INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Sports Corp and Playworks Indiana close out its first year of partnership for the All IN Sports Leagues, a non-competitive developmental sports league. During the 2021-2022 school year, six schools participated in the Leagues, engaging 320 children in co-ed soccer, flag football, girls' basketball, and kickball.
In the fall of 2021, the Leagues launched with the goal of providing high quality afterschool sport programming with a measurable impact on students’ social emotional skill development. Additionally, this program creates access and opportunities for children and their families in some of Indianapolis' most divested communities.
All IN Sports Leagues school-based Coaches recruit 3rd and 4th grade students and form teams to provide skill building practices twice a week for four, 5-6 week sessions. Each school is provided with the equipment necessary to participate in All IN Sports Leagues, with League sessions currently in co-ed soccer, flag football, girls' basketball, and kickball. At the end of each session, All IN Sports Leagues host a “Showcase” event, a non-competitive tournament to give participants an opportunity to engage with other kids from across the city and “showcase” their new skills for their families. Each Showcase is scheduled around an Indianapolis hosted sporting event that the kids and families get to experience. This year, participants were able to attend a Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament game, an Indy Eleven soccer game, and the Big Ten Football Championship Game Fanfest.
On Friday, May 13, the All IN Sports Leagues will close out it's 2021-2022 programming with a kickball showcase taking place at Victory Field. More than 100 students from six Marion County elementary schools will participate in the opening ceremonies and kickball showcase beginning at 6 PM.
The All IN Sports Leagues are sponsored by the Zotec Foundation which committed support to the program for three years. In addition, the Indianapolis Rotary Foundation awarded Playworks Indiana one of its two $25,000 Community Grants to support the initiative.
Indiana Sports Corp and Playworks Indiana plan to continue this partnership in the 2022-2023 school year. For more information and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.playworks.org/indiana.
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About Indiana Sports Corp Founded in 1979 as the nation’s first sports commission, Indiana Sports Corp is a not-for-profit organization focused on bringing premier sporting events to Indiana to drive economic vitality, facilitate a vibrant community with civic pride and garner positive media attention. Because of this, Indiana Sports Corp is able to provide positive, sports-related opportunities for youth in the community. For more information, please visit IndianaSportsCorp.org.
About Playworks Playworks is the leading national nonprofit leveraging the power of play to transform children’s physical and social/emotional health. Playworks partners with elementary schools, districts, and after-school programs to leverage physical activity and play to decrease negative behaviors and bullying, increase social/emotional skills, and support the development of positive school climates where all kids are engaged and learning. playworks.org.