Guest Post: Sport For Good, Looking Back and Springing Ahead..

W e are big fans of all cause marketing and social responsibility can do to make us better humans, so we asked my colleague Howard Brodwin at Sports and Social Change to give us a list of what’ was on his radar as we round out the year…

Back (adverb) – in the opposite direction from which one is facing or traveling.

Late December is often a time to look in the opposite direction from which we’re all traveling. For those who choose to pause and reflect, this time of year can be powerful – a chance to relive the wins, unpack the losses and absorb the lessons from the past 360+ days.

Over the past year I’ve shared dozens of stories in Joe’s newsletter of the myriad ways sport shows up as a force for good. Each week, I try to uncover a nonprofit organization or charitable event that rarely makes the sports headlines or highlight clips. Below are a few stories from 2025 that stood out for me. Each is a unique example of how the simplest of activities and tools – often just a ball, stick, board or racquet – can make a significant impact in someone’s life.

Whether you’ve worked in sports for decades or have recently entered the industry, I encourage you to consider that sport is much more than wins & losses, merch & suite sales, parlays & pick’ems, AI & performance tech.

We are a part of a global cultural movement.
We communicate in a unique universal language.
We have access to a powerful community building tool.

This is your invitation to look back at stories from the past year, then look ahead on how you might use what’s in your hands or at your feet to make a difference.

Game on!

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Eagles Honor Community Leader with Super Bowl Tickets (February)
Garry Mills, founder of the nonprofit Shoot Basketballs NOT People, attended Super Bowl LIX thanks to the Philadelphia Eagles who surprised him with tickets in recognition of his decade-long work combating gun violence through youth basketball programs. The Eagles and 76ers recently awarded his organization $30,000 through their Social Justice Fund.
Full story at https://www.inquirer.com/eagles/garry-mills-nonprofit-shoot-basketballs-not-people-eagles-super-bowl–20250203.html

Autistic FC: Why Football is for Everyone (March)
Leading the charge for inclusion is Autistic FC, a UK based club created specifically to provide neurodiverse children the opportunity to play football in a safe and inclusive environment. Based in Brentwood, Essex, Autistic FC was founded five years ago by chairman Dan Franklyn and his 13-year-old son, Charlie. “I was part of a football team before I started this and they didn’t treat me well,” said Charlie. “So I thought, kids like me that haven’t been treated well by other football teams, why don’t we make a team for them?”
Full story at https://connectsport.co.uk/research/autistic-fc-why-football-everyone

In Sri Lanka, ‘the Ocean Is For Everyone’ (May)  
SeaSisters is a community of women who conduct free swim and surf sessions for Sri Lankan girls and women. While Sri Lanka is one of Asia’s leading surf tourism destinations, social norms and fear of the ocean keep many women from accessing the waters. This not only keeps women from enjoying the ocean but also prevents them from benefiting from the socioeconomic rewards it can bring, including through work as swim and surf instructors.
Full story at https://reasonstobecheerful.world/sri-lanka-seasisters-surfing

Building Inclusion for Refugees Through Sport (May)
Fair Shot FC is a UK based football club launched by the Refugee Council in May 2024, that brings together 12 refugee football players from 10 countries. The team plays friendly matches with the fans of partner football clubs, allowing locals and refugees to connect through their love of the sport.
Learn more at https://www.fairshot.org.uk/

Blind Skateboarder Builds World’s First Adaptive Skatepark (May)  
For Dan Mancina – who is fully blind and skates with the help of a white cane – this park is a place of no limitations and one where he hopes to teach other people with vision impairments to skate and break free of the barriers they face in a normal city setting.
Full story at https://www.olympics.com/en/news/usa-blind-skateboarder-dan-mancina-world-first-adaptive-skatepark-interview

Native American Golfers Set to Make Collegiate History (July)
When Indigenous golfers Maddison Long and Peyton Beans Factor take to the links at Manhattan University this fall, a bit of history will be made: No two Native American women have ever anchored a Division 1 collegiate golf program, until now. 

Full story at https://ictnews.org/news/native-golfers-set-to-make-collegiate-history-this-fall/

Undefeated Vermont Green FC Wins USL League Two Title (August)
This is a club built on climate justice. And it turns out, that wasn’t a gimmick. Vermont Green has shown that being purpose-driven isn’t a hindrance to performance, it can power it. They’ve proven you can stand for something bigger and still beat everyone on the pitch. 

Full story at https://sustainabilityhuddle.substack.com/p/vermont-green-a-sport-and-climate 

Great summary of those doing it right, [provided by one who has literally made it his busienss to highlight and do right in sport.