BOSTON – With resources tight in today’s economy, school and community sports leagues are feeling the financial pinch and young athletes are feeling the pain. Lack of funding for some programs translates to insufficient equipment and facilities in disrepair; while for some struggling families, the cost of league fees and equipment expenses may be too high for their children to participate.
And, according to the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) survey the outlook isn’t much rosier: a December 2010 survey found schools around the nation are bracing for additional extracurricular budget cuts this coming year, on the heels of an April 2010 survey that found more than half of school administrators (52 percent) had planned to cut these activities during the last school year. To help alleviate financial burdens for 20 youth sports organizations and schools around the nation and the families in their communities, Liberty Mutual Insurance today announces the spring 2011 recipients of $65,000 in Responsible Sports™ grants.
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The grant award program is part of Responsible Sports, a community-based initiative developed by Liberty Mutual in partnership with Positive Coaching Alliance and several national youth sports governing bodies. For the past four years, Responsible Sports, through these strategic partnerships and numerous outreach programs, has become a leader in providing resources, tools, tips and advice to youth sports coaches and parents.
Parents, coaches, club and school officials earned the grants through a grassroots effort to get as many community members as possible to complete an online course on sports mentoring at www.ResponsibleSports.com on behalf of their program. Out of hundreds of groups who participated in the program, this elite line up of 20 youth sports organizations and schools across the country earned the most quiz credits, based on population size, to earn the grants:
Youth Sports Organizations ($2,500 Responsible Sports grants each)
- Afton Junior Golf League; Afton, Wyo.
- Carolina Show Ski Team; Tega Cay, S.C.
- Central Missouri Volleyball Club; Jefferson City, Mo.
- Cherokee Pride Softball; Woodstock, Ga.
- Downey FC BU10; Downey, Calif.
- East Bay United Soccer Club; Berkeley, Calif.
- Hype Family Foundation AAU Basketball; Seattle, Wash.
- Kiski Area Soccer League; Apollo, Pa.
- Northshire Hockey Association; Manchester, Vt.
- Philadelphia Area Disc Alliance; Philadelphia, Pa.
- Pickerington Area Soccer Association; Pickerington, Ohio
- Rocklin Girls Fastpitch Softball League; Rocklin, Calif.
- South County Riptides Baseball; Wakefield, R.I.
- Smithfield Youth Soccer Association; Smithfield, R.I.
Schools ($5,000 Responsible Sports grants each)
- Blue Springs South High School; Blue Springs, Mo.
- Hillsdale High School; San Mateo, Calif.
- North Smithfield High School; North Smithfield, R.I.
- Park View High School; South Hill, Va.
- Union Ridge School; Harwood Heights, Ill.
- Woodland Hills High School – Cheerleading; Pittsburgh, Pa.
“These 20 youth organizations and schools have established a relationship between the playing field, the sidelines and the stands that is creating a positive experience for their athletes and communities,” said Greg Gordon, Liberty Mutual Insurance senior vice president, Consumer Marketing. “By doing so, they’ve also been able to earn increasingly hard-to-find funding for their organizations.”
More than $415,000 in Support for Youth Sports Organizations
Since its creation in 2007, the Liberty Mutual Responsible Sports Program has provided more than $415,000 in funding to nearly 150 youth sports organizations and schools across the United States. Liberty Mutual’s Responsible Sports Grants have helped pay for new equipment and uniforms, renovations to practice facilities, and scholarships that cover league costs for children in need. Liberty Mutual created the Responsible Sports program as a means to celebrate the positive impact that every day, responsible actions can have on our youth as well as support the volunteer youth sports coaches and parents who help our children succeed both on and off the field.
Another round of Responsible Sports Grants will open in the fall. Once again, the 20 youth sports organizations and schools who promote the highest level of participation in the Responsible Sports online quiz at www.ResponsibleSports.com between September 1 and November 30 will be eligible to win the grants.
