From our Friends at i9 Sports:
Dan Jacobson and his family have spent nearly a decade making a difference in Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington communities through their youth sports programs.
What began in 2016 has grown into a family mission for Jacobson, who works as chief financial officer at a Portland-based scrap metal recycling company. Together with his daughter Kate Harper and son-in-law Brandon Harper, they run four i9 Sports territories serving over a thousand children between ages 3 and 14.
“The connections we have been able to make in our communities and the sports activities we have provided kids have been very satisfying for us,” said Jacobson, whose family operates under the name Game Changer Youth Sports. “We’re seeing more and more kids choosing to focus on playing just one sport now. i9 thinks it’s important that they are exposed early on to many sports and activities.”
A significant part of their success comes from offering Nike Kids Camps, week-long summer programs for children aged 5 to 12. Their family currently runs 40 such camps as part of the collaboration between i9 Sports and the famous shoe and apparel company.
Kids who join these programs learn more than just sports skills. Flag football, soccer, basketball, volleyball, and baseball are all part of the mix, but personal growth remains the real focus. Since the i9 Sports Nike Kids Camps started in 2024, they’ve really caught on with families. What began as just 80 camps has multiplied to over 350 locations throughout the country.
The “i9” in the name stands for something meaningful. It references the program’s nine guiding principles: things like imagination, innovation, interaction, integrity, passion, inspiration, instruction, insight, and inclusion. Every week, coaches pick one of these values to emphasize and make sure to recognize the kids who show it in their play.
Running the business requires teamwork. While Jacobson spends 25 to 30 hours weekly managing the business alongside his full-time job at Metro Metals, he credits Kate and Brandon for handling most operations. Kate manages marketing outreach while Brandon oversees field operations. Even Jacobson’s grandchildren help out, with one refereeing flag football games and another assisting with equipment prep.
Jacobson focuses on building partnerships with local schools and recreation departments. “A lot of the gyms in schools and facilities owned by towns are not being used during off hours, so I try and convince them to allow us to use their facilities,” he explained. “We all have the same goal of giving our kids opportunities to get involved in fun sports activities.”
The business has grown substantially since adding Nike Kids Camps. For Jacobson, the work connects to his own childhood experiences.
“I grew up in poverty, even though it didn’t feel like it at the time, with my parents being ministers in a small town in Oregon,” he said. “I owe so much to playing sports. It helped me become a better person and to succeed in life and that’s the i9 mission statement.”
