Vol. 3, June 2024
Hi , welcome to the June issue of the Lineup! In this month’s issue, we’re going to explore:
- Our new Executive Director
- Project Play Summit insights
- How to keep kids engaged in sports
- Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and U.S. Soccer
We’re sure you’ll enjoy this engaging and informative read!
– James Suri, Marketing Director, Every Kid Sports
Field notes.
Eleana Fanaika Named new Executive Director
Every Kid Sports is thrilled to announce the appointment of Eleana Fanaika as its new Executive Director. Eleana brings a wealth of experience and passion for youth sports, having dedicated her career to ensuring every kid has access to the benefits of playing youth sports
Project Play Summit
63X30
Members of our team recently attended the Project Play Summit in Baltimore where we learned about the Achieving Healthy People 2030 youth sports participation goal that could save the United States $80 billion in direct medical costs and productivity losses and deliver over 1.8 million more quality years of life to Americans. Backed by decades of research, the study simulates what could happen if our nation’s youth sports participation grew from the current level of 50.7% to the Healthy People 2030’s goal of 63.3%.
Proactive mental health strategies to support kids in their sports journey
Statistics suggest that 70% of kids drop out of sports by 13. That’s a huge number of kids who are missing out on crucial life skills like mentorship, discipline, perseverance, and more starting at such a vulnerable age. This Psychology Today article explores 3 strategies to help prevent that dropout rate from growing.
Partner spotlight.
Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Supports the Growth of Soccer
Thanks to support from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, the U.S. Soccer Federation broke ground on the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center in April, a state-of-the-art facility made possible by a generous $50 million contribution from Arthur M. Blank. This center will serve as a hub for all 27 U.S. Soccer National Teams, fostering the growth of soccer across the country and fulfilling the Federation’s strategic goals.
The Score.
Powerful. Data.
We’re able to collect powerful data from our grant applicants. For example, parents/guardians who received funding from Every Kid Sports shared these noticeable differences in their kids after receiving access to sports:
45%
noticed their kids were doing better in school.
59%
saw a decrease in the amount of time their kids were spending on screens.
38%
saw an improvement in their kid’s physical health.
41%
shared that their kid has a better self-image.
64%
noticed their kids self-esteem has improved.
As we gear up for our next season of providing kids access to sports, we’re interested in hearing what kind of data you would be interested in seeing?
Player profiles.
Get in the game.
Interested in helping kids develop through sports?
The Mission and Vision of Every Kid Sports
Our mission is to find and facilitate the funding that helps kids from income-restricted families participate in youth sports so they, too, can experience the positive benefits of playing.
Our vision is to widen the current youth sports participation model so it includes kids from income-restricted families, providing every kid an equal opportunity to play youth sports, regardless of socio-economic status.
