Where are the Other Kids?

Last week while sitting around talking with parents at Luke's soccer practice, it hit me that I was the poorest parent there.  No surprise as we live of a missionary's salary.  But as I heard them talk about all the expenses of children's sports and I contemplated how Robin & I thought through our budget in order to find money to pay for soccer.

But my thought wasn't 'woe is me'.   It was was 'what do all the underprivileged kids in our community do?'   It hit me that they can't be involved in recreational sports.   I don't even know.  Maybe Lafayette cuts families with little or no incomes a break.  But then how to they pay for the cleats, socks with the required shin guards, gifts for coaches, etc?  How do working single moms get their sons to practices?  Where are they?

I got this idea I have been toying with... what if we had a league for under-privileged kids?  And what if we got business & the faith communities to donate equipment and coaching?  As I have shared this with others, I have come across a few potential roadblocks.  Like where can we find fields for these kids?   How will we get them to practices and games?

Yesterday I threw my idea out to a good friend who loves sports and cares about the community.   Coach Donny had a more brilliant idea.  Instead of starting a separate league, why not have each team sponsor a number of unprivileged kids?  (Genius!) The parents (or sponsors) chip in to buy equipment and take it own to get the kids to practices.   That way they participant with the other kids at the same level.  No need for more coaches or soccer fields or refs or whole separate organizations.  You level the playing field.

So here's the dilemma...  I have the idea so I can't let it die.  I'd like to go meet with those in power to make this happen - those in agenecies that serve the poor, school officals, city rec officals, those in the faith community.  My goal is to say a year from now to have it where every kid in Lafayette Colorado can particapnt in city rec sports just like my kids can - at least soccer and baseball.

If you live in Lafayette and want to help me make this dream happen, feel free to contact me.