More than 300 kids aged six to 11 will experience their first baseball game Thursday afternoon at Scotiabank Field at Nat Bailey Stadium.
But they wont be in the stands. Theyll be part of the action around the bases, in the outfield, and at bat learning to keep their eye on the ball.
Starting July 5, the Vancouver Canadians Baseball Foundation and the Boys and Girls Club will bring together hundreds of kids from across the Lower Mainland for a unique baseball experience. Over seven weeks and six games, the summer league will teach fair play, self-confidence and a new skill set. Younger children aged six to eight will play T-ball while those age nine to 11 will be receive pitches from a coach.
The league invited children who might not have otherwise had the opportunity to play baseball and the charitable, good-will endeavour is billed as the right to play ball.
The hundreds of young players will receive free equipment, which they get to take home and keep as their own, including a glove, helmet and bag.
They will also be fed and be transported to and from the stadium. Each week, a different sports leader or athlete will talk to them about self-esteem and leadership. Sports personalities have not yet been named.
The life lessons and confidence developed through team sports such as baseball are invaluable to a childs development, said Jeff Mooney, the co-owner of the Vancouver Canadians baseball club and the chairman of its charitable baseball foundation.
We believe every child should have access to this regardless of external conditions beyond their control. Our mini baseball league removes all barriers and allows a child to play, grow and make memories that will last a lifetime.
According to the Vancouver Canadians Baseball Foundation, the program is the first of its kind by any major or minor league club in North America.
Megan Stewart
