SPOKANE, Wash. — Students displaced by the Spokane area fires lost more than just their homes. They lost the little things that bring a sense of normalcy, like sports equipment.
Two Spokane Valley soccer coaches recognized that need and decided to act. Natalie Middleton and Jordan Chester launched Play On Spokane, a donation drive designed to help young athletes recover the gear they need to get back in the game and out on the field.
The initiative began after Middleton and Chester saw a social media post about several Shadle Park High School football players directly affected by the fires. While the community rallied to provide essentials like food and shelter, the coaches recognized another critical need: sports equipment.
“There were so many kids and families affected who play sports,” Middleton said. “What we wanted to do is gather the community, get as much items gear and equipment as we could possibly get and donate it right back to the kids that absolutely needed it the most.”
Rather than simply distributing donations, Play On Spokane takes a personalized approach. The organizers build customized equipment bags for each athlete based on their sport, size and specific needs. This weekend, the initiative hosted a gear drive at University High School that collected donations ranging from running shoes to cleats for soccer, football and softball.
Play On Spokane has already delivered donated gear to Shadle Park High School and Assumption Parish School. But the organizers emphasize that their support extends beyond the initial handoff.
“We wanted to keep ties with these people because the support just doesn’t stop when we hand that first bag off,” Chester said. “We want to stay with these families through the school year, if they play a spring sport and reach back out because they need something else, we want to keep in contact with the community.”
Families who need assistance can fill out a form through the Play On Spokane Instagram page. The form requests details including the athlete’s sport, sizes and contact information.
Middleton and Chester plan to continue collecting gear throughout the 2026-2027 school year. They have already received requests for ski equipment and other winter gear, as well as spring sports equipment.
Two additional donation drives are scheduled for the coming weeks:
August 29th, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.September 5th, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The location for both drives is still being determined and will be announced through the Play On Spokane Instagram page.
COPYRIGHT 2026 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
