Local nonprofit guides student-athletes to positive futures

Bigger Than Sports, a youth-led nonprofit founded by Allderdice alumni Ian and Emma Waite, assists high school student-athletes in preparing for life after their sports careers. Gaining national acclaim, the organization earned the prestigious Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award during the 2025 ESPYs. With less than 1% of high school athletes advancing to professional sports, Bigger Than Sports bridges the gap by providing mentorship and guidance through weekly initiatives and guest speaker events.

Ian Waite, the organization's executive director and founder, created the platform to help student-athletes reflect on their identities and long-term futures. “We provide a space for them to be asked those questions and find answers to them,” Waite explained.

School athletic departments integrate Bigger Than Sports' weekly mentorship program into their own curricula. The program focuses on self-discovery and goal-setting beyond competitive sports. Ian Waite emphasized the importance of helping student-athletes identify their paths beyond athletics. “We work with them week by week, helping them to discover who they are beyond an athlete and then to determine where they aspire to be beyond sports,” he stated.

The nonprofit also hosts fireside chats featuring guest speakers, including NFL quarterback Will Howard, who shared his insights with student-athletes. Howard highlighted the unpredictability of career trajectories in sports and other fields. “During my time at Kansas State, my plans shifted multiple times, and I had to adapt to new circumstances,” Howard recounted.

He emphasized that career paths rarely follow a linear trajectory and warned against relying on rigid plans. “You can never truly count on things going exactly as you envision,” he added.

Bigger Than Sports aspires to achieve the same level of national recognition as established organizations like the YMCA and Boys and Girls Clubs.