Through a new program at Park View Community Mission, Lynchburg community leaders are stepping up to the plate to deliver sporting goods and apparel to city children in need.
The Lynchburg Sports Locker, located inside Park View, is a partnership among LAYSI — the Lynchburg Area Youth Sports Initiative — the University of Lynchburg and Park View to deliver all kinds of sports equipment for children who otherwise may not have the opportunity to acquire it.
Todd Olsen, head women’s soccer coach at the University of Lynchburg and an integral player in the partnership, said the rising cost of sports equipment is a huge obstacle for area children trying to get into sports.
“I recently purchased a pair of soccer cleats for my daughter and they were $160,” Olsen said. “If somebody is in poverty, there is no way they can afford that kind of thing.”
Olsen said the inspiration