Dear Boys & Girls Club Community,

We want to inform you of an important decision the Boys & Girls Club has recently made regarding our program offerings. After careful consideration and evaluation, we have decided to discontinue our team sports activities at the Club. Our community is fortunate to have a wide range of opportunities for youth sports. We are confident the children we have had the privilege to serve in the past will continue to have access to high-quality youth sports programs in the area.

We understand the positive impact team sports can have on the development and well-being of our youth and the community. However, we firmly believe this decision aligns with our mission to provide the best programs and activities possible for our members. We will continue to offer a variety of athletic activities to the 1,700 youth served in our Afterschool and Summer Programs.

We recognize this decision may come as a disappointment to many of you who have enjoyed and benefited from our team sports program over the years. This has not been an easy choice. Your trust in our staff and board's decision-making process is greatly appreciated. We acknowledge this decision may raise questions, and we have outlined the contributing factors below.

• Our mission is to serve our Club members the best we can. Approximately two-thirds of the participants in our team sports programs were not Club members or involved in our Afterschool or Summer Programs. Upholding consistent codes of conduct and standards for both parents and youth becomes challenging when they are not fully aligned with our mission or actively engaged in Club activities on a regular basis. While we value engagement with the community, we also want to ensure that our resources are directed toward our core mission and our enrolled members.

• It is our responsibility to be good stewards of the funds we receive for our Club Members. Our team sports programs resulted in a financial loss and a significant allocation of our resources. We will be able to redirect time, effort, and funds to enhancing the experiences of our Club members during Afterschool and Summer programs. Continued opportunities for athletics will remain an integral part of the Club programming.   

• Despite discontinuing our team sports, we remain dedicated to our local community. There is an abundance of similar opportunities available in our community. Organizations focusing on league sports are better equipped to manage these programs. The Club will serve as a liaison with other sports programs to ensure that our participating youth have equal opportunities for organized sports without duplicating services.

Thank you for your support of the Boys & Girls Club of Cabarrus County.