High school football is much more than the final scores over 10 weeks of games.
One of the most memorable experiences for players in Arizona is taking part in a team football camp during the summer. In addition to improving on-field skills and conditioning, there are so many more lessons that can be learned. Crucial skills like discipline, teamwork, and confidence that help young athletes far beyond their years in high school.
It is with that in mind that Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation created the Sports Matter program in 2014. It not only provides funds for youth to play sports, but to stay active, build trust, and learn traits that will help them throughout their lives.
On Friday night in Glendale, the Independence football program accepted a check for $8,000 from the Dick’s Foundation that it will use to fund its annual trip to the BILT Team Camp in Thousand Oaks, Calif.
“The last several years, we’ve been going to camp with BILT,” Independence head coach Shane Hagen said. “Most of our students are on the free and reduced lunch program. We’ve always been grateful for BILT helping us out.”
One of the qualifications for receiving the grant from Dick’s Foundation is that the school needs to be a public or charter school in which 40 percent of the students receive free or reduced-price lunch. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the percentage for IHS that were free-lunch eligible is 53 percent.
In applying, Hagen sent a video of their seniors from a previous Senior Night.
“When they bring up their fondest memories of high school football, they bring up camp,” Hagen said. “Even the year we went 8-2 (2023). It is about the relationships with one another and the memories.”
Hagen is in his second year as head coach of the Patriots and is in his eighth year as part of the IHS coaching staff. The team went to Southern California in July before the lead up to the season began back in the Valley.
“It’s always a great time,” Hagen said. “We cut it down to a four-day camp (this year). Some of our kids had never left Arizona. They got to see the beach and it’s a really cool experience.”
Since its inception, the Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation has helped keep over 3 million kids in the game and committed over $100 million to deserving teams and organizaions.
“Independence High School believes in the transformative power of sports and we’re proud to award this Sports Matter grant so they can continue and expand their support for the athletes in this community,” Field Marketing Manager Stephanie Armstrong said.
The Patriots continue their season this Friday with a road game in Waddell against ALA-West Foothills.
Reach Chris Eaton at gridironarizona@yahoo.com or DM at @gridironarizona with story ideas.
The post Sports Matter: Independence receives grant from Dick’s Foundation first appeared on Sports360AZ.
