It all starts somewhere. That first moment you walk out onto a field, you feel what means to be a team and be a part of a program that strives to make you better. The JJ Watt Foundation is boosting up Okmulgee County schools with grants dedicated to help middle school athletic programs. Henryetta, Beggs, Morris and Dewar were all awarded grants to help purchase new equipment for their respective middle school athletic programs ranging from football to track to baseball.

“Participation in athletic programs provide children the opportunity to expand their horizons and learn valuable life lessons that will serve them well beyond their years on the playing field,” The JJ Watt Foundation states on its website. “Providing these opportunities for children in the community will not only give them a safe, supervised and structured setting in which to spend time after-school, but it will also teach the children how to work together within the context of a team, how to persevere in the face of adversity, and that hard work is the best path to success in any situation.”

The JJ Watt foundation presented funding to the Henryetta Middle School football program for new uniforms, according to Henryetta head football coach Lance Beck.

“It was real exciting;” Beck said about receiving the grant. “My coaches and I were looking at different things that we could do to help our programs out and came across this foundation and applied for it. It was one of those, we just crossed our fingers hoping that we could get.”

Funding is sent out to schools from the JJ Watt Foundation in order to help with after-school activities, whether that be in the form of new uniforms or equipment.

“It will help us tremendously,” Beck said. “The program, across the board, is needing little different things and this is a great way for us to be able to accomplish some of those goals.” The JJ Watt Foundation also awarded Beggs Middle School $4,404 for its baseball and track programs, including $2,260 for new track uniforms.

“It’s just going to be a tremendous help financially to put those kids in gear that we normally can’t afford to buy them:” Beggs Athletic Director Chad Stanton said. “So, we are grateful that we get some new equipment for those kids.”

Dewar Middle School was also tapped for a grant this year. The JJ Watt Foundation awarded the Dewar Middle School baseball program $2,432.95 for new uniforms and equipment.

Morris Middle School also received $2,234 for baseball equipment and uniforms.

The foundation has donated a total of $5,975,116.68 since it began and is coming up on its total goal of $6 million in donations. In 2020, the foundation provided $245,992.84 for middle school athletic programs across the United States.