Skyline's "Just Let Me Play" Series Continues with "Chris Herren: The First Day"

NEW YORK, NY | The Skyline Conference is proud to announce the continuation of its "Just Let Me Play" series for the conference's student-athletes and staffs, with the presentation of "Chris Herren: The First Day," via Zoom on Thursday, October 28, at 7 p.m.

Registration to the webinar is now open to Skyline Conference student-athletes and institutional staffs utilizing their .edu email addresses and can be accessed here.

The webinar will be the third edition of the Skyline's "Just Let Me Play" series, which commenced with a pair of virtual presentations during the 2020-21 academic year. Former NBA standout Jason Collins spoke last fall about diversity, equity, inclusion, and acceptance, while former NCAA Woman of the Year nominee Ivy Watts discussed mental health this past February.

Following a presentation highlighting Herren's basketball career and journey to sobriety, he will share experiences that have impacted his life as a teenager, athlete, and speaker, empowering the audience to rethink how we look at the disease of addiction, from the last day to the first. He will touch on such topics as drinking, smoking marijuana and vaping, pill use, peer pressure, bullying, and cutting. To conclude the event, he will field questions from the audience.

About Chris Herren

An extraordinary basketball player, Chris Herren was a celebrated star in his native Fall River, MA before graduating high school. He went on to play at Boston College and Fresno State, two seasons in the NBA – including one with his hometown team, the Boston Celtics – and seven seasons overseas before losing it all to the disease of addiction.

With the unwavering support of his family and friends, Chris has been sober since August 1, 2008, and he now shares his story with the goal of making a positive difference in the lives of others.

His recovery journey has been documented in the bestselling memoir, "Basketball Junkie," the Emmy nominated ESPN Films documentary, "Unguarded" and in countless local, national, and international stories by The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and Sports Illustrated, among others. Through Herren Talks, Chris has spoken to over 1 million students and community members, sparking honest discussions about substance use disorder and wellness.

In 2011, Chris grew his vision of support for others when he founded the nonprofit Herren Project. Through the organization, Chris and his team empower schools and communities to make healthy choices, while also guiding families through recovery. In 2018, Chris also founded Herren Wellness, a residential health, and wellness program that helps guests lead healthy, substance-free lives.