The bravest fighter at UFC 311 never threw a punch

Getty Images / Zuffa LLC

Jiří Procházka has never seen the walls of the octagon as the boundary of his purpose. When the UFC light heavyweight champion learned of Ashly McGarity, a young girl courageously battling cervical cancer, he didn't just send his well wishes. He flew her out to the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California to be by his side at UFC 311, because he wanted her to know she wasn't fighting alone.

For Procházka, it was personal. Before the fight, he shaved his head, not as a statement, but as an act of empathy. A quiet way of saying: I see you. I'm with you.

His commitment went further. Procházka donated $50,000 toward Ashly's chemotherapy treatment and surgery, hoping to ease a burden that no young person should have to carry. UFC CEO Dana White, moved by the gesture, matched the donation in full, bringing the total to $100,000 and amplifying a message Procházka has been determined to spread: that cancer patients deserve visibility, support, and hope.

As of late 2025, Ashly continues her recovery, pressing forward through ongoing chemotherapy with the same quiet bravery that stopped a champion in his tracks. Procházka has spoken openly about how deeply her story moved him, how a young girl facing something so devastating with such grace reminded him what real strength looks like. In trying to inspire her, she ended up inspiring him.

Written by Charles Kunkel on Friday, April 10, 2026 at 4:16 ET

Love Like Luca

Timberwolves social media

A little boy walked into Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on a January night in 2025 with two things: a poster sign and a bag of orange wristbands. He was only seven years old, battling leukemia, and he had a plan.

The sign said it all: "To Do: 1. Beat Cancer. 2. Be The Next MJ." Luca Wright wasn't just any fan. He'd made it to the road game to watch his favorite player, Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards. And that night, Edwards had just put up 53 points, his career highest. Despite losing the game he came out anyway.

When Edwards spotted Luca's sign, he crouched down to his level, read it, grinned and he signed it. He signed Luca's jersey too. He took a photo. Then Luca placed a small orange wristband in his hand. The wristband read "Love Like Luca," to raise awareness for leukemia. Edwards looked at it, looked at Luca, and made a promise.

Then he took him into the locker room. Naz Reid got a wristband. Donte DiVincenzo got one. Jaden McDaniels got one. The whole team welcomed this seven-year-old like he belonged there, because Luca's strength in fighting cancer was inspiring to the team. The gesture was very personal for Anthony Edwards. The No. 5 on his jersey is a tribute to his mother Yvette and grandmother Shirley — his mother passed away from cancer on the 5th of January and his grandmother passed away from cancer on the 5th of August. For Ant, that little orange bracelet wasn't just a kind gesture, it was a connection to his past and a reminder moving forward. Edwards has worn the bracelet going into every game since that moment.

On February 21, 2026, Luca's mother Lacey went on social media with news the Timberwolves community had been waiting for. Luca Wright had finally beat the cancer. Anthony Edwards responded to her message with a video message congratulating Luca. "That's God's gift." "Let's do it Luca." Step 1 on the sign, complete.

The orange bracelet didn't leave his wrist. It never has. What started as one small act of kindness after a frustrating road loss — a star player choosing to show up for one little boy — had become something far bigger than a basketball story. It became a story about what athletes can be when they decide to see the person in front of them. Luca Wright beat cancer. Anthony Edwards kept his word. And between the time Luca and Ant first met and a cancer free announcement in February 2026, an entire fanbase learned to love like Luca.

Written by Charles Kunkel · Published May 27, 2026 at 10:00 ET

Inspiring the Next Generation: Caitlin Clark

Getty Images / Sarah Stier

Caitlin Clark has become one of the most influential figures in women's sports, and her impact stretches far beyond the basketball court. During her college career at Iowa, she led the Hawkeyes to back-to-back Women's Final Fours in 2023 and 2024, captivating millions of fans and bringing attention to the women's game. Her three-point shooting is fearless, pulling up from distances the WNBA had rarely seen, showing the world just how exciting women's basketball can be.

