Twelve-year-old Michigan resident Kyla Charles loves her basketball. In fact, at her young age, she’s already been playing in tournaments for several years. Though she’s only a preteen, she’s also had to witness her mom battle breast cancer. The seventh grader has decided to combine her passion for hoops and experience with her mom to help make the world a better place.
Kyla is launching a basketball-themed clothing company called Box Out Apparel. The proceeds from her sales will benefit a charity that was there for her mom: Beautiful You By Profile, which provides wigs, salon, and spa treatments to women battling breast cancer.
Kyla’s mother Melissa Charles, who is now cancer-free, says, “Kyla went to (Beautiful You) a couple of weeks ago for the first time. She got to see the room I sat in and saw where I got to pick out a wig for the first time. She is really excited to see how this is going to help other people like me who are going through such a tough time.
“She has such an amazing heart and is so creative. We are really proud of her.”
Kyla says she settled on this project in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, when she was mostly at home. She wanted a new challenge to help her pass the time. In addition to basketball, she loves arts and crafts. That’s when the idea struck, and she decided to launch an apparel company selling items like basketball practice jerseys, shooting shirts, warmup hoodies and casualwear. Then she chose who she wanted this venture to benefit.
She says, “My mom had cancer, and that was a big thing in my life that happened. The cancer charity that we are going to give to is Beautiful You by Profile, and it is a company that really helped my mom. I want to give back to them.”
Her Instagram page has already shot up to nearly 700 followers. The profile displays a number of her fun hoops-themed tops, mixed with some inspirational content. There are even puns to be found, including a graphic with an avocado saying, “Can’t wait to guac your world.”
Melissa says basketball has been such an outlet for Kyla that this idea fits really well for her. As she struggled with her cancer battle, she says the whole family got excited about watching Kyla on the court. In fact, her daughter never missed a practice or game during the whole ordeal. The name of the company really fits, too.
Melissa explains, “It is funny because we yell at her all of the time you have to box out and be in that defensive position. It fit really well and tied back to the charity, trying to battle and put yourself in a defensive position.”
If you want to see more about Box Out Apparel, check out their Instagram.
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