At NIKE, Inc., we know that sport is transformative for youth. Active kids are healthier, happier and more likely to succeed in life. But, globally, only 1 in 5 kids gets the physical activity they need to thrive, with girls and youth from underserved communities moving the least.That’s why NIKE, Inc. is creating the future of youth sport — by inviting all kids in and making play and sport more accessible, fun and inclusive. We’re teaming up with community organizations, athletes, experts and our employees around the world to engage more kids in sport. And because seeing is believing, we’re committed to increasing opportunities and representation for girls specifically, so they can fully see themselves in sport. We do this by making it easier for all kids to participate, shifting perceptions about what sport looks like so more youth are invited in and off the sidelines, and empowering coaches with the training and tools they need to create more positive, inclusive experiences. Together, we’re changing the game for everyone.&nbsp;Our 2030 Future of Youth Sport goals are designed to help guide and amplify our impact:<ul><li>To empower more than 1 million coaches.</li><li>To reach more than 20 million girls (through a Nike sport initiative).</li><li>To impact more than 2 million girls (through participation in sport over time, resulting from a Nike sport initiative). </li></ul>

VP and Chief Impact Officer Vanessa Garcia-Brito discusses how NIKE, Inc. is helping make sport more accessible, inclusive and fun for all kids.

Creating the Future of Youth Sport

By the Numbers (NIKE, Inc. Fiscal Year 2026)

Resources

The Future of Youth Sport

At NIKE, Inc., we’re improving sport access and experience for all youth by engaging more kids in sport.

Purpose

Improving Sport Access & Experience

At NIKE, Inc., we're inspiring our employees to give back to their communities — by empowering them to share their passion for sport with youth around the world.

Inspiring Employees to Share Their Passion for Sport

At NIKE, Inc., we’re taking an enterprise-wide approach to our giving — by making strategic investments to fuel the future of youth sport and collaborating with partners around the world to scale our impact.

Taking an Enterprise-Wide Approach to our Giving

Initiatives

“One of the biggest footballers in the world is going to read my letter. It’s pretty crazy,” says 12-year-old <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.footballbeyondborders.org/" target="_blank">Football Beyond Borders</a> (FBB) participant Esme, in response to the words she is penning to an England international footballer. On a slightly less gray afternoon than usual in Greater Manchester, six young players are writing missives to their football heroes, bringing a&nbsp;palpable brightness and energy that can be felt in this FBB classroom. Team England is going to football’s biggest tourney, and so are these kids, through first-class mail.

The Young Footballers Behind England's X2 Collection

Well-wishes and personal stories from the young players would soon reach the palms of the England national team, thanks to an opportunity with Nike and its youth-sport community partner FBB. Nike and FBB have been official partners since 2019, when the Swoosh invested in the nonprofit to help some 3,000 young people from underserved UK communities with mentorship, state-of-the-art facilities and leadership programs. FBB also offers intangible support to its players, building a community for the participants and providing mentors and coaches dedicated to aiding them through some of the most vulnerable years of their lives. Esme, Darcie, Marcus, Emanuel, Izzy and Noah are all FBB participants in northern England. As we sit in FBB’s office in Manchester ranking our favorite potato chips, it’s clear how the organization has helped these individuals become well-rounded people, confident and assured. Despite having a new adult in their ranks, they’re quick to make me feel welcome, excitedly showing me the facilities, asking about my travels, and telling me about their own journeys through FBB.&nbsp; As we enter a classroom, the players’ energy picks up as they look at Nike x Palace bespoke envelopes and letterhead spread across a table. FBB’s work is done within local communities, but the outcome of this particular project will propel these young people’s voices globally.

