Strong ARM Foundation gives financial help to kids who want to play sports

The cost of youth sports for Ivy Fines’ 5- and 8-year-old sons added up quickly.

It was between $100 and $180 for football registration, $60 for shoes and $160 for a helmet and padding.

“That’s per child,” Fines said. “It gets costly.”

But growing up watching their older brother — who is now in high school — play football, they, too, wanted to be involved.

“It was going to break my heart if they couldn’t play,” Fines added.

Then she learned about the Strong Arts, Recreation and Multicultural (ARM) Foundation — started by Henderson resident Sophia Smith to provide financial assistance for children who want to enroll in sports or other extracurricular activities. The nonprofit potentially will cover all fees.

The organization paid the costs for both her children.

“Since we’ve started (in 2014), we’ve been able to help more than 120 kids now,” Smith said. “Every year, we are able to take on more kids.”

Smith started the organization after seeing the need in her family. Her sister, a single parent of four, got her son involved with sports as an alternative to constantly playing video games.

“It made a difference in his life,” Smith said.

The family planned to enroll him in a high school wrestling program, but the cost was too steep.

“It was a $300 fee that they couldn’t afford,” Smith said.

Sports played a vital role in their family when they were growing up.

“You learn discipline. You learn never to give up,” she said. “These are lessons that carry on in your life.”

The family eventually came up with the funds, but Smith couldn’t shake the thought that other children might be shut out of activities. She said money should never be a barrier to getting kids connected to experiences that have “a positive impact on them.”

With that in mind, she created the foundation. It started with covering registration fees.

The organization has covered other expenses such as sports gear and opportunities such as music and dance.

Fines, a Southwest resident who said she heard about Strong ARM from a coach with 702 49ers, said that previously, not all her children would be able to play at the same time.

“My youngest really wanted to play,” she said. “My 8-year-old played one season, but then we couldn’t afford it the next. He would always ask when he could go back.”

This helps with some of the financial burden and gives her a chance to put both kids into sports.

“It means the world to see them happy,” Fines said. “They love sports, and I really love seeing them be able to do it.”

To qualify for the foundation, families need to be on government assistance, be in the military or have a high debt-to-income ratio.

Tricia Pringle has triplets — three teenage boys — who have played sports since they were 5.

“Thankfully, they all played different sports,” said the North Las Vegas resident. “One likes basketball, one likes baseball and the other likes football. It kind of helped (financially) that they were playing at different times in the year.”

When her son approached this football season, she faced the reality that she might not have the money for registration and the uniform, which cost about $350 combined.

“I think sports has kept them out of trouble,” she said. “If he wouldn’t been able to play, he would have probably gotten into trouble.”

Someone from her son’s football team, the Las Vegas Aces, referred the family to Smith.

Families from all over the valley can apply for a financial assistance.

Smith said the nonprofit is funded through private donors. She also has started selling items such as Strong ARM Foundation bracelets.

“I hope one day we are a household name,” Smith said. “When someone says, ‘I can’t afford this,’ I want people to be able to respond, ‘Have you tried Strong ARM Foundation?’”

For more information, visit strongarmfoundation.org.

To reach Henderson View reporter Michael Lyle, email mlyle@viewnews.com or call 702-387-5201. Find him on Twitter: @mjlyle.