Klutch Athletics: Inside Commanders Chase Young's Partnership With Good Sports, New Balance
We all want to be Klutch.
But Klutch is more than making game winning plays. Klutch is lifting up your teammates when they miss. It's not a stat or something you can put in a trophy case. Klutch is a way of life.
Those are the words that sports agent Rich Paul's newest endeavor — an athleisure brand called Klutch Athletics by New Balance — was founded on. They sit on the wall at the front of the brand's Kansas City location as a way to remind its viewers that "Klutch" is more than just physical performance.
"At New Balance, we all say that our partners are a reflection of our values as a brand," company SVP of Merchandising Chris Davis said at Klutch Athletics' celebratory launch event. "I could not think of a better first Klutch Athleteics by New Balance Athlete than this man standing [next to me]."
Washington Commanders defensive end Chase Young was the man in question, set to be the face of New Balance's latest project, which added to his already decorated resume that included being the NFL's 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year.
"I'm blessed for this opportunity," Young said. "This opportunity is real big for me and my family. I want to thank Rich [and] New Balance. I'm excited, and ready to go. Klutch Athletics by New Balance has a nice ring to it."
"Today is a great day," Paul added. "It's not just [about] the athlete on the field, but also in the community. We're excited about this new partnership, and I think we're off to the races."
While Young's partnership allowed him to work with Paul and New Balance, it also gave him an opportunity to give back to his community in a more literal sense.
Young and Paul partnered with Good Sports, a non-profit with a goal of providing equal to sports and athletics to children in under-privileged communities, and further embody the idea of "being Klutch."
Founded in 2003 by Melissa Harper and Christy Keswick, Good Sports was created to start making an impact in local Boston communities.
"[Good Sports] started with a donation of 500 basketballs," Harper said. "We supported a handful of organizations in the Boston area at that time, and from there, we just continued to grow our footprint."
Now, the organization is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and those 500 basketballs have turned into more than $100 million in donations to communities across the country, with its latest being $32,314 worth of equipment to the Boys and Girls Club of Kansas City, Thornberry.
"[We donate] everything from flag football equipment to soccer gear," Harper said. "The Boys and Girls Club have to keep a lot of kids of a lot of different ages involved and active, so we really want things that kids from preschool to high school can use."
"When you see a kid smile, laugh and have fun and enjoy the time that they're spending out on the field or playing a game, that to me is what it's all about," Harper added. "From my perspective, when a kid smiles because they're having so much fun playing, I know that it's a [huge] first step towards a long term positive outcome for that kid."
The 11-year relationship between New Balance and Good Sports also included organized community events such as field days, so when Young became the face of Klutch Athletics, the decision for him to become involved with the organization was an easy one.
Young had previously been known for striking fear in the hearts of opposing quarterbacks, but he put down his pads for the afternoon in Kansas City and instead, he made smiles happen for the Boys and Girls Club.
Washington Commanders DE Chase Young runs around with kids from the Boys and Girls Club of Kansas City, Thornberry Thursday, April 28. Young's appearance marked the first community event of its kind for Klutch Athletics with Good Sports. (Photo provided by New Balance)
"When you get a professional athlete like Chase who comes out and supports the community, [the kids] see a role model," Harper said. "They see someone that they look up to, and when professional athletes are willing to spend the time truly connecting with kids ... it makes a world of difference for those children.
"Chase was all about how much energy he could bring to the event, so we're really excited to have to be working with him."
Young is also a role model in a different way. After his DROY season, the defensive end suffered a torn ACL that sidelined him for 22 straight games between 2021 and 2022.
His journey back to the field proved to be strenuous, but Young worked his way back for the final three games of the Commanders' season last year and is set to make a large impact once again next season.
"It's definitely going to be exciting this year," Young said in a recent interview. "I'm happy to come back and ready to get things going."
Klutch is staying connected to the community you came from so that others can follow your path. But above all, Klutch is knowing who you want to be and making it happen.
Be Klutch.
Whether it was Young's high level of play on the field or his willingness to give back to his community off of it, Young showed what it meant to "be Klutch." As he continues to make waves across the nation in more ways than one, he will only continue to prove that.
And so will Harper and Good Sports.
"We truly believe that our work is not done yet," Harper said. "There are still millions of children who need our support ... [and] until play is a part of every child's life every single day, we're not done. We're going to continue growing until we feel like we've solved the problem."
Washington Commanders DE Chase Young and Klutch Sports Group founder Rich Paul pictured with the kids of the Boys and Girls Club of Kansas City, Thornberry following the field day hosted by New Balance and Good Sports. (Photo provided by New Balance)
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