‘You don’t want an opportunity to come and pass you by’ Republic teen’s project uses past to help future athletes

REPUBLIC, Mo. — 17-year-old Hayden Hradek was in Alabama on vacation when he applied to the Neighborhood Leadership Academy.

It’s a ten-week course taught by Community Development Specialist David Burton with the University of Missouri – Extension in Springfield.

“It’s every fall, it’s ten weeks. It’s usually adults. Hayden was the first high school student we’d had in that class, and honestly, he brought his youthful enthusiasm to the class. Everybody loved having him in there, and I think it made it better for everyone because of his just, you know, youthful perspective and enthusiasm,” Burton said. “The goal is to have a project on paper at the end of those ten weeks, then you can submit that project through a grant.”

However, with the end of the course looming, Hradek hadn’t had a project in the works.

“I got to figure out something to do at the end of this thing, right? That’s how I get my certificate,” Hradek said.

He learned to look into his past and use that to help the future.

“I started thinking, what did I go through whenever I was a kid that I can make it easier for someone else?” Hradek said. “My mom worked two jobs to keep us afloat, worked at an antique store and at the local newspaper, but again, it’s hard to make ends meet, especially now, it’s hard to make ends meet. My mom and I had a conversation about how it just it wasn’t possible to afford both sports anymore, and so for me, I chose football. It still was a conversation that sticks with me to this day because that shouldn’t have to be the option.”

Thus the Sports Equipment Library was born.

“The average cost of one season of one sport for one kid is over $830, and so what is the largest thing about that? First off, just regular cost of being there, the second off equipment, first thing, regular cost of tournaments and registration,” Hradek said. “That’s really difficult to change all that, but equipment, that’s a lot easier. Through that and applying the principles of the NLA [gave] me, getting the community involved with getting with key stakeholders, that’s how we were able to do this. Taking what my passion was and what I went through as a kid and applying it to, here’s how we ended up here.”

It’s located inside a shipping container behind the Republic Parks and Recreation Building, but inside of it is dozens of storage containers of equipment for almost any sport.

Hradek says it’s free to those who need it, but how does it work?

“The coach of your team can get the equipment whenever they get there. That’s always an option. They take it for the season, give it back at the end of season. That’s how we get back, that’s why it’s called a library,” Hradek said. “The other option is an individual to check it out. It is top of the line. It’s the best equipment that we were able to get on the market.”

How did he get it? Through grants and partnerships, like Amazon.

“[Amazon] was so excited to partner with us and so they provided $3,000 worth of equipment to start off our library,” Hradek said.

They’re also welcoming donations of gently used equipment as well.

“We have that community involvement and we ask our community if they have gently used equipment from any sport that the rec offers from across the table to flag football or basketball, any lightly used equipment that you are ready to part with and help someone else participate in a youth program, we want to take that and be able to offer it.”

Burton says this project is gaining momentum.

“You always love seeing something like this come to life. Any of the projects in that class over the years, whether it’s been a community garden or a community mural, those are all proud moments. This one, I think is kind of special. This is going to live long beyond Hayden, and I think it has a potential to really positively impact a lot of youth out here in Republic area,” Burton said. “[Republic Parks and Recreation have] talked about the potential to maybe add a container over the newer park when it’s built and have soccer equipment and stuff over there, because that’s where most the soccer fields will be.”

OzarksFirst spoke to Hayden’s mother Patti after the ribbon cutting.

“I can’t say how proud I am of him, andd on the flipside of it, how hopeful I am, because I look at him as being 17 and I get to see what he’s done, how far he’s come. I know what big visions he has for the future, and it just makes me feel so full of hope,” Patti Hradek said. “If he can do this at 17, what is he going to do at 37? I think that he is going to make an impact on the world, even if that world is just his community.”

Hradrek isn’t done with projects just yet, and the one he wants to do during his senior year hits close to home.

“I want to bring in an all-abilities playground in Republic. I think it’s time to move forward and move on into the future and bring it to our public.  We’re lucky enough to already possess a park that is ADA accessible just without an all abilities playground, which is J.R. Martin Park,” Hradek said. “My sister, she’s six and has a degenerative muscle condition that at some point in her life is going to put her in a wheelchair. It’s about pouring into the community, but also investing for my own family.”

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