We believe that every child, regardless of their background or financial situation, should have the opportunity to participate in sports and develop important life skills.
Our Mission
The Foundation for Grayson Sports (FGS) is dedicated to fostering youth participation in sports by providing financial assistance for registration fees and equipment to boys and girls in Grayson County, grades 1 through 6, who are unable to afford these costs. We aim to ensure that every child, regardless of their economic background, has the opportunity to engage in sports and benefit from the positive impact of athletic involvement.
Why This Mission
According to the Texas Education Agency (TEA), 50% of Grayson Co. students are economically disadvantaged.
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The average total cost (per sport per child) for registration & equipment is $257. Without recycling equipment, youth football can cost a family over $400.
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H.S. graduation rates are 9.6%+ higher for student athletes.
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Due to the cost of youth sports, hundreds of Grayson County kids don’t start playing competitive sports until 7th grade, when the school districts pay the cost of sports.
Board Member Profiles
Ben Carney
Founder
Ben Carney, a 35-year resident of Grayson County, has been involved in youth sports either watching or coaching his two sons. Ben chose to start FGS in hopes that thousands of families, who otherwise couldn’t afford youth sports, would be able to experience the joy and pride he’s had seeing his sons develop lifelong skills and friendships through youth sports. Ben is the owner of Ben Carney Consulting, LLC, an IT consulting business specializing in helping companies like Nissan, Bank of America and Fannie Mae modernize their IT systems and migrate to cloud computing.
Jarod Dutton
Fundraising Committee Co-Chair
Jarod, Community Bank President at Cadence Bank, is a life-long Sherman resident, who attended Fairview Elementary, Dillingham Middle School, Piner Middle School and graduated from Sherman High. Jarod received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business from Texas A&M/Commerce and graduated from the Southwest Graduate School of Banking at SMU. Jarod and his wife Tenneil Dutton have 3 children: Gabe, Grey and Will. Jarod’s been involved with youth sports playing baseball and soccer as a child, plus coaching his own children in all their sports activities.
Dax Powell
Treasurer
Dax Powell, a lifelong Grayson County resident, graduated from Denison High School in 1993. Dax went on to play baseball at both University of Oklahoma and University of Texas. After graduation, Dax coached baseball at Grayson College. During this time, Grayson won the Junior College World Series twice. From 2003 to 2016, Dax was on the coaching staff of the Texas Rangers. Dax now owns Web Gems in Pottsboro, where he develops future college and pro athletes from our area. Dax and wife, Danielle, (below) have four children, very active in sports. Dax brings a lifetime of coaching and sports development to FGS.
Bill Brown
Social Media Committee Chair, Fundraising Co-Chair
Bill moved to Grayson County with his son Erin, as an Area Manager with Woodmen Life in 1993. Bill, a former collegiate athlete (football) believes strongly in giving back to the community, as many did for him. Bill has proudly served on several boards locally, coached baseball, basketball, football, and taught strength and conditioning programs...over the 3 decades he has resided in Grayson County. Bill is also the current President of Woodmen Life's Sherman/Denison Chapter. Bill maintains an insurance practice and a network marketing business.
Danielle Powell
Secretary
Dr. Danielle Powell, a lifelong Pottsboro resident, is the Assistant Superintendent at Pottsboro ISD. Danielle’s life has followed a sports and education path. Danielle played softball at Pottsboro High School and later at Grayson College. She also coached softball at McKinney Boyd High School. Danielle received both Bachelors and Masters degrees from Texas A&M Commerce. She then completed her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Morehead State University. Prior to her Assistant Superintendent position, Danielle was Principal at Pottsboro’s Elementary School and High School. Danielle adds the expertise to FGS of supporting economically disadvantaged children.
Robbie Seagroves
Board Member
Robbie, raised in Grayson County, went to school in Denison and graduated from Howe. At Grayson College, he received a Computer Science degree. Today, Robbie is a Business Development Manager in the electronic recycling industry. As a child and in high school, Robbie played soccer, baseball, basketball, and football. As an adult, he continued playing in sports leagues. Robbie’s true passion for 30+ years has been coaching and umpiring youth baseball. He believes that youth sports is a valuable tool for building character and future success in our children.
Tyrone Swoopes
Board Member, Ambassador
Tyrone grew up in Whitewright, where he excelled in basketball, track and field, and especially football. After high school, he played quarterback at the University of Texas. Upon graduating, he signed with the Seattle Seahawks in 2017 as a tight end. Tyrone also had brief stints with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Football Team. Since retiring from football, he has dedicated his time to training and coaching high school athletes. As a board member, Tyrone brings valuable experience and passion, further highlighted by his work with The Swoopes Foundation, a charity focused on supporting youth in achieving athletic and academic excellence.