GREEN BAY — Growing up you never really think about what goes into you playing organized athletics. Your parents have to dedicate the time to drive you there and back. They also have to spend a lot of money on equipment and registration fees. So not every kid is afforded the opportunity to play the games they love to play. But one local non-profit organization is helping every kid rise up and play sports.
“I just really want to change these kids lives," said Kyle Cropsey. "They’ve changed mine more than they will ever know.”
Back in January, Cropsey, a 2011 Grad of Green Bay East high school got the idea to start a non-profit called Rise up Athletics.
“As you know a lot of our youth come from broken homes, a lot of poverty so I’m trying to help build up our community” he said. “We’re just giving these kids opportunities they might not have normally.”
The organization provides kids with equipment, free training and much more. It also allows them the opportunity to be a part of a team. So far, the organization aids in sports such as football, baseball and basketball.
“(Getting) The (JUGS) machine, that was our goal,” said Rise up Athletics treasurer Billy Yang. “Then Getting cleats, I’m like alright that’s not bad, we got the two things we kind of wanted and it just the past couple months it blew up bigger than I thought it would.”
All the coaches involved are volunteers. Yang was sold once he heard the idea of what Rise up could be.
“ I just jumped on board, like dude, I love it,” Yang said. “That’s something I want to be in. Like how do I get involved?”
“That means the most to me,” Cropsey said. “They believe in my vision. They believe in what I’m trying to do. If people want to get involved, it just assures me of what I’m doing and having that community support is awesome.”
At the end of the day, he just wants Green Bay East High School sports to be successful, because it’s a community that has given so much to him.
“The ultimate goal is someday to have a gym, a training space for our kids and our community where they can train, stay off the streets. A place where they can just hang out after school. I would like to see East high sports take that next step up. I think we’re very close, especially in football,” said Cropsey.
If you would like to donate to Rise Athletics you can do so here.
