For young people, participating in sports can be all about enjoyment. But can it be crucial to their personal and professional development as well?

For former U.S. Men's National Team player and entrepreneur Kyle Martino, the answer is straightforward: "Sport just kept me disciplined," he told Joseph Milord. "It gave me courage. It gave me great character. It gave me support groups, it gave me stress release... I don't have a title that I've ever had that sport didn't provide for me."

And Kyle did not reap those benefits just because he ended up becoming a professional soccer player, he says, but rather because sport, in general, is the greatest "social empowerment" vehicle on the planet.

That's the reason why the former University of Virginia athlete has dedicated his multiple business ventures to increasing access to participation sports. Those ventures include Street FC, which Kyle built with Foursquare co-founder Dennis Crowley, and the Over Under Initiative.

To learn more, check out the video below, and let us know: Did sports play a roll in your personal development? Do you consider accessibility to sports an important issue?