{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"21621","rtpr_id":"nACSC9h6Ca","ticker":"DKS","exchange":"NYSE","all_tickers":["DKS"],"title":"Elevating the People Who Shape Youth Sports: The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation and GameChanger Introduce \"Most Valuable Coach\" Initiative","author":"ACCESSWIRE","published_at":"2026-05-05T16:40:00.181Z","article_body":"NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire (https://www.accessnewswire.com/) / May 5,\n2026 / Originally published on DICK'S Sporting Goods Sideline Report\n(https://pr.report/la2h)\n\nAs young athletes grow older, many quietly drift away from the sports they\nonce loved. One of the most common reasons for this drop in participation\nisn't cost, injury or time, but the quality of their experiences with a coach.\nResearch (https://pr.report/la2i) shows that kids who play for trained coaches\nhave more positive experiences and are far more likely to stay in sport. The\nway a coach communicates, supports and leads can heavily influence whether a\nyoung person feels confident, connected and encouraged, on and off the field.\n\n(https://app.accessnewswire.com/imagelibrary/59ab5387-7319-4f72-81b9-e63f8e365870/1163955/2cb0ebda-1024-481f-9444-91e681a54cbb.png?v=1)\n\nThe DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation (https://pr.report/la2j) and GameChanger\n(https://pr.report/la2k) believe that coaches sit at the center of the youth\nsports experience. Beyond teaching skills, coaches shape confidence,\nwell-being and a sense of belonging, especially at pivotal moments in a young\nathlete's life. To support youth coaches in this responsibility, The DICK'S\nFoundation and GameChanger, are joining forces to launch Most Valuable Coach\n(MVC) (https://pr.report/la2l), an initiative designed to strengthen youth\nsports by investing in the people who lead them.\n\n\"Coaches play one of the most influential roles in a young person's sports\nexperience, and we believe they deserve the same level of support we expect\nthem to give their athletes,\" said Rick Jordan, VP of The DICK'S Sporting\nGoods Foundation. \"With Most Valuable Coach, we wanted to raise awareness\naround the impact coaches have and make it easier for them to access\npractical, digestible resources that help them show up for their players.\nWe're incredibly fortunate to work alongside trusted partners who bring\nbest‑in‑class expertise, ensuring coaches are getting the most relevant,\ncredible information possible.\"\n\nThrough MVC, the organizations are expanding access to educational tools,\ncoaching guidance and practical tips for coaches and parents navigating\ntoday's youth sports landscape. The initiative focuses on empowering coaches\nwith real-world guidance that prioritizes safe and supportive environments,\ndevelopmentally appropriate coaching and values driven leadership that\nsupports the whole child.\n\n\"At GameChanger, we see every day how much a coach shapes the experience for\nfamilies, not just in how the game is played, but in how it's remembered,\"\nsaid Rebecca Wasserman, GameChanger VP of Strategy, Operations & Impact. \"Most\nValuable Coach is about recognizing that influence and giving coaches the\nsupport they need to create environments where every young athlete feels seen,\nsupported, and excited to keep playing.\"\n\nThe MVC initiative is also built in collaboration with the Center for Healing\n& Justice through Sport (https://pr.report/la2m). CHJS builds capacity in\nindividual coaches, deepens impact in organizations and serves as backbone\ninfrastructure for collective action in youth sport. This collaborative\napproach ensures that the resources are grounded not only in research, but\nalso in lived experience and proven impact.\n\n\"Sport can either be a source of harm or a powerful pathway for healing,\ndepending on the quality of the coach. At CHJS, we've seen firsthand that when\ncoaches have science-backed tools, young people feel it. We're proud to bring\nthat to Most Valuable Coach alongside The DICK'S Foundation and GameChanger,\"\nsaid Megan Bartlett, Founder of CHJS.\n\nToday, The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation and GameChanger formally debuted\nMVC at the 2026 Project Play Summit in Boston (https://pr.report/la2n),\nmarking a milestone in The Foundation's and GameChanger's continued commitment\nto youth sports access. The launch brought together leaders across sports,\nphilanthropy, parenting and youth development to spotlight the important role\ncoaches play in shaping the future of sport and introducing MVC as a resource\nto elevate and support them.