This moment comes as Nike is celebrating and recognizing FBB by featuring the organization’s logo on <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/from-pitch-to-street-to-community-nike-defines-the-future-of-football-culture" target="_blank">England's “The Three Lions by Palace” jersey within their X2 collaboration collection</a>, which the team wore in a friendly match ahead of this summer’s tournament. While football fans worldwide watched the most star-studded teams, they were also introduced to FBB.&nbsp; After I ask the young players about the effect this organization has had on their lives, Noah tells me that he loves starting his week with his FBB session. He describes how the program has been pivotal in his growth; from meeting new people to finding confidence in himself to having a space where he can “escape from everything,” FBB has solidified his love for football while showing him that there is more to learn from it.&nbsp; You see that in the hard numbers: FBB’s latest impact report shows that 97 percent of its participants stayed in school, and they also passed their high school exams at a rate up to 10 times higher than peers in national comparison groups. Three in five FBB participants improved their behavior in school, and two in three reported that their mental well-being improved or stabilized. “These young people are at a time when they are finding themselves,” says FBB Deputy Chief Executive Ceylon Andi Hickman, who has been at the organization for more than eight years. “We create a space and tools for them to do that.”This holistic support is exactly what Nike wants to invest in too, says Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Nike VP &amp; Chief Impact Officer. "Sport can be transformational for youth. That’s exactly why we’re investing in amazing partners like Football Beyond Borders, who support these young athletes, on and off the pitch,” says Garcia-Brito. "We work with more than 200 community organizations around the world to create a future of youth sport that invites all kids in and makes play more accessible, fun and inclusive. It’s an honor to celebrate their work in our neighborhoods and communities globally on the world’s biggest stage for the beautiful game. The impact will be enduring.”

Today, that empowerment sees 12-year-old Emanuel get to write to defender John Stones, a pivotal player for the club Emanuel — a football lover through and through — supports. Emanuel’s progress through FBB is evident at this moment. He has the self-assurance to pen a letter to someone he cares about, and the thoughtfulness to speak to their shared similarities. “I’m quite calm, and I think he is too,” says Emanuel. “So I would suggest some calming music before kick-off.” One beautiful thing about FBB’s work is the connections it creates and the belief in potential that it instills in its players. I’ve seen it firsthand, as a previous mentor for the organization. I watched young people realize, some for the first time, that other people could believe in and want the best for them, both in the game and in their everyday life. That gentle reminder that someone has your back is a real comfort, whether it’s in the form of mentorship or simply an adult asking you how your day is going. That’s a constant that FBB offers. My FBB mentee and I, for example, are still in contact today. Seeing the strong and confident person he has become, I know that this group can follow in his steps. One young player who stands out in particular is 13-year-old Izzy, who wrote her letter to Jordan Henderson.&nbsp; While she gives her family thanks for her love for Liverpool, she reflects on why FBB has become so important to her. The organization has instilled a sense of teamwork, she says, and a feeling that she and the other players are accomplishing something together.&nbsp; Izzy’s advice for Henderson rang true and also held meaning for herself: “Just try your best, because that’s always good enough.” In a time when young people are under increasing pressure, the work done by FBB is reiterating this positive message. They are enough, they are able, they are deserving.&nbsp;

The young players’ letters were all intentional, maybe none more so than 13-year-old Marcus’, who penned a letter to his namesake, Marcus Rashford. The younger Marcus has an infectious love for the game; he arrived to this letter writing, in fact, straight from a friendly FBB football match.&nbsp; Rashford’s journey has been well documented, and young Marcus has been following it. His joy in writing to the star forward is evident in the way he shows off his notebook from Play Forward, a development program created by Rashford for FBB, and it’s based on self-belief and resilience.&nbsp; Marcus was specific in describing how he wanted Rashford to reflect on his importance, mirroring how FBB has helped him do the same. “Society has pushed stuff onto us,” Marcus writes. “It might not be noticeable at first, but it definitely affects a person’s personality.” There are many adults who wouldn’t be able to detail so vividly how they felt, let alone convey a message of liberation to one of their sport idols.

While this day’s activity was novel and exciting, the weight and power of FBB is in the everyday ways it serves its young athletes. As Esme put it, “FBB helps me feel more like myself and gives me a safe space to talk to people. Every young person deserves to feel that way.” It’s not far-fetched to envision a world in which the future England Football team is filled with former participants from FBB. Moments like this, along with the always-on work the organization provides, serve as key reminders that all kids can have that dream.

What if you got to write to your football hero? These players, part of the community organization Football Beyond Borders, knew exactly what to say when they penned letters to the England national team.

