In Our Own Words: Sport, Connection and Community

Each year, we ask our team to pause and consider the moments when sport reached beyond the field, the pool, the court — and revealed something deeper about what binds us together. This time, we posed a simple question:  

Tell us about a moment this year when sport revealed something powerful to you about connection, resilience or community. 

What came back were stories of joy and loss, of showing up for one another, of finding belonging in unexpected places and rediscovering parts of ourselves through play. Taken together, they reflect the many ways sport continues to move us, hold us and remind us of what we share. 

Here are those moments in our team’s own words. 

Fred Fikouhi-Turner, Executive Director 

Volunteering at WeSwim (current grantee of Beyond Sport). Being able to support adults with disabilities across London by creating a safe space to swim, connect and feel a sense of community has provided yet another real-life example of the impact sport can have on people’s lives. 

While swimming is the means by which the program exists, seeing what it enables is far greater. 1 in 5 adults in London has a disability. 80% state they want to be more active and yet huge barriers are blocking them. 

This incredible project fosters a unique community of adults and volunteers who come together every week of the year, helping to reduce loneliness, increase community cohesion and improve health outcomes. 

It’s a privilege to be a part of an organization built and guided by the communities it serves. 

Carly Heinz, Director, Development 

As a Liverpool fan, getting to see us lift a league title was one of those special moments where I got to experience joy and connections with my football family, both friends and strangers alike. And then, months later, Diogo Jota’s sudden passing brought that lesson into even sharper focus. The collective shock and grief across the wider football world and the way supporters came together, holding space for each other’s sadness, honoring his talent and spirit, revealed sport at its most human: resilient, connected and full of care. 

On a Beyond Sport level, at November’s Beyond Sport United, that same sense of connection was on full display. Bringing together partners, practitioners, athletes and community leaders reminded me why this work matters: because when people who care gather in one place, so much becomes possible. You could really feel the collective commitment to creating a better world and it was a great reminder that the impact we strive for every day is real, shared and strengthened when we come together. 

Philee Ang-Chen, Manager, Grants 

A moment this year when sport revealed something powerful to me about connection, resilience and community was when I became a trustee at Springboard Youth Academy. The academy supports refugee and asylum-seeking young people who have made the difficult journey to the UK and are now saddled with many challenges common to starting a life somewhere new.  

When I visited the organization over the summer, I stepped into a space vibrant with different cultures, languages and stories. What struck me most was how, despite these differences, volleying a ball in a field created an opportunity for instant connection.  

That moment reminded me of the profound power of sport, being a space for inclusion, community and joy of play.  

Emily Belcher, Manager, Community & Foundation Events 

This year, sport reminded me how powerful connection and community can be. I’ve always loved the togetherness it creates, whether I’m playing or watching, but that truth hit differently since moving to London. Despite calling London home for a few years now, it’s still easy to find yourself feeling lost in the noise and pace of it all. 

Early this year, I joined a social netball league — mostly hoping to stay active and meet a few people. What I found was something much more meaningful. The league brought together girls from all over London who, like me, were trying to find their footing. Week by week, turning up to the court became a small but important act of resilience, a reminder that even when everything felt unfamiliar, I could still choose to show up and be part of something. 

What surprised me most was how quickly teammates became friends. There’s something quietly powerful about moving together as a team — the shared court, the primary school nostalgia, the chaotic moments of trying to remember the rules — that builds trust before you even notice it. Soon, “Goal Keeper” and “Goal Attacker” weren’t just positions on the court; they were the people I grabbed coffee with, shared worries with and slowly built a sense of belonging alongside. 

This year, sport revealed to me that community doesn’t always appear in big, dramatic moments. Sometimes it begins with simply showing up — and discovering that others are doing the same. 

Adam Burgess, Director, Programs 

In 2025 I was fortunate enough to attend the Olympism365 Summit in Switzerland. At the Summit were some very powerful people in the world of sport and sustainable development. However, it was the really personal presentation of an Innovation Hub innovator, Tanjun Associate, which revealed to me the way sport can build connection, resilience and community.  

Tanjun, a relatively new social enterprise located in Northern India, brought their hand-woven bamboo badminton net all the way to Switzerland to showcase to the attendees! They had members of the panel hold it up for the audience. This approach highlighted how they have created a connected community who come together to provide sporting memories for people who wouldn’t have access otherwise. 

