mental health

Student athletes are less likely than non-athletes to be depressed *

physical health

Student-athletes who play team sports are less likely to smoke cigarettes or use other illicit drugs**

academics

Physically active children get up to 40% higher test scores**

bright futures

Student athletes are more likely to get higher grades and aspire to attend college*

63% lack the funding

63% of public school sports budgets are stagnant or decreasing.***

33% Fewer Sports

High-poverty schools offer 1/3 fewer sports than low-poverty schools.***

42% limited by cost

42% of families of middle- and high-school students who do not participate in sports but are interested in doing so cite cost as the main reason.***

30% participation gap

30% participation gap between children of lower and higher income families.***

$66M

Since 2014, Sports Matter has donated $66 million to support young athletes.

1 in 21 schools

1 in 21 public school has received funding for sports programs from the The DICK’s Sporting Goods Foundation.

+550,000 Kids

Our support has kept over 550,000 kids in the game across all 50 states through the Sports Matter initiative since 2015.

+16 Sports

Because we believe all chances to play are beneficial, we have provided grants for 16 different youth sports and counting!