Every athlete knows the pause... the half-second before you react. Five Milwaukee high school athletes talk about what that pause means on the court, and what it means everywhere else.

YOUR STORY. SIX WORDS.

Six words we say to ourselves before reacting to a negative situation. One pause can change a decision. Three seconds can change the city. Six words can save a life.

SUBMIT YOUR SIX WORDS

“Don’t fold for cred, be bigger instead.”

— Rashaad Davis

“Don’t follow, instead… lead the pack.”

— Jalen Brown

“Choose love. End cycles of violence.”

— Michael Rogers Jr.

“Win on and off the court.”

— Deuce McDuffie

“Hoopin saves lives. Violence steals dreams.”

— Londyn Hollins

THE PAUSE THAT WINS

THE PAUSE THAT WINS

ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN

Violence has recently torn apart Wisconsin families, claiming multiple young lives in the Milwaukee area.

Five Milwaukee-area student-athletes are stepping forward to help people navigate conflict through Playmakers for Peace, a new Milwaukee-based violence prevention campaign.

Created by Playmaker Solutions in partnership with Prolific Arms and the Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention, the campaign uses lessons from sports to deliver a simple but powerful message: Your future is bigger than one reaction.

MEET THE ATHLETES

Five Division I-bound athletes chose to use their Name, Image & Likeness for something bigger than themselves. Here’s what they want every young person to know about pressure.

Young man holding basketball on outdoor tennis or basketball court with chain-link fence and green trees in background.
Young man holding basketball on outdoor tennis or basketball court with chain-link fence and green trees in background.
Young man with curly hair and glasses standing on an outdoor basketball court holding a basketball, wearing a gray Nike tracksuit, with green trees and a basketball hoop in the background.
Young man with curly hair and glasses standing on an outdoor basketball court holding a basketball, wearing a gray Nike tracksuit, with green trees and a basketball hoop in the background.
Young woman wearing a black T-shirt with colorful text, black shorts, standing outdoors leaning against a wooden post, with a grassy park and trees in the background.
A young man standing on an outdoor basketball court holding a basketball in his right hand, wearing a black Puma Hoops jacket and light gray sweatpants, with trees and a chain-link fence in the background.
Young man standing on an outdoor basketball court, holding a basketball, wearing a vintage Madonna T-shirt, gold chains, and Nike sweatpants, with trees and a basketball hoop in the background.

Committed to stopping the violence

BEHIND THE CAMPAIGN

As part of the initiative, the athlete ambassadors will participate in an emotional regulation and community safety training session and help engage community members through videos and posts on social media. The program will also train up to 60 Milwaukee-area youth in conflict resolution, impulse control, and leadership under pressure later this year.

The campaign's central message, "The Pause That Wins," draws a direct connection between athletic decision-making and everyday life.

“Every athlete knows the pause. The two-second moment that separates a smart play from a costly one,” said Tiffany Yvonne, Founder and CEO of Playmaker Solutions. “Playmakers for Peace is about encouraging people to apply that same pause to other moments of conflict.”

A woman in a black dress standing in front of a podium with a microphone, smiling during a conference or event, with a sign on the podium that reads 'Women Leading Travel & Hospitality Roundtables'.

IN COLLABORATION WITH

“Pause. Think about how this can affect my life. How it can affect my FUTURE.”

-DEUCE McDuffie, Playmakers for Peace Athlete