\n\nThese resources are designed to meet coaches where they are, delivered in\nshort, easy to digest formats and informed by the real-life voices and\nexperiences of youth coaches. Whether new to the sidelines or years into\nleading a team, coaches will find practical support they can apply to meet the\nneeds of their athletes.\n\nIn addition to launching MVC, The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation continues\ntheir broader mission to expand access to sport and break down the barriers\nyoung people face in participating. As part of that commitment, The DICK'S\nFoundation has renewed its partnerships with the following organizations:\n*\nEvery Kid Sports (https://pr.report/la2o) Every Kid Sports to help cover the\ncost of youth sports registration fees for kids from income-restricted\nfamilies nationwide. GameChanger has also partnered with Every Kid Sports to\nprovide free subscriptions to those same families.\n*\nGood Sports (https://pr.report/la2p) to provide equipment to youth in\nunder-resourced communities\n*\nLISC (https://pr.report/la2q) to build fields, courts and additional\ninfrastructures in high-need neighborhoods\n*\nDonorsChoose (https://pr.report/la2r) to support educators and coaches in\nequity-focused schools, helping keep kids in the game nationwide\n\nMore information on Most Valuable Coach, GameChanger and The DICK'S Foundation\ncan be found at BeAnMVC.org (https://pr.report/la2s), gc.com\n(https://pr.report/la2t) and sportsmatter.org (https://pr.report/la2u).\n\nFind more stories and multimedia from DICK'S Sporting Goods at 3blmedia.com.\n(https://pr.report/la2v)\n\nContact Info:\nSpokesperson: DICK'S Sporting Goods\nWebsite: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/dicks-sporting-goods\nEmail: info@3blmedia.com\n\nSOURCE: DICK'S Sporting Goods\nView the original press release\n(https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/consumer-and-retail-products/elevating-the-people-who-shape-youth-sports-the-dicks-sporting-goods-f-1163955)\non ACCESS Newswire\n\n\nCopyright 2026 ACCESS Newswire. All Rights Reserved.","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nACSC9h6Ca","title":"Elevating the People Who Shape Youth Sports: The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation and GameChanger Introduce \"Most Valuable Coach\" Initiative","author":"ACCESSWIRE","ticker":"DKS","created":"2026-05-05T16:40:00.181Z","tickers":["DKS"],"exchange":"NYSE","article_body":"NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire (https://www.accessnewswire.com/) / May 5,\n2026 / Originally published on DICK'S Sporting Goods Sideline Report\n(https://pr.report/la2h)\n\nAs young athletes grow older, many quietly drift away from the sports they\nonce loved. One of the most common reasons for this drop in participation\nisn't cost, injury or time, but the quality of their experiences with a coach.\nResearch (https://pr.report/la2i) shows that kids who play for trained coaches\nhave more positive experiences and are far more likely to stay in sport. The\nway a coach communicates, supports and leads can heavily influence whether a\nyoung person feels confident, connected and encouraged, on and off the field.\n\n(https://app.accessnewswire.com/imagelibrary/59ab5387-7319-4f72-81b9-e63f8e365870/1163955/2cb0ebda-1024-481f-9444-91e681a54cbb.png?v=1)\n\nThe DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation (https://pr.report/la2j) and GameChanger\n(https://pr.report/la2k) believe that coaches sit at the center of the youth\nsports experience. Beyond teaching skills, coaches shape confidence,\nwell-being and a sense of belonging, especially at pivotal moments in a young\nathlete's life. To support youth coaches in this responsibility, The DICK'S\nFoundation and GameChanger, are joining forces to launch Most Valuable Coach\n(MVC) (https://pr.report/la2l), an initiative designed to strengthen youth\nsports by investing in the people who lead them.\n\n\"Coaches play one of the most influential roles in a young person's sports\nexperience, and we believe they deserve the same level of support we expect\nthem to give their athletes,\" said Rick Jordan, VP of The DICK'S Sporting\nGoods Foundation. \"With Most Valuable Coach, we wanted to raise awareness\naround the impact coaches have and make it easier for them to access\npractical, digestible resources that help them show up for their players.