Aurora athletes benefit from Broncos sale: "A lot of the best athletes we have to offer have financial need"
The sale of the Denver Broncos resulted in a $41 million refund to metro area cities and counties that helped fund the stadium.
Aurora was awarded $3.8 million and young athletes are feeling the impact.
Aurora's Housing and Community Services Department conducted extensive community outreach to youth, parents and youth-serving organizations to gather input on how the city should spend the money.
Chance Sports was awarded $500,000.
Chance Sports aims to level the playing field for young athletes playing competitive sports.
The nonprofit scholarship organization helps talented kids take their game to the next level.
"A lot of the best athletes we have to offer have financial need," said Sen. James Coleman, founder of Chance Sports. "Our goal is to figure out a way to help athletes who are at the top level afford the opportunity or a chance to play."
Kids are often excluded from the benefits of competitive sports due to finances. Playing for a club team can cost families thousands of dollars.
Maayan Allen plays basketball for club team, Colorado Mayhem. His scholarship with Chance Sports helps his family cover expenses like uniforms, travel and hotels.
"It makes me a sad because a lot of my friends are good at basketball, but they cant afford to play on my team," said Allen. "I'm really grateful because a lot of kids don't get to do this."
Recruiters often scout tournaments and club programs for the best players. Being seen by the right eyes can change an athlete's life.
"The exposure is immensely greater if you're playing for a competitive team. You're getting the opportunity to travel out of state and see coaches that would never come to Colorado or a high school game," said Coleman. "The cost impacts their ability to be exposed to coaches who might have a college scholarship for them."
Playing sports has also shown to lead to better grades, better-standardized test scores, classroom behavior and a greater likelihood of graduating from college.
Additionally, it has demonstrated benefits for mental health, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and improved social interaction.
With the additional funding, Coleman says Chance Sports will be able to double their scholarships and support 400 young athletes.
In a statement to CBS News Colorado, the city of Aurora writes in part:
"We look forward to working with them to execute these activities and positively impact Aurora youth."
For full list of funded Aurora organizations visit: https://bit.ly/3EBmVvg
Kids who are part of a participating athletic club are eligible for a scholarship. To find out more or donate, you can visit the Chance Sports Website.
