Coverage from Jonathan Carone, Creator of Healthy Sports Parents.
On February 3, 2026, during Super Bowl Week, more than 200 leaders from across the youth sports ecosystem gathered in San Francisco for the Sports Done Right Summit, co-hosted by the Positive Coaching Alliance and the San Francisco 49ers Foundation.
The event convened nonprofit leaders, community practitioners, corporate brands, funders, and foundations with a shared focus: improving access and affordability in youth sports. As costs continue to rise and participation declines in many communities, particularly those that are under-resourced, the summit created space for cross-sector conversation around how the system can better serve all kids.
Jason Sacks, CEO of Positive Coaching Alliance, described the summit as a deliberate effort to bring together stakeholders who rarely have the opportunity to sit at the same table.
“The Sports Done Right Summit was about bringing community leaders, funders, practitioners, and organizational leaders together to talk about how we create more access for all kids,” Sacks said. “There is no greater platform for positive youth development in our country than youth sports. But we have to make sure it’s done right.”
According to Sacks, access remains one of the most persistent challenges in youth sports, especially for kids in under-resourced communities.
“Many kids don’t have the same access their more affluent peers have,” Sacks said. “That might be because there aren’t trained coaches, there isn’t a league nearby, or there isn’t a no cost or low cost opportunity to play.. We have to keep improving the system so all kids can access a positive sports experience.”
Speakers throughout the day emphasized that access goes beyond registration fees. Coaching education, proximity to programs, and long-term sustainability all influence whether kids are able to participate and remain engaged. Addressing those challenges, Sacks noted, requires collaboration across the youth sports ecosystem.
“When you look at youth sports, there are a lot of stakeholders involved,” he said. “Professional sports teams, corporate brands, funders, community organizations, practitioners all need to be represented at the table if we want to make sure all kids have access.”
Corporate partners echoed that sentiment and pointed to sport as a foundational tool for development. Flynn Burch, Director of Global Community Impact at Under Armour and Executive Director of the UA Foundation, spoke about the company’s connection to youth sports and why access is central to its philanthropic work.
“Under Armour was started on the field,” Burch said. “What we understand from our work is the impact sports can have off the field. Sports are an entry point for kids to build confidence, teamwork, and the skills they need to be successful in school, in their communities, and at home.”
Burch highlighted the value of the summit’s cross-sector approach and the importance of alignment.
“One of the strengths of Positive Coaching Alliance is how intentionally they bring people together,” he said. “This kind of environment allows organizations to listen, learn from each other, and take ideas back that can actually be put into practice.”
When asked what success would look like coming out of the summit, Burch pointed to clarity of direction and shared purpose.
“Success coming out of today is continuing to grow access and level the playing field,” he said. “It’s taking blueprints from collaborations that are already working and aligning around one North Star: making sure every kid who wants to play sports has the ability to do so.”
Community-based organizations saw the summit as an opportunity to learn from peers and bring practical ideas back to their own work. Eric Osborne, Senior Director at Boys and Girls Club of America, described the day as productive and collaborative.
“This was a learning experience for me,” Osborne said. “It was about meeting people we already work with, finding common ground, and taking ideas back to our organization to help get more kids playing sports the right way.”
Technology platforms that support youth sports also emphasized the importance of listening to communities and practitioners. Representatives from GameChanger highlighted how being present at events like the Sports Done Right Summit informs both partnerships and long-term impact.
“GameChanger touches so many people on game day,” said Rachelle Jacques, Senior Manager of Community Impact at GameChanger. “Being in a room with kids, practitioners, funders, and community leaders helps us understand the full experience and think more clearly about how we can support it.”
Mariah Evans-Hovasse, Community Impact Associate at GameChanger, underscored the value of direct engagement.
“A day like today is about connecting with the people doing the work,” Evans-Hovasse said. “It’s a chance to listen, learn, and understand where the gaps are so we can better support what’s happening in communities.”
For GameChanger, access remains closely tied to long-term outcomes for kids.
“Youth sports changes lives on and off the field,” Jacques said. “The power of sport is transformative for a child’s health, mental health, and development. The research shows the opportunities for kids who grow up playing sports. And the dropout numbers are sad. If we can invest across the community to stop that and build kids up, it creates a better future.”
As the summit concluded, a consistent theme emerged: improving access requires coordination across programs, funding, coaching education, and culture. No single organization can address those challenges alone.
Sacks said the goal of the summit was to help participants leave with both clarity and connection.
“We want people to go back to their communities feeling equipped,” he said. “Equipped with tools, a framework, and relationships so they know they’re not tackling these challenges alone.”
With representation from professional sports, nonprofits, corporate brands, and community organizations, the Sports Done Right Summit highlighted what cross-sector collaboration can look like when access and affordability are shared priorities. As youth sports organizations continue to navigate rising costs and participation challenges, the summit reinforced a simple idea: when access improves, more kids benefit from what sports can offer.
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