\nWe're incredibly fortunate to work alongside trusted partners who bring\nbest‑in‑class expertise, ensuring coaches are getting the most relevant,\ncredible information possible.\"\n\nThrough MVC, the organizations are expanding access to educational tools,\ncoaching guidance and practical tips for coaches and parents navigating\ntoday's youth sports landscape. The initiative focuses on empowering coaches\nwith real-world guidance that prioritizes safe and supportive environments,\ndevelopmentally appropriate coaching and values driven leadership that\nsupports the whole child.\n\n\"At GameChanger, we see every day how much a coach shapes the experience for\nfamilies, not just in how the game is played, but in how it's remembered,\"\nsaid Rebecca Wasserman, GameChanger VP of Strategy, Operations & Impact. \"Most\nValuable Coach is about recognizing that influence and giving coaches the\nsupport they need to create environments where every young athlete feels seen,\nsupported, and excited to keep playing.\"\n\nThe MVC initiative is also built in collaboration with the Center for Healing\n& Justice through Sport (https://pr.report/la2m). CHJS builds capacity in\nindividual coaches, deepens impact in organizations and serves as backbone\ninfrastructure for collective action in youth sport. This collaborative\napproach ensures that the resources are grounded not only in research, but\nalso in lived experience and proven impact.\n\n\"Sport can either be a source of harm or a powerful pathway for healing,\ndepending on the quality of the coach. At CHJS, we've seen firsthand that when\ncoaches have science-backed tools, young people feel it. We're proud to bring\nthat to Most Valuable Coach alongside The DICK'S Foundation and GameChanger,\"\nsaid Megan Bartlett, Founder of CHJS.\n\nToday, The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation and GameChanger formally debuted\nMVC at the 2026 Project Play Summit in Boston (https://pr.report/la2n),\nmarking a milestone in The Foundation's and GameChanger's continued commitment\nto youth sports access. The launch brought together leaders across sports,\nphilanthropy, parenting and youth development to spotlight the important role\ncoaches play in shaping the future of sport and introducing MVC as a resource\nto elevate and support them.\n\nThese resources are designed to meet coaches where they are, delivered in\nshort, easy to digest formats and informed by the real-life voices and\nexperiences of youth coaches. Whether new to the sidelines or years into\nleading a team, coaches will find practical support they can apply to meet the\nneeds of their athletes.\n\nIn addition to launching MVC, The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation continues\ntheir broader mission to expand access to sport and break down the barriers\nyoung people face in participating. As part of that commitment, The DICK'S\nFoundation has renewed its partnerships with the following organizations:\n*\nEvery Kid Sports (https://pr.report/la2o) Every Kid Sports to help cover the\ncost of youth sports registration fees for kids from income-restricted\nfamilies nationwide. GameChanger has also partnered with Every Kid Sports to\nprovide free subscriptions to those same families.\n*\nGood Sports (https://pr.report/la2p) to provide equipment to youth in\nunder-resourced communities\n*\nLISC (https://pr.report/la2q) to build fields, courts and additional\ninfrastructures in high-need neighborhoods\n*\nDonorsChoose (https://pr.report/la2r) to support educators and coaches in\nequity-focused schools, helping keep kids in the game nationwide\n\nMore information on Most Valuable Coach, GameChanger and The DICK'S Foundation\ncan be found at BeAnMVC.org (https://pr.report/la2s), gc.com\n(https://pr.report/la2t) and sportsmatter.org (https://pr.report/la2u).\n\nFind more stories and multimedia from DICK'S Sporting Goods at 3blmedia.com.\n(https://pr.report/la2v)\n\nContact Info:\nSpokesperson: DICK'S Sporting Goods\nWebsite: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/dicks-sporting-goods\nEmail: info@3blmedia.com\n\nSOURCE: DICK'S Sporting Goods\nView the original press release\n(https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/consumer-and-retail-products/elevating-the-people-who-shape-youth-sports-the-dicks-sporting-goods-f-1163955)\non ACCESS Newswire\n\n\nCopyright 2026 ACCESS Newswire. All Rights Reserved."