Players Health to Award Micro-Grants to Help Parents Pay for Their Child to Play Youth Sports

At Players Health, our mission is to create the safest & most accessible environments possible for athletes to play the sports they love. And, we understand that barriers–financial, logistical, and geographical–to sports access exist for many families. The average cost for a child to play a sport–$693–can be out of reach. Tyrre Burks, CEO of Players Health, is determined to break down those financial barriers and help parents provide the opportunity for their children to participate. 

“In honor of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, The Players Health Foundation will recognize the sacrifices parents and guardians make for their children to play sports, and alleviate the financial burdens some families face by awarding 75 micro-grants in the amount of $693 to young athletes in the United States,” said Burks. “We hope that these micro-grants empower kids to start to dream again, that they are introduced to a sport that they love, and [that they] unlock a child’s full potential of what they can accomplish in their life.”

The average child today spends less than three years playing a sport, quitting by age 11, and cost can be a deciding factor as to whether a child will continue playing sports into their teen years. A 2015 survey found that about one in three parents from households making less than $50,000 per year report that the cost of youth sports programs makes it difficult for their child to continue participating. Additionally, fewer than a quarter (24%) of kids ages 6-12 from households making $25,000 or less played sports on a regular basis, compared to almost half (43%) of kids whose parents earned $100,000 or more. Other factors limiting participation include scheduling conflicts associated with work, family responsibilities, caring for younger siblings, and transportation challenges.

Burks knows first-hand how challenging it can be for a parent to provide the opportunity for their child to play sports. He credits his mother for her dedication and recognizes the sacrifices she made to make sure he could play the sports he loved.

“I was raised by a single mother, and my mom worked two or three jobs my whole life. The day I decided to play sports, my mom supported me one hundred percent. I don’t know how she did it, but even working multiple jobs, she never missed a game,” Burks said. “She was the ultimate team mom who supported all the kids on the team.” 

With The Players Health Foundation and these micro-grants, he hopes to alleviate some of the burdens his mother faced for other parents while fostering their child’s love of playing sports. 

“I think my mom faced a lot of challenges as a single parent. Any parent wants the best for their kids, and when your kid has big dreams, you want to support them–and I had some really big dreams,” said Burks. “She worked overtime to make sure that I never had to worry about having what I needed to play football. I know that placed a lot of stress on her, and I’m grateful for everything she did to make sure I had access to play sports.”

Enter to be considered for a Players Health micro-grant

To be considered for a micro-grant, complete the application form here by 11:59pm CT on Sunday, June 19, 2022. Winners will be notified within 72 hours of the application close date via email. View Players Health Terms and Conditions here and the Players Health Privacy Policy here.

Sources: The Aspen Institute 2021 Project Play Report, The Aspen Institute Project Play Youth Sports Facts Report