Good sport for a cause

Milton family enjoys a day with Kevin Youkilis

Months after his original appearance was scrapped because of snow, Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis finally arrived on a summer afternoon at the Milton home of P.J. and Anne Glynn - to play football.

Nerf football, that is.

The game was the result of an auction to benefit the charitable group Good Sports, which helps provide sports equipment to disadvantaged youngsters.

The Glynns had attended the "Legends of the Ball" auction last year, held at the Roxy in Boston, to support their son-in-law, Andrew Laurence, who serves on the board of directors of Good Sports.

Owners of a group of Irish-themed pubs and restaurants in Boston, including the Black Rose and the Purple Shamrock, the Glynns walked away with a date to hold a Nerf football game for their 15 grandchildren and other friends with Youkilis at their Indian Cliffs neighborhood home in Milton.

The original date for the big game was snowed out last fall, and it took a while to settle on another mutually agreeable time. On Aug. 15, Youkilis, accompanied by a TV crew from New England Sports Network, took to the makeshift gridiron in the Glynns' backyard.

Approximately 20 young football players lined up to take passes from the first-baseman-turned-quarterback. The afternoon included a question-and-answer session and lunch with the "Sausage King," the popular Fenway vendor.

Youkilis teamed up with three or four youngsters at a time, lobbing the ball against the defensive squad, headed by Laurence, a former Harvard University tight end. Not all the kids understood football rules, often converting the game into rugby-style multi-passes.

When Youkilis reminded one young player that only the quarterback can throw a forward pass, she asked, "Who's the quarterback?" Apparently she was more used to seeing Youkilis on the diamond.

To start the question-and-answer session, one of the Glynns' grandsons asked the question on everyone's mind: "Do you miss Manny?"

Youkilis laughed and said, "Next question!" Then he expanded by saying there will surely be things about Manny the team will miss.

Because of the Glynns and Youkilis, children will receive new football equipment, thanks to Good Sports efforts.

Founded in 2003, Good Sports raises money to purchase sports equipment for various youth organizations in need. The group was started in the Boston area by a few people who first envisioned a donation center for used sporting equipment.

But the board quickly changed direction, according to its chief operations officer, Christy Pugh Keswick.

"We realized sports manufacturers have a good incentive to give new sporting equipment because, over the past decade, youth participation in sports has been declining due to lack of funding," said Keswick. Companies have a vested interest in keeping their brands visible, she said, "and we have been able to help them do that."

For the past five years, Good Sports has raised most of its funds at the annual auction, with the help of many local athletes offering their services. Some items on the block included playing Wiffleball with Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz, a sushi dinner hosted by pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, and similar outings with Richard Seymour of the New England Patriots.

"Kevin has been very generous with his time to us," Keswick said. "There are a lot of good guys in Boston sports, and we are very blessed that they want to help support Good Sports and the kids that benefit from the program."

For every dollar Good Sports raises, two dollars in new sports equipment goes to disadvantaged children wanting to participate in sports. The group has expanded across Massachusetts, and into Providence, Philadelphia, and Chicago, providing equipment such as balls, uniforms, and shoes for youth athletic groups. Good Sports helped provide sports equipment to more than 50,000 children last year.

For more information, to donate, or to inquire about a grant for your organization, visit www.goodsports.org.