Wally Haas, Founder and Chairperson of Coaching Corps is committed to eliminating the disparity in access to sports opportunities for kids living in low-income neighborhoods. “My family owned the Oakland A’s for 15 years and there wasn’t a day that went by that we didn’t see the power of sports in improving the life-chances of some of our most at-risk young people. I wanted all kids to experience the life-changing benefits of sports, but knew that access to programs depended heavily on where you lived. I wanted to do something to ensure that all kids, regardless of their demographics had access to high-quality sports activities that would impart on them important life lessons and help them succeed on and off the field. We created Coaching Corps to do just that."

We believe that all children, regardless of where they live, should have access to the powerful experience of learning and growing through sports. Studies prove sports make kids healthier, more confident and more successful in school, but, unfortunately, kids growing up in low-income neighborhoods are often left sitting on the sidelines. Girls growing up in these communities are even more likely to be left out of the game. Our amazing team works hard to level the playing field so that every kid has a chance to play and grow.

Coaching Corps has impacted the lives of 19,000 youth  throughout California and trained and placed 1,600 volunteer coaches with our partner after-school programs. We’ve also hosted events, such as a Game Plan for Girl’s Sports. And we’ve released important research, including a comprehensive report on the link between sports and success in school.

But we know we’re still at the starting line. That’s why we’ve embarked on an ambitious Expansion Plan to reach 500,000 kids across the nation who are most in need of opportunities to reap the benefits of sports participation. Working with an ever-expanding network of college and university partners and after-school programs, we will perfect our model, grow our numbers and raise the funds we need to meet…and then exceed our goal. Find out how you can get involved.