How Youth Sports Insurance Began: A Powerful Story

This is a story about youth sports, and how one bad day on a soccer field changed the path of an entire family. 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 with 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.

However, what I did not understand at ten years old was what happened next. There was no insurance for kid athletes back then, and no 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 in youth sports

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

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

So 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 only on coverage for young athletes. His mission was simple: protect the players while they do what they love.

That mission became our family purpose. Finally, it became mine.

How insurance became a gatekeeper for youth sports

When I took over as CEO in 2008, the field had grown 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 turned into something far more organized and far more expensive.

However, 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.

As a result, what started as a safety measure became a structural barrier.

For example, I have watched leagues in underserved communities struggle to afford coverage. I have seen startup programs fold before they ever got going because insurance costs were too high. I have talked to parents who moved their kids from community leagues to costly travel programs, not because the coaching was better, but because those programs could afford the coverage that opened access to better facilities. Aspen Project Play tracks this access gap in their youth sports facts report.

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 every kid can take part?

What we can do about it

Of course, I do not have all the answers. However, 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 navigating insurance requirements can be confusing and overwhelming. Moreover, we take the time to explain what coverage you actually need, not only what we could sell you. For league directors looking for an overview, see our guide to sports insurance for youth leagues.

In fact, 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.

Still, one company 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 zip code does not determine whether they get to play.

Why youth sports matter beyond the field

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. Moreover, it shaped who I am as a leader, a mother, and a person of faith.

Every child deserves access to those lessons.

Research shows that kids who participate in organized sports have better academic outcomes, stronger social skills, and improved physical and mental health. Sports also keep kids engaged in their communities and connected to positive adult role models. For many families, organized play is the difference between a child who thrives and a child who drifts. For more on our coverage options that support those programs, see our sports insurance for events and tournaments page.

When insurance becomes a barrier to taking part, we are not only keeping kids off the field. We are limiting their chance 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 also 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. As a result, we have helped countless organizations navigate the complexities of coverage so they can focus on what matters: the kids.

However, the work is not done.

Every day, I try to honor my father original vision: protect the players, do the right thing, and keep the doors open so every kid has the chance to play on a team.

Finally, 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.