One of the most powerful elements of our 2-4-1 TOP Self Sports program started as something of an experiment. We created the Physical Literacy Pals (PLPs) model because we wanted to involve more kids—especially older elementary students—but we were admittedly uncertain. Could 5th graders really step into assistant coach roles? Would they be able to handle the responsibility of helping lead younger students while still growing themselves?
It turns out, we underestimated them. Completely.
What began as a way to include more students has grown into one of the defining features of our programming. These PLPs don’t just participate—they lead, they model, they connect. It’s become one of the clearest differentiators in our model: empowering young people to lead, to mentor, and to care for one another.
Just this week, I was visiting one of our Hartford Public School sites. A teacher pulled me aside and shared how transformative the program has been—not just during our sessions, but across the entire school culture. She told me that students are now playing games many had never seen before, and even more remarkably, the ripple effect of our outside-of-school-time programming is now reaching into the school day itself.
Physical education teachers are not only introducing sports they themselves had never played—they’re also using our TOP Self emoji posters in class to help kids identify how they’re feeling and guide them through simple, powerful self-regulation strategies. The program may take place outside of the school day, but its impact is showing up everywhere—from the gym to the hallway, from the classroom to the playground.
When I asked how the PLP model was working, the teacher smiled and pointed across the gym. “See those two?” she said. “They call each other ‘big sister’ and ‘little sister’ now. They didn’t even know each other four weeks ago.” Older students looking after younger ones. Building trust, not fear. Hugs and high-fives instead of eye rolls or worse. That kind of shift changes how a school feels. And more importantly, it changes how kids see themselves—and each other.
We are fiercely local in our programming. Our goal is never to parachute in with something flashy and leave. We embed ourselves in community schools with the hope that what we build—through play, leadership, and SEL—will stay with the kids long after we leave for the day. That they won’t wait for adults to organize something for them, but instead will take the lead themselves: to play, to include, to show kindness, and to carry those lessons with them into their neighborhoods, families, and futures.
Because in the end, it’s not just about sports. It’s about building community—one high-five at a time.
About Steve Boyle
Steve Boyle is a connector, collaborator, and tireless advocate for making youth sports more playful, inclusive, and developmentally sound. As Executive Director of 2-4-1 CARE, Inc. and Co-Founder of 2-4-1 Sports, Steve has helped lead a growing movement to reshape the youth sports experience—one that puts the joy of play and the whole child at the center. Grounded in his background as a school counselor and coach, Steve co-created the award-winning TOP Self™ platform, which uses sport as a vehicle for social-emotional learning. Under his collaborative leadership, 2-4-1 has grown from a single program in West Hartford, Connecticut to a global nonprofit impacting communities across North America and Africa. Steve’s influence extends beyond his own organization. He served as Advisory Board Chair for the National Association of Physical Literacy and as Global Lead for Athletics and Physical Literacy at Whittle School & Studios, shaping programming in Washington, D.C. and Shenzhen. Whether working with local partners or global networks, Steve brings humility, heart, and a belief in the power of teamwork to everything he does.