Inner-City Baseball Camp in Charlotte

I was approached by a foundation (will be named as soon as paperwork is finalized making them a non-profit organization) about running an inner city youth baseball camp. They were set up by a current professional baseball player out of the Atlanta area who is in the Washington Nationals organization who I met through my bat company. This organization was put in place to give all youth an equal opportunity to play baseball regardless of race or income. With the price of equipment, instruction, and team travel constantly on the rise, this isn't always the case. They believe that opportunity should not come with a price tag. After speaking with them, I was touched by what they hope to accomplish with this foundation. I am on board with them 100%. When I think back to what all baseball has brought to my life, I can't imagine having gone through life without it.

We are looking for help from the community in many areas. 1) We will need equipment (bats, balls, gloves, helmets, cleats, etc.). If you have equipment in the closet that is still in good shape, get it out so that it can be put to good use. 2) We will need ideas (where to find the kids, how to get them to the clinic, etc.) 3) We will need volunteers for the day or days of the camp. We will need kids to be picked up, instructors, maybe someone on a grill so that we can feed the players lunch, etc.. 4) We will also need monitary donations. We want any kid at the camp who wishes to continue there baseball career after this camp to have the opportunity to do so whether that be through camps, lessons, and/or joining a team. There may also be opportunites for teams or individuals to sponsor a player. Depending on when the final date is set for, I will be able to use the Davidson Copperheads to help with a lot of this. My only fear is that if we wait until June, it may be too late for some of these kids to join teams after the clinic.

This is a chance for us as a baseball community to really touch the lives of the youth in our area, not only for a few days of camp, but for the remainder of their life. If you have any suggestions or ideas, please pass them along.

 

Let me...

know what I can do to help? Great job/idea!

 

I just received the okay to post about the group we are working with. Here is a letter from the founder:

Hello my name is Desmond Jones, the founder of A Chance At The Plate Charities. I am a young black athlete playing the great game of baseball in the Washington Nationals organization. I was drafted in the 11th round of the 2006 MLB Draft. I was selected after my first season of college baseball and I still thank God for a chance to play the game of baseball. I believe that if God gave his only son for my sins,then the least i can do is spread my knowledge to someone who needs it. A Chance At The Plate is a charity that supports children and their family with a chance to learn the proper way to be successful in life and baseball. This charity should open the eyes of everyone who reads this wheather you're black,white,green or purple. I remember when I was a child, my two brothers and I were not fortunate enough to attend those expensive camps and clinics that would have taught and advanced us at an earlier age. One main reason why my brothers and I could not attend those events was because of the price and my parents income. The charity was created to give every kid a chance at the game charity will supply the same instructions,quality, and purpose as those would if you have had pay for it.I believe opportunity should not have a price tag on it. I see so many kids with so much potential, but they hardly ever get a fair chance to use the latest equipment and know the latest tips on how to be successful in baseball. A Chance At The Plate charities strongly believes that no matter what you have or what you don't have, you should be given equal opportunity in life to be successful. Thank you and God Bless

 

Help put me in touch

Can you put him in touch with me. I own the South Charlotte Sports Report, the youth sports newspaper here in South Charlotte and I can be of some help on their cause


Thanks

Tripp Roakes

[email protected]

 

Just give a kid a chance and you never know...

This is awesome. Let me know how we can help.

 

This something I have been thinking about starting also. Let me know how I can get involved.

 

Guys,

I will be in touch with each of you who have volunteered to help. Right now, we are really looking for suggestions and ideas as much as anything. I will be talking to Desmond at the end of the week, so we should have more worked out in the way of details. I will keep things updated on here as we move forward. Once again, I appreciate all of you who have shown support for this thus far.

 

very interested. let me know some info on this

 

4-6-3....

This is something I have had a passion for years about. I will definitely be on board. Let me know some details so I can make sure I am there. It's been a constant issue for me since around 2002 to get involved in bringing baseball to areas and kids that don't have the access or means.

It's about time baseball in NC caught up to the rest of the country in the fact that it wasn't ever meant to be a country club sport, which the cost of equipment, fees for playing on travel teams and leagues, etc. have made it.

I've watched baseball all over the country for years and this is one of the only places left where the bulk of players and coaches are white, middle upperclass folks. There is absolutely nothing wrong with fitting in that category but there is something wrong with the system as a whole that there aren't many players from other backgrounds.

 

I would love to help and be involved. Please keep me informed.