How We Got Started

SPO Connection (Supporting Positive Opportunities Connection) is a self-funded nonprofit youth athletic organization founded in 1987 located in Springfield, Massachusetts. The organization was born out of a request from three friends, young boys ages 11, 10, and 8, looking for a summer activity to keep them busy and have fun. They chose basketball and then enlisted the support of two of the boy’s fathers to help them. The parent, an athlete, and a young professional engineer working with Digital Equipment Corporation saw an opportunity not only to organize and coach a team for the boys but to use basketball as a platform to teach and inspire youngsters to dream achievement of life’s success beyond winning basketball games.
What started as a grassroots effort 38 years ago to fill a void that still faces many youngsters in urban communities today, a “lack of positive outlets,” grew into one of the best regional programs. Having exposed hundreds of kids to national and international competition, but more importantly to new friends, professionals and mentors that looked like them, higher educational opportunities, careers never considered, and stories that last a lifetime.

At its heart, SPO used sports—basketball in particular—not just as games, but as platforms to teach life skills, promote integrity, and connect youth with role models who look like them and believe in them. The organization creates safe, supportive environments that nurture both athletic and personal growth.

In 2025, SPO expanded its mission with SPO Caddie Assist – Adaptive Golf Support Services, an initiative designed to provide inclusive golf experiences for individuals with disabilities. This program addresses a vital need for accessible recreational opportunities, emphasizing health, recovery, and social connection while reinforcing SPO’s core values of inclusion and empowerment.

Operating under Section 501(c)(3), SPO Connection serves communities across Massachusetts, always driven by its founding belief: when young people are supported and shown what’s possible, they rise to achieve more than they ever thought they could.