At a Glance
- Equipped Sports and Life Outreach delivered thousands of dollars in custom gear to 10+ high-school baseball teams at Globe Life Field.
- The 3-year-old nonprofit targets economically disadvantaged districts where players often take the field without belts, gloves, or matching uniforms.
- Founder Stacey Hollinger was inspired after watching a 2019 game where the Dunbar Wildcats lacked basic equipment.
- Why it matters: Students who look like a team feel like a team-and that confidence carries onto the field and beyond.
A single youth-baseball game three years ago has snowballed into a full-scale equipment drive that now outfits entire varsity programs across North Texas.
Equipped Sports and Life Outreach, founded by Colleyville dad Stacey Hollinger, staged its largest drop-off to date at Globe Life Field this season. Staff and volunteers unloaded bats, gloves, cleats, belts, and personalized jerseys for more than 10 local high-school teams whose districts struggle to cover athletic costs.
From One Game to a Movement
Hollinger’s idea took root in 2019 while watching his son’s Colleyville Heritage squad face Dunbar. He spotted Wildcats players sharing belts and wearing mismatched gear.
“It was crushing to me … here’s young men that are invested in practice and want to play high-school baseball yet they don’t really have all the equipment,” Hollinger told News Of Fort Worth.
That image stuck. Within months Hollinger incorporated Equipped as a 501(c)(3), pledging to give every player the same chance to feel part of a cohesive unit.
How the Gear Gets to Teams
- Corporate partners donate excess inventory or fund purchases
- School coaches submit wish lists detailing sizes and quantities
- Volunteers sort, tag, and bundle items by team
- Equipment is delivered during a mid-season event designed to mimic a big-league clubhouse reveal
Major manufacturers now route returned or overstock items through Equipped instead of liquidating, allowing the group to stretch each donated dollar.
More Than Bats and Belts
Hollinger stresses that the mission extends past the foul lines. Equipped pairs every gear delivery with a mentorship session led by former pros and local business owners. Topics range from nutrition basics to résumé writing.
“What’s important to us is helping them look like a team, feel like a team,” Hollinger said. “Cody Thomas-who played at Colleyville and in the big leagues-likes to tell kids, if you look good, you feel good, and if you feel good, you play good.”
Expansion Plans
The nonprofit is now stockpiling softball helmets, shoulder pads, and kicking tees. Organizers aim to launch similar programs for girls’ softball by next spring and football by fall 2025.
Key Takeaways
- Equipped has outfitted thousands of student-athletes in three years.
- Corporate surplus and community gifts fund the donations-no cost to families.
- Mentorship sessions accompany every equipment drop to reinforce life skills.
- Softball and football versions of the program are in development.
Families still shoulder much of the cost for bats, gloves, and cleats in many districts. Hollinger hopes Equipped’s growth will shrink that gap until every player can walk onto the field with confidence-and a belt that fits.
