Ticks Are So Bad They're Climbing Up The Side of Matt's House
Free Youth Baseball League Already Has 250 Players And 16 Teams In Second Year
Nicholas Carter, right, helps Destin Hooks, 8, with his batting stance as a volunteer coach with the Black Men Coalition of Dane County's Youth Baseball League. The league provides free equipment and does not charge any fees. About 250 players signed up to play this summer.
AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNALOn a hot summer afternoon at Elver Park on Madison's West Side, young athletes take turns swinging a baseball bat, as their coach Nicholas Carter gently throws a ball their way.
"The number one thing is don't give up," Carter tells the children as they attempt to make contact with the ball. "It gets hard sometimes, but if you keep trying you'll get it."
Carter leads The Generals, one of 16 teams in the Black Men Coalition of Dane County's Youth Baseball League. The league helps make baseball accessible to all kids by charging no fees and providing new baseball equipment, including custom jerseys, free to families. The league also helps many families with transportation to and from weekly practices and games.
The league started last summer and already has about 250 players participating.
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"Having this for kids free is a great experience for them," said Jason Reno, a volunteer coach and father to a player in the league. "Supplies, uniforms and equipment can be really expensive, and you probably have to buy it along with league fees."
Corey Marionneaux, founder and president of the Black Men Coalition of Dane County, said he was inspired to start the league last year largely to make the sport more accessible to children of color. The coalition, established in 2022, is a local nonprofit dedicated to empowering Black men and youth through mentorship, community involvement and education.
Players with the Black Men Coalition of Dane County's Youth Baseball League, from left, Malachi Chandler, 8, Emanuel Townes, 9, and Kasyn Reno, 8, practice with their teams at Elver Park.
AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL"I started seeing that other baseball leagues didn't have any kids of color, and I thought that was a huge issue being a kid that played baseball when I was young," Marionneaux said. "I wanted to make sure that I created an opportunity for other kids, so maybe life's a little easier and they could have an amazing summer."
The league has attracted a diverse set of players and coaches. Out of the roughly 250 participants, 85% are Black. About 20% of the players are girls. For many parents, it's encouraging to see their children navigate such an inclusive environment.
Emanuel Townes, 9, bats during practice with his team, the Monarchs, one of 16 teams that are a part of the Black Men Coalition of Dane County's Youth Baseball League.
AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL"Sports can be a financial burden, so to have it be free and with boys of his kind and to have Black men as his peers is just great," said Chanise Cisnero, mother to 7-year-old Calio Cisnero, who plays for the Young Bucks.
Impact
While much of the season is still left, the league has already taught the children more than baseball.
"The kids are learning about teamwork and camaraderie, and it's giving them a chance to get off of the iPads and get out and be active," Reno said. "I think it builds character for the kids, and it's most important for them to have fun win or lose."
Since Derrick Hooks' son, 8-year-old Destin Hooks, joined the league this year, it's given them a shared interest. Hooks, who moved to Madison with his family 5 months ago, has started volunteering for the league and the pair have started practicing the sport together at home.
"Baseball is teaching him more about teamwork, discipline, organization and responsibility," Hooks said. "I used to play baseball, so it's awesome to see him out here practicing."
Eight-year-old William Schaefer's favorite part of joining the league has been getting to learn new skills.
William Schaefer, 8, fields a ground ball during practice with his team, the Generals, as part of a free baseball league set up to give more children access to the sport. Coaches say it also gives kids confidence and teaches them teamwork.
AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL"Even if I know most of it, I like learning how to do new things better and helping other people learn how to do it better," he said.
Practices for the league take place every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and games take place every Saturday at Elver Park. For many families, practices and games have provided an essential community space where they've been able to meet other parents and players and cheer each other on.
"Last Saturday, we stayed well past my son's game just because of the atmosphere and the camaraderie and the people there," said Ronda Huebner, mother to 10-year-old player Adalius Huebner. "My son has made friendships with his teammates, and I've gotten to connect with parents and other community members there."
In early August, the league will be hosting an end-of-the-season celebration, where all players will receive a medal and a player catalog featuring all the players. Marionneaux's future goals for the league include having their own field for practice and gaining larger sponsorships. The program is funded in part from donations, including a $10,000 grant from Wisconsin State Journal Youth Services, the charitable arm of the newspaper.
But for now, getting to see all the smiles that the league has helped generate is good enough.
