The coronavirus has ruined a lot of plans. MLB was canceled, leaving people unable to go out to the ballparks. There will be no Cracker Jacks. There will be no home runs. Many summer camps are being canceled, too, leaving kids who love baseball completely devastated. What is there to do?
The New York Yankees have stepped up by filling the void. They will be using Zoom as a way to provide baseball lessons to kids missing camp.
What better way to learn baseball than from Mike Ford, David Hale, and other Yankees?
The Rising Star Baseball Camp is an annual camp where young baseball players have the chance to have a full immersion camp. They learn about pitching, throwing, and other key skills to be able to make it to the big leagues. The only problem is that the pandemic has thrown a wrench in the plans for the year.
David Gurney, the coach for the children’s baseball camp, is thrilled to find out that MLB talent will be helping to fill the void.
The internet has managed to help overcome many of the problems created in the wave of the pandemic. With the offer from the Yankees, boys will be able to stay fit and have their love of the game promoted.
The Yankees players will be providing the virtual training in order to cover some important topics. They’ll talk about pitching as well as hitting insights. They will also provide tips on how to “focus” on baseball for as long as the pandemic is going to last.
A number of athletes and celebrities have figured out how to give back during the coronavirus. Many have been reading online, creating a virtual storytime. While it would be great if the kids could actually meet the players, being taught by them in a virtual environment is cool, too.
It’s nice to see some of the Yankees doing what they can to keep the dream of playing baseball alive. The baseball camp could have been canceled. There have been plenty of camps that have pulled the plug because they didn’t want to deal with the obstacles of going virtual.
Mike Ford knows what it’s like to want to play baseball from a young age. He has shared many of his own stories about making it to the big time. It’s been his “childhood dream” to not only play baseball but to play for the Yankees. Now, he’s able to give back.
The Yankees have always been focused on giving back to the community. As they have shared on Twitter during the pandemic, “We are passionate. We are resilient. We are strong. #WeareNewYork.”
With New York being one of the states hit the hardest with COVID-19, it’s only right that the baseball players stand out by doing the right thing. They are a shining example of what it means to be a Yankee.
They’re also practicing social responsibility by encouraging the kids to focus on baseball without meeting in person. They’re fostering the dream. They’re making it happen.
Hopefully, the Yankees will encourage other MLB teams to step up and offer similar trainings and experiences for kids across the country. Whether it’s for a canceled baseball camp, a Little League that’s feeling lost, or for kids who would never have the money to attend baseball camp, players need to show kids that there’s still hope in the world.
Most kids finished the school year virtually. They didn’t get to hug their friends. They didn’t get to high five and say, “see you next year.” Summer plans are going to be quite different this year.
Vacations won’t happen. Theme parks may stay closed. Baseball games are canceled. However, at least in New York, the Yankees are doing something about it. Come on, MLB. The other teams can learn a few things from the Yankees and step up to the plate in more ways than one.
