Column: Sports Connection and its Story

In 2007, just as the Angora fire was breaking, Amy Jackson hurriedly attempted to pack her belongings, not knowing what the outcome would be. As she did so, she remembered that she had promised a young 8th-grade boy that if he met her with his birth certificate verifying his age, that she would help cover his fee for AYSO soccer that year. She thought of what to do? I better go, she decided. As she approached their neighborhood in Bijou, she encountered not only the one boy she had promised to meet, but many other boys as well. She was in shock. Wide-eyed and eager with birth certificates in hand, Amy knew with every fiber of her being at that moment that connecting kids to sports in this small town of South Lake Tahoe was a vital mission. For 10 years, Amy matched individual kids with sponsors in order to connect them with the sport of their choice. Whether it was football, soccer, basketball, baseball, gymnastics, karate, or dance, no kid was now told that finances or transportation would inhibit their opportunity to play.

In 2017, Amy asked me if I would be interested in taking it over, as her two kids, Noah and Cassidy, were going to college. How could say no? My three kids played many sports; I played tennis in college; I needed to help give kids these same opportunities.

Serendipitously, around that same time, I had an unforgettable lunch with Ricky Reich, Lisa Maloff’s loyal friend and caretaker. I spoke about the inherent value of Sports Connection and how it personally resonated deeply within me. He asked me if it were a non-profit. Well, no. No, it was not. Make it one, he says. How do you do that, I thought. I didn’t know. But, I vowed to figure it out. Shortly after communicating with Bill Roby from El Dorado Community Foundation, I was well on my way. The rest was history. After a generous donation from Lisa and Ricky, our Board got busy.

Since the summer of 2017, Sports Connection has to date connected hundreds and hundreds of kids to multiple sports-related activities in South Lake Tahoe to the tune of $19,712. Additionally, Sports Connection has granted to the LTCC Connect program for scholarships and granted to the LTUSD PE teachers in collaboration with Blue Zone for sports-related equipment.

Once again, the Angel of Tahoe is aiding in empowering leaders in our community and presenting opportunities. I eagerly await the day that one of our sports-connected kids thank Ms. Maloff, Ricky and Sports Connection in the professional realm. That will be a sweet day.

If you would like to donate or learn more, please contact Sara Pierce, Sports Connection President, at TahoeSportsConnection@gmail.com

Sara Pierce
Sports Connection President