Coach Aziel Bell pitches a ball to one of his players on the Monarch team during practice with the Black Men Coalition of Dane County's Youth Baseball League, which is making the sport more accessible for over 250 youth baseball players.
AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL"I just think it's everything I didn't have or everything I wish I had," Marionneaux said of the league. "We want to make sure that our kids feel like they belong and that they're properly prepared and that they can compete at a level like everyone else."
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Please log in to use this feature Log InFree Youth League Blossoms
MELISSA RENEE PERRY
On a hot summer afternoon at Elver Park on Madison's West Side, young athletes take turns swinging a baseball bat, as their coach Nicolas Carter gently throws a ball their way. "The number one thing is don't give up," Carter tells the children as they attempt to make contact with the ball. "It gets hard sometimes, but if you keep trying you'll get it."
Carter leads The Generals, one of 16 teams in the Black Men Coalition of Dane County's Youth Baseball League. The league helps make baseball accessible to all kids by charging no fees and providing new baseball equipment, including custom jerseys, free to families. The league also helps many families with transportation to and from weekly practices and games.
The league started last summer and already has about 250 players participating.
"Having this for kids free is a great experience for them," said Jason Reno, a volunteer coach and father to a player in the league. "Supplies, uniforms and equipment can be really expensive, and you probably have to buy it along with league fees."
People are also reading…
Corey Marionneaux, founder and president of the Black Men Coalition of Dane County, said he was inspired to start the league last year largely to make the sport more accessible to children of color. The coalition, established in 2022, is a local nonprofit dedicated to empowering Black men and youth through mentorship, community involvement and education.
"I started seeing that other baseball leagues didn't have any kids of color, and I thought that was a huge issue being a kid that played baseball when I was young," Marionneaux said. "I wanted to make sure that I created an opportunity for other kids, so maybe life's a little easier and they could have an amazing summer."
The league has attracted a diverse set of players and coaches. Out of the roughly 250 participants, 85% are Black. About 20% of the players are girls. For many parents, it's encouraging to see their children navigate such an inclusive environment.
"Sports can be a financial burden, so to have it be free and with boys of his kind and to have Black men as his peers is just great," said Chanise Cisnero, mother to 7-year-old Calio Cisnero, who plays for the Young Bucks.
While much of the season is still left, the league has already taught the children more than baseball.
"The kids are learning about teamwork and camaraderie, and it's giving them a chance to get off of the iPads and get out and be active," Reno said. "I think it builds character for the kids, and it's most important for them to have fun win or lose."
Since Derrick Hooks' son, 8-year-old Destin Hooks, joined the league this year, it's given them a shared interest. Hooks, who moved to Madison with his family 5 months ago, has started volunteering for the league and the pair have started practicing the sport together at home.
"Baseball is teaching him more about teamwork, discipline, organization and responsibility," Hooks said. "I used to play baseball, so it's awesome to see him out here practicing."
Eight-year-old William Schaefer's favorite part of joining the league has been getting to learn new skills.
"Even if I know most of it, I like learning how to do new things better and helping other people learn how to do it better," he said.
Practices for the league take place every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and games take place every Saturday at Elver Park. For many families, practices and games have provided an essential community space where they've been able to meet other parents and players and cheer each other on.
"Last Saturday, we stayed well past my son's game just because of the atmosphere and the camaraderie and the people there," said Ronda Huebner, mother to 10-year-old player Adalius Huebner. "My son has made friendships with his teammates, and I've gotten to connect with parents and other community members there."
In early August, the league will be hosting an end-of-the-season celebration, where all players will receive a medal and a player catalog featuring all the players. Marionneaux's future goals for the league include having their own field for practice and gaining larger sponsorships. The program is funded in part from donations, including a $10,000 grant from Wisconsin State Journal Youth Services, the charitable arm of the newspaper.
But for now, getting to see all the smiles that the league has helped generate is good enough.
"I just think it's everything I didn't have or everything I wish I had," Marionneaux said of the league. "We want to make sure that our kids feel like they belong and that they're properly prepared and that they can compete at a level like everyone else."
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Great Dane Rune Mauls Qualifier Olivieri En Route To Fourth Round
[1/3]Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 3, 2023 Denmark's Holger Rune with Argentina's Genaro Alberto Olivieri after winning his third round match REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
PARIS, June 3 (Reuters) - Dane Holger Rune took a step close to becoming his country's first male Grand Slam singles champion when he powered past Argentine qualifier Genaro Alberto Olivieri 