Changing lives through sports

Imagine not having the opportunity to play a sport when you were younger. Or not having the right equipment, a proper field, or a coach who guided you.  Three Oklahoma City non-profits are making sure there are plenty of opportunities for kids in need to make sports a part of their life.

Oklahoma City Police Athletic League
The Oklahoma City Police Athletic League (OKC PAL) not only offers a safe place for kids to play, it helps build strong relationships between police officers and local youth.

In partnership with Oklahoma City Public Schools, OKC PAL offers athletic programs, martial arts, leadership skills training and service opportunities both during and after school. Elementary athletic leagues are also offered, taking place on the weekends or after school.

Cleats for Kids (C4K)
An abundance of outgrown and no-longer-needed sports equipment helped create C4K back in 2011.

C4K provides sports shoes and safe equipment to kids in need, ultimately empowering them to live healthier lifestyles and learn life lessons through sports.

Since its inception, the organization has equipped and impacted 100,000 kids.

Fields & Futures
It was the poor condition of athletic fields in several Oklahoma City Public Schools that created Fields & Futures.

Statistics had shown the correlation between the district’s below-national-average rates for graduation and sports participation. The way to change those statistics? Rebuild and maintain athletic fields in middle and high schools across the entire district. By growing sports participation, students were put on a better path to graduation.

To date, Fields & Futures has rebuilt 34 fields within the district.

This article originally appeared on The Better Life blog.