costs of sports expenses

PHOTO BY NIK SHULIAHIN

Kids Play Alabama seeks to shrink the gap of participation in sports by youth from lower-income families.

Playing for a Cause

All youth deserve the chance to participate in an organized sport. Kids Play Alabama is making sure they get it

Susan Downs has a heart for letting kids be kids. An extensive background in education, nonprofits, and her own experience as a single mom helped fuel that passion.

After graduating from Samford University and the University of Louisville, Susan embarked on her professional journey in education, serving as both a teacher and an administrator and then principal of three schools in Alabama and Georgia. In addition, she spent many hands-on years facilitating student leadership training, and in 1990 she also created the Junior United Nations Assembly (JUNA). JUNA won two national recognitions for outstanding programming. She’s also experienced in nonprofit management, and she worked tirelessly on the planning and grassroots efforts to bring a Curing Childhood Cancer car tag to Alabama, the sales of which have raised more than $3 million for childhood cancer research.

During all of this work, especially in education, she noticed something. “Working with lowincome families throughout my 40-plus years in education, it became quite apparent that there exist many obstacles that prevent some children from participating in experiences that the rest of us take for granted,” says Susan. “I feel strongly in the benefits that playing a sport provides, and I wanted to see that available to all children.”

As a single mom who experienced the financial

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struggles of keeping her kids in year-round sports, Susan could relate to the hardship, and that inspired her to start Kids Play Alabama, a nonprofit that seeks to provide scholarships to youths across the state who need assistance with sports expenses, including registration costs, uniforms, shoes, and equipment—which, of course, helps kids to be kids. In addition to founder, Susan is also the organization’s executive director.

According to research, organized sports not only promote a healthy lifetsyle, but they also provide structure and constructive activity, improve academic performance, and encourage participation in the community. All great things, to be sure, but as Susan points out, “Alabama is the fifth-poorest state, with 250,000 children living below the poverty level.” Despite the benefits, this means there are many families barely making ends meet who cannot afford to cover the additional costs of organized sports.

As noted on the Kids Play Alabama website, sports have been part of Americana since the early 1900s. Each year, 45 million children play an organized sport in this country. But because of the huge gap between youth participation from lower-income families versus those from middle- to high-income families, playing a sport has become a luxury. “Kids Play Alabama removes this financial obstacle by paying the registration fees and related expenses for families who are incapable of paying,” says Susan.

Their mission is simple but profound: Kids Play Alabama is committed to making sure every kid has the chance to play. By helping families with these extra costs, Kids Play Alabama is empowering youth to participate in sports, in turn helping them to develop teamwork and leadership skills and confidence, as well as improved health and school performance. “We believe in the positive impact that sports can have on young lives,” says Susan. “And we provide assistance for kids to play who otherwise would not have that opportunity.”

Though the organization is brand-new, they’ve set a goal to provide 100 scholarships to youth across the state in the first year. (They will begin accepting applications in January.) “This is totally dependent on our raising the necessary funds,” Susan points out. “We have applied for grants from local organizations and corporations, but we also need donations to help us reach our goal.” A quote from Sue Castle, Executive Producer of PBS Sports: Get in the Game, on the Kids Play Alabama website sums up the importance of the organization’s mission: “The evidence supporting sports participation for young people is overwhelming...It has the power to combat everything from racism to low self-image to the high school dropout rate.”

PHOTO BY KEITH JOHNSTON

Playing an organized youth sport helps kids to develop skills such as teamwork and leadership, as well as growing confidence, instilling healthy habits, and boosting academic performance.

THE PLAY BY PLAY

• Grants are available for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade.

• All organized sports qualify. • Grants are issued on a first-come, first-served basis to families who qualify as funds are available.

• Families may apply for assistance up to four times per year per child. • Grants cover the cost of sports registration fees and additional expenses such as uniforms and shoes.

• The initial application should be completed online. • Kids Play Alabama is a 501(c) (3) public charity. For more information, to submit an application, or make a donation, visit kidsplayalabama.org.