Sandy “Spin” Slade a former professional basketball entertainer, is a developer of popular products for the physical education market and motivational speaker and teacher. The path started with basketball.

Sandy always loved to play basketball, but when she was 12, living in a small town in northern Wisconsin she decided that she would become an expert basketball handler and entertain others. She would spin basketballs like no one else. Lucky for Sandy, her parents did not laugh; they just found a source for discounts on basketballs. Her first performance was when she was 14.

Great ball handling earned her a scholarship and a spot on the Fresno State Women’s Bulldog’s team and an appearance on Letterman. Her parents may have thought that college would put her on the road to another career, but she got hooked on entertaining and making people happy. Starting with the Chicago Bulls in 1987, Sandy has entertained at hundreds of NBA, WNBA and collegiate games and is known as one of the premier ball handlers in the world.

Sandy went on to combine her phenomenal physical skills with a powerful motivational message to inspire kids to conquer their limitations, traveling to schools at all levels around the country. In addition Sandy conducted basketball camps for young athletes and instructional workshops for coaches and physical education teachers.

Conducting as many as 200 sessions a year in our nation’s schools, Sandy observed a disturbing decline in fitness levels in children (even those active in sports), increased obesity and the reduction of physical education programs nationwide. Instructors limited in class time, were constantly looking for ideas and resources to make the most out each and every class. Many kids, accustomed to inactivity lacked motivation and interest in physical fitness at all.

Sandy is convinced that if kids think of exercise as fun, they will get hooked and start a lifestyle of fitness and better health. In addition they can realize the positive mental aspects of fitness or sports training. That is philosophy behind her Skillastics™ Games: making fitness fun and getting kids moving!

After 20 years, Sandy has retired from performing professionally, though she can still spin eight basketballs simultaneously. In addition to expanding her line of Skillastics™ educational products, Sandy has expanded her instructional workshops for adults. Sought after to design workshops for coaches and physical education instructors, Sandy now takes her messages of conquering limitations and physical well being into the corporate world.

Sandy is a member of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) and the associations Cailfornia chapter. In 2002 she received the Distinguished Service Award from the Girls and Women in Sport Association for the state of California. In January of 2004, Sandy was invited to present her Skillastics™ brand games at a special program at the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.