Everyone can play.
Our mission, vision, and the values we won't bend
Our mission is simple: remove cost as the reason a child sits out. We picture a Jacksonville where a kid's spot on a team is decided by their desire to play — not by their family's income. These are the principles we operate by every single day.
Our mission
Pay the registration fee directly to the league so a child is placed on a real team — in the sport they actually chose. No waitlists, no partial vouchers.
Our vision
A community where organized youth sports is sorted by a child's enthusiasm, not their household budget. Access, not a luxury good.
Our values
Dignity first, speed always, and no means-testing a child's excitement. We help — we never pity, and we never make a parent's pride the price of playing.
The problem nobody talks about at the field
Youth sports has quietly become pay-to-play
Fees, travel, uniforms and equipment have climbed to the point where a single season can run several hundred dollars. The result is that organized athletics gets sorted by household income instead of by a kid's desire to play. Most families try to make it work alone first — skipping a season, asking the league for a payment plan, sharing hand-me-down gear. When it doesn't work, the child simply never signs up, and nobody ever hears about it. We think that's fixable, and we think it should be.
a season — the quiet barrier between a kid and a team.
Short application. Fast answer. Fee paid straight to the league.
Dignity by design — how help actually feels here
We built every step so a stressed parent feels safe, not scrutinized. The child picks the sport; we cover the fee. There's no long form, no waitlist, and no label that singles a kid out on the roster.
Pick the sport
The child chooses what they actually want to play. We don't hand out leftovers or steer families toward whatever's cheapest.
One short application
A brief, reassuring form — no invasive means-test and no paperwork marathon. We're built for the parent racing a deadline.
A fast eligibility answer
We reply in days, not weeks, so families know where they stand before the season fills up.
Fee paid to the league
We pay the registration directly to the partner league. The child is placed on a real team — full stop.
Less overhead, more kids on the field
Lean, virtual, and rooted in Jacksonville leagues
We run virtually so more of every dollar reaches a registration fee instead of an office. Our work happens through partner facilities and leagues across Jacksonville that reserve roster spots for scholarship athletes. That means when we say yes, there's a real team and a real field waiting — not a promise on paper. It's a simple model built to move fast and stay honest.
Doug Ramsey, Founder
Led by a neighbor, not a distant foundation
Doug Ramsey
FounderDoug founded I9 Sports in 2024 after seeing the pay-to-play problem play out with families right down the street. He built this to be the neighbor who quietly covered the fee — approachable, direct, and accountable. Have a question? He'll answer it himself.
Concrete impact, legible numbers
A 501(c)(3) youth sports charity you can read plainly
We're a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving Jacksonville, FL, and we report our impact in plain numbers — cost per child, kids funded, sports covered. Donations are tax-deductible and go where we say they go: straight toward registration fees. For funders and league partners, transparency isn't a page we hide — it's how we earn the next scholarship.
A registered nonprofit — every donation is tax-deductible and directed to youth sports registration.
We publish what it takes to put one kid on a team, so donors see exactly what their gift funds.
100% of a covered fee is paid directly to the partner league — no vouchers, no middle step.
We track and share how many children we've placed on teams and the sports they chose.
Everyone can play.
If cost is the only thing in the way, let's take it off the table
If your child wants to play and the fee is the barrier, apply — it's short, it's dignified, and you'll hear back fast. If you'd rather help another kid onto the field, your gift covers a real registration for a real family in Jacksonville. Either way, you're putting a child on a team this season.
