EXTENDED SCENES - What Is The Brody Bates Foundation? - The Sportsman Experience

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Open

9 Models • 21' → 40'

Built for families who want serious offshore capability, premium comfort and the freedom to fish, cruise or entertain.

Sportsman 402 center console boat with tower, white hull, and outboard engine in side profile view

Open 402

White center console fishing boat with hard-top canopy and outboard engine shown in side profile

Open 352

Blue and white Sportsman center console boat with hard-top, tan seating, and outboard engine shown in profile view

Open 322

Sportsman 302 center console boat with hard-top and outboard engine in gray and white hull

Open 302

Sportsman center console boat with hard-top, tan seating, and Yamaha outboard engine shown from starboard side

Open 282

Light blue Sportsman center console boat with hard-top, tan seating, and Yamaha outboard engine

Open 262

Sportsman 252 center console boat with turquoise hull, hard-top, and outboard engine in profile view

Open 252

Sportsman open center console boat with hard-top, outboard engine, and tan seating in blue and white hull design

Open 232

Blue and white Sportsman center console boat with hard-top, side profile view against white background

Open 212

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Heritage

4 Models • 23' → 32'

A refined crossover lineup designed for coastal cruising, ample seating, family days and some fishing when the moment calls for it.

Turquoise and white center console boat with hard-top and outboard motor, shown in side profile

Heritage 321

Turquoise and white center console fishing boat with hard-top, Yamaha engine, and tan seating viewed from the side

Heritage 261

Blue and white Sportsman center console boat with hard-top and outboard engine shown in profile view

Heritage 251

Sportsman Heritage 231 center console boat with hard-top, outboard engine, and tan seating in light blue and white

Heritage 231

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Masters

6 Models • 22' → 28'

Shallow-water performance, fishing-focused layouts and everyday comfort built for family life and fishing.

Side profile of a blue and white center console boat with hard-top and outboard engine

Masters 287

Blue and white Sportsman bay boat with Yamaha outboard engine and T-top against white background

Masters 267

Blue and white Sportsman center console fishing boat with Yamaha outboard motor and T-top shade structure

Masters 267OE

SportCraft Masters 247 bay boat with hard-top, Yamaha outboard engine, and tan seating viewed from the side

Masters 247

Sportsman center console bay boat with hard-top, Yamaha outboard engine, and tan seating viewed from the side

Masters 247OE

Sportsman 227 bay boat in turquoise and white with T-top, center console helm, and outboard motor in side profile view

Masters 227

 
Blog > EXTENDED SCENES - What Is The Brody Bates Foundation? - The Sportsman Experience

The Brody Bates Foundation was established with a noble goal of giving back to the community by providing college scholarships. Specifically, the foundation is focused on supporting students who have lost a sibling. This mission stems from a personal tragedy that founder Coleman Bates experienced when he lost his son Brody in a tragic accident. Bates realized the immense financial strain that comes with losing a child, and he decided to transform his heart-wrenching loss into a source of hope for families facing similar difficulties in funding their children's college education. This is his story.

April 5, 2023
Cover image for the post EXTENDED SCENES - What Is The Brody Bates Foundation? - The Sportsman Experience
Michael Cheser
Marketing Content Supervisor
  • Local partnerships can turn tragedy into community good as Sportsman supports the Brody Bates Foundation and the Redfish Open.
  • The Brody Bates Youth Redfish Open provides college scholarships to middle and high school students while engaging them in a sport.
  • Collaborative leadership between the Bates family and Sportsman demonstrates how sponsorships and fundraising can mobilize support for families in need.

At Sportsman, we are committed to being active members of our local communities. One of the foundations that we support is the Brody Bates Foundation, which was established by the Bates family here in Charleston. Coleman Bates, the father of the late Brody Bates who tragically passed away in 2019, founded the organization to honor his son's memory and provide support to families who have lost a child.

Coleman realized the financial and emotional hardships that families go through after losing a child and he wanted to help them in any way he could. With this goal in mind, he founded the Brody Bates Foundation and organized fundraising events such as the Brody Bates Youth Redfish Open.

Russ Tomlinson, Sportsman's Vice President, is a lifelong friend of Coleman's and was eager to support the foundation's cause. He saw the fishing tournament as a perfect opportunity for Sportsman to give back to the local community by becoming the key sponsor of the event.

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The Brody Bates Youth Redfish Open is designed to give middle and high school students an opportunity to participate in a fishing tournament while also earning college scholarship money. The first tournament was held in 2020 and was a huge success. Since then, it has become an annual event that grows and evolves each year.

The Brody Bates Foundation and the Redfish Open are a testament to the strength and resilience of the Bates family, who have turned their tragedy into a powerful force for good. By providing much-needed support to families who are going through difficult times, they have made a positive difference in the world and inspired others with their compassion, generosity and dedication.

In conclusion, the story of the Brody Bates Foundation and the Redfish Open shows that even in the face of tragedy, there is always hope for a brighter future. We are honored to support such a noble cause and will continue to do our part in making a difference in our communities.