As the spring season begins in the District of Columbia, Monumental Sports is motivating students to hit the hardwood, partnering with D.C. Public Schools to offer all students pre-kindergarten through fifth grade a free basketball and T-shirt.
The initiative, “District Dribble,” is set to deliver 29,000 basketballs to 80 public schools throughout D.C., investing in expanding access to youth sports and building healthy, vibrant communities.
“Growing up in Brooklyn, I vividly remember the joy of receiving my first basketball and spending time at the courts in Sunset Park,” said Monumental Sports CEO Ted Leonsis. “It wasn’t just about the game — it was about the sense of community, friendships, and the life lessons learned through sports.”
Mayor Muriel Bowser, who joined in to help deliver the first batch of balls on Thursday, echoed his sentiments on the impact of athletics.
“When kids play sports, they gain confidence, build friendships, and develop lifelong skills like teamwork and perseverance,” Bowser said.
This initiative comes at a time where America has seen a decrease in students playing sports in recent years.
“We know that being the sports capital isn’t just about our professional teams – it’s also about investing in our youth and making sports and recreation more accessible in our city,” she said.
For eight hours on Wednesday, March 19, volunteers participated in a collected effort to inflate 30 balls at each pump, per hour.
Once the balls were ready to go, they were delivered the following day to 300 students at Browne Education Campus in Northeast D.C.
The program plans to deliver at a rate of five schools per day to ensure students have them for spring break.
“Our organization wants to ensure every child in D.C. has the same opportunity to experience the same benefits, no matter their background or where they live,” emphasized Leonsis.
