'Grassroots Sizzle' Held In St. Paul To Promote Academic Excellence

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) – Professional athletes came out to the Grassroots Sizzle at the High School for Recording Arts in St. Paul Sunday afternoon.

The event is meant to encourage Twin Cities students to excel academically and stay off the streets. Organizers also want to let kids know they are cared about by people who were once in their shots.

The pro athletes who were there at Sunday's event grew up in the Twin Cities, and they know it can be hard.

"Some of these kids when they leave us, they don't know if they're going to have a meal to eat. They don't know whether or not they're going to have anywhere to go for where they're going to live and my program has been like a second home for a lot of kids," former pro football player Brian Sandifer said.

This was the fifth year for the alumni basketball game.