Justin Miller calls it a blessing — a well-timed one, at that.

Miller is league director of North Main Upward Sports, a youth basketball and cheerleading organization run through the North Main Street Church of God.

The organization had 34 basketball teams and two cheerleading squads this past season. And it is now $1,000 richer, courtesy of a grant through the Gatorade Play It Forward program.

Gatorade Play It Forward enables each of the 607 State Gatorade Player of the Year recipients to award a $1,000 grant from Gatorade to a community organization that helps young athletes realize the benefits of playing sports.

Butler senior Ethan Morton was named Gatorade's Pennsylvania Boys Basketball Player of the Year this season.

“Ethan chose us to receive that grant,” Miller said. “It really is a blessing. We raise scholarship money each year through a summer camp that Melinda Rhoads puts on for us. That money goes toward helping kids who otherwise could not afford to be part of our program.

“That grant money can serve as the scholarship money this year. It really is well-timed.”

Rhoads' camp had to be canceled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She is the mother of former Slippery Rock High School girls basketball standout Jence Rhoads, who is a former Gatorade Player of the Year in her own right.

“Melinda pointed out that these grants weren't part of the award back when Jence won,” Miller said. “That shows how far the Gatorade program has come along.”

North Main Upward Sports isn't doing too badly, either.

The program debuted with 70 kids seven years ago. It had 290 kids this year.

Among them was Noah Morton — a kindergartner and Ethan's younger brother. Morton's father, former Moniteau 1,000-point scorer Ryan Morton, helps coach in the league.

“I went to a couple of practices there and it was cool to see,” Ethan said. “They're doing awesome work with those kids and they're promoting and building the sport that I love.

“It was an easy decision to earmark that money to them.”

North Main Upward Sports serves kids from kindergarten through sixth grade. Each team practices one hour per week and plays games on Saturday.

Teams are placed into divisions based on similar abilities. Kindergarten through fourth grade teams play cross-court, fifth and sixth-grade teams play full-court.

“We only have the one court, so we're running games from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.,” Miller said. “We're looking into using another gym or partnering with other churches as we continue to grow.”

Ethan Morton is not surprised by the program's popularity.

“It's not just about basketball,” he said. “They teach the kids about life. I know that money will be put to good use.

“Programs like this are why this community is so great. Justin is doing an amazing job there. They provide a great starting point for kids and I'm glad to play a small part in helping out.”