Ruben Leads

Ruben Hyppolite II is an undisputed leader on the football field for the University of Maryland, as evidenced by his teammates' selection of him as one of their 2023 team captains. 

The fifth-year linebacker studying communication is also a leader off the field. He was the first guest speaker for LEAD Camp’s Entrepreneur High School Boot Camp at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School on June 18. LEAD Camp provides sessions to help children develop into leaders and entrepreneurs while emphasizing athletic development. Hyppolite provided perspective on Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) opportunities and how athletes are evolving into entrepreneurs. 

LEAD Camp teaches kids necessary life skills while having fun and allowing them to discover their talents. Campers have the opportunity to explore entrepreneurship in a variety of industries; learn idea creation, branding, presenting and public speaking; create a product or service as a team to develop, promote and market; listen and interact with special guest speakers; learn leadership skills; and develop problem-solving and teambuilding skills.

Hyppolite spoke to a class of high school students and answered questions for roughly an hour. He covered topics such as NIL, taxes, the transfer postal, and how they can all impact oneself and a team. 

“These are young adults touching a large amount of money, and sometimes certain children are not fortunate enough to be taught how to handle their money or advise their money financially,” Hyppolite said. 

He continued. “It can be good getting deals and getting money rolling in, but you have to take care of your taxes and save up. I just think it's important to teach people how to manage money. Kids under 18 can touch six figures if they have their Name, Image and Likeness up there. We need to teach children who are athletes and even those who aren’t, so everybody and every player can understand NIL.”

Local entrepreneurs and youth sports experts Steve Sclafani and Rob Naddelman created LEAD Camp. The pair previously turned their passion for sports and helping kids into Factory Athletics, a company that holds over 1,000 baseball and softball camps across America. Over the years, Factory Athletics has helped over 100,000 athletes earn $1 billion in college scholarships.

Sclafani started Factory Athletics at 23 but recently sold it to Ripken Baseball. However, his desire to empower the youth has stayed. Sclafani was teaching a business course at Georgetown when he realized he could deploy the many skills and knowledge he had taught college students to children earlier in life. Therefore, LEAD Camp was born. 

Sclafani is also an adjunct professor at Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. He formed a relationship with Hyppolite after he guest spoke in his BMGT 758D: Special Topics in Business and Management; Name, Image and Likeness class. 

The master’s course launched in January was the Smith School’s first entry into the NIL space. The course teaches students how to foster personal brands, understand the current available NIL resources and adapt to the ever-changing policies associated with NIL deals and collegiate sports.

Sclafani says Hyppolite, a 2022 Academic All-Big Ten selection, provided first-hand knowledge of the NIL space as a student-athlete capitalizing on its long-term benefits in both guest appearances.  

“I think Ruben does a great job of having a larger perspective of what's important,” he said.  “How to build his brand, not just for the short term, but for the long term. I was so impressed with how part of his goal is to gather experience for his future, and that's one of the positives of NIL.”

Hyppolite says his experiences with NIL at the University of Maryland allow him to give valuable insight. The student-athlete has done numerous deals through Opendorse, the official Maryland Terrapins marketplace for NIL deals, and other platforms. 

“I think Maryland does a great job with their NIL program,” Hyppolite said. “I think our football team does a great job of making sure that we're getting exposed to many brands, opportunities and partnerships that can last 40 years and not just four years.” 

Above all else, Hyppolite wanted the LEAD Camp participants to understand that NIL has a complex and ever-changing landscape. It’s imperative that student-athletes fully understand what it is and what it is not. 

“It's not just a pay-for-play scenario,” Hyppolite said. “We’re actually doing things in the community, making a difference and then getting compensated on behalf of that. The work is being put in, and then we earn our dollars. I think we do a great job of emphasizing that.”

Hyppolite was awarded a 2024 Maryland Advocacy Award, given to Terrapin student-athletes who use their voice to champion a cause that promotes the betterment of their communities. They demonstrate a commitment to positive change and educating those around them while presenting themselves responsibly and with integrity. Hyppolite also received the 2023 ICA Community Service Terp Award, given to student-athletes who excelled in public service to the community. 

Sclafani expressed that Hyppolite was a well-versed speaker on NIL and a great role model for the LEAD Camp participants. 

“He has some partner and sponsor deals, but he's also very driven to give back,” Sclafani said. “[He’s] such a great role model. … Here's a top football player who I think is doing things the right way. He was a great role model for the kids.”