Off the court, Clark has worked tirelessly to give back to the next generation. Through the Caitlin Clark Foundation, she has partnered with sponsors to build and refurbish multi-purpose, ADA-accessible basketball courts in underserved neighborhoods. She wants to ensure that kids everywhere have a safe, quality place to play, regardless of where they grow up. The joy that children can get from playing a sport is a gift that should never be taken away and be accessible to all.

More than anything, Clark wants young girls to believe in themselves. That message is powerful and, cemented with her actions both on and off the court, is exactly why she has become a role model for a generation of girls daring to dream bigger.

Written by Charles Kunkel · Published May 31, 2026 at 11:35 PM ET

Ferrari's Home Race, Backed by Two Big Hearts

Photo by Sam Bagnall/Sutton Images

Ferrari is racing at Monza this Sunday for the Italian Grand Prix, their home race. But it's deeper than just the race — both Ferrari drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, are also doing big things off the track to help others.

Lewis Hamilton and Mission 44

Back in 2021, Hamilton started a charity called Mission 44 and gave £20 million of his own money to it.

mission44.org →

The goal: help young people who don't usually get the same chances, especially in STEM (science, tech, engineering, and math) and in motorsport. So far, Mission 44 has helped over 550,000 kids in the UK, US, and Brazil. This year, the charity also teamed up with the Goodwood Festival of Speed to give more marginalized students a shot at STEM programs and opportunities in motorsport.

This cause is personal for Lewis. Growing up, he knows what it's like to come from a background that isn't always given the same opportunities, and he wants to change that for other kids.

Charles Leclerc and the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation

Leclerc, who is from Monaco, was appointed as an Ambassador for the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation in December 2018. This foundation teaches kids how to swim so they can stay safe around water. Princess Charlene herself asked Leclerc to join, she exclaimed how he shows the same kind of hard work and sportsmanship she values. Leclerc accepted this position right away, and spoke out about how he values water safety and how it is important for kids to know how to swim.

Both Ferrari drivers are doing good work off the track, and it says a lot that it's happening during their team's home race. For the fans cheering in the stands, that's one more reason to be proud of the drivers in red.

Written by Charles Kunkel · Published Saturday, September 5, 2026 at 6:10 PM ET

The Same Grass

Photo Roquan Smith Facebook

Before Roquan Smith was one of the highest-paid linebackers in NFL history, he was a kid in Montezuma, Georgia, digging irrigation ditches on a farm because that was the work there was. Montezuma is a town of under 3,000 people — the last thing anyone expected to see coming out of it was an NFL player.

A Camp on the Same Field

Every summer since breaking into the league in 2018, Smith has returned to Macon County High School — the field he played on as a kid — to run a free football camp for local kids ages 7 to 17.

In 2023, he launched the Roquan Smith Foundation and extended its reach to Baltimore, adding parenting resources, financial literacy, and behavioral health support alongside the camps. The football camp is the front door for kids; the foundation is the support system that's there for them after.

roquan.org →

Recognized by the League

The Baltimore Ravens took notice, nominating Smith to represent the team as their 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee — the league's honor for a player's work off the field.

Most people would write a check and call it a day. Roquan Smith does it differently — he shows up and coaches the drills himself, standing on the same grass he once stood on.

The belief that your fate is decided by where you grow up isn't true, and Roquan Smith is a reminder of that. He wants to make sure the kids growing up like he did get the opportunities he once thought he couldn't have.

Written by Charles Kunkel · Published Monday, September 7, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET

Tags of Hope

Photo PGA HOPE Instagram

This year's PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, took place four months ahead of the 25th year commemorating the terrorist attacks on New York City, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, near Pittsburgh — but the tournament didn't wait for the date itself to honor it.

A Small Token, Tied to Something Larger

The event set up a free dog tag station in the fan experience area, just outside the back of the merchandise store, giving tournament spectators and attendees a chance to give back to the military and veterans. Visitors could personalize a tag with custom text — a small, physical token tied to a much larger act of remembrance.

Supporting PGA HOPE

The dog tag station also served, and continues to serve, a purpose beyond commemoration. It benefited PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere), the PGA of America REACH Foundation's program that introduces golf to active-duty military members and veterans as a tool for connection and healing.

