---
title: Changing the Game for Young Athletes
date: 2024-05-16T12:15:00-04:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/changing-the-game-for-young-athletes"
section: Articles
---
# Changing the Game for Young Athletes

*May 16, 2024* — by [Annie Krakower](/author/annie-krakower)


> Graduating Student’s Nonprofit Redistributes Sports Gear to Children in Need Around the World

*Sara giving cleats to Agahozo Shalom Youth Village in Uganda 1920x1080 — Sara Blau ’24 (second from left) gives donated cleats to recipients from the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village in Rwanda. Her nonprofit, Game Changers, has distributed more than 100,000 pieces of sports equipment to children in need around the world.*

When Sara Blau ’24 visited Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda during winter break last year, she was struck by the sight of young soccer players kicking a beat-up ball wearing flip-flops or even barefoot. An athlete herself, she knew the talented young teams—like many others worldwide—could just use an assist to reach their goals.

Those East African athletes would be just some of the thousands to benefit from [Game Changers](https://gamechangersny.org/), a nonprofit that redistributes donated sports equipment to children in need. Founded by Blau as a high school sophomore, the organization has grown during her time at the University of Maryland, contributing more than 100,000 pieces of equipment worth $2.5 million to 138 partner groups in 14 countries.

“Seeing these experiences firsthand showed me the impact that donating a brand-new set of uniforms and new soccer balls has on a program,” she said. “It really does create a complete experience for these children.”

Blau, a business management major and College Park Scholar, grew up on Long Island playing everything from soccer and basketball to gymnastics and ice skating. But as a teen, she realized that not all kids her age had those same opportunities. Sports equipment costs quickly add up, she said, noting that families spend an average of $883 per year on just one child’s primary sport.

“I knew I wanted to get involved and give back to my community,” she said.

That started with inviting around 30 friends and family members to meet at a local tennis facility for a day of food, drinks and sport, and asking attendees to bring any athletic equipment that they no longer needed. From that 2016 event alone, Blau collected more than 200 balls, rackets, cleats and more.


*children playing soccer — Children in Nairobi play with donated soccer gear.*




**Topics:** [People](https://today.umd.edu/tags/people)


**Tags:** [Athletics](https://today.umd.edu/topic/athletics-tag), [Business](https://today.umd.edu/topic/business), [Student Experience](https://today.umd.edu/topic/student-experience)


**Units:** [Robert H. Smith School of Business](https://today.umd.edu/topic/robert-h-smith-school-business), [School of Public Policy](https://today.umd.edu/topic/school-public-policy)