Every day, the leadership of Niagara Frontier Sports sees barriers that prevent children from participating in programs through their sports center, which includes Niagara Frontier Volleyball. In 2014 Executive Director of Niagara Frontier Sports and The Champion Project, Kate Braun, and her team were given the green light to start TCP. The Champion Project is a sports-based, youth development, non-profit arm of Niagara Frontier Sports. Cost and transportation are constant barriers in youth sports, so The Champion Project was established to start breaking down those walls.
“When TCP first started we knew we wanted to run, but we were a bit unsure which direction we were running in,” says Braun. “We knew we wanted to help, but it took some time for us to find our niche. Now, with a combination of community based, school based and in-house programming, we are able to introduce kids across WNY to the sport of volleyball.”
Some of the biggest barriers to participation in youth sports are cost and transportation. TCP intends to run no-cost or subsidized programming to children across Western New York. By placing programming right in their communities, or schools, more children will have access to sport. The mission is child focused, as TCP believes that all kids should have access to low cost, high quality sports programming.
Partnerships are essential to TCP’s success. TCP partners with organizations such as Project Play WNY, The United Way Girls in Sports program, Niagara Frontier Sports, Good Sports, Seneca Babcock Community Center, Algonquin Sports for Kids, Erie Community College and the Seneca Nation to meet their goals. Whether it is financial support, facility donations, equipment donation, or a pool of coaches, the WNY community has stepped up to help them.
The Champion Project works in conjunction with Niagara Frontier Sports (the facility) and Niagara Frontier Volleyball (the club) to achieve its goals. Facility space is also a huge barrier in youth sports, so TCP is very fortunate to have such a beautiful facility to host its in-house events. Niagara Frontier Volleyball gives TCP a strong base of coaches and volunteers to assist TCP with many of its events in house, and out in the community.
“Once all of the logistical/financial hurdles have been leaped, you need to be able to put a quality product on the court,” shares Braun. “Volleyball can be a difficult sport to introduce to young athletes, so you have to be…
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