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Raju Rampa is running the Boston Marathon for Good Sports

"Many children today face the same financial barriers as I did to playing sports and being active."

Raju Rampa is running Boston to raise money for Good Sports.

By Zipporah Osei

1 minute to read

In our “Why I’m Running” series, Boston Marathon runners share what’s inspiring them to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Boston. If you’re running the marathon, you can share your story here.

Name: Raju Rampa
Age: 51
From: Glen Allen, Va.

Growing up in India, I did not have the equipment or the resources to participate in some sports, such as tennis and golf, due to lack of access. We were happy playing team sports that required limited resources, such as soccer or cricket. Many children today face the same financial barriers as I did to playing sports and being active.

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Playing sports most of my life taught me essential life skills:

  1. Teamwork. Working with others to achieve our goals taught me I am only as good as the team.
  2. Leadership. As a captain, I learned to listen to the team, determine how we would complement each other, and develop strategies to win.
  3. Social skills. I developed key skills such as sharing, caring for others, co-operating, and following instructions.
  4. Strive for continuous improvement. Thanks to sports, I am always looking for opportunities to improve.
  5. Relationship-building. Most importantly, given the close bonding over extended periods of time, my teammates became friends for life.

I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to experience these benefits and equipment should not be a constraint. I love the fact that Good Sports creates greater access by providing new equipment, apparel, and footwear to children in need, and does so by working directly with sporting goods manufacturers.

Editor’s note: This entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.

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