The campaign to reverse the trend of cuts to youth sports funding is going green.The Sports Matter program run by the DICKS Sporting Goods Foundation has launched a green shoelaces movement. Under the latest all-sports initiative, DICKS will donate $2 from every shoelace sale to Sports Matter. The green shoelaces can be purchased at DICKS stores or online at dicks.com.As I travel around the country, I see more and more young athletes who dont have the means to play, and it breaks my heart, says Super Bowl-winning coach Jon Gruden, now an analyst for ESPN and an ambassador for Sports Matter. The green laces represent more than your average shoelaces. They are a tangible way to raise awareness and start conversation around this crisis, all while raising money for kids who really need it the most.Projections show that 27% of U.S. public high schools might not have any sports programs by 2020, according to Up2Us Sports, a New York-based non-profit. With billions of dollars slashed from youth sports budgets in recent years, DICKS and its foundation have pledged more than $50 million to support teams and raise awareness of the issue. To date, the Sports Matter program has helped nearly 2,000 youth sports teams.Sports helped me get through some tough times in life, and taught me a lot about how to be a man on and off the field, says Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Kids need more chances in life, and I hate to imagine a world where sports arent around to help kids stay out of trouble and succeed.Green shoelace users can show their support as well by taking a picture of their casual or athletic shoes or cleats laced up with green shoelaces and use (hash)SaveYouthSports. You can be sure Vikings receiver Stefon Diggs will make such a fashion statement.Seeing what kids are exposed to nowadays makes the positive influences of coaches and teams more important than ever, Diggs says. The opportunity to play sports is huge in a kids life in so many ways, and not being able to afford joining a team is tragic.Thats why Ill be standing with others who purchase green laces in support of Sports Matter, and proud to wear them during Week 13 on `Thursday Night Football. `DICKS foundation also will use money donated to help raise awareness for and support underfunded youth sports programs.Other athletes involved in the program include Justise Winslow of the Miami Heat, Dexter Fowler of the Chicago Cubs (now a free agent), Isaiah Thomas of the Boston Celtics, and Kemba Walker of the Charlotte Hornets.The initiative also includes a short film profile of the Fifth Ward Saints football organization outside of Houston. It shows the importance of football in the lives of generations of Houston-area kids. At the end of the film, DICKS Foundation donates a $100,000 grant, including new equipment, as a gift.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFLSportsMatter.com/greenlacesCheap Basketball Shoes Wholesale . On Saturday night, the normally free throw-challenged centre did just that. Howard scored 18 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, including 13 of 19 free throws in a 2 1/2-minute stretch, and the Houston Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets 122-111. Basketball Shoes Online Store Canada . Despite dominating possession, Schalke needed an own goal from Nicolas Hoefler for the breakthrough a minute before the interval. The Freiburg midfielder misjudged Jefferson Farfans corner and bundled the ball into his own net. http://www.cheapbasketballshoescanada.com/ . -- Teemu Selanne scored the first goal of his 22nd NHL season, and the Anaheim Ducks extended the best start in franchise history with their fifth straight victory, 3-2 over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. Basketball Shoes Canada Sale . -- Claudio Bieler hadnt scored since early September, and not from the run of play since mid-July. Discount Basketball Shoes Canada . - Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie never doubted he would bring back coach Dennis Allen for a third year despite back-to-back 4-12 records. David Rudisha Date of birth1988-12-17Birthplace KilgorisHeight190 cmWeight72.0 kgWorld records3 (up to 15/01/2016)Olympic Games (1 medal: 1 gold)800m: 1st (2012)World Championships (2 medals: 2 gold)800m: 1st (2011, 2015)The return of the Maasai warriorAfter nearly 2 years out with a knee injury, David Rudisha looks to be back at his best. After storming to 800m gold at London 2012, in a world record time of 1:40.91, he added the world championship title in 2015.The 27-year-old Kenyan, who has run 6 of the 8 fastest times in the 800m, is nnow looking to become the 4th athlete to win back-to-back Olympic crowns in the event, after Douglas Lowe (Great Britain, 1924-1928), Mal Whitfield (USA, 1948-1952) and Peter Snell (New Zealand, 1960-1964).ddddddddddddDubbed the Pride of Africa, Rudisha will be counting on his devastating sprint finish to get the better of his rivals in Rio - notably Botswanas Nijel Amos, who had to settle for silver in London. ' ' '