New partnership to help kids get in the game 

The goal was to pack the bin, and the mission was accomplished.

Saturday, the Blue Jackets lifted the lid on a new initiative with Leveling the Playing Field, a nationwide organization that looks to remove barriers to youth sports by collecting and distributing new and gently used equipment.

At a kickoff event at OhioHealth Chiller North featuring CBJ goaltender Daniil Tarasov, the ribbon was cut on the first bin, and it didn’t take long for the Fifth Line to do their part. Within the first hour, the new Blue Jackets-branded donation bin was overflowing with gear that will allow Central Ohio kids to get into – and stay in – sports.

“I’ve seen some bins fill up pretty quickly, but this may be the fastest I’ve seen one fill up,” said Eric Rutkowski, Ohio program director for Leveling the Playing Field. “This is one of five CBJ bins, so just think of the volume that will start coming from those. We’re going to be able to help a lot of kids and a lot of programs, so it’s really exciting.”

While hockey is certainly a focus given the high cost of equipment, gear from all sports is welcome as part of the program. To that end, the community answered the call, bringing equipment ranging from golf clubs to softballs and even a canoeing oar.

Blue Jackets fan Kitty Hollingshead Mancil and her husband were among those to contribute, bringing a pair of youth baseball gloves to donate.

“When I was a kid, I didn’t have a lot of these opportunities,” Hollingshead Mancil said. “I was fortunate enough to be able to get secondhand equipment. I love being able to pass that forward to kids in our community here today.”

Tarasov made the first ceremonial donation – and then helped kids on hand fill the bin – but it’s easy for the community to continue taking part. For those who want to lend a hand, five collection bins are located across Central Ohio at Liberty Township/Powell YMCA, OhioHealth Chiller Easton, OhioHealth Chiller Dublin, OhioHealth Chiller North and OhioHealth Ice Haus.

It’s all part of a $25,000 partnership between Leveling the Playing Field, the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation, and the team’s Official Sustainability Partner, Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS).

The initiative is rooted in the Aspen Institute's 2021 report, State of Play Central Ohio, which highlighted a lack of access to equipment as a major barrier preventing kids from participating in sports. The report recommended establishing a city-wide equipment collection program, aligning with the Blue Jackets Foundation's mission to remove barriers for participation in youth sports.

“When we sat down to talk with Leveling the Playing Field about what a partnership could look like, today is exactly what we envisioned,” said Andee Cochren, executive director of the CBJ Foundation and senior director of community development. “Through an investment with the foundation, we were able to bring this to life.”

Leveling the Playing Field will take it from there. Rutkowski describes their donation method as a food bank but with sports equipment, with those looking for gear – from gym classes to youth sports organizations – able to come to their warehouse to find what they need to make sports come to life for kids.

While Leveling the Playing Field gladly accepts new equipment from those who are feeling generous, Rutkowski also pointed out that many people have used gear just sitting in their basements and garages, making it easy to lend a hand.

“It helps people clean out their houses, and it’s sustainable,” Rutkowski said. “It’s a really cool opportunity to put all that stuff to use. You might think one baseball bat or one hockey stick might not make that big a difference, but once that’s all collected and you see the almost half a million dollars worth of equipment that’s been collected in just under a year in Columbus go to all these programs, it really adds up.”

No matter how you take part, the partnership between the Blue Jackets Foundation and Leveling the Playing Field can make a big difference when it comes to youth participation in sports in Central Ohio.

“This is exciting,” Cochren said. “As an organization, we are committed to removing barriers to the game. We’ve done our own small part since the team’s inception; however, what we’re doing today really further advances that commitment to make sure every kid has access to equipment to play whatever sport they choose, including hockey.”