(If you are currently already in 10th Grade or above and are looking to join our “Peer Model” groups please visit: CLICK HERE)

As such, a high level of engagement from the player and their family represents the foundational criteria for participation in our program.

Being engaged in our program involves a commitment to the following:  1) Participation, 2) Communication, and 3) Personal Growth. Below we have detailed what each of these commitments means for both the player and their family. In order to participate in the program, we feel it is very important for you to self-assess your ability and desire to make these commitments.

1. Participation

• Player

  • Make extreme effort to attend all core events (11 in total; see schedule)

  • Bring a positive attitude and open “coachable” mind to all events

  • Make an effort to attend optional open workouts (there will be more than just baseball instruction covered at workouts)

• Family

  • Make the necessary sacrifices to transport (or find transportation) for your son to and from events

  • Stress to players the importance of honoring their commitment to attend the core events (key when something else comes up)

  • Engage with players after events to learn about what they ‘took away’ from events

Choosing only to attend the social events (i.e., Hornets / Knights games) because they are the ‘fun events’ and skipping other events (such as community service projects) is not acceptable.

1. Communication

• Player

• Respond to emails, text messages and phone calls from your Group Leaders and Peer Models

• Ask questions and contribute to group discussions at events – learning to speak

• Initiate interaction - without request engage in communication with Group Leaders and Peer Models

• Family

• Respond to Baseball for Life emails, text messages and phone calls in a timely manner

• Encourage your son to take lead in communications as appropriate (don’t allow them to rely on you for all communications)

• Ask your son what they contributed to  or what they thought about group discussions after events

The inability to keep communication channels open with Coach, Peer Mentor and or the Mentor Committee could result in not being asked to return to the program in future years.

1. Personal Growth

• Player

• Actively implement values / lessons learned at Baseball For Life events into everyday behaviors and habits

• Commit to achieving academic success

  • Take pride in your school work and show desire to learn

  • Make it a habit to give your best effort every day

  • Proactively communicate progress reports / report cards with Group Leaders and Peer Models

  • Let your teacher, family, and Baseball for Life know if you are struggling in any area of school

• Families

• Ask your son about the life skills / lessons covered after events (each event will involve a particular life skill / value focus) and how they could or plan to implement these values and behaviors in their everyday life

• Academic success - communicate school struggles / concerns to Group Leaders so we can assist in supporting positive change

We are committed to supporting participants’ academic success and believe achievement is based in effort. Not showing high levels of commitment and effort in academics will be addressed since we think it is a key factor in students doing their best.

In addition, given our focus on positive values and personal growth, we hope that a player’s behavior never becomes an issue. However, display of improper behavior at an event or behavior that is brought to our attention (at home, or school) could lead to removal from the program.