CINCINNATI — After a season marred by violence, financial hurdles and uncertainty about where they could even take the field, the future of one Ohio youth football league was in serious doubt.

What You Need To Know

The Cincinnati United Youth and Football League recently received $25,000 in new equipment from the Cincinnati Bengals and national nonprofit Good Sports

The new gear included helmets, shoulder pads, cleats, and more

The donation comes as the league has faced financial hurdles and violent incidents over the past year

But a timely assist from the Cincinnati Bengals, in partnership with the national nonprofit Good Sports, is helping the Cincinnati United Youth Football & Cheer League (CUYFCL) get back on its feet.

The NFL team donated $25,000 worth of new equipment to the league, including helmets, shoulder pads and cleats. The gear has already reached teams like the Evanston Bulldogs and West End Lil’ Senators, who recently suited up and ran drills with Bengals players.

“We came at the perfect time,” said Taylor Conklin, who oversees community engagement for the Bengals. “Early in their development, when we can really make an impact.”

The league, which serves hundreds of children in Southwest Ohio, charges just $50 per athlete — enough to cover basic fees like insurance. But Director Marye Ward said meeting mandatory safety standards is a major financial strain, particularly when helmets alone can cost up to $250 each and must be replaced every other year because of concussion protocols.

“It’s always lopsided,” Ward said. “To even rent a high school, the prices went up. So we had to look at what we were bringing in versus what we needed for equipment.”

Last fall, CUYFCL made headlines after police said a coach opened fire during a game, injuring another coach and a parent of an opposing team. In the aftermath, the city implemented stricter safety requirements and reduced field access, further squeezing the league’s already-tight resources.

“And if it was terrifying for me, I can only imagine how the children felt,” Ward said.

Despite the challenges, she remains focused on the long game: using football as a tool to keep kids active, safe, and surrounded by positive role models.

“We have double ages,” she said. “So the children that are in smaller teams and who are less competitive, they can also have a place to come and play.”

While few players will go pro, Ward said the league has already seen success stories, including board members whose children received full-ride Division I scholarships.

“To have the support of the Bengals, the players and the community behind them is really powerful,” said Conklin.

For Ward, that support is a godsend and helps to ensure the league’s mission continues, one gift, and one game, at a time.