More than 10 local high school baseball teams received a major boost this season, thanks to a nonprofit founded on one father’s realization that the game is about more than wins or statistics — it’s about confidence and belonging. Equipped Sports and Life Outreach, a nonprofit just three ye ars old, donated custom baseball equipment valued at thousands of dollars to nearly a dozen teams during an equipment drop-off hosted at Globe Life Field. The organization provides new and gently used gear to student-athletes in economically disadvantaged school districts, helping them take the field with pride. The idea for Equipped began years ago when founder Stacey Hollinger watched his son’s team, Colleyville Heritage High School, play Dunbar. Hollinger noticed the opposing Wildcats lacked basic equipment, including belts, and said the moment stayed with him. “It was crushing to me … here’s young men that are invested in practice and want to play high school baseball yet they don’t really have all the equipment,” Hollinger said. Stacey Hollinger talks with NBC 5 about the origin of Equipped Sports and Life Outreach. Moved by what he saw, Hollinger created Equipped to ensure players have what they need to feel like a team. The nonprofit has since drawn attention from people at the highest levels of the sport. “What’s important to us is helping them look like a team, feel like a team,” Hollinger said. “And, you know, Cody Thomas, who’s involved with us and played at Colleyville and in the big leagues, Cody likes to tell his kids, if you look good, you feel good, and if you feel good, you play good.” The donations are made possible in part by contributions from companies that help shape the sport. While school districts may provide some equipment, much of the cost often falls on families. Beyond baseball, Equipped has also built a mentorship program to support young men off the field. Hollinger said the organization’s mission goes far beyond the baseball diamond. The work isn’t stopping there. Equipped is now setting its sights on expanding into softball and even football. ...read more read less