Justin Allen

Justin Allen grew up in Malta, Illinois (population 800) and graduated from Malta high school (student enrollment 78) in 1999 where he was a two time All-State Basketball Player and a Three Time Little Ten Conference All-Conference performer. After finishing his career at Malta High School, Justin earned a basketball scholarship to Arizona State University in the Pac-10 Conference, Justin was a member of the Arizona State University basketball team for 5 seasons (2000-2005). After a promising freshman season he was diagnosed, in the summer of 2000, with Hodgkin's disease, or type of Lymphoma Cancer. He underwent 6 months of chemotherapy and 8 weeks of radiation. During this time he had an awakening experience that will forever have changed his life. One minute he was an 18-year-old basketball player with dreams of playing for a championship and suddenly he was facing the biggest challenge of his life. Justin shifted his attention to battling not on the basketball court, but instead battling for his life. After a year long battle with cancer Justin learned that there was no sign of the tumors that once had filled his body and he immediately set his sights on a return to the court. The very next season Justin found himself on the court and in a Sun Devil Uniform. Justin played another three years at Arizona State going to the NIT tournament 2 times and the final 32 in the NCAA tournament in 2004.During his time at ASU Justin was awarded:* The Jimmy Valvano National comeback player of the year* The Gene Autry Courage Award* The NCAS Courage Award* The Sparky Golden Heart Award* Featured in"100 Heroes: People in sports who make this a better world," by Richard E. Lapchick* 3-time Pac-10 All Academic award winner.Upon graduation Justin spent five years playing professional basketball internationally in places such as Argentina, Australia, Japan, Venezuela, Kuwait, and South Korea. In 2009 Justin ended his playing career and started coaching club basketball and training youth athletes via Passion4ball, a company Justin founded to inspire athletes to use basketball as their passion to succeed along their journey. Justin is a very passionate person in life and believes in paying it forward and hopes that through Chase My Passion he will continue to inspire and motivate others to utilize their passions in life to overcome obstacles and continue down their journey in life.