What’s more is that they use a circular economy model to create jobs for marginalized women and have a positive environmental impact compared to equipment alternatives. This approach demonstrates the ability of sport, when driven purposefully by local people, to encourage resilience and promote community. 

Ulises Cartagena, Manager, Individual Giving 

This year, I discovered a men’s soccer league rooted in purpose that recognizes men’s need for community and connection and the power of sport for healthier living. ManvFat, originated in the UK and now in the U.S., is a program that has shown me firsthand how sport can build resilience and foster meaningful relationships. 

Soccer is in my roots, professionals going back to El Salvador, but I drifted away after gaining weight and struggling with my mental health in my mid-twenties. Returning to the pitch after more than a decade felt like reconnecting with my younger self. Since joining, I’ve lost 20 pounds, returning to a weight I haven’t seen since my early twenties. I was named captain which has been rewarding. Even my doctor was impressed when my high blood pressure normalized for the first time in years. 

While scoring goals is fun, the real value is the camaraderie and connection I share with the lads. Many participants are dads and older men focused on living healthier, longer lives. These friendships have been vital for me through challenging times. We’ve also participated in charity tournaments supporting local nonprofits. MVF is just one example of how sport transcends the game to promote health, build community, and collective healing. 

Winky Law, Manager, Marketing 

“Free this weekend?” It started with that simple message from my friend, with no clues about what was coming. A day later, we were picking out rackets and balls, and soon after, I found myself on a tennis court. One spontaneous session turned into a weekly routine. Somehow, without noticing, I fell in love with it.  

Maybe it was the sound of the ball hitting the racket. Maybe it was the small thrill of finally serving the ball cleanly. Maybe it was the dopamine after a sweaty session of running across the court. Or it was simply getting to see my friend while doing something refreshing for body and mind. Whatever the mix was, I showed up at the court every single week. 

That’s the thing about sport. It’s never just the activity, but the people that matter. It challenges you with new skills and celebrates small breakthroughs. It shapes identity, like those who put “A Marathon Runner” on their profile, or the weekend league teams wearing their colors with pride. Most of the time, it connects you to something bigger than yourself, a team, a place, a culture.  

I’ve had firsthand experience with how sports build connections and how relationships grow each time you step onto the court. The journey is the reward and late is better than never.  

Tarryn Horner, Senior Manager, Programs 

This year, sport revealed its power to connect and transform when I met Rekha Dey of Tanjun Associate LLP and held their first hand-stitched prototype badminton net. Knowing it had been woven from recycled jute by 50 women in a remote Himalayan community, many of whom were previously without skills, education, or formal work was profoundly moving. 

Seeing Rekha speak at the Olympism365 Summit standing alongside global sport and climate leaders, showed how grassroots innovation can inspire even the most established institutions. Her team’s circular-economy approach, which utilizes bamboo and jute to create sustainable sports equipment while delivering sport-for-development programs, demonstrated resilience, creativity and a profound community impact.  

What struck me most was the pride and independence of the women behind the net: new livelihoods created, confidence built, and local leadership emerging in places often overlooked. Their work is now attracting global interest and opening pathways for partnerships and growth. 

Witnessing this reminded me why we do what we do. Sport isn’t just a game; it’s a catalyst for dignity, opportunity and connection. And in that moment, holding a net hand-woven in the Himalayas, I felt the immense power of community-led change. 

Karen Asare, Director, Content & Communications 

I love track and field, so for me, it was this past September’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. I was glued to my television (no small screens for me with sport!) as more than 2,200 athletes from nearly 200 countries ran, threw, walked and jumped their hearts out to the delight and awe of fans around the world. This year has been hard to say the least, but events like this always show how sport can connect people on a global scale – for shared moments of joy, release, pride and community. 

