By: Jessica Sherman
What better way to kick off the spirit of summer than with the launch of the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation and MLB’s Nike RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) program’s latest initiative – a bold step toward transforming youth baseball and softball to ensure a brighter and more inclusive future.
This initiative serves as a signal of what’s possible when sports become a force for good, shaping our future leaders by unlocking their greatest potential. By providing access and opportunity to learn life lessons in teamwork, resilience, and confidence on the field, our youth can blossom into the best versions of themselves.
The Nike RBI Initiative will support 30 different youth-serving organizations across 14 states and will expand access to the game, empowering the next generation to step up to the plate. In 2024, the program had made successful efforts in over 200 cities while impacting over 100,000 youth athletes. With the initiative’s goals kept in mind, a cash grant, camp and clinic opportunities, and essential equipment will be provided to every participating site to enhance the impact of the program.
As Cal Ripken Jr. puts it best, “a coach does a whole lot more than just teach you how to play. Kind of helps with your confidence, kind of puts you in the right direction.” And that’s exactly what he did last week: providing mentorship, inspiration, and valuable life lessons on the field.
Tamika Bell, Batting Babes’ head coach in the James Mosher Organization, describes Cal Ripken Jr.’s encouragement as an amazing way to empower the players, conveying “it makes the kids feel like I can do this.”
Read more about this partnership in MLB’s article here. To learn more about our Youth Mentoring Initiative, click here.
