Good Sports CEO and leadership

I’m Melissa Tatro Harper Chief Executive Officer and part of the founding team at Good Sports, Inc., a nonprofit organization that lays the foundation for healthy, active lifestyles by providing athletic equipment, footwear and apparel to disadvantaged young people across the United States.

As CEO at Good Sports, Inc., I lead the organization’s growth, organizational strategy and partnership development. In the last 15 years, we’ve provided more than $35 million in equipment to youth programs across 50 states, impacting millions of kids.

As a thought leader and speaker, I tailor my message to the audience. When I talk to kids, I share my story - I’m the first generation in my family ever to go to college. I tell them that with hard work and discipline, they can accomplish their goals, no matter what kind of background they come from. I talk to kids about playing to win…not on the field but in life. If you don’t put all your effort into doing your best at everything you do, you’ll never truly reach your potential. When I speak with donors, partners, and supporters, my overarching message is that although Good Sports, Inc. is a nonprofit, we run it like a business. We are strategic, thoughtful, and efficient. We use donor resources wisely and have the greatest impact possible with the tools we have available to us. And when we fail, we learn, we innovate, and we try again.

We estimate that there are more than 6 million kids in the top 50 MSAs in the U.S. that need our support. Our goal is to scale Good Sports, Inc. so we can give all those kids a chance to play. There is no limit to what we can accomplish and the impact Good Sports can have on kids who need our support, as long as we always think big and aim high.