Teen ‘plays' it forward to help others afford youth sports

A local teen is trying to make youth sports more affordable for families Whether it s a touchdown or the game-winning goal -year-old Caroline Mohamadi believes sports should be available to all That s why she started an organization called Play it FWD Basically anything an athlete could need we say Come bring it and we ll distribute it Mohamadi stated The Sidwell Friends School junior hosts donation drives for gently used sporting goods and donates the equipment to organizations that give them to kids who can t afford them The equipment s really expensive Mohamadi noted Being able to you know pay for training is really expensive And I requested to help with at least one of those things Play it FWD started out small as a school club Now Mohamadi works with about six other schools in the DMV and across the country recruiting more students to collect donations So far she s collected pieces of equipment valued at about news May High school sports at PBS stations could be at threat with likely federal funding cuts Washington DC May Physician shares tips to help prevent sports injuries Washington Commanders Apr We're the sports capital' Bowser takes questions on Commanders stadium plans Much of that equipment ends up at Leveling the Playing Field in Silver Spring Our motto is getting kids off the sideline and giving them opportunities they might not have had Leveling the Playing Field Greater Washington Project Director Phillip Williams stated Mohamadi interned there When people do these collection drives or equipment drives and things like that we appreciate it because it certainly helps serve all these students in all these areas and all these participants of sports that we re definitely looking for Williams noted Mohamadi is an athlete herself She has played field hockey since the fifth grade and says the skills she s gotten on and off the field changed her life I think that s the biggest thing is the way that a sport has helped shape my identity Mohamadi announced I can now spread you know that feeling for people that may not have had access to do that before Mohamadi will be very busy when school lets out She hopes to plan two more drives this summer Get the D C area s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning Sign up for First Bulk our free newsletter