ABOUT US
OUR MISSION
As a nonprofit organization, our mission and purpose at the InSports Foundation is to help more kids participate in sports. To accomplish this objective, InSports provides financial assistance and sporting opportunities for kids to get in the game, enabling them to become active, confident, and successful team leaders in their communities.
Our team has a vision to give all kids the opportunity to play sports,
regardless of financial and environmental barriers.
FOUNDER STORY
As a former hockey player and golfer at Concordia College in Moorhead, Max believes that sports are a great way for kids to stay healthy and be positive members of society. In 2011, Max was playing junior hockey in Washington DC. During this time, he took an entrepreneurship class at a local community college. In this class, he had to come up with a business plan to compete with his classmates and present his plan to mock investors.
After being inspired by companies like TOMS Shoes, Max came up with a golf clothing company that used the profits to help teach kids how to play golf. He presented his idea to the mock investors and Smith’s business idea was voted the top idea of the class. Upon returning to Minnesota after his junior hockey season, Max started thinking more about his business plan. He, along with a few co-workers at his parents’ company (Innovative Office Solutions), came up with the name, the InSports Foundation.
The original idea for InSports was to put on free sports camps for kids who couldn’t afford to pay for summer camps. As the foundation grew, Smith began to create apparel fundraisers to help teams raise money, gave out scholarships to kids in need, and began to put on weekly, free camps for deserving young athletes in the community
OUR PROGRAMS
ATHLETES IN SPORTS PODCAST
How We Turned College Passion into a Lifetime Mission Ep. 5
In this episode, we dive into the inspiring journey of how a simple idea turned into a lifelong mission. It all began when Max Smith, who grew up in an entrepreneurial family, felt a deep sense of purpose after volunteering at homeless shelters during high school. That experience planted the seed for what would eventually become the InSports Foundation. Fast forward to college, where Max met Andrew Deters and Bridget Smith. The three of them shared a passion for giving back and a love for sports. Together, they took that initial spark and turned it into something much bigger—a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to helping kids access the life-changing benefits of sports. Today, the InSports Foundation has impacted over 60,000 kids by providing free camps, scholarships, and team sponsorships. In this episode, Max, Andrew, and Bridget share the story behind the foundation, the challenges they faced, and how they turned a college passion into a thriving organization that continues to make a difference in the lives of thousands of children. Tune in to learn about the heart and hustle behind the InSports Foundation, and how you can get involved in their mission to give every child the chance to play.