The great thing about working in sports is that there are several different ways to get involved. Whether you want to work in operations, social media, sales, coaching, or anything else under the sports umbrella, you will usually have the chance to apply for your dream job. However, an area of sports that is typically overlooked, yet makes the greatest impact for a community, is sports philanthropy.
For example, the NFL Foundation has donated over $370 million to charity over the past 40 years, and Girls Club co-founder Delaney Galbraith currently works for the Boston Bruins Foundation which promotes community health and wellness through giving back in the form of philanthropy. Both these non-profits give back to the communities they are a part of and are a great way to start getting involved in sports.
A favorite philanthropy of mine is the McMorris Foundation founded by my favorite athlete and snowboarder, Mark McMorris, and his brother, snowboarder-turned-commentator, Craig. The McMorris Foundation aims to create a more affordable, accessible, and inclusive sport culture in Canada.
Since 2012, the McMorris Foundation has raised over $250,000 and created athletic opportunities for Canadian youth who live below the poverty line. The biggest goal Mark and Craig have is to help kids experience the joy and power of sport the same way they did—sport can be life-changing if one only had the opportunity to participate in it.
On June 18, the McMorris Foundation will have its third Annual Celebrity Slow Pitch Tournament that will feature twelve partner teams going head-to-head on the baseball diamond, with each participating in a raffle to secure their favorite celebrity to play alongside them. The public is encouraged to attend the free event which also includes free celebrity meet and greets, beer garden, and food vendors, with one hundred percent of proceeds going to helping youth find their passion through sport.
For more information on the McMorris Foundation, you can visit their website here. For information and resources on sports philanthropy, https://sportsphilanthropynetwork.org/ is a great website to check out to see how you can get involved. From athletes like Drew Brees and Tom Brady to teams like the Lakers and Florida Lightning, there are tons of foundations created by and created for sports. It’s never too early to get started, and volunteering for your favorite athlete or team is a fun and worthwhile way to get your foot in the door in the sports field.