Photo PGA HOPE Instagram · 2026 PGA Championship

It's a small gesture measured against the weight of what's being commemorated. Golf, an outlet PGA HOPE has used to support thousands of veterans, was both a memorial and a mission put on display at one of the PGA's biggest stages.

Those interested in supporting PGA HOPE can donate directly at pgareach.org/pgahope →

Written by Charles Kunkel · Published Friday, September 11, 2026 at 4:30 PM ET

Mustangs in the Community

Photo SMU Athletics

On any given morning in Dallas, you'll find SMU student-athletes doing things that don't show up in box scores: serving meals, restocking shelves, sitting down with people who need a hand, because they care.

That's the piece of SMU Athletics that most people don't know about. Wins and losses tell one story. The other story is student-athletes showing up in the community on their own time, learning names, listening, and giving something back to the city they are proud to be a part of.

It's a mindset SMU has made a real priority, not community service as an afterthought, but as part of what it means to be a Mustang Athlete. Sports give student-athletes the platform and the visibility; SMU wants them to use it for more than just competing. Caring about the people around you, staying grounded, understanding that a scholarship and a following come with responsibility — that's something the university treats as seriously as it treats winning.

Showing Up for Dallas

SMU Athletics gives student-athletes real, hands-on ways to serve their city. Through the Stewpot's food pantry, open weekdays, Mustangs welcome visitors, keep shelves stocked, and help pack up groceries for families in need. On weekends, athletes step into the Second Chance Cafe, dishing out meals and offering a warm welcome to guests navigating financial hardship. These opportunities allow student-athletes to make meaningful and impactful connections in their community by showing up for their neighbors and strengthening SMU's bond with the Dallas community.

For the Dallas community, the impact starts with a simple goal: more hands helping, more people served, more connection between the university and the city it calls home. For the athletes, it's a reminder that identity isn't only built on the field. The jersey comes off, but the ambition to show up for other people doesn't.

Learn more about SMU Athletics and their mission off the court at smumustangs.com →

Written by Charles Kunkel · Published Monday, September 14, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET

Built on the Hilltop

Photo NFLPA

Emmanuel Sanders learned what giving back looks like as a Mustang in Dallas. Now his foundation is making sure kids have the food, support, and opportunity to chase their dreams. Before his Super Bowl ring, before Pittsburgh, Denver, and Buffalo, Emmanuel Sanders was a wide receiver at SMU, a Texas kid from Bellville. Being a student athlete in Dallas taught him something greater than football. It's a city that shows up for its neighbors, where giving back is how things are done. SMU laid the foundation. Sanders became the push that drives the mission forward.

At SMU, community service is part of what it means to wear the jersey. In college he learned early that a platform comes with responsibility. Sanders is what that lesson looks like years down the road. He carried the Mustang mindset to every city he played in through his foundation. Sanders launched his foundation in Denver in 2017 and relaunched it in Buffalo in 2021 after joining the Bills. His mission is to give kids from low-income families the resources they need to succeed, from holiday support to educational opportunities that open doors that might otherwise remain closed.

Before a child can think about college or a career, they need to eat. That's why Sanders became a spokesperson for the Field & Fork Network, this organization connects vulnerable communities across New York with fresh, healthy food. Hunger is a barrier, a hungry child can't focus in class or plan for tomorrow. If you put food on the table, that kid gets the chance to imagine what comes next.

Emmanuel's mission doesn't stop there. He lost his mother on November 1, 2011, when he was 24 years old, and he knows that many kids lose a parent even younger. That's why he gives back every holiday season, making sure children who are missing a parent still have gifts to open and someone who shows up for them. This is the kind of leadership athletics needs off the field.

Written by Charlie Kunkel · Published Monday, September 28, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET

Allen's Young Designers

Photo: Courtesy of New Era (via WGRZ)

Josh Allen's pregame outfit is about more than designer fashion this season. For the second straight year, the Bills quarterback and New Era Cap have teamed up with Golisano Children's Hospital of Buffalo for the Billustration campaign, in which young patients design the caps Allen wears into Highmark Stadium for each home game.

