The Sports Portal Founder Maurice Barnett Highlights the Power of Sports in Enabling Community-Building
![Maurice Barnett Maurice Barnett](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_512,h_288,x_0,y_62/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/the_athlete_lifestyle_on_si/01jjsjqyetgf1g0gj56x.png)
Sports have been an essential part of community life since olden times. Today, many sports teams are organized around localities, drawing on community or national pride for support. Additionally, sports facilities, such as stadiums and arenas, often double as community venues, holding events and creating revenue for businesses. Sports bring people together and unite players, coaches, and fans under one goal – to see their team succeed.
Maurice Barnett, the founder of sports-centric social network platform The Sports Portal, believes the power of sports is indeed incredible, as it makes people temporarily forget what divides them, showing that individuals from opposing sides can coexist when presented with a common goal. This has a huge effect on youth, as it shapes how they view other people and the world. Sports also help them learn social skills and positive characteristics, such as discipline, accountability, and good work ethic, while providing an outlet for their energy. Due to these benefits, many parents invest significant time and resources to ensure that their children become part of good sports organizations, allowing them to benefit from lifelong positive impacts.
Social media plays a crucial role in sports today, from event organization to marketing and communication. However, the overwhelming mix of non-sports content on mainstream platforms makes it hard for sports communities to connect and for athletes and parents to find local clubs. To address this, Barnett developed The Sports Portal, a platform designed to strengthen sports communities. It helps athletes and parents find the right coaches or teams, supports recruitment for organizations, and allows athletes to connect for games or workouts, fostering more positive and accessible experiences both locally and nationally.
“I've been a coach and a parent of four athletes, and throughout our journeys, finding new teams to join and other teams to play with has always presented an interesting challenge,” Barnett tells Sports Illustrated. “This is even more difficult for families and parents who are not as engaged as I have been – those who don't understand the sports, the arena, or the importance of proper coaching styles. Many parents struggle with finding a sport that inspires their children and keeps them engaged without reducing everything to a win-loss record.”
According to Barnett, there is also a dark side to sports, where success is everything and how a "win at all costs" mentality does damage to athletes and their families. To combat this he founded the nonprofit organization Sports for Amateur Athletes, which helps every athlete, regardless of their background or circumstances, have the opportunity to engage in sports that inspire them.
“I've witnessed multiple young people go from really enjoying their sport to losing confidence and mentally shutting down because of negative coaching experiences,” he says. “We need to help them realize that this is just a game and an opportunity to do their best without tying so much of their identity to winning and losing. If we lose sight of that, we lose the purpose and the value of sports and its transformational power in developing better individuals who contribute to stronger communities.”
As 2025 approaches, Barnett's Sports Portal will provide young athletes a different avenue for sports greatness.
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