About Us | WE’RE LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD

Overview

At Caris Sports Foundation, we believe in the power of sports and the many benefits that team sports provide. We believe that every child who wants to participate in sports should have the opportunity to do so. Further, we believe that economic barriers should not prevent youth from taking part in the sports they love. Financially disadvantaged children should not be kept off the playing field. We founded Caris Sports Foundation as a 501(c)(3) organization specifically to address these beliefs.

Our mission is to give youth the opportunity to participate in organized sports by removing financial obstacles that keep them on the sidelines. We are dedicated to that effort through providing financial support to kids who need  assistance for recreational or competitive sports.

Our vision is to give every student athlete who wants to take part in sports the opportunity to get on the playing field.

Our Purpose

Caris Sports Foundation was founded in 2019 to help kids and their families meet the costs associated with recreational and competitive sports.

We are well aware of the fees involved in team sports. Team fees, equipment, uniforms, travel expenses, and other related costs all add up. Some families can afford it; others can not. However, access to sports should not be limited to those who have the financial resources to play. Income affects sports participation. Children who play more, come from families that can afford more. Only 34% of kids ages 6 to 12 from homes with incomes of $25,000 or less played team sports compared to 69% of kids from home with incomes of $100,000 or more.*

Organized sports should not price out kids who can benefit from the camaraderie, competition, challenges, personal growth, and accomplishments that sports offer. Caris Sports Foundation and its supporters provide financial support to cover those expenses. By taking the money problem out of the equation, we help young athletes, from kindergarten through high school, get out on the playing field.

Caris Sports Foundation’s current activities are limited to Arizona; however, we will soon be expanding to other regions.

Our People

Caris Sports Foundation was established by individuals who understand firsthand the value of sports and the associated benefits of helping boys and girls grow physically, emotionally, and socially.

Raquel Nurse McNabb

Caris Sports Foundation Founder

An accomplished athlete and mother of four, Raquel has personally supported athletes from low-income families over the years. Raquel attended Syracuse University, where she was the point guard on the women’s basketball team. She was named MVP twice, Athlete of the Year in 1997, and made the Big Eаѕt academic all-star team thrее times. Raquel graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education. She then earned a Master of Public Administration degree from Syracuse’s Maxwell School and a Master of Educational Policy from the University of Pennsylvania. She subsequently served as assistant director in the Office of Academic Support at Villanova University. Raquel and her family moved to Arizona in 2013. She founded the Caris Sports Foundation to give kids, who otherwise couldn’t afford to join a team, the chance to play.

“I was fortunate enough to have the support I needed to participate in sports. Today, it isn’t fair that income disparities can dictate who gets to play. That needs to change, and that’s what Caris Sports Foundation is doing.”

– Raquel Nurse McNabb

Raquel is joined in her philanthropic work by co-founders:

Nicole Hawkins

Wife, mother of 3 boys, promoter of sports for everyone, lover of adventure and travel.

“Participation in sports provides so much more than physical fitness and fun. It offers an environment where kids are enabled to see what they are physically and mentally capable of individually and in a healthy team environment.”

– Nicole Hawkins

Jennifer Kruse

Married to Scott Kruse and mother of 3 young athletes. High School Girls Basketball Coach and passionate about all sports.

“Through the past few years, I have seen first hand the passion Roxi and Donovan have for youth sports. Their passion and drive do not change based on age or ability – they want kids to succeed and love the game they play. When you witness that kind of passion, it becomes contagious. I love youth sports so it is a natural fit for me to walk in step with Caris Sports Foundation to give kids the opportunity to participate in the sport they love by removing a financial barrier.”

– Jennifer Kruse

Ashley Schugg

Mother of 2 Competitive Youth Soccer Players and Wife to a local businessman. Travel Enthusiast, Youth Sport, and Rural Healthcare Advocate. Arizona Native.

“It doesn’t matter what your background is or where you came from. If you have dreams and goals, that’s all that matters.”

– Serena Williams