Teaching Life Lessons Though Sports

By: David Lister

One of the most difficult parts of a charity for children is how to communicate and reach out to them. A Chicago-based non-profit organization has got that figured out, though.

Play for Life International, founded slightly more than a year ago by Eun Jung Decker and her husband Colin, relates to at-risk children through a language any kid can understand – sports.

“We have traveled quite a bit and seen how sports were a great way to communicate with children,” Eun Jung Decker said. “Our main message is to engage and empower children through sports.”

The organizations first fundraiser, Season Opener, is scheduled for April 10 at Galleria Marchetti, 825 W. Erie St. Decker said she plans for the fundraiser to become an annual event.

The fundraiser begins at 5:30 p.m. with a Nintendo Wii tournament between the event’s attendees and kids who are part of Play for Life’s programs. Decker said that portion of the evening is a good chance for people who donate to see the children that are benefiting from their charity, and vice versa.

From 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. the event will be adults only, and include an open bar (and of course access to the ever present Wii). There will be a silent auction featuring various sports memorabilia and tickets to local events, as well as a raffle for prizes including a new Nintendo Wii.

In addition, Chicago Bears quarterback Kyle Orton and former Bulls All-Star Bob Love will be at the event.

Play for Life currently runs programs in Chicago’s Englewood area, and Decker said they are looking into expanding into the West Side of Chicago. She added that hopefully within two years the organization will expand outside of Chicago, into other areas of the United States as well as internationally.

Decker explained while sports is the basis of Play for Life, it is not all they do.

“We want to disrupt the patterns that put kids at a disadvantage,” she said. “We use sports as our medium, but we insert life lessons that will help them.”

The organizations flagship program is a baseball clinic for 8-13 year olds run in conjunction with the West Englewood Athletic Association. This past winter the charities ran the program for anywhere from 40 to 50 kids.

Decker said the program will run again next winter, and that this summer Play for Life is sponsoring a baseball team of 12 year olds.

Play for Life also recently began a soccer program in the Englewood area last year, running clinics for up to 90 children.

Decker said the organization also provides athletic equipment for the kids.

“If they need a glove or a bat, or really anything sports related, they can fill out grant applications,” she said. “We see it as a way to get them ready to apply for things, before they have to do it for college.”

Decker said just about every athletic organization in Chicago has been very helpful to Play for Life, especially the University of Chicago baseball program. This season children from the Play for Life program will serve as batboys for the collegiate team.

“We took them to U of C, they held a baseball clinic for them and the kids were in awe,” Decker said. “It’s only 15 minutes away from where they live, but it’s like an entirely different world.”

Decker also singled out the Chicago Fire and the Chicago Bulls as being especially helpful.

“All the local teams have come through for us, either in small ways or big,” she said. “We feel very lucky to have their support.”

More information about Play of Life International can be found through their website, www.playforlife.org.

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    David Lister is the web editor for the National Sports Review. You can reach him at chicagosportsreview@gmail.com. Go Cards.

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