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Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) refers to athletes’ rights to earn compensation from their personal brand through partnerships including social media endorsements, autograph signings, player events and camps, and the like.  

All NCAA athletes are permitted to participate and, in some cases, high school athletes may partake, though specific state laws need to be considered. Specifically for Texas and as of Jan. 2026, high school athletes (under UIL rules) cannot sign NIL deals until they have graduated high school and enrolled in college. Some exceptions exist for prospective student athletes aged 17 or older, though it is important to understand UIL rules as well as NIL Texas law to ensure there are no violations prior to college enrollment. 

The NIL landscape is constantly changing.  While Texas does not allow anyone under the age of 17 to accept NIL deals, other states have started to allow for high school participation.  It is imperative that high school students start building their personal athlete brand NOW to gain an audience, increase their reach, and make themselves an asset to potential NIL deals and organizations once eligible. 

Dala Communications Athlete Branding Workshop helps high school and collegiate athletes begin thinking about NIL and how they could gain the competitive edge to earn deals by educating themselves early on the tools, content and resources they will need to navigate the business of sports. We teach students to start thinking about their social media footprint professionally, creating their personal story – their “why” – that matches their value set while increasing their self-confidence and understanding of how to advocate for themselves and generate partnerships. 

Dala Communications feels it is never too early to start working toward professional development, gaining communication skills, understanding media training, and creating a strong personal brand. By starting NIL training in high school, athletes will have an advantage over collegiate athletes. Techniques discussed during athlete branding workshops will empower athletes and provide the skills to develop a strong social media following, discover their personal interests and goals, and create value for future partnerships.  

While NIL is focused on athletes specifically, our workshop can also benefit all high school students, college groups, or club team players looking to create a strong personal brand.  After participating in Dala Communications Athlete Branding Workshop, students begin to understand business deals, gain confidence and negotiation skills, and the competitive edge over their peers.  

Participants will learn how to become more business savvy by honing communication and professional development skills, while building confidence for any business interview or recruitment scenario. Developing an understanding of personal branding, media, business, and negotiation at an early age will set up students for opportunities in college and professional advancement, while also teaching them the skills needed to connect with brands that align with personal stories and values. 

Dala Communications Athlete Branding Workshop can be catered to student groups of any size. Our training gives a team and/or school an advantage over the competition.  By preparing your students for the ever-changing NIL landscape, athletes and students are gaining confidence, developing networking and relationship building skills, and creating a professional presence on and off the field. And your school/club sports team can promote this as a value-add and recruitment tool for families, giving your organization a competitive advantage.

Dala Communications offers a variety of packages based on needs of the team, school or athlete. We can work with groups as small as 10 and go up from there. Contact us today to discuss your project scope and let’s begin creating your athlete’s playbook for success.  

Our participants will leave the Athlete Branding Workshop with a further understanding of what is important to them personally. That is the starting point to developing an effective and sustainable personal brand. Additionally, they will have the assets and confidence to create an “elevator speech” about themselves to pitch to organizations, a beginning list of companies they feel might be good partnership targets based on personal beliefs and values, as well as basic media training, and much more. Students will leave with the tools to increase their social media footprint, confidence to advocate for themselves, and the competitive advantage, knowledge, and poise to succeed in life.

Our workshop and athlete branding education program are unique and the content is driven by Leah and Lesley’s 20+ years of experience in PR and sports marketing. Together, they're translating proven strategies from professional sports and high-level communications counsel and putting them into a playbook for high school athletes. Most agencies bring either PR skills or sports experience—Leah and Lesley bring both. They understand what makes a story resonate, the pitfalls that can ruin sports careers, relationships and reputations, and most importantly, what brands want in a student-athlete partnership.  

While social media is a key component in creating a personal image and building a following, it is also imperative athletes have a general understanding of how NIL deals work, the negotiation process, proactive and reactive reputation management, potential mistakes to avoid in partnerships, as well as the confidence to advocate for themselves, develop strong communication skills and discover their authentic selves.  

The Dala Communications Athlete Branding Workshop will address each of these areas. This is where elite-level branding strategy meets the high school playing field—and where your athlete learns to own their narrative before college. Athletes will leave with the tools to discover their brand, define their value, and dominate their future.