Access to youth sports should never depend on money, marketing reach, or who can afford to advertise the loudest.

That belief is what started PlaygroundStars.

When we first launched our campaign last year, the vision centered around one idea: creating better ways for communities to financially support local youth sports organizations.

But as we started building, we realized something important:

Before communities can support local opportunities, they first need to discover them.

That realization led us to Phase 1 of PlaygroundStars — building a free nationwide youth sports directory designed to help every organization be seen, regardless of size, budget, or marketing reach.

And honestly, the deeper we got into youth sports, the more we saw how many incredible local organizations are quietly fighting to survive while families are constantly pushed toward bigger, more expensive, and increasingly disconnected sports experiences.

When local programs disappear, communities lose more than sports.

They lose connection.

They lose pride.

They lose the experiences that bring people together close to home.

That’s why we invested in the map first. We had to start with visibility and equity. All organizations and communities must be present.

Now, we’re building toward Phase 2 of PlaygroundStars: community-powered crowdfunding designed specifically for community based youth sports organizations.

We want to help communities:

discover local opportunities

support local organizations

keep funding and engagement local

strengthen the youth sports experience in their own backyard

Because youth sports was never supposed to feel this disconnected from the communities where it starts.

The local field.

The rec center.

The volunteer coach.

The friendships built close to home.

Those experiences matter.

And they deserve visibility, support, and the opportunity to grow.

The funds raised through this campaign will help us continue building Phase 2 of PlaygroundStars while keeping the platform free for nonprofit youth sports organizations — always.

Most importantly, your support helps communities like yours reconnect with the youth sports experiences happening in their own backyard and Protect Your Playground.

Thank you for believing in this vision and being part of this journey with us.

— The PlaygroundStars Team

PlaygroundStars is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are tax deductible.

PlaygroundStars