Nike Global Football

Feature

For most of his life, John Rattray didn’t spend much time thinking about neuroscience. He was too busy skateboarding.As a professional athlete in Encinitas, California, Rattray built his career inside the restless rhythm of skate culture — for 12 years, he traveled, filmed and chased the next session.But as injuries mounted and his pro career grew more uncertain, he began reflecting on the experiences that shape us.There was something about skateboarding that had provided a kind of foundation — not just for him, but for others around him.He wanted to know why.Now, years later, Rattray’s curiosity has culminated&nbsp;in Your Brain on Sport (YBOS), a comic series that explores mental health and brain science through stories that young athletes can relate to.Developed with trauma experts and Nike researchers, the comic translates complex neuroscience into simple narratives that help athletes better understand stress, emotional regulation and well-being.“My attempt with the comic is to encapsulate these ideas into cool little stories where you learn one small concept at a time,” says Rattray. The goal is to break these concepts down into bite-size pieces, he says, and gently direct your mind. “I hope to deliver some clarity on how your brain and your nervous system work together and how you can use physical movement as one tool in your therapeutic toolkit.”

With sketches by skate artist Jon Horner and writing by Rattray; youth counselor Joel Pippus; and neuroscientist Bruce Perry, PhD, MD, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/nike-unveils-new-grail-skate-shoe-nike-sb-air-force-1" target="_blank">Nike SB</a> now hosts two digital editions of the series so far: <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://ybos.nikesb.com/ybos-running" target="null">Regulation of Running</a> and <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://ybos.nikesb.com/ybos-basketball" target="">Healing Through Hoops.</a>In the latter edition, Nike SB skateboarder Nicole Hause reflects on her own experience navigating depression and therapy. The chapter, which also features Chicago-based youth basketball organization Girls in the Game, examines how physical movement can help interrupt emotional spirals and bring your nervous system back into balance.&nbsp;While it may seem counterintuitive, Hause says that skateboarding isn’t always the activity she turns to when she’s feeling down.“When you’re a pro skater, sometimes skating can come with a lot of pressure,” she explains. “There’s this expectation you have of yourself, like you have to skate like a pro every day. If I’m already having a rough day, doing something simpler, like shooting hoops, helps me clear my mind. I don’t get as upset if I don’t make a basket as if I don’t do a skate trick. It helps me get in my body more and less in my head.”That insight is the starting point for the story, which illustrates how choosing a different activity can sometimes help your body shift gears and reset. The importance of the message — along with the opportunity to collaborate with Rattray — made the decision to participate an easy one for Hause.“John is a skate legend,” she says. “When I heard about the project, I instantly wanted to get involved.”

“Your Brain on Sport”

The path to YBOS, however, began decades earlier.Rattray grew up in Aberdeen, Scotland, an oil town on the Northeast Coast, in a household shaped by addiction and instability. His father struggled with severe alcoholism, and life at home could be chaotic and unpredictable.Skateboarding became a lifeline. Within the skate scene, Rattray found what he now describes as a “consistent crew of young creatives” — a community that offered stability when little else did.“I don’t know where I would be if I hadn’t found skating,” he says.When Rattray was 13, his father died. By then, skating had already begun to anchor his teenage years. At the time he didn’t think about it in neuroscientific terms, he simply knew that being on a skateboard with friends made life feel more manageable.Years later, in 2011, Rattray’s sister Katrina died by suicide. In that painful aftermath, he began to think more deeply about why skateboarding was a safe haven. He read about trauma, the nervous system and the long-term effects of childhood adversity. It was during that search that he encountered the work of Dr. Perry, who would later help write the comic.

Reading Dr. Perry’s book What Happened to You?, Rattray was introduced to something the neuroscientist called the “neurosequential model” — a framework that connects early life experiences, stress and the body’s regulatory systems.The discovery was a light-bulb moment.For the first time, Rattray had language for patterns he had seen throughout his life; the chaos of his childhood, the emotional weight carried by his family, and the reason skateboarding had provided such a powerful sense of stability.“Why did nobody tell me about this?” he remembers thinking. “Because this explains everything I’ve experienced.”

