A junior from Saint Augustine Preparatory School, Richland, has created his own business to help children from low-income households participate in organized sports.
“I can’t begin to count the ways sports has made a significant impact on my life,” said Josh Gatesman, adding that he has made lifelong friendships and developed strong teamwork skills. “I learned through sports that goal-setting combined with hard work leads to success, and I wanted to give every kid the opportunity to play and learn these lessons.”
To that end, Gatesman developed a line of T-shirts and started the United Athletic Company, where 100% of the profits goes to Every Kid Sports, a national nonprofit organization that provides funds to income-restricted families for youth sports.
On each T-shirt is his business logo as well as an inspiring message to create a sense of unity and inclusivity around participating in team sports. His most recent T-shirt features the logo of his school’s Rugby team, the Hermits, along with the message, “Giving every kid a chance to Try.”
Several businesses in his hometown of Medford are selling and promoting the shirts to help support his initiative. Over the past year, the Eagle Scout has raised $1,500. For more information, go to unitedathleticcompany.godaddysites.com.
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