},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-05-05T16:40:00.226679113Z","server_sent_at_ms":1777999200226},"received_at":"2026-05-05T16:40:00.279Z","source_url":"https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/consumer-and-retail-products/elevating-the-people-who-shape-youth-sports-the-dicks-sporting-goods-f-1163955"},"analysis":{"id":"16076","press_release_id":"21621","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail","sector":"Consumer Discretionary"},"redFlags":[],"eventType":"other","narrative":"The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation and GameChanger launched the 'Most Valuable Coach' initiative at the 2026 Project Play Summit to provide educational resources for youth sports coaches.\n\nThe initiative focuses on improving coaching quality through guidance on safe environments and values-based leadership, developed in collaboration with the Center for Healing & Justice through Sport.\n\nThe Foundation also renewed partnerships with Every Kid Sports, Good Sports, LISC, and DonorsChoose to support broader access to youth sports across the country.","sentiment":"neutral","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":false,"suggestedAngle":"DICK'S Foundation expands youth sports reach with new coaching initiative."},"keyFigures":{},"quotedText":"Coaches play one of the most influential roles in a young person's sports experience, and we believe they deserve the same level of support we expect them to give their athletes","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Rick Jordan","role":"VP of The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation"},{"name":"Rebecca Wasserman","role":"VP of Strategy, Operations & Impact at GameChanger"},{"name":"Megan Bartlett","role":"Founder of Center for Healing & Justice through Sport"}],"products":["Most Valuable Coach"],"companies":[{"name":"The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation"},{"name":"GameChanger"},{"name":"Center for Healing & Justice through Sport","relationship":"partner"},{"name":"Every Kid Sports","relationship":"partner"},{"name":"Good Sports","relationship":"partner"},{"name":"LISC","relationship":"partner"},{"name":"DonorsChoose","relationship":"partner"}],"dollarAmounts":[]},"materialImpact":{"score":1,"reasoning":"This is a corporate social responsibility (CSR) announcement from The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation involving a non-revenue generating initiative. No financial figures or strategic business impacts were disclosed."},"tickerRelevance":{"others":[],"primary":"DKS"},"globalImportance":5,"audienceRelevance":15,"eventTypeSecondary":[],"importanceComponents":{"tickerTier":"large-cap","eventGravity":"CSR/Foundation initiative","sectorWeight":"retail"}},"event_type":"other","event_type_secondary":null,"sentiment":"neutral","material_impact_score":1,"narrative":"The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation and GameChanger launched the 'Most Valuable Coach' initiative at the 2026 Project Play Summit to provide educational resources for youth sports coaches.\n\nThe initiative focuses on improving coaching quality through guidance on safe environments and values-based leadership, developed in collaboration with the Center for Healing & Justice through Sport.\n\nThe Foundation also renewed partnerships with Every Kid Sports, Good Sports, LISC, and DonorsChoose to support broader access to youth sports across the country.","key_figures":{},"named_entities":{"people":[{"name":"Rick Jordan","role":"VP of The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation"},{"name":"Rebecca Wasserman","role":"VP of Strategy, Operations & Impact at GameChanger"},{"name":"Megan Bartlett","role":"Founder of Center for Healing & Justice through Sport"}],"products":["Most Valuable Coach"],"companies":[{"name":"The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation"},{"name":"GameChanger"},{"name":"Center for Healing & Justice through Sport","relationship":"partner"},{"name":"Every Kid Sports","relationship":"partner"},{"name":"Good Sports","relationship":"partner"},{"name":"LISC","relationship":"partner"},{"name":"DonorsChoose","relationship":"partner"}],"dollarAmounts":[]},"model_name":"glm-4.7","prompt_hash":"sha256:511026a279f8af46","schema_hash":"sha256:96555d0809de301c","created_at":"2026-05-05T19:11:52.893Z","global_importance":5,"audience_relevance":15,"importance_components":{"tickerTier":"large-cap","eventGravity":"CSR/Foundation initiative","sectorWeight":"retail"}},"durationMs":114174,"modelName":"glm-4.7"}}