It’s Personal

Back when I was a second grader, the looming dread of daily morning drop-off would set in as soon as I reluctantly rolled out of bed. Just thinking of leaving the cozy security of home to step into a classroom full of familiar yet distant faces would make my heart sink.

But then, I started playing basketball during recess and it was a game-changer. I always loved shooting around with my brother and now, on the blacktop, I could finally show the world what I was good at. Suddenly, I found a burning ambition to perfect my 3-point-shot, a crew of buddies to debate Warriors' stats with, and a surge of confidence that extended beyond the court. 

Since then, sports have been an inextricable part of my identity and I’ve loved everything from the adrenaline rush of running the 400m relay to the camaraderie of basketball and baseball. This is just a tiny example of the incredible power of sport and why every kid deserves the shot to experience its magic.

But here's the thing: access to sports is far from equal. Research shows that low-income kids are six times more likely to quit sports due to rising costs. I also personally learned that a local public school, adjacent to the wealthiest zip code in the country, had a total budget of $0 for sports! ZERO. And you know what? The benefits of sports go way beyond the field. Kids who play sports get better grades, and they're healthier, both physically and mentally. 

With that lens I started noticing how much great gear was being wasted around me. Bins in our garage were overflowing with outgrown gear. Even my school and travel teams had all of this great equipment just sitting in storage, doing nothing. It got me thinking – why not do something about it? Why not collect all this gear and give it to kids in our community who could really use it?