Coach Patrick Knowles leads a group of youngsters in baseball pitching practice on the grounds of the local YMCA.
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Freeport, Bahamas
– “Baseball is the tool we use to
impact our youth and provide educational opportunity for them and their family
with financial funding through high level training and exposure,” said
Coach Patrick Knowles of the YMCA
Baseball Academy.
The YMCA’s affiliation
with the Hall of Fame Baseball League in Florida
is doing just that, giving young Grand Bahama
athletes greater exposure from playing abroad. Twenty-three boys traveled
to South Florida recently to compete against
teams in the 12 and Under, and 14 and Under divisions.
The trip was made possible
through membership fees and donations. The Grand Bahama Port Authority
Limited (GBPA) is also major corporate contributor to programs at the local
YMCA.
“The roles of
organizations such as the ‘Y’ are vital in communities. With
today’s push towards encouraging youngsters to become more physically active,
programs offered by the centre, provide multiple avenues for them to develop
physically through sport. Therefore, GBPA is more than happy to lend our
support to one of the ‘Y’s’ newest initiatives as it relates
to baseball,” stated Mr. Ian Rolle,
GBPA-President.
Coach Knowles is optimistic
about the baseball academy’s new thrust. “We are not a baseball
or softball league. As an academy our focus is to transfer
knowledge, provide high level training and international exposure opportunities
for our members. Through the YMCA, organizations like GBPA have given us
a chance to assist these young people and we are very thankful,” he
expressed.
The overall aim of the
YMCA’s Baseball
Academy is to prepare the
young players to be ready to accept opportunities as they become available in
high schools, colleges and universities abroad. The academy has already
placed young men in academic boarding schools and universities in the United States
as student athletes.
“This is another aspect
that we find most encouraging,” stated Rolle. “Through
participation in such programs an even greater avenue is opened up for those
who excel to study abroad on athletic scholarships to their betterment.”
The YMCA
Baseball Academy’s
trip to Florida was termed successful with
local Grand Bahama players excelling in base
running speed, and hitting in the 14 and Under Division. Four games
were played in each division, with the Grand Bahama
players winning one game each per division, bringing their records for the
season in both divisions to 1 and 3.
“Our boys are behind in
terms of experience and we’re especially concentrating on pitching and
hitting. However, that’s the main purpose. We want the exposure to
benefit the kids. This is a very competitive baseball league which really
demands our attention and focus to ensure our teams are prepared and ready to
play,” revealed Coach Knowles.
Additional trips to Florida are planned for
March 19 and April 23. “Opportunities such as this are invaluable
for their future development. We have a lot of work to do, but we have a
plan, the coaches to assist with this plan and the resources to ensure our boys
get exposure to high level training and game experience,” Coach Knowles
added.