His purpose is to help others succeed.
Maggie FitzRoy
JT Escobar had a lifelong dream to give underprivileged youth a leg up in life, and he wasn’t going to let the pandemic stop him. In April 2020, just as the world was shutting down, JT launched Equal Shot Academy in Tallahassee as a nonprofit after-school program.
Since then, Equal Shot has expanded greatly and is now both a nonprofit and for-profit organization, with a mission “to be the nation’s leader in creating access and impact within youth sports,” according to its website, www.equalshotacademy.com.
JT played basketball at the University of Mississippi and the University of North Florida and basketball evolved to become what he calls “an open door” to other aspects of his academy, which he founded just out of college.
In addition to the organization’s gym at 303 E. Brevard St., Tallahassee, Equal Shot is also operating in Franklin County schools, helping middle school and high school students develop healthy mental, emotional, and leadership qualities.
Q: What inspired you to found Equal Shot Academy?
A: I grew up in a family of privilege in Tallahassee. My dad was a doctor, and my mom was a business owner, but it bothered me that some people didn’t have a house or food or clothes, like I did. When I was eight years old, I wrote a poem about that. I was ashamed and spent a lot of my childhood and adolescence trying to throw off my privilege.
Q: What was your purpose for founding your academy?
A: To create access for people who are underprivileged and underserved to obtain what they need to be successful in life.
Q: What allowed you to succeed despite opening during the height of the pandemic?
A: It all worked out because all our competitors had shut down. Keeping to masking and testing protocols, we kept going—and we were the only shot open in town.
Q: Who inspired you?
A: My mentor, Adrian Crawford, who is also my pastor at Engage Church, was my first basketball coach. He brought me to faith—and encouraged me to use basketball as part of my larger mission.
Q: Who does the for-profit side of your organization serve?
A: It provides fee-based training opportunities and access for organizations, leagues, camps, school teams—anybody, including adults, who is trying to get better at basketball.
Q: How is the nonprofit side of the organization funded?
A: Through the Equal Shot Foundation, because we don’t turn anybody away because of cost. Donations come from individuals, local businesses, grants, fundraisers. It’s a mix. We are also building out our school programs for middle and high school students in Franklin County, an impoverished county.
Q: What do you do in the schools?
A: Every week, we work with all middle school and some high school students in physical education classes, focusing on mental, emotional, and leadership skills. We have 203 students in the program right now and results have been really cool. We give students tools to survive and thrive in whatever situation they find themselves living in.
Q: How is your facility in Tallahassee staffed?
A: Every day, the gym is typically open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. We have full team of coaches and a full team of trainers. We serve between 600 to 800 kids every week. Within Equal Shot Academy, all day long, every day, there is something going on.
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