One thing I’m coming to realize, maybe now more than ever, is that I’m ultimately a coach and a programmer at heart.
I absolutely love being with the kids. Always have. From the time I was a young teacher-coach, I found that sport was the most natural and powerful vehicle to teach life skills. It was never just about the game. It was about learning life skills in the most authentic of settings. And for me, the people who had the biggest influence on my life were my teacher-coaches – those who showed up both in the classroom and on the court or field.
When I became a teacher-coach myself, I realized how much more authentic those relationships were when I had the chance to work with kids in both spaces. I think Kerry would say the same. There was a rhythm to those days that grounded us.
But over the years, as 2-4-1 has grown, our roles have needed to shift. Instead of daily direct contact with kids, we now spend much more of our time training coaches, building partnerships, and, especially during these tough funding times, fundraising so we can keep the mission alive and growing. Some days, if I’m honest, I miss just being in it. I miss being the coach who knows every name, sees every high-five, hears every laugh.
Then, out of nowhere, a photo lands in my inbox. It’s from our partner Steven Chandra at the CareSport Foundation in Kitwe, Zambia. I see the faces of so many kids in that photo,kids who might not have access to programs like ours without the work we’re doing. And I’m reminded why we do what we do.
Even if Kerry and I aren’t physically with every child, the ripple effect of what we started is still reaching them. And that means everything.
What’s wild is that the photo arrived just hours after I made my first personal post about our upcoming fundraiser. I’ll admit, I felt a little uneasy asking friends and family to contribute- nobody loves asking for money. But then I saw that photo, and I thought: they’ll get it. The people who’ve walked with us on this journey know how important this is.
So if you’re one of those people – if you’ve supported us, cheered us on, shared our mission- thank you. We truly couldn’t do it without you.
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.