Sports are a powerful influence on kids. They teach valuable lessons like teamwork, perseverance and offer immeasurable personal benefits like self-esteem and confidence. But across California and the nation, girls and boys living in low-income communities do not have access to high-quality sports activities. While parents in more affluent neighborhoods shuttle their kids to soccer and basketball practice, kids in low-income communities struggle to even find a safe place to play, let alone a committed and caring coach.

That is where Coaching Corps and the AmeriCorps VISTA program come in. Across California, eight VISTA members recruit caring coaches from local colleges and universities (UC-Berkeley, San Diego State University, etc.) These coaches are placed to serve in low-income communities so that all kids are given access to sports.

To learn more about our programming, visit www.coachingcorps.org