i.Invest Louisiana Youth Grant Recipient – Blake Stanfill: Putting Youth Connection Back on the Court

At just 16 years old, Blake Stanfill, a 11th-grade student at St. Augustine High School in New Orleans, Louisiana, is turning his passion for basketball into an innovative technology venture designed to bring young people together. As a recipient of the i.Invest Louisiana Young Entrepreneurs Grant, Stanfill is developing Check Ball, a youth connection app that uses basketball to create community, increase access to recreational opportunities, and get young people off the sidelines and onto the court.

Stanfill’s inspiration for Check Ball comes from more than 11 years of playing basketball and growing up around entrepreneurship. With his father actively involved in business, he developed an early interest in how ideas can become impactful ventures. But it was his experiences playing pickup basketball throughout New Orleans that revealed a problem he believed technology could solve.

Stanfill pitching during the Tulane Young Entrepreneurs Academy Pitch event.

“I would show up to courts that were either empty or overcrowded, making it difficult to get a consistent game going,” Stanfill explains. Even when players connected on the court, there was often no way to stay connected afterward. Great games ended without exchanging contact information or making plans for the next run.

Check Ball is designed to change that. The app will allow young basketball players to see which courts are open, how many players are currently there, and whether a game is forming. An AI-driven matchmaking system will connect players based on location, skill level, preferences, and the number of participants they are seeking. User profiles will also track playing history, positions, and availability to improve future matches.

Beyond pickup basketball, Check Ball will connect users with local gyms, leagues, and organized events, creating a pathway from recreational play to structured competition. Verified profiles and a community rating system will further promote safety, accountability, and trust—particularly for young people who may be hesitant to visit an unfamiliar court alone.

Stanfill plans to launch Check Ball in New Orleans, where basketball culture is deeply rooted, before expanding to additional cities and eventually other sports. The business will use a freemium model, with premium subscriptions and promotional opportunities for businesses and organizations.

The i.Invest Louisiana Young Entrepreneurs Grant is not Stanfill’s first entrepreneurial milestone. He previously participated in the Tulane Young Entrepreneurs Academy, a 30-week entrepreneurship program that culminated in a pitch competition, where Check Ball received $1,250 in funding to support development of the concept.

Through the i.Invest Louisiana Young Entrepreneurs Grant, Stanfill will receive additional funding and mentorship to help move Check Ball from concept toward implementation.

For Stanfill, however, Check Ball is about more than basketball.

“By combining technology, community, and culture, Check Ball is not just an app—it is a movement to get young people off the sidelines and back on the court.”

To learn more, contact Michelle Jackson at mjackson@prsolutionsllc.org.