Every child deserves the chance to be a champion.
Our Mission Statement
The Gold Gear Project runs on the belief that every child deserves the chance to be a champion. In our communities, there are kids who may not be able to participate and/or excel in sports due to limited resources. Our goal is to connect these kids with giving members of the community with the purpose of filling that gap. Through donations of sports related gear we hope to level the playing field for all kids, so every child has an equal opportunity to be their best.
What Our Goal Is
The Gold Gear Project connects the members of our community with student from the local schools. Currently, we are starting with student from middle school and later plan to expand so high school students can also be involved. Today our focus is reaching as many members of the community and sharing what the Gold Gear Project is all about.
Why We Care
It’s no secret that the world of youth sports is becoming more crowed, expensive and competitive by the season. As a result it’s becoming more of a challenge for kids to excel in sports even with every advantage. The socioeconomic disparity between families translates into some kids not being able to afford to get involved or possibly continue playing sports. The Aspen Institute Project Play, an organization devoted to ensuring all children have access to sports, has looked at the evolution of youth sports and specifically certain cultural changes that have impacted our communities. One of the areas that Project Play focuses on is economic resources and it’s impact on participation in youth sports.
Today’s complex youth sport system necessitates significant resources to develop an athlete and play competitive sports (Sport Participation Rates Among Underserved American Youth, University of Florida’s Sport Policy & Research Collaborative, 2014). Travel-team parents spend an average of $2,266 annually on their child’s sports participation, and at the elite levels some families spend more than $20,000 per year. The barriers to participation emerge early, with the rise of grade-school travel teams and elite sport training options not accessible to many lower-income kids.
–The Aspen Institute Project Play–
The inaccessibility of sports for a significant portion of families has residual effects that are seen long into adulthood. The skills that are developed in sports and the connections that are made are invaluable. Offering the opportunity to play sports could make a huge difference in a child’s life. The Gold Gear Project strives to alleviate some of the burden that families face by connecting our community with students in need of support in order to participate in sports.
How To Get Involved
If you are a community member who wants to help a kid participate in sports we are asking for donations of sports related equipment, ranging from a new mouth guard to a pair of cleats, a water bottle to a lacrosse stick. We will match you with a student who has asked for help.
If you are a student who is unable to afford your sports related gear we encourage you to reach out to us. All requests for equipment will be handled with discretion and students and their families with remain anonymous unless otherwise requested.
If you are a educational connector we’d like to hear from you. The Gold Gear Project is only as successful as the connections we make. If you are a coach, counselor or teacher and would like to find out more information or like to recommend a student please contact us.
We encourage you to use our contact form, whether you are a community member, student or a connector. We will respond to your requests personally.
We appreciate your commitment to ensuring that the students of our community are afforded every opportunity to get involved in and benefit from playing sports.
