Concept
Many families have their children participate in a wide variety of sports as they grow up. Many of these sports require equipment (football, lacrosse, hockey, baseball) that is used for one or two seasons and then abandoned as the child grows or narrows the focus of their sporting activities. As an example, a garage can be the storage spot for four football helmets, three sets of should pads, one hockey helmet, four lacrosse sticks and seven baseball bats. None of which have been touched in three years. The equipment is not bad, it has merely been outgrown. This collection of equipment in one garage is similar to many other garages, attics and storage rooms. Instead of collecting dust, this equipment can be put to use by young athletes that might not have access to the equipment for a variety of reasons. Perhaps being able to participate in a sports program will provide the opportunity to succeed in other aspects of their lives. FoundersThe premise for Replay Sports was born out the athletic pursuits of four young men who participated in a wide variety of youth sports activities. Prior to their sophomore year in high school, they conceived of the collection drive and began organizing the program. They are recent graduates of Highland Park High School in Dallas. Each of them share a love of sports and a desire to give that opportunity to others that might not have the equipment to enable them to participate. The young men are Jackson Coon, Christopher Hipps, Thomas Gibbons and Caleb Robinson. In the hopes of being able to continue the legacy of helping other athletes, the boys have recruited younger students at the high school to lead the collection and distribution of sports equipment after they graduate. The 2012 Replay Sports team includes Senior Officers Lee Cooper and Will Vanderstraaten, Juniors Clayton Murtha and Price Peters, Sophmores Tyler Brock and Jon Skidmore and Freshman Kyle Burnett and Thomas Glieber. 
FOUNDERS: Jackson Coon, Caleb Robinson, Coach Allen,
Thomas Gibbons and Chris Hipps | 
2011 Replay Sports team with Sergeant Rodney Hinkle at
Cedar Crest Community Center. |
Time and PlaceThe collection events are typically held in conjunction with the Fall Football Scrimmage that takes place at the Highland Park High School stadium in August and a second collection date the following week at Highland Park Middle School. The hope is that as people attend the scrimmages, they will bring equipment that they can leave at the front gate of Highlander Stadium with volunteers that have offered to help with the collection. If a family has equipment that they would like to contribute but are unable to attend the Scrimmage, they can call and leave a message and a volunteer will come to their home to pick up the donated equipment.
Event NameReplay Sports – Pass It. Catch It. Share It. The name embodies what the boys are attempting to accomplish.
Equipment BeneficiariesThe boys contacted the Dallas Cowboys Foundation, who directed us to a program sponsored by Pop Warner, with two teams specified, the Beckley Saner Dragons & the Oak Cliff Titans. This is a program that the Cowboys and individual players on the team support with their time and money. They have a need for good equipment to enable young men and women to participate in fall football programs. The Salvation Army Cedar Crest Community Center and Little Heroes Baseball Field Foundation in Dallas have graciously offered to help distribute any baseball equipment donated to various programs that they support throughout the year. Bridge Lacrosse has offered to accept donated lacrosse equipment that will be distributed throughout North Texas to young men interested in learning and playing lacrosse.
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