Play It Forward Equipment Program Expanding to Horsham Lacrosse

Two years ago, Play It Forward was launched to collect and distribute unneeded and outgrown baseball and softball gear to area youth Horsham Little League players. Last year it expanded to support Horsham Soccer Association players. To date, the program has collected over 3,000 pieces of donated sports equipment and has helped equip over 200 youth players across the Horsham community. Now, 'Play It Forward' is expanding to Horsham Lacrosse Club, which provides lacrosse opportunities and experiences to kids in kindergarten to 8th grade in Hatboro and Horsham.

Today, especially with COVID isolation, there are major issues impacting the welfare of children related to their physical fitness and mental health. This is amplified by the fact that participation in sports among families earning less than $75,000 has dropped since 2011, according to The Aspen Institute's Project Play. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association only 38 percent of kids aged six to 12 played team sports on a regular basis, down from 45 percent in 2008.

Beyond this, the average American family spends approximately $700 per year on their child's sports activities, according to Project Play. These increasing costs related to youth sports are a major factor for families earning $50,000 or less indicating that cost is the top reason their kids don't participate in organized sports, according to the Rand study. And the challenges of COVID are perpetuating this issue even more.

According to Katie Harrington, a Hatboro-Horsham High School sophomore and the founder of 'Play It Forward,' "The program is focused on getting and keeping more kids involved with youth sports by providing donated gear to offset the increasing costs of sports equipment. Expanding to Horsham Lacrosse is a natural step in reaching more kids in the Hatboro-Horsham community, given the popularity of the sport and the growing reach and impact Horsham Lacrosse has on so many area kids and families. So, we’re excited to help even more kids get into the game."

As Dave Maloney, Horsham Lacrosse Club President, explained, "We're thrilled to have Play It Forward expand to our organization to help get even more kids playing lacrosse by getting them gear. The way kids quickly outgrow their equipment, recycling gear to extend its life and help players makes complete sense. Beyond this, sports are so important to kids, and now more than ever, the benefits to their physical health, mental well being and social engagement are vital. Playing sports, like lacrosse, helps kids learn life skills like leadership, teamwork and sportsmanship, so, we want to get as many kids out on the playing field as possible and Play It Forward helps us accomplish this."

The first Play It Forward donation station for Horsham Lacrosse will take place Sunday, March 21 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at Hawks Field at 273 Lower State Road, North Wales, PA 19454. If you have unneeded or outgrown lacrosse gear, including cleats, sticks, pads, gloves, helmets, balls, bags, etc. you are invited to stop by to donate them to get it into the hands of a youth player in the community.