Leveling the Playing Field boosts Ohio youth sports

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A parent with a child who plays sports knows just how expensive it can be to cover the cost of entry fees and equipment. One organization is trying to break down that barrier by giving sporting equipment a second lease on life.

Leveling the Playing Field is a national organization founded in 2013 to redistribute sporting equipment ranging from baseball bats to track cleats. 

Leveling the Playing Field entered Ohio in 2023 and has been able to distribute nearly a half million dollars of equipment to 125 different schools and programs in and around Columbus. It’s all done with a goal to give all kids the chance to play a sport they want to.

“I have coaches coming up and saying, ‘I have kids playing in crocs or playing barefoot,’” said Eric Rutkowski, the program director for Leveling the Playing Field Ohio. “It’s really awesome to see a PE teacher show up for soccer balls and leave with basketballs, footballs, a set of lacrosse stick, some golf clubs and really be set up to have an awesome school year.”

The Solid Waste Agency of Central Ohio (SWACO) has a mission to keep as much out of the landfill as possible. SWACO recently gave LPF Ohio a grant worth $35,000. It was enough to buy the organization a van to drive around to collect the donations.

“They’re helping us with our mission by diverting that material from our landfill. Seventy-six percent of what comes into our landfill doesn’t really need to be there,” said Joe Lombardi, SWACO Executive Director.

LPF Ohio’s warehouse off of Morse Road sees a steady stream of coaches and program directors trying to give their kids a great experience.

LaWon Sellers is the head coach for the Weinland Park Wildcats, a youth athletics initiative in the Weinland Park neighborhood of Columbus. On Monday, Sellers walked away with some of the equipment his athletes need in order to play.

“The cost of doing youth sports is very expensive now. To have an outlet like this for coaches and other orgs can come to and find those resources those parents need is very helpful,” Sellers said.

Public schools have also utilized the equipment offered by LPF Ohio. Kevin Rawlins is a physical education teacher for Columbus City Schools’ Marion-Franklin High School. He’s gone three times in order to stock up his equipment room with footballs, cones, frisbees, soccer balls and more.

“They have helped provide gaps in equipment where the budget is stretched really thin,” said Rawlins. “I told my wife that it was like waking up on Christmas morning. You just walk into a warehouse and being able to pick up the things you need without having to worry about the price tag over it.”

LPF Ohio has several large donation bins scattered around the Columbus area where people can drop off old sporting equipment that still has some use left. Those locations include several Dick’s Sporting Goods, OhioHealth Chiller and Columbus Recreation and Parks facilities.

Find a donation center close to you here.