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- EIN 38-3314318
- (313) 833-1600
- 1680 Michigan Ave Detroit MI 48216-1326 USA
- www.detroitpal.org
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Nonprofit Overview
Causes: Amateur Sports, Children & Youth, Family Services, Human Services, Sports, Youth Development
Mission: Detroit pal's mission is to build character in young people through athletic, academic, and leadership development programs. The overarching goal of detroit pal is to help provide young people with the support and tools necessary for them to achieve their highest potential as adults. As the leading youth athletics organization in the city of detroit and one of the largest of the kind in the nation, detroit pal harnesses the powerful draw of sports participation to engage children in positive youth development experiences while creating opportunities for staff and volunteers to encourage their general health, school success, and character development. With a staff of 22 members, including two detroit police officers, yet with thousands of youth to serve, detroit pal relies on a corps of trained volunteers to use every "coachable moment" as an opportunity to build the character of participating children.
Programs: Detroit pal operates some of the largest youth sports leagues in the nation. Over 12,000 children participated in seasonal leagues during 2017 in up to 12 different sports, for all age groups and skill levels,. Leagues are currently offered in baseball, softball, t-ball, flag football, basketball, track and field, volleyball, tackle football, cheerleading, golf, swimming and soccer. Detroit pal's sports programs are more than just fun and games. Studies prove that a good youth sports program promotes positive character development in the young people who participate, promotes the development of positive life skills, physical fitness and healthy lifestyles, and helps young people make good choices and grow into healthy adults. Detroit pal's second largest program is its impact coach training program conducted each year for the organization's 1,800 volunteer coaches. Impact, which stands of "i must prepare, allow , commit, and transfer", was developed in partnership with the institute for the study of youth sports at michigan state university. The institute and its director, dr. Daniel gould, are experts in the field of youth sports and its intersection with youth development. The impact coach training program includes three levels of curriculum that very volunteer coach must complete in order to participate as a detroit pal coach. The impact curriculum is designed to prepare volunteer coaches for serving as youth athletic coaches and to provide them with tips and tools for developing character and ensuring a positive experience for kids through sports. All three levels of impact are offered at least one time each month during the year and multiple times each month during the busiest seasons. Additionally, detroit pal offers continued impact education for all volunteer coaches that have gone through all three levels. Detroit pal provides customized youth development training to thoughts of volunteers annually. The impact training course, designed by detroit pal is mandatory for all volunteer and provides them with proven techniques and strategies for ensuing that positive youth development takes place as a result of the youth sports program. In 2016, 1,711 volunteers completed impact training.
detroit pal has initiated the kids at the corner campaign in an effort to expand its programs and organization into more detroit communities, to redevelop the historic tiger stadium into a safe and healthy playing field, to build a prominent, permanent headquarters and training center for detroit pal's 13,000 athletes, their families and 1,800 volunteers, to strengthen community neighborhoods by bridging the city's youth with dedicated public servants, to positively influence and develop a new generation of leaders for detroit, and to provide additional sustainable revenue from tournaments and special event space.