01
Faith
An identity rooted in Christ, strengthened by Scripture, prayer, and honest conversation.
Elevate Athletes Foundation
More than an athlete. Made for a greater purpose.
Elevate Athletes Foundation exists to help athletes grow in faith, character, leadership, and lasting purpose. Founded by Michael Bradley Schwartz, its vision is to walk alongside athletes as people, rooting identity in Christ and preparing them to lead well long after competition ends.
Compete for Christ. Live life. Elevated.
The heart behind Elevate
Identity deeper than a result.
Athletes have coaches for their sport, trainers for their performance, and increasingly, advisers for their public platform. Michael saw a need for something just as important: consistent spiritual mentorship and intentional character formation. Elevate was born from his conviction that an athlete's identity must be deeper than a result, a roster spot, an endorsement, or the approval of a crowd.
Four pillars
What we help athletes build
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Character
Integrity and accountability in private decisions and public moments.
03
Leadership
The courage and judgment to use influence well on a team, online, and in the community.
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Purpose
A life that remains meaningful beyond eligibility, injury, or the final game.
Founded by Michael
A life devoted to sharing the love of Jesus.
Michael Bradley Schwartz devoted his life to sharing the love of Jesus. He especially loved college students and college athletes, and he began Elevate to encourage them and help them grow in faith. His life and vision remain at the center of this work.
A vision worth carrying forward
Depth matters more than reach.
The founding plan begins with personal mentorship and a focused pilot, then grows only as the people, safeguards, and resources needed to care for athletes are in place. Depth matters more than reach. The goal is to develop leaders whose lives reflect Christ beyond competition.
Following Michael's passing in September 2026, his family and the Foundation's leadership are carrying his vision forward and prayerfully confirming the next stage of the work.