Today, Rattray’s comic series is serving as not only a storytelling device but also a learning tool connected to Dr. Perry’s Neurosequential Model in Sport (NM-Sport),&nbsp;which applies his research to athletic environments.Among key concepts is how the brain responds to stress and how, in the right doses, challenge can actually help build resilience.“One of the most important things to understand about the brain’s stress systems is that moderate, predictable stress can actually strengthen them,” explains Dr. Perry. “That’s what training is in sport. You’re exposing the body to manageable challenges so it can adapt.”In that sense, he says, sport offers something many traditional mental health interventions cannot: repeated opportunities to experience challenge, regulation and recovery within a supportive community.“If a kid is part of a team,” says Dr. Perry, “they’re going to have many more opportunities for healing experiences than if they just see a therapist once a week.”Movement itself also plays a critical role. Patterned, rhythmic activities — walking, running, skating or dribbling a basketball — send signals through the nervous system that can help regulate emotional states.Brett Kirby, Nike’s Senior Principal Scientist at the Nike Sport Research Lab (NSRL), was part of an early training group for the NM-Sport program, connecting Dr. Perry’s concepts to the way Nike thinks about athletic training and performance environments.“Rhythm supports regulation,” says Kirby. “That’s one of the ideas that resonates most strongly with athletes.”In the first edition of the comic, Regulation of Running, Kirby helped translate those principles, examining how cadence and repetitive movement can help athletes settle their nervous systems.Running, explains Kirby, naturally creates the kind of rhythm the brain responds to.“When we’re training athletes physically, we think in terms of dosing — predictable, moderate exposures that allow the body to adapt,” he says. “The same principle applies to stress and emotional experiences. You prepare for those moments in similar ways.”The idea that sport can serve as both performance training and emotional regulation sits at the heart of YBOS.

Why So Sad? Comic

In his work, Dr. Perry has found that translating neuroscience into everyday language is notoriously difficult — one of the reasons he is so enthusiastic about Rattray’s comic series. When the former pro skater shared early sketches, the neuroscientist says he was “stunned” by how clearly the ideas came through.“He translated these concepts more accurately than most people I’ve worked with for years,” says Dr. Perry. “Making complex ideas accessible is incredibly hard, and he managed to do it in a way young athletes can actually connect with.”

The YBOS initiative grew out of a broader project of Rattray’s called <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nikesb.com/whysosad#" target="null">Why So Sad?</a>, which uses skateboarding as a platform to raise awareness about depression and suicide prevention. The effort has included community events, storytelling and previous comic collaborations designed to open conversations about mental health within skate culture.Both Why So Sad? and YBOS have been supported by the national nonprofit&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chjs.org/" target="null">Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport&nbsp;(CHJS)</a>,&nbsp;the Calgary-based mental health organizations Push to Heal and Hull Services, and Nike Social &amp; Community&nbsp;Impact,&nbsp;which also&nbsp;partners with CHJS to&nbsp;train nonprofit partners that are powering the future of youth sport around the world.&nbsp;Limited-edition print copies of Healing Through Hoops have been distributed at fundraising events, and the digital version will soon be available online. Regulation of Running is currently live via <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://ybos.nikesb.com/ybos-running" target="null">Nike SB</a>.&nbsp;Hause says the projects reflect what she has experienced as a broader part of Nike’s approach to supporting athletes — one that encourages them to prioritize well-being and speak openly about mental health.“At its core, Nike wants to take care of its athletes,” she says. “It’s a company that actually cares about our mental health and wants us to be healthy and happy.”Participating in the comic, she says, gave her a chance to speak honestly about her own experiences, something that isn’t always easy in professional sports.“This project gave me an opportunity to be vulnerable,” says Hause, “and maybe that’ll help somebody else.”

<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.crisistextline.org/" target="_blank">Crisis Text Line</a>, a Nike nonprofit partner, is a free, confidential, 24/7 text-based mental health service in both English and Spanish providing nonjudgmental support to people in their moments of need. At any time, texters in the U.S. can connect with live volunteer Crisis Counselors by texting the word STRONG to 741741.

Developed with trauma experts and Nike researchers and hosted by Nike SB, “Your Brain on Sport‘’ is a comic series that translates complex neuroscience into simple narratives that help athletes better understand stress, emotional regulation and well-being.

