More than 50 percent of high school students participate in some type of sports activity, with an even higher percentage of middle school students. Many also enroll in community sports programs and independent youth leagues.
For an average family in 2024 it cost $1,016 per child, per sport; up 46% since 2019. The numbers continue climbing, leaving a growing number of children watching from beyond the chain link fences.
As parents of children in sports, Derek and Kristin Montgomery recognized the privilege they enjoyed in affording to enroll and support their children’s endeavors. They could also see the disparity and frustration of families unable to afford the registration fees or equipment expenses required for young athletes. To help level the playing field, with Derek following Kristin’s lead, the couple started the Montgomery Sports Foundation in 2024. Montgomery Sports Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
“This was something I had been kind of dreaming up for probably the better part of five years, at least,” recalled Kristin.
She found a natural connection to quite a few local sports associations through Derek’s sport’s photography business.
“Through his company, we tried to give back where we could and help these associations where we could,” Kristin says. “I was born and raised in Duluth. This was something I dreamed up to maybe leave a little bit more of a legacy, and build something within this community to help provide for the sports community. I grew up playing sports here, so that’s kind of where that stems from; just wanting to do something bigger.”
“We kind of started with some of the organizations that we were particularly close to, whether it was from our kids participating in them or us knowing the people who run them. It was an easy way to take off from there,” says Derek, adding, “A lot of it now is word of mouth. We’re getting applications from organizations or teams that I didn’t know existed, so it’s nice to see that people are spreading the word, but yeah, initially I think it was, here’s what we’re familiar with, here’s the people we know, and let’s work with people who kind of share the same values and beliefs that we do.”
Having a set of Core Values and Guiding Principles helped define the scope of their foundation. The Montgomery’s chose four principles and added brief, thoughtful statements:
Empowerment: We believe in creating a sports community that is inclusive and accessible to all children, regardless of their financial situation.
Inclusivity: Inclusivity is central to our mission, ensuring that all children, regardless of economic status, have access to athletic opportunities.
Community Engagement: We are committed to fostering a sense of community by promoting sports participation, encouraging collaboration among families, schools and local organizations.
Health + Well Being: We prioritize the health and wellbeing of children by promoting physical activity through sports, instilling lifelong habits for a healthier lifestyle.
“When you look at the benefits of playing sports for kids, it expands just beyond the sport itself. There’s a lot that goes into it when it comes to kids building skills that they can take with them through school, through jobs, through their relationships,” explained Kristin. “Some of the bigger aspirations we have is that we’re not just giving these kids the opportunity to play sports, but we’re giving them the opportunity to benefit in other ways and creating these experiences for them that help generate the teamwork, the self-esteem, the leadership skills, the determination, the resilience, all that.”
Youth sports in Duluth are primarily the domain of the school districts, but there are many private sports leagues. Registration fees vary, usually depending upon the sport, the age or skill level of the athlete, and what additional non-athlete resources may be needed, such as umpires and referees.
Factor in multiple children and or equipment costs, and these fees are almost insurmountable to some households. One of the earliest organizations to partner with the Montgomery Sports Foundation to help with the payment of registration fees was the Arrowhead Youth Soccer Association.
Derek sees these connections as a win-win for everyone involved.
“I like to look at our foundation as helping, where we’re taking a little bit of the financial burden off these youth sports associations so they can invest in their infrastructure, into their coaches, into equipment, and maybe, just little-by-little, push the envelope in the direction where we can get facilities that open up those opportunities. I just know every dollar is extremely valuable to these organizations, and I like to think we’re kind of making a contribution there,” says Derek. “I like to think we’re a small piece of that puzzle and helping push the area in the right direction.”
When a family requests help, the Montgomery Sports Foundation evaluates the request to determine the amount of support they can provide. “The help differs based on how long the kids are playing, the costs and everything. Some of the more recreational sports we’re able to fund 100% of the of the kid’s registration fee, maybe it’s only 75 or 100, or 150 dollars,” Kristin explains. “There are other sports that are a much more extensive endeavor, so we’ll just provide partial funding, or just some funds to help the family.”
Families can easily apply for help with registration fees or equipment through MSF’s GameTime Grants and GameTime Gear web portals (montgomerysf.org/gametime-grants).
Kristin sees youth participation having a positive ripple effect “to get kids interested in playing and get new kids playing as well,” throughout the community. She says the Montgomery Sports Foundation, in addition to soccer, has stretched into recreational football and the younger levels of hockey that are recreational in nature. “We work to find those sports that are pretty accessible, and just make sure that there’s more opportunity for kids there.”
In a short amount of time the Montgomery Foundation has made a big impression on the community. Kristin recalled one of the first applications that came in during their first season of soccer registrations; it was a mom who wrote, “We fled from an abusive relationship and have nothing but the clothes on our back. You don’t know what this means to us.”
Kristin said this was the moment she realized she was in the right place, doing the right thing, and the Foundation is going to help a lot of people.
“Life isn’t great for everybody, for families battling cancer, or just when kids need this kind of stuff the most; when they need the support of teammates, when they need the support of coaches and mentors and positive things in their life, for whatever their family is battling. That’s what I’m most proud of, that we’re able to give that to these kids and give this to so many kids in need.”
The Montgomery Sports Foundation is always looking for new sponsors, as well as possible board members to help support the advancement of their foundation for youth sports in the Duluth community. If you or someone you know may be interested or a good fit, reach out to the Montgomery’s to learn how you can become part of this special team.
Patrick Lapinski is a freelance writer who grew up in Superior.
