*Back in 2018, the Ravens and Up2Us Sports announced a 5-year partnership* *that launched our national service program for coaches in Baltimore.*

Now, my definition of the best may not be the same as the pundits. (But, for the record, I do mean the best. There’s no doubt the Ravens had the best team, the best defense, the best coaching, the best quarterback, and the best results in the NFL). But my definition of “best” means not only how they perform on the field, but how they perform in the community.

Six years ago, the Ravens provided funding to Up2Us Sports to launch the first national service program for coaches in Baltimore. The Ravens players, themselves, made the decision because they all recognized the values that coaches had in their own lives. They wanted to play it forward and make coaches possible for underserved kids who never had the opportunity to play sports, or the chance to have a coach-mentor, or the opportunity to learn the life skills that come with the game.

Today, Up2Us Sports continues to thrive in Baltimore providing coaches to nonprofits, schools and even the parks department. Nearly 10,000 kids have had the opportunity to play because an Up2Us Coach expected them on the field, on the court, and also expected them to perform well in school.

“The Ravens are a shining example of what an NFL team should be: a catalyst for social change in their hometown community. ”

— Paul Caccamo

The Ravens are a shining example of what an NFL team should be: a catalyst for social change in their hometown community. But they also went a step further: they set an example for other professional sports teams of the need to invest in youth sports. The statistics speak for themselves. One in three kids drop out of sports by high school. Costs are so prohibitive that most kids in underserved neighborhoods cannot even afford to play. And the inability for youth to form positive peer groups and develop teamwork that is so much a part of playing sports has resulted in the largest mental health crisis among teenagers in our history. Investing in sports is not just building a fan base, it’s about building a thriving community.

Ravens, you are the winners of Super Bowl LVIII in my book, and I will certainly see you on the field in Super Bowl LIX.