Who We Are

Sports in Schools is a Seattle-based nonprofit working alongside schools and communities to address barriers to participation and expand equitable access to school sports.

Mission and Vision

Mission: To improve the lives of under-resourced youth in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties by providing access to sports opportunities in their schools.

Vision: A Western Washington where every student can thrive in school-sponsored athletics, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, ability, or financial circumstances.

Our Values

  • We believe in addressing systemic inequity within our community by providing equitable athletic access to all students.

  • We invest in quality resources to allow our constituents and staff to persist and compete.

  • We value understanding and supporting the diverse needs of the students we serve.

  • We embrace creative approaches to meet the evolving needs of our communities.

  • We value our staff, our board, and partners we support within the community and honor their diverse voices and lived experiences.

  • We believe in the power of collaboration and partnerships to achieve our mission.

A Tale of Socks

In 2008, founder Will Niccolls arrived to referee a middle-school game and saw players without socks. He bought some before kickoff, ensuring every student could play. That moment inspired the creation of Sports in Schools in 2009 with a mission to remove financial barriers so all kids can join in school athletics.

  • Will is the Referee Program Director for Washington Youth Soccer, overseeing 4,000 referees, including their training and development. He has spent the past 20 years refereeing soccer at all levels and is widely regarded with great respect by collegiate and professional coaches as well as fellow referees. 

    Will co-founded Sports in Schools in 2009 with his wife Kyleen. As Chairman of the Board, Will works to ensure that Sports in Schools gives every kid a chance to do something positive after school, and to provide kids healthy connections to their schools and their peers. He works directly with community partners, athletic directors, coaches and social services to remove financial barriers to ensure that all students have the opportunity to participate in school sports. Sports in Schools and our community are fortunate to have Will making such a difference in the lives of so many kids.