Virginia AHPERD_SpringSummer2026

Leveling the Playing Field: Implementing an Athletic Resource Closet in Your School Annemarie Downey , MS.Ed., is recent graduate of the James Madison University PHETE program, and will be teaching in the Fairfax County Public School system. Cathy McKay , Ed.D., CAPE, is a Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at James Madison University and Executive Director of the Morrison Bruce Center, Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Introduction The culture of youth sports today puts a large strain on families due to several factors. There have been numer ous studies conducted identifying barriers for youth par ticipation in sports, and the most consistent of the factors across all studies is the rapidly increasing cost of these sports (Hernandez et al., 2023; Pandya, 2021; Rittsteiger et al., 2021; Somerset & Hoare, 2018). Although sports partici pation has physical, social, and emotional benefits, many families, especially those with lower socioeconomic sta tus (SES), struggle to afford the costs associated with fees, equipment, travel, and apparel. Research consistently shows that SES factors significantly influence whether or not children can participate in organized sports (Tandon et al., 2021). Schools can help students and families decrease these financial barriers. One solution is the implementa tion of an athletic resource closet, a program that provides students with access to free, gently used, and donated sports equipment and apparel. Why do we need a resource closet? (the problem/supporting data) Youth sports participation in recent years has decreased due to accumulating costs (Pandya, 2021). Families with lower SES are struggling to meet these financial demands, affecting their children’s ability to participate in sports. Ac cording to Rittsteiger and colleagues (2021), children with a high SES have a higher activity time in organized sports (155 minutes) than children with a low SES (99 minutes). It is important to note that gaps in unorganized physical activity are significantly smaller, with children with a high SES averaging 61 minutes and children with a low SES av eraging 58 minutes, suggesting that children want to be active but are prevented by the financial requirements of organized sports (Rittsteiger et al., 2021). Another study by Hernandez and colleagues (2023) found that although par ents recognize the physical, emotional, and social benefits of youth sports, they face barriers, including equipment costs, registration fees, and transportation. Importantly, cost was repeatedly identified as a top barrier (Hernandez et al., 2023). Somerset and Hoare (2018) found that cost is one of the most frequently identified barriers that prevents children from participating in sports. Pandya (2021) also

emphasizes that financial limitations restrict youth from engaging in organized sports, which widens gaps in health, confidence, and long-term physical activity levels. Overall, the evidence paints a clear picture that youth want to par ticipate and families value sports, but cost is the barrier. This is where schools can step in. How can we help? (the solution/supporting data) An athletic resource closet within the school offers a realistic and sustainable way to reduce financial barriers by providing students with free access to essential athletic items such as shoes, clothing, sports gear, and equipment. The athletic resource closet is based on a 2024 study by Högman and colleagues related to using an Equipment Lending Library model for sports equipment. This study indicated that children using free sports equipment lend ing programs reported greater opportunities for participa tion, especially among youth who otherwise lacked access (Högman et al., 2024). In this study, sports equipment was collected and gathered, and then community members could check out and return the equipment, allowing them to free access to equipment resources (Högman et al., 2024). While research beyond the Högman et al. study that specifically examined athletic closets is still limited, there have been related studies (Chandrasekhar et al., 2023; Re ece et al., 2020) and offerings (Catie’s Closet, n.d.; Stafford County Public Schools Empower Hub, n.d.) that demon strate the effectiveness of providing resources to students. For example, one study involved giving sports voucher in centives to lower income families in Australia and found that families who used the vouchers showed significantly higher participation in organized sports (Reece et al., 2020). This direct relationship between cost reduction and increased participation highlights the potential impact of an athletic resource closet. A good example of a resource/offering is Catie’s Closet (n.d.), a nonprofit providing clothing and toiletries in schools, which allows students to confidentially access ba sic necessities, which increases comfort, confidence, and school belonging. The Catie’s Closet model demonstrates that when barriers to participation (including social barri ers like feeling unprepared or unequipped) are addressed, student engagement increases. The Stafford County Public

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