association (UPYAA) presented the Crete-Monee Board of Education with a plaque and gifts on Tuesday to express gratitude for the district allowing their community sports programs unprecedented access to school facilities.

UPYAA Partnership Key Points:

• UPYAA utilized district gymnasiums for winter basketball and is currently using the high school turf field for spring football training.

• UPYAA President Danzel Franklin called the turf access a “milestone” he had not seen in his 30 years with the program.

• Organization leaders praised the district’s Buildings and Grounds department and athletic staff for their seamless coordination and welcoming atmosphere.

The Crete-Monee Board of Education on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, received a heartfelt presentation from the University Park Youth Athletic Association (UPYAA), honoring the district for opening its doors to community youth sports programs.

UPYAA President Danzel Franklin and Lead Consultant “Miss Keely” presented the board with a formal plaque and gifts to thank the district for allowing their athletes to utilize Crete-Monee gymnasiums for winter basketball and the new high school stadium for spring football training.

“Ensuring that the kids had something to do productive during some of the most critical hours of the day is something that’s extremely important to us,” Franklin told the board. “We’ve also been allowed to have access to facilities for spring training for football, which is something that I’ve never seen happen in the 30-plus years that I’ve been a part of this program. It’s a milestone in my mind that the kids from University Park are able to access and have practice on the turf field.”

The UPYAA leaders heavily praised the district’s Buildings and Grounds department, specifically noting the efforts of staff members who went out of their way to accommodate the community teams. Keely highlighted the athletic department’s welcoming touches, such as displaying “UP Lions” on the marquee when the kindergarten-through-eighth-grade athletes arrived to play in the high school’s main gymnasium.

“When those babies walked in that gym and seen our gym, they were overwhelmed,” Keely said, presenting personal gifts to board members and the superintendent. “One of the things as alumni, you don’t forget where you come from.”

Board President Maurice Brown, whose children previously went through the UPYAA programs, commended Franklin and Keely for their decades of volunteer dedication to the community’s youth.

“Words cannot describe the impact that both of you have, not only on your community and your village but the community at large,” Brown said. “If you don’t have someone in the district or in the program, but then you’re giving your time, that’s a huge thing.”