The use of athletics and sports with people recovering from substance abuse disorders has been well documented. Athletics has many positive advantages that lend itself to addictions treatment. This article discusses the concept of using sports to promote recovery involvement for African-American youth from the viewpoint of a scholar-practitioner-athlete and a scholar-practitioner/former professional athlete. Drawing upon the addictions literature and experiences in athletics, youth programming and addictions, the authors discuss similarities between sports and recovery and address the need for more sports programming with African-American youth as a supplement to traditional treatment programs. Abstract published by arrangement with Taylor and Francis.