MANCHESTER, NH – NH Urban Sport, a recreational sports league, will receive $1,000 from DICK’S Sporting Goods, which inspires and enables youth participation in sports throughout the community, for the league’s youth flag football program. The community sponsorship will create scholarships to support lower-income families.
“I grew up in inner-city Manchester, and I know the value sports brought to my life for building my values,” said Jesus Salamanca, CEO of NH Urban Sport. “Thanks to the generosity of individual donors, we were already able to purchase new equipment to start the program. This sponsorship will allow us to offer scholarships to the children who need it most. Also, a huge thank you to the City of Manchester Parks and Recreation department for providing immaculate places where kids can play.”
There’s a participating gap in youth sports between lower-income families and those from middle-and higher-income families. Research from the RAND Corporation, a nonprofit research institution, shows that only 52 percent of students from lower-income families participate in sports. Of which, nearly 42 percent say that the main reason for not participating in sports is because of finances and the high cost of youth sports programs.
“Sports make people better by building character, increasing confidence and teaching life lessons that extend well beyond the playing field,” said Matt Catacchio, community marketing manager at DICK’S Sporting Goods. “Because of the lack of budget, many communities can’t provide appropriate access to youth sports programs, which is why we provide strategic sponsorships that focus on the places that need the most help.”
Since 2014 DICK’S Sporting Goods has helped more than 1 million youth play sports across all 50 states. DICK’S Sporting Goods’ Community Program proudly supports leagues, teams, athletes and outdoor enthusiasts. We support thousands of youth sports and outdoor recreation organizations in communities surrounding our stores. The Manchester DICK’s Sporting Goods is located at the Mall Of New Hampshire.
The NH Urban Sport youth flag football program will be played on Saturdays between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. which started on August 22 at Thibault Field in Manchester. Teams are built out based on age brackets. NH Urban Sport adult and youth leagues are played in accordance with the orders, preventative measures and recommendations from the State of New Hampshire, NH Department of Health and Center for Disease Control (CDC).
To sign up visit nhurbansport.com, or to learn more about volunteering as a coach, please email jms@nhurbansport.com.