For a quick second, a tear slipped via.
In these long-gone days as a highschool athlete, Rhiannon Potkey was a tricky, “rub just a little grime on it” kind of child.
Pores and skin a knee? Spit on it and transfer on.
That’s why that tear rubbed from her eye Tuesday was such a giant deal.
4 years’ value of knocking on doorways to make desires occur via her Goods4Greatness nonprofit had a $10,000 payoff at Academy Sports activities.
ESPN reporter Laura Rutledge, a buddy of Potkey’s, heard the knock and, because of her partnership with Academy Sports activities, it was answered.
“I get up each morning questioning if immediately would be the day one thing will come out of the blue to assist,” Potkey stated. “Right now was that day.”
Extra:Sportswriter altering youngsters’ lives one bat, ball or swimsuit at a time
Following a ardour
Potkey had been the College of Tennessee soccer beat author for the Information Sentinel for 3 years earlier than she left in 2017 to observe her ardour to begin Goods4Greatness.
The essential premise of it’s to focus on underprivileged kids who need assistance getting gear or different monetary help to be able to take part in sports activities.
She is a conduit between faculty or different packages which have extra gear to donate to these in want. She additionally turns money donations into new gear or entry charges. She has helped greater than 3,000 kids nationwide up to now.
“There are such a lot of extra I wish to assist,” Potkey stated. “It may be overwhelming. But when I may help two or three youngsters per week, I do know I’m making progress.”
Whether or not it’s cleats or footwear for numerous sports activities, pads, or balls, she does what she will be able to to fill the void so many kids have.
The $10,000 in Academy Sports activities reward playing cards is the most important donation she has gotten.
Seven Christmases
It was no secret that Goods4Greatness was going to get some form of donation Tuesday. Potkey, although, had no concept of the scope.
In a prerecorded message, Rutledge expressed her assist for the nonprofit and shocked Potkey with the quantity.
“That is like seven Christmases rolled into one,” she stated.
Potkey and Rutledge turned pals after they had been each protecting faculty sports activities.
“Academy Sports activities is all the time on the lookout for alternatives to present again to the group,” stated Cody Reid, regional advertising and marketing specialist for the chain, protecting Georgia, Alabama and East Tennessee.
“We promote enjoyable. We have now the gear for teenagers to have enjoyable. Our gear evokes play and evokes youngsters to be lively. A possibility to be concerned with a nonprofit like this was an awesome match for us.”
Potkey stated it gained’t be tough to search out the precise gear for the precise youngsters.
“There have been so many youngsters regionally that I’ve needed to divorce desirous about as a result of there have been no sources,” she stated. “This enables me to return to them and allow them to know what I’m capable of do.
“To have somebody like Laura and Academy Sports activities do one thing like this for us has been wonderful. I’m not good at begging. Possibly I could possibly be extra aggressive. However a donation like that is wonderful. I assume I’ll by no means cease being a dreamer.”