Sponsoring a Player: What Your Gift Really Does

Every season, there are children in our community who want to play but whose families are struggling to cover the cost. Sometimes it is a single parent with several children. Sometimes it is a family facing a job loss, a medical bill or a difficult year. Player sponsorships help those children join their friends on the field. Here is what a sponsorship does and why it matters.

The cost of playing

Registration fees help cover the true costs of youth sports: insurance, league dues, officials, uniforms and equipment. Even in a volunteer-run program that keeps fees as low as possible, those costs can be a burden for families on tight budgets. Add cleats, mouthguards and other personal gear, and the total can be enough to make a family say no.

How sponsorships help

A player sponsorship helps cover part or all of a child's registration. Sponsorship funds are pooled into a scholarship fund, which the association uses to help families who request assistance. Requests are handled privately, so children are never singled out.

The impact on a child

For a child, being able to play means far more than a few hours of practice each week. It means:

• Being part of a team with friends and classmates.
• Learning new skills and gaining confidence.
• Having positive adult role models in coaches.
• Staying active and healthy.
• Having something to look forward to.

For children going through difficult times at home, a team can provide structure, support and a sense of belonging that is hard to find elsewhere.

The impact on a family

For families, a sponsorship lifts a burden and lets them give their child an experience they might otherwise have had to deny. Many parents tell us how much it means to see their child included.

The impact on the community

When every child who wants to play can play, the whole community benefits. Teams are stronger, friendships cross neighborhood and income lines and more children grow up connected to their town.

Who sponsors players

Player sponsors come from many places. Some are former players who remember what the program meant to them. Some are grandparents whose own grandchildren play. Some are local businesses that want to give back. Some are neighbors who simply believe every child deserves a chance.

How to sponsor a player

You can support our Player Scholarship Fund with a one-time gift or a monthly donation. When you give, you can designate your gift to the scholarship fund to ensure it goes directly to helping children register. Gifts of any size are welcome, and every contribution helps.

A note of confidentiality

We take the privacy of families seriously. Sponsors do not receive the names of the children they help, and families who receive assistance are never identified publicly. What sponsors receive is the knowledge that their gift helped a child play.

Thank you

To everyone who has sponsored a player, thank you. Your generosity has helped children join a team, make friends and grow in ways that will last a lifetime.