For families struggling to make ends meet, the rising cost of youth sports can mean making a heartbreaking choice: pay the bills or let a child play. Knoxville’s Rhiannon Potkey is working to make sure children don’t have to give up the sports they love because their families cannot afford the equipment.
Now, a $25,000 grant from Toyota will help her nonprofit, Goods4Greatness, put more young athletes on the field, court and ice.
Potkey, founder and executive director of Goods4Greatness, was named a 2026 Toyota Everyday Hero in recognition of her efforts to remove financial barriers to youth sports. The national honor was announced in connection with the espnW: Women + Sports Summit.
When Potkey learned about the recognition through an email, she was stunned.
“I never expected to have my work with Goods4Greatness recognized at this level,” she said. “It was extremely humbling, and I was so grateful.”
Every dollar of the $25,000 grant will go toward purchasing new sports equipment for children from low-income families across the country.
The need is growing. Equipment prices continue to climb, and participation fees are putting additional pressure on families already struggling with everyday expenses.
Even something as basic as running shoes has become significantly more expensive. Potkey said shoes she purchased for children last year now cost an average of $20 to $40 more per pair.
Baseball, softball, hockey and tennis present particularly expensive challenges because of specialized equipment. But no sport is immune to rising costs, including high school athletics.
The Toyota grant is the largest Goods4Greatness has received. The number of additional children it will serve depends on their individual needs, but Potkey expects it to make a significant difference.
Behind those numbers are families whose lives are changed by a little help at the right moment.
One single mother was working three jobs to support her son and daughter while keeping up with household bills. She feared she could no longer afford to keep her children involved in sports, an activity she believed was helping them remain focused and confident.
Potkey stepped in, purchasing the children’s equipment and helping cover participation fees for the season.
The mother began to cry.
“The relief I saw in her eyes makes every second I spend with my nonprofit entirely worth it,” Potkey said.
KnoxTNToday first highlighted Goods4Greatness in 2023. Since then, its mission has remained unchanged, but demand for assistance has increased as more families struggle with the cost of living.
The organization has also gained national visibility, helping it connect with more children who need assistance. Goods4Greatness has helped thousands of young athletes nationwide through equipment purchases and partnerships with college athletic programs.
Locally, the University of Tennessee has supported the mission by donating athletic equipment. Goods4Greatness accepts equipment donations from college and professional sports programs, while individuals, schools and businesses can help through financial contributions or by identifying children who need assistance.
Recent outreach included Potkey providing cleats to football players at South-Doyle High School, another example of her commitment to removing financial barriers to participation.
Despite the national recognition, fundraising remains the organization’s biggest challenge. Potkey balances the nonprofit’s work with her regular jobs, leaving limited time to raise the money needed to meet growing requests.
The Toyota grant offers welcome relief, but Potkey hopes the recognition will accomplish something even greater: introduce Goods4Greatness to more people who can help.
“Goods4Greatness is my true passion in life, and I wake up every day praying that I can find a way to help even just one low-income child be able to play sports,” she said.
For Potkey, going above and beyond isn’t measured in trophies or victories. It’s measured in children who get to stay in the game, families who find relief and opportunities that might otherwise have been lost.
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