Feel Good Friday - Good Sports

Health and fitness is top of mind for many of us in the new year. Today’s Feel Good Friday organization, Good Sports, is focused on physical activity year round.

Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Braintree, Massachusetts, “Good Sports drives equitable access in youth sports and physical activity, by supporting children in high-need communities to achieve their greatest potential, on the field and in life.” 

The benefits of children playing sports include improvements to their mental and physical health but the cost of equipment and apparel can be prohibitive. That’s where Good Sports comes in. 

Working directly with the sporting goods industry, Good Sports obtains a variety of athletic gear, apparel and footwear which they store in their 37,000 square foot warehouse. It’s quite a change from the early days of driving around with trunks full of basketballs. You can watch this 5-minute video to hear the founders discuss how the program has evolved over the last 20 years.

Organizations around the U.S. with programs that serve youth, such as schools or parks and recreation programs, can apply for equipment donations. Once approved, they are given access to an online catalog to order available equipment. The team at Good Sports wants to help these groups increase the total amount of youth participants, enhance the experience for all young people involved, and create new opportunities in physical activity for the kids they serve. Since 2003, Good Sports has reached over 9.3 million kids with more than $95 million worth of equipment!

If you’re not ready to work on your own physical fitness but want to make sure kids around the country have access to sports and play, there are many ways you can get involved with Good Sports. People living in the greater Boston area can volunteer in the warehouse. No matter where you live you can make a donation and amplify their message on social media. Follow Good Sports on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn and subscribe to their YouTube channel