And there were so many dramatic moments to enjoy – new championship and world records; Samoa, Saint Lucia and Uruguay winning their first ever medals; the continued, (mostly) respectful rivalries among certain nations; and crazy kicks at the end of endurance runs and sprints alike for some insane finishes. I particularly remember the absolute trust the U.S. Women’s 4×100 relay team had in each other to get the stick around. They didn’t look back during the crazy fast legs to check; they just knew their teammates would secure the baton in their hands and that the rain didn’t matter. Also, when his fellow competitors stopped what they were doing to watch Mondo Duplantis absolutely soar in the pole vault (6.3m). And, of course, the last race of the great Shelley-Ann Fraser-Price. The performances were truly inspiring this year and seeing what’s possible for the human body is always a revelation.  

Maggie Munoff, Manager, Digital Content 

This year, sport revealed its power to me in the form of a supporters’ section — Cloud 9, the Gotham FC supporters group that I joined last season. I joined for the instant camaraderie during games, but what I found was something fuller and more human. Standing shoulder to shoulder with people brought together by one club and one sport, I started to understand how quickly shared joy can turn into shared purpose. 

And joy really is at the center of it. Cloud 9 is loud, playful and proudly the 12th woman on the field. We are the group that will lose its voice screaming for a fullback, orchestrate a tifo overnight and turn a rainy Wednesday night match into a full rock concert. Winning the 2025 NWSL Championship together felt like the purest expression of all that energy: a sea of blue losing our minds in unison, celebrating a club we’ve poured so much heart into. But that levity sits alongside something deeper. The same people belting out chants also uplift the players when they’re advocating for better conditions, equal pay and fair CBA negotiations. Support doesn’t end at the final whistle; it follows the team into the moments that shape their lives and livelihoods. 

What has meant the most is how that spirit extends far beyond the stadium. Within Cloud 9, care shows up in all kinds of ways — rallying around furloughed members during the government shutdown, fundraising for organizations like South Bronx United and the Ali Forney Center, and offering mutual aid without needing to be asked. The energy starts in the stands, but the impact doesn’t stay there. 

Cloud 9 has given me a place to belong in the world of women’s football, but more importantly, it has shown me what a collective can do when its love for a team becomes a love for its people. It’s proof that sport doesn’t just build community; it mobilizes it. 

Claudia Larrea, Senior Manager, Programs 

What stayed with me most was watching the sports-based youth development (SBYD) community show up for young people and families living with real fear in cities like Los Angeles, Chicago and New York. ICE raids and shifting government policies created so much uncertainty, and at the same time organizations were adapting to funding cuts and changing needs. Even with all of that, they kept finding ways to support their communities in deeper and more intentional ways. 

I saw coaches, educators and program leaders step in with care, whether that meant helping families understand their options, finding alternative spaces when a program site no longer felt safe or creating moments where young people could feel grounded again. Something as simple as hearing a whistle on court, could trigger fear that ICE is nearby and many practitioners recognize how that kind of trauma shows up in sport settings. Their response has taken awareness and a commitment to making sport a safe place in every sense. 

I was also struck by how many people leaned into mental wellbeing this year. They sought training, adapted their approaches and became advocates for their youth while navigating their own worries. It reminded me of the early days of the pandemic when the sector had to rely on compassion, patience and trust to keep going. That same mix of qualities have come through again as people worked to protect and steady their communities during uncertain times. 

Sport revealed connection in motion this year. It showed how powerful it is when people come together with courage, care and the belief that every young person deserves to feel safe. 

Nick Coltman, Coordinator, Programs 

This year, sport showed its power to me in an unexpected way. After an injury kept me from playing football, I worried I’d lose the sense of connection that comes with being part of a team. Instead, watching matches on TV or attending games with family and friends became the thread that kept me close to the people in my life. 

Those meetups turned into built-in catch-ups during otherwise busy weeks. The football often faded into the background (unless Leicester were playing) as conversations shifted toward what was really happening in our lives. 

Being off the pitch reminded me that the heart of sport isn’t just in playing. It’s in the way it creates community and keeps people connected, even when you can’t take part in the game yourself.  

Aahiri Hoskote, Coordinator, Programs 

This year, my university’s cricket club heard some unfortunate news regarding one of our members. Though removed from university for almost two years, the nature of the friendships I created through sport has remained unwavering, which showed in the midst of this heavy moment. The response shown from all the current members and alumni spanning 5+ years was truly such an authentic and heartfelt moment of coming together and showing up for one another on and off the pitch. This also underlined the importance in nurturing the strong connections we create, rooted in our simple passion for a game we love.