Nine children designed eight hats for the 2026 season. Allen has already worn Jack's design for the home opener against the Lions, Mason's against the Chargers on Sept. 27, and Charlotte's against the Patriots this past Sunday.

Still to come:

• Bills vs. Ravens: Isaac (Nov. 1)
• Bills vs. Dolphins: Avery & Amar'e (Nov. 22)
• Bills vs. Chiefs: Killian (Nov. 26)
• Bills vs. Bears: Caleb (Dec. 19)
• Bills vs. Jets: Grace (Jan. TBD)

Photo: New Era Cap (via Facebook)

For a child in the hospital, turning on the Bills game and seeing their artwork on their favorite player is a moment they won't forget.

The campaign also gives back. Every cap is sold through New Era, with proceeds going to the Patricia Allen Fund, named for Josh's grandmother, who passed away in 2020. Last year's campaign raised more than $140,000 for the hospital, and this season is set to build on that success while bringing Buffalo's community together behind its kids.

Written by Charlie Kunkel · Published Monday, October 5, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET

The Safety Net

Photo: Preston Automotive Group

On Sunday Night Football, Ravens safety and captain Kyle Hamilton sealed a road win in Atlanta with an interception of Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Hamilton is regarded as one of the best safeties in the NFL, if not the best.

Before Baltimore, Hamilton played at the University of Notre Dame, a choice that came down to culture and a place that cared about the community and the people beside you. That value has followed him to the Ravens.

Hamilton hosts flag football clinics at the Ravens' Under Armour Performance Center, and he consistently represents Our Military Kids in the NFL's annual My Cause My Cleats campaign.

Our Military Kids cleats · Photo: WBAL 11 News

He has also teamed up with Preston Automotive Group to fight childhood hunger through Blessings in a Backpack. Preston pledged $140, enough to feed one child for a school year, for every tackle Hamilton made. His first season raised $9,940 and supported about 75 local kids. In 2023-24, the total grew to $13,783, enough to feed nearly 100 children every weekend of the following school year.

His impact reaches Baltimore's high school athletes too. In August 2024, Kyle and the Hamilton family opened the renovated Hamilton Family Weight Room at St. Frances Academy.

Kyle Hamilton is an incredible athlete and an incredible man, making an impact on the field with his Ravens teammates and off it in the Baltimore community.

Written by Charlie Kunkel · Published Tuesday, October 13, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET

It's All About the Kids

Photo: Kent Gidley/Alabama Athletics

Nick Saban built the greatest résumé in college football history. The work he is proudest of happened off the field. Saban won seven national championships, one at LSU in 2003 and six at Alabama, over 28 seasons as a college head coach. His career ran through Toledo, Michigan State, LSU and Alabama, along with NFL jobs as the Cleveland Browns' defensive coordinator (1991–1994) and the Miami Dolphins' head coach (2005–2006). He finished 297-71-1. In January 2025 he was named the first member of the College Football Hall of Fame's 2025 class. Today he covers the game as an analyst on ESPN's College GameDay and The Pat McAfee Show. Most fans know the national championship trophies and rings; fewer know that for nearly three decades, Saban and his wife, Terry, have been quietly building playgrounds, homes and gathering places for the people of their community.

Nick and Terry Saban founded the Nick's Kids Foundation in 1998, while Nick was coaching at Michigan State. They named it in honor of his late father, Nick Saban Sr. The foundation's mission is "To work together in the spirit of faith and giving in our community. To promote and support children, family, teacher and student causes. It's all about the kids!" The Sabans carried the foundation with them to LSU, Miami and Tuscaloosa. According to the foundation, it has now given over $18 million to charities and causes. Much of that money was raised through luncheons, golf tournaments and scrimmages the Sabans host themselves. For Nick, giving back has never been only about writing checks. He has said the foundation exists to help young people create opportunities for a better life. Often that means building something a community can see and use every day.

nickskidsfoundation.org →

The clearest marks of Nick's Kids are the playgrounds it has helped build across Tuscaloosa. The Sabans believe the foundation a child gets early makes all the difference, and three projects show it.

