A Muddy Field In Fort Worth Changed Everything I Believe About Youth Sports

In 1973, I was ten years old, playing soccer on a muddy field in Fort Worth. It was the kind of day you remember in pieces. The smell of wet grass. The sound of parents cheering from fold-out chairs. The feeling that nothing in the world mattered except the ball at your feet.

Then my teammate went down, sustaining a compound fracture. I can still picture the chaos that followed, the fear on her face, and the adults scrambling, while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.

What I did not understand at ten years old was what happened next. There was no insurance for youth sports back then, nor a safety net. Her family was left to shoulder the medical bills and the trauma alone. The community that had encouraged her to play offered nothing but sympathy.

My father, Wally Kemp, was an insurance agent. He was standing on that sideline, and he saw something that day that changed the direction of his entire career.

The gap my father saw

Youth sports in the early 1970s was booming. Little leagues, soccer clubs, and community programs were popping up everywhere. Kids were playing organized sports in record numbers. But the industry that supported them had a gaping hole.

Leagues, camps, and community organizations had no protection for the young athletes they were putting on the field. When injuries happened, families were on their own. When lawsuits came, volunteer coaches and league presidents were personally exposed.

My father pivoted his entire career to fill that gap. He founded Bene-Marc Youth Sports Insurance as one of the first companies in the country to focus exclusively on youth sports coverage. His mission was simple: protect the players while they do what they love.

That mission became our family’s purpose. And eventually, it became mine.

How insurance became a gatekeeper

When I took over as CEO in 2008, youth sports had transformed into a multibillion-dollar industry. Travel teams, elite academies, and year-round training programs had become the norm. The casual weekend games of my childhood had evolved into something far more organized and far more expensive.

But the growth came with an unintended cost.

Insurance was no longer optional. Schools required it. Parks departments required it. Municipalities required it. Any organization that wanted to use public facilities or partner with established institutions needed proof of coverage before their kids could step onto a field.

What started as a safety measure had become a structural barrier.

I have watched leagues in underserved communities struggle to afford coverage. I have seen startup programs fold before they ever got off the ground because insurance costs were too high. I have talked to parents who moved their kids from community leagues to expensive travel programs, not because the coaching was better, but because those programs could afford the coverage that unlocked access to better facilities.

The question that keeps me up at night is this: When we treat youth sports as a public good, who is responsible for making sure everyone can participate?

What we can do about it

I do not have all the answers. But I have spent my career trying to keep the gate open.

At Bene-Marc Youth Sports Insurance, we work hard to keep our rates competitive so that smaller leagues and community programs can afford the coverage they need. We answer the phone when you call because we know that navigating insurance requirements can be confusing and overwhelming. We take the time to explain what coverage you actually need, not just what we could sell you.

About 15% of the inquiries we receive get referred to other providers. If we are not the right fit for your organization, we will tell you. We would rather do the right thing than make a sale.

But individual companies cannot solve a systemic problem. The real solution requires broader conversations about how we fund youth sports, how we allocate public resources, and how we make sure that a child’s zip code does not determine whether they get to play.

Why this matters beyond the field

Youth sports taught me discipline, teamwork, and resilience. It taught me how to win with grace and lose with dignity. It gave me friendships that have lasted decades. It shaped who I am as a leader, a mother, and a person of faith.

Every child deserves access to those lessons.

Research consistently shows that kids who participate in organized sports have better academic outcomes, stronger social skills, and improved physical and mental health. Sports keep kids engaged in their communities and connected to positive adult role models. For many families, youth sports is the difference between a child who thrives and a child who drifts.

When insurance becomes a barrier to participation, we are not just keeping kids off the field. We are limiting their opportunities to grow, learn, and connect.

Looking forward with hope

I think about that muddy field in Fort Worth more often than you might expect. I think about my teammate and her family. I think about my father standing on the sideline, realizing that something needed to change.

Fifty-three years later, Bene-Marc Youth Sports Insurance serves thousands of leagues, camps, and programs in all 50 states. We have protected millions of young athletes. We have helped countless organizations navigate the complexities of coverage so they can focus on what matters: the kids.

But the work is not done.

Every day, I try to honor my father’s original vision to protect the players, do the right thing, and open the doors to give all kids the possibility to have access to play on a team. 

If you run a youth sports program and you are struggling with insurance costs or requirements, I want you to know that you are not alone. Call us. We will listen. We will help you figure out your options. And if we are not the right fit, we will point you toward someone who is.

Because at the end of the day, this was never about insurance, it was always about the kids on the field.

Play hard, rest easy, knowing you are covered.

Lisa Hall

President and CEO, Bene-Marc Youth Sports Insurance

800-247-1734 | bene-marc.com