 Through Innovative's valued partnership with the Minnesota Vikings, we are proud to present the “In the Game Award.” Does your school have what it takes to be the Minnesota Football Program of the Year? Tell us what makes your program unique and your school could be presented the “In the Game Award,” at the 2016 Minnesota Football Honors. In addition, the Vikings, Innovative and KFAN will “takeover” the winning community and bring Vikings players, cheerleaders and Viktor to the winning school for a presentation of the $10,000 check. A portion of that money will also be donated to specific programs in the winning community to encourage all kids to engage in their community despite any financial set-backs as part of our foundations initiative. Once you’ve nominated a program, encourage community members to share photos and messages to social media using #(YourProgramName) and #InTheGame to promote your nomination. The winning program will be announced at the Vikings vs. Giants football game at University of Minnesota Stadium on December 27th, 2015. Watch how your community could benefit In the Game Video! Apply now at http://www.vikings.com/fans/promotions/in-the-game.html. If you have a school community in mind, nominate them now! It could be your friends, family or the local community you live in. Share the word with all of those around you! Learn more about the InSports Foundation and how we "Help Kids Get in the Game."  Aristides Serrano, KVRR MOORHEAD, Minn. - Local college athletes are helping younger students in the area sharpen some of their skills in different sports. The athletes are some of the best on their teams. Young students from around the area are taking part in InSports Day at Concordia College. It's a day where local students can learn from college athletes about different sports. 2nd grader Annie Horan loves playing outside. "It's really nice for them to bring all the kids here and let them play all the sports," said Annie. InSports is an organization created by Concordia College students. It's a way for them to give back to the community. "I think it's huge for the younger kids to just get experience at different sports, but also you know, start having some role models of the older athletes," said Organizer Max Smith. Andrew Deters is a senior hockey player at Concordia. He is one of the many athletes helping teach younger students how to play the different sports. "The life skills that sports have taught us, we just want to give that back to the kids and show them what sports can do for them," said Deters. Some of the students were so excited about the program that they said they hope it will return next year. "It's really fun here. I hope I can do this a lot again," said Horan. It's a day where kids can get in the game, no matter what skill level. Throughout the day, the kids learned about basketball, hockey, football and soccer.  MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - A new Twin Cities non-profit aims to help more students get involved in sports, despite any financial obstacles.
The InSports Foundation was the brainchild of a college student from Moorhead. The foundation’s executive director, Tony Scheuerman, said he wants to help lighten the financial load for families. A WCCO-TV report found parents are spending as much as $10,000 dollars per year at the top levels of sports like figure skating, gymnastics and dance. Some less expensive traveling sports like basketball, baseball and softball cost parents between $500 and $1,000 dollars per season. But Scheuerman said even the cost of school-sponsored activities or parks and recreation leagues can be a lot to maintain. “Nowadays, you have to pay between $150 to $200 dollars just to participate,” he said. Through its own fundraising efforts, InSports wants to help 10,000 kids in the next three years. First, the foundation aims to help kids with the money needed to get a foot in the game, to participate and, eventually, to become more competitive. “We want to help during school and after-school with things like summer camps and sports camps,” he said. Scheuerman said he has not actually given away any scholarships because no one has applied yet, but he hopes that will change. InSports Foundation will have a booth at the Minnesota Golf Show this weekend at the Minneapolis Convention Center for anyone interested in learning about the cause or applying for a scholarship. Scholarship applicants are required to submit a one- to two-page essay and obtain a letter of recommendation from a coach, teacher or mentor.  Moorhead, MN (WDAY TV) - What an honor for a Concordia College athlete who has an outstanding record on and off the ice.
Max Smith is a hockey player and golfer who founded the "In-Sports Foundation”; a nonprofit group that raises money for scholarships so under-privileged kids can attend sports camps. He's been nominated for the 2015 Mellon Wealth Management Hockey Humanitarian Award; a national recognition of athletes in Division One and Three. Max Smith- Concordia College Student: “It's been really rewarding to see what it does for the kids and the parents, and it's a lot of fun, too. It's a lot better than having a hockey camp for kids.” The winner of the Mellon Humanitarian Award will be announced at the Frozen Four in Boston this April.  MOORHEAD, Minn. (1/23/15)--- Concordia junior Max Smith was named as one of the 15 candidates for the prestigious BNY Mellon Wealth Management Hockey Humanitarian Award. Smith is one of five NCAA Division III candidates in a field that includes men's and women's players from Division I and III schools.
Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the Hockey Humanitarian Award is presented annually to college hockey's finest citizen – a student-athlete who makes significant contributions not only to his or her team but also to the community-at-large through leadership in volunteerism. Smith is the founder and director of InSports Foundation which offers camps and scholarships for deserving kids to help defray the costs of participating in youth sports. The InSports foundation's goal is to help 10,000 kids in three years. The idea of the foundation started three years ago and the InSports officially became a non-profit organization in 2014. Last year the foundation raised over $10,000 for other teams and individuals through apparel fundraisers. In all the foundation has raised over $30,000 through other fundraising events and apparel sales. Smith said the goal pf the foundation is to, "use this money to give kids scholarships to attend camps and help pay for their registration fees during their seasons." Last summer the InSports foundation put on its own free hockey camp for 35 kids in Fargo, N.D. Nine of the participants were from the inner city of Minneapolis and received a complete travel, lodging and food scholarship for the week. In addition, the foundation gave away over $1,500 worth of equipment scholarships to three players who were selected for their on-ice demeanor and willingness to make others better. Finalists will be announced in February. The 2015 recipient will be recognized in a ceremony on Friday, April 10th as part of the NCAA Men's Frozen Four in Boston. 2015 BNY Mellon Wealth Management Hockey Humanitarian Award – Candidates Brittany Ammerman Sr. F Wisconsin Tyler Brickler Sr. F Geneseo Kelsie Fralick Sr. G Connecticut College Sebastien Gingras Jr. D Union Jake Heisinger So. F Curry Zoe Hickel Sr. F Minnesota-Duluth Zach Hyman Sr. F Michigan Eric Johnson Sr. D Notre Dame Adam Krause Sr. F Minnesota-Duluth Mark MacMillan Sr. F North Dakota Jamie Murray Jr. G Babson Joel Rumpel Sr. G Wisconsin Katelyn Scott Sr. F Robert Morris Max Smith Jr. D Concordia (Minn.) Kayla Sullivan Sr. F Ohio State Article provided by Jim Cella at http://concordiamn.prestosports.com/sports/mice/2014-15/releases/20150123xa8g08   Provided By: MSUMDRAGONS.COM
MOORHEAD, Minn. -- Minnesota State University Moorhead women's soccer player Lindsey Micheletti has been named one of the five recipients of the Barbara J. Penny Community Scholarship, it was announced by the Minnesota State University Student Association on Wednesday. Micheletti just completed her junior season at MSUM and will be a senior in the fall of 2015. During the past two seasons she has appeared in 34 games, starting 30 of them. The $1,500 scholarship, which is awarded by the Penny Program, recognizes MnSCU students who "have demonstrated a commitment to community service and to promote their growth as community leaders." A native of Eagan, Minn., Micheletti is pursuing a degree in communication studies with a minor in leadership. She has served as a volunteer soccer coach for the Special Olympics and is a founder of InSports Foundation, a nonprofit that creates opportunities for kids to be involved with sports. The InSports Foundation partnered with the Children's Miracle Network and American Cancer Society to raise money for athletes who are battling cancer. Her foundation also provided a three-day hockey camp in Fargo.
Article courtesy of The Concordian, Concordia College's Student ran Newspaper
By Ben Gislason, Charity is something that Concordia College believes strongly in, but three Cobber athletes have taken charity to a whole new level in the creation of the InSports Foundation. InSports Foundation devotes itself to providing underprivileged youth with an opportunity to experience sports that normally would be unavailable to them. Junior Max Smith has seen what began as his dream take off into a full time occupation for not only Max, but fellow Cobbers Andrew Deters and Sam Christian. “We’ve been very fortunate growing up with sports and having our parents support, we’ve realized there are a lot of kids out there who don’t have those opportunities,” Smith said. “The biggest thing is creating those opportunities for people who may not have gotten that chance.” “Helping kids get in the game” is the official slogan for InSports and they do this through several different avenues. The process of apparel fundraising with local high school and college athletic teams as well as fundraising for InSports itself makes up the foundation’s revenue. These events help the respective teams to raise money for their program as well as donating five percent of every sale back to InSports. There is also individual InSports apparel available online for sale that also contributes five percent to the foundation. InSports then takes this revenue and puts it into setting up events for disadvantaged kids or athletes who have been afflicted with life threatening illnesses. “At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter how much money you make,” Smith said. “When you’re gone it doesn’t really matter…being there and doing the camps and helping the kids is the most rewarding part of it. Smith said the idea of InSports came long before he got to Concordia; initially, the foundation hosted the occasional camp held for small groups of kids. Things really got rolling once Smith got to Moorhead and made connections with the likes of Deters, Christian and several other Cobbers who have helped the foundation along. Sam, who is a teammate of Smith’s on the Cobber golf squad, is what one might call the utility infielder of the InSports team. “I am kind of a graphic design consultant, but I also plan events and am on the board of directors,” Christian said. Christian’s official title is graphic designer; however his help in events has been beneficial for the foundation and for his own benefit. “It is awesome seeing the smiles on both kids and parents’ faces at the events,” Christian said. “Were not just helping kids get involved in sports, but helping them become better individuals in life. The trio didn’t quite know how serious InSports would become during its conception. Officially, it was founded in 2013 when they held a t-shirt fundraiser for two hockey players who had been diagnosed with cancer. “From that point we realized that selling t-shirts, there was some margin in there, and we could raise some pretty good money which we did for Zach and Nick,” Deters said. What began as an idea and some t-shirts has flourished into children’s hockey camps, a charity golf tournament, and even a board of directors for the foundation. However, this charity does have some help on the financial side. Innovative Office Solutions, a company based out of Burnsville, Minn., is owned and operated by Max’s parents, CEO Jennifer Smith and CFO Brooks Smith. They have both played a big role in helping start this foundation according to Max. However as the foundation has grown, Jennifer hasn’t coddled the college kids one bit. “There’s a lot of things that we’ll run by her and she’ll be like ‘no I think it should be this way,’ then we go and do it our way and we end up learning she was right,” Smith said. “The good thing about it is that she’s letting us make our own mistakes and she’s letting us learn, not just telling us what to do.” Learning from their mistakes is just what the InSports brass has done, and with great success. According to the InSports website, in 2014 alone the foundation has raised almost $10,000 for teams through fundraisers with that five percent of each sale going back to InSports. “We’ve had some crazy ideas, we’re thinking about getting this big bus, a bunch of hockey equipment, and going around the country putting on free hockey camps and handing out equipment,” Smith said. InSports is currently in the process of becoming a nationally recognized official non-profit organization. This would allow them access to events like the Minnesota Wild’s Charity of the Month, as well as other opportunities to grow their foundation. InSports has done a lot for the kids they are working to support but it has also done a lot for Max, Andrew and Sam as well. “At the hockey camp, seeing this kids eyes light up when you help them out…that’s why I’m in it,” Deters said. Smith also shares the thrill of bringing joy to the kids and helping steer them in the right direction. “If we can help just one kid have a better life because of this, it’s been successful,” Smith said. (For anyone interested in helping out with InSports foundation Max, Andrew, or Sam would be happy to speak with you. You can reach any of them on their emails: msmith17@cord.edu, adeters@cord.edu and schris15@cord.edu.) Fine print not included in body of story.  By Drew Trafton (WDAY),
Fargo, ND (WDAY TV) - You may not think of July as a month for hockey. A local college player, who's choosing this summer to make an impact, on and off the ice. "There you go! Nice jobs, guys." Sports fans might recognize Max Smith as a defenseman for Concordia's men’s Hockey team. Or as a golfer, because he is also on the school's golf team. But today, he was something else: the Founder and Director of inSports, the foundation providing the absolutely free "inHockey" camp to 35 athletes from the F-M and Twin Cities metros. "I wanted to get more involved in the community and to help more kids be able to play sports if they couldn't afford to do so,” says inSports Founder and Director Max Smith. inSports is owned by Innovative Office Solutions, a literal parent company: Smith's parent own it. But Smith's standing out on his own. Despite being in operation for less than a year, the idea has already appealed enough to the Fargo Youth Hockey Association to donate ice time for the multi-day camp. "Getting more kids on the ice and getting everybody the opportunity, especially in the summertime, is a great idea,” says Operations Manager of the Fargo Youth Hockey Association Jeff Lockhart. Smith is also getting heavy support from his school, teammates and even head coach Chris Howe. The benefit of the program extends beyond the rink and in to the wallet. The inHockey program here in Fargo has raised $3,000 for Zach Kraft, the Fargo hockey player fighting brain cancer, $6,000 for the Concordia Men's hockey team and an additional $2,000 for its women's program. And that's just from custom merchandise sales. inSports, also put on a golf tournament in June, and currently is running a separate fundraiser for an Eagan, Minnesota hockey player with bladder cancer. Eventually, Smith hopes to extend the program beyond the blue lines. "inSoccer, inFootball, inGolf,” says Smith. But for now, school, hockey, golf and inHockey, will be just fine. At the end of the camp today, two players were given scholarships bearing the name of a Twins Cities hockey player who died in a shooting. The players could choose between a new pair of skates, or three new sticks. |
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InSports Foundation
151 Cliff Rd E
Burnsville, MN 55337
151 Cliff Rd E
Burnsville, MN 55337
Copyright 2018 | 151 E Cliff Rd, Burnsville, MN 55337
INSPORTS FOUNDATION is a registered 501(c)3 - EIN 47-2391352
INSPORTS FOUNDATION is a registered 501(c)3 - EIN 47-2391352