Tuscaloosa Riverwalk Playground. Nick's Kids partnered with the City of Tuscaloosa, Alabama Forever, the Junior League of Tuscaloosa and others to build a playground along the city's Riverwalk on the Black Warrior River. Nick and Terry cut the ribbon themselves.

Alberta School of Performing Arts Playground. The April 27, 2011 tornado destroyed the Alberta school. When the rebuilt school reopened, Nick's Kids and Alabama Forever gave it a new $70,000 playground, dedicated in 2015. At the ceremony, Mayor Walt Maddox credited the Sabans for helping the city recover.

The Tuscaloosa All-Inclusive Playground. This playground at Sokol Park was designed so children of every age and ability can play side by side. Nick's Kids was a major donor alongside the PARA Foundation and local governments, and Phase One opened in April 2021.

The building did not stop with playgrounds. Nick's Kids has also sponsored 21 Habitat for Humanity homes.

Saban's faith has shaped him as much as football has, and his giving reflects it. Nick and his wife, Terry, are devout Catholics who worship at St. Francis of Assisi University Parish on Alabama's campus. When the parish set out to build a new student center, the Sabans gave substantial seed money and helped raise much of the rest. The Saban Catholic Student Center opened in 2016, named in honor of the family. Today the center gives students a place to study, gather and share a meal after Mass. Its doors are open to everyone, Catholic or not.

Saban was famously intense about football. He was just as serious about reminding his players that the game was a platform, not the whole point. He encouraged many of them to start foundations, nonprofits and charities of their own, so the habit of giving would outlast their playing days. Retirement has not slowed the Sabans down. In 2025, Nick's Kids funded a new playground at Civitan Park in Northport. The foundation is also leading the Saban Center, a STEM and arts education hub rising in Tuscaloosa's River District that is set to open in 2027.

The championships made Nick Saban a legend. The playgrounds, homes and student center are what Tuscaloosa's kids will actually grow up with. For Nick and Terry, that was always the point: it's all about the kids.

Written by Charlie Kunkel · Published Monday, October 12, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET

Every Kid Deserves a Seat

For many young sports fans, the difference between listening to a basketball game on the radio and sitting courtside isn't a matter of preference — it's a matter of cost. Tickets, parking, and concessions for a single night at an NBA arena are far beyond what many families can spare. For kids growing up in under-resourced communities, that gap often means professional sports are watched from a distance, and never experienced firsthand.

Many NBA franchises are working to close that gap through Community Ticket programs, which set aside game tickets for youth — specifically those who qualify through local partner organizations like rec centers, Boys & Girls Clubs, and after-school programs. The concept is simple, and it goes a long way: give kids who've shown up and put in the work a seat at the game, at no cost to them or their families.

The Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Detroit Pistons, and Washington Wizards are among the teams running these initiatives, each with a slightly different approach tailored to the kids of their city. The Mavericks partner with Dallas-area youth programs to send kids to American Airlines Center. The Clippers do the same in Inglewood through Intuit Dome. The Thunder work with Oklahoma City schools and community groups, the Pistons reach across Detroit's east and west sides, and the Wizards give opportunity to kids all around the D.C. area.

What makes these programs meaningful isn't just the free ticket, it's what the experience can give long-term. For a kid who plays the sport every day but has never seen it played live, sitting close enough to hear sneakers squeak on hardwood and feel the crowd beside them can be transformative. It's proof that the players they watch on TV are real, reachable, human — and that the path from a neighborhood gym to a professional court is possible.

These programs strengthen the bond between a franchise and the community. This kind of opportunity makes sure the next generation of fans, regardless of income, gets to walk through the doors and watch their team in person. This connection shouldn't be exclusive to those who can afford it.

Sports teach discipline, teamwork, and resilience. But there's more to it than that — the most powerful moments don't come from a practice court, they're witnessed live, from a seat that would have otherwise been out of reach. For the kids these programs are built for, that single night can be the spark that turns hesitation into lasting motivation.

These programs aren't limited to a handful of markets — it's a league-wide effort, with nearly every NBA franchise running its own version of the initiative. Find your team below and request tickets directly through their program.

Find Your Team

Written by Charles Kunkel · Published Monday, September 21, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET