Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative Awarded Grant from ESPN’s “Take Back Sports” Initiative
The Initiative, Powered by Disney, Includes a $5 Million Investment and Increases Access to Play for Young Athletes
ESPN and Disney Jr. Also Announce Collaboration with Every Kid Sports to Get Preschoolers in the Game
Today, ESPN’s new youth sports initiative Take Back Sports — created to expand access to sport for youth — launched its official website (www.TakeBackSports.org), debuted a new animated video, and announced the recipients of its inaugural Innovation Challenge grants. It was also announced that Take Back Sports and the ‘Disney Jr. Let’s Play!’ campaign have collaborated with national non-profit Every Kid Sports on a new preschool-focused initiative.
Innovation Challenge Grant Recipients
Building upon the $5 million charitable investment that ESPN has invested in to reimagine youth sports, ESPN announced the Take Back Sports Innovation Challenge at the Aspen Institute’s Project Play Summit. Through strategic investments in cutting-edge training models, inclusive programming and community-rooted solutions, the Innovation Challenge spotlights bold approaches that reimagine how kids engage with sports — fostering a more accessible and positive youth sports experience for all. ESPN doubled its original investment from $50,000 to $100,000 in response to more than 150 compelling applications from across the country. This year’s Take Back Sports Innovation Challenge recipients include:
- Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative (PYSC) earned a grant for its transformative Game On Philly! initiative, which places trained community coaches and AmeriCorps members directly into neighborhood recreation centers to deliver high-quality, trauma-informed sports programming. The program’s innovative partnership with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation ensures scalable, sustainable recreation for youth ages 6–14 where they live, play and grow.
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PYSC partners with ODAAP to use football to teach emotional regulation
Former Temple cornerback Chris Hutton stood at the end of Mastery Charter North’s football field and watched proudly as kids ran drills at Open Door Abuse Awareness and Prevention’s Juneteenth 10U Combine and Clinic on Saturday.
“ODAPP is really every kid’s saving grace,” Hutton said. “They’re able to learn about self-awareness, how to express their emotions appropriately, and communicate and talk that out.”
Despite the heat, more than 60 boys aged 11 and younger and three local high school football teams — Northeast, Martin Luther King, and Vaux Big Picture — participated in the free event. Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis also made a guest appearance. Participants participated in drills on the field and learned about violence prevention techniques off the field.