Nike Sports Science

Making It

This Science-Backed Sports Comic Is Made to Better Your Mental Health

For Yao Miao, becoming the “Queen of Trail Running” in China took everything she had. Yao grew up in a small farming village in China’s Guizhou Province, the youngest of six daughters. She often helped her parents, working long hours in the rice fields, but even as a child she knew she wanted to pursue a future outside of her rural community. That opportunity came in middle school. Yao left home when she was selected as one of four students from her area to attend a state-run sports school for future elite athletes. The early days were tough. Leaving her family wasn’t easy, and she often felt lonely and homesick. Her body struggled to adapt to a kind of training she had never done before. But it was there that she discovered her passion for trail running.Overtime, her natural resilience paid off. She pushed through injuries and setbacks to become Asia’s first three-time Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) Finals champion, one of the most celebrated trail running races in the world.Now, as she joins the ACG <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/nike-acg-all-conditions-racing-department" target="null">All Conditions Racing Department</a>, ACG's roster of elite trail running athletes, Yao looks back on where her journey began, the victories and challenges along the way, and how her ACG partnership will help reach a new generation of athletes.

My hometown helped shape me into an elite athlete. There are many small mountains, and I played there when I was young, so I grew used to that terrain. That experience helped me become a strong trail runner. I really enjoy running in China’s mountain environments, especially running on the Great Wall.It’s important to know that you don’t have to reach your goals immediately. At sport school, I focused mainly on running and was part of an organized team. But after graduating in 2016, I was not chosen to join a professional team or university. So, I started working. I handed out flyers at a gym, then I helped my sister at her makeup shop. I felt lost. I wasn’t training like an athlete anymore.I wasn’t interested in anything but running. Eventually, that rejection was motivating for me. I had the opportunity to enter a trail race. While I didn’t finish, that failure to finish made me feel I needed to come back to trail running. My goal was to become the best trail runner of all time. I made up my mind to keep working and continue racing. I believed I could succeed and I wanted to prove it.One of my most challenging races was in 2019 at UTMB. During the 168km run, I had a period where I lost my vision. I was racing so much that my body couldn’t bear the strain of so many competitions. I couldn’t finish the race, and the organizers asked me to quit. I was very nervous because I worried I might never see again and not be able to return to trail running. The vision loss was only temporary, but I felt like I was losing confidence in the sport.

Getting my footing in trail running took time, but that journey was so rewarding. After my first championship in 2018, I knew I had the talent and motivation to become an elite trail runner. I kept chasing another win but couldn't seem to get one. I struggled in 2019 with several DNFs and stopped racing in 2020. But I still had this intense passion for the sport, so I came back in 2023. I finally won again in 2024, the OCC-UTMB, which was my most satisfying victory. I was back! The hard work paid off, and I felt like I could finally move forward.For me, the most important mindset is love for the sport. I’ve faced many challenges, but because I love trail running, I’ve been able to keep going and become who I am today.

I want trail runners to think about how their actions affect the environment. Trail running is becoming popular very quickly. However, many runners still don’t think enough about protecting their environment. I encourage runners to care for the outdoors and our planet — stay on marked trails, carry out their trash properly, respect the wildlife. Protecting these spaces is part of being a responsible runner. I know it’s not easy to educate everyone, but I can start with myself and help model good behavior. Last year, I helped organize events focused on environmental protection and I hope, in the future, more people will join me.I know how much I can do with ACG to build my dream and support the next generation. I’m proud to launch the Nike-supported “Boundless Girls with Yao Miao” initiative that will help more girls in many Chinese primary and secondary schools access sports. I want to inspire teenage girls who grow up in underdeveloped areas like I did to find their confidence and know that the world is vast. Sport has the power to open new doors for them.

Her rise from rural China to three‑time UTMB Finals champion — and now member of the ACG All Conditions Racing Department — is a story of endurance, belief, and relentless dedication to the sport.

The Future of Youth Sport

By the Numbers (NIKE, Inc. Fiscal Year 2026)

Resources

Initiatives

Improving Sport Access & Experience

Inspiring Employees to Share Their Passion for Sport

Taking an Enterprise-Wide Approach to our Giving

From The Record

The Young Footballers Behind England's X2 Collection

This Science-Backed Sports Comic Is Made to Better Your Mental Health

Trail Runner Yao Miao Is Running Down New Goals With ACG

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Sustainability

Responsible Supply Chain