Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Gruden Is Back and Already Giving Back to the Game
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 7 years ago on
July 18, 2018

Share

Jon Gruden is football through and through. It doesn’t matter what level, what age, or where.

“Seeing these kids’ faces light up and knowing that sports will teach them so many valuable lessons they will carry with them off the field is really special.” — Raiders Coach Jon Gruden
The former and now current coach of the Raiders displayed that again Tuesday by overseeing the distribution of funds and equipment to four Oakland youth football programs through the DICK’S Sporting Goods Sports Matter Program. Gruden has been a major spokesman for that initiative for more than four years.

Gruden Presents Grants of $15,000 to Oakland Schools

In the afternoon at Raiders headquarters, Gruden presented grants of $15,000 to the head coaches of McClymonds High School and Oakland Tech. He invited the coaches of both teams to the Raiders main office for a “special behind- the-scenes tour” and discussion of football in Oakland. When the tour ended, Gruden handed over the checks to the surprised coaches.
At night, coaches and players from the East Bay Panthers and San Leandro Crusaders headed to a “friendly scrimmage” at Burrell Field. When the teams ran onto the field, they were stunned to see new football helmets, pads, balls and water bottles laid out on the field for them.
Each league received a $50,000 grant.
“Being back in Oakland and getting back into coaching has only fired me up more to work with DICK’S Sports Matter program to help more kids have the opportunity to play,” said Gruden, who also gave the Panthers and Crusaders a pep talk. “Like so many other cities in the U.S., we have an issue with youth sports funding here in Oakland. Costs are rising — kids can’t afford to play and coaches can’t afford to coach.
“Seeing these kids’ faces light up and knowing that sports will teach them so many valuable lessons they will carry with them off the field is really special.”
Gruden encourages other youth sports program struggling to get by “to visit SportsMatter.org to apply for help.”
“If you give your absolute best effort on the field, the lessons that sports teach will stay with you forever, and help you to be your best in every part of your life,” he said.

Billions of Dollars Have Been Cut From School Sports Budgets

Oakland has an 18.9 percent poverty rate, and the highest crime rate of any city in California.
Many areas in cities across the country need funding for their youth sports and school athletic programs. According to Up2Us Sports, a nonprofit whose research, training, and on-the-ground initiatives empower sports programs to become an agent of positive social change, billions of dollars have been cut from school sports budgets in recent years. These cuts disproportionately impact students in low-income areas, and students from low-income families are four times more likely to decrease participation in sports due to costs.
Student-athletes have an 11 percent higher graduation rate than non-athletes, Up2Us Sports reports. The U.S. Department of Education adds that students who participate in sports are four times more likely to attend college.
DICK’S and its foundation created Sports Matter in 2014, pledging more than $50 million to support youth sports programs in need and raise awareness of the funding crisis. To date, Sports Matter has helped fund tens of thousands of youth sports programs and impacted hundreds of thousands of young athletes nationwide.
“It’s days like today that make it all worth it, and we can’t thank coach Gruden and DICK’S enough,” said Jacob Davis, president of the East Bay Panthers. “We love these kids and know how important sports are to keep them off the streets and doing positive things in their lives. This money will go a long way in helping our leagues survive and thrive.”

DON'T MISS

Senate Confirms Mehmet Oz to Take Lead of Medicare and Medicaid Agency

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Pence Will Receive the Profile in Courage Award From the JFK Library for His Actions on Jan. 6

DON'T MISS

Politics Turns Ugly for a Conservative Running for Fresno State Student Body President

DON'T MISS

Pentagon’s Watchdog to Review Hegseth’s Use of Signal App to Convey Plans for Houthi Strike

DON'T MISS

President Trump’s Tariffs Could Be the Political Tipping Point

DON'T MISS

Order That Kept Water in the Kern River Reversed by 5th District Court of Appeal

DON'T MISS

As Dem Candidates for Governor Increase, They Wait for Harris to Decide

DON'T MISS

No More Calling ‘Shotgun?’ CA Could Ban Teens From Riding in Front Seat

DON'T MISS

Protests Planned All Over the World Aimed at Donald Trump and Elon Musk

UP NEXT

Carbon Monoxide Was Cause of Death of Brett Gardner’s Teen Son, Officials Confirm

UP NEXT

Bettors Back Duke Men and UConn Women for National Championships

UP NEXT

Flores Homers, Matos and Wade Also Go Deep to Help Giants Cap Sweep of Astros

UP NEXT

After Briefly Disappearing, TikTok Went Back to Normal. Or Did It?

UP NEXT

Ohtani’s Walk-off Homer Boosts Dodgers to 8-0 With Another Comeback Win

UP NEXT

Here’s How the New NFL Rules on Kickoffs and Overtime Will Work

UP NEXT

Webb Pitches 7 Strong Innings as Giants Beat Astros

UP NEXT

Curry Drops 52 as Warriors Beat Grizzlies, Move into Fifth in West

UP NEXT

Dodgers Extend Perfect Start Behind May and Betts’ Heroics

UP NEXT

Lakers Hold Off Rockets With 6 3-Pointers Apiece From Dorian Finney-Smith, Gabe Vincent

Politics Turns Ugly for a Conservative Running for Fresno State Student Body President

2 hours ago

Pentagon’s Watchdog to Review Hegseth’s Use of Signal App to Convey Plans for Houthi Strike

2 hours ago

President Trump’s Tariffs Could Be the Political Tipping Point

3 hours ago

Order That Kept Water in the Kern River Reversed by 5th District Court of Appeal

4 hours ago

As Dem Candidates for Governor Increase, They Wait for Harris to Decide

4 hours ago

No More Calling ‘Shotgun?’ CA Could Ban Teens From Riding in Front Seat

4 hours ago

Protests Planned All Over the World Aimed at Donald Trump and Elon Musk

4 hours ago

Average US Rate on a 30-Year Mortgage Dips to 6.64% for the Second Drop in 2 Weeks

4 hours ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Christopher Robert Sharkey

4 hours ago

Fresno Man Arrested in Armed Robbery After Search Warrant Executed

5 hours ago

Senate Confirms Mehmet Oz to Take Lead of Medicare and Medicaid Agency

WASHINGTON — Former heart surgeon and TV pitchman Dr. Mehmet Oz was confirmed Thursday to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service...

24 minutes ago

Dr. Mehmet Oz, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, seated right, gives a thumbs-up alongside his wife Lisa Oz, seated left, with friends and family after he testified at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP/Ben Curtis)
24 minutes ago

Senate Confirms Mehmet Oz to Take Lead of Medicare and Medicaid Agency

2 hours ago

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

Vice President Mike Pence hands the electoral certificate from the state of Arizona to Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., as he presides over a joint session of Congress as it convenes to count the Electoral College votes cast in November's election, at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 6, 2021. (AP File)
2 hours ago

Pence Will Receive the Profile in Courage Award From the JFK Library for His Actions on Jan. 6

2 hours ago

Politics Turns Ugly for a Conservative Running for Fresno State Student Body President

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth attends a joint news conference with Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani at the Ministry of Defense in Tokyo Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Kiyoshi Ota/Pool Photo via AP)
2 hours ago

Pentagon’s Watchdog to Review Hegseth’s Use of Signal App to Convey Plans for Houthi Strike

President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order during an event to announce new tariffs in the Rose Garden of the White House, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Washington. (AP/Evan Vucci)
4 hours ago

President Trump’s Tariffs Could Be the Political Tipping Point

4 hours ago

Order That Kept Water in the Kern River Reversed by 5th District Court of Appeal

4 hours ago

As Dem Candidates for Governor Increase, They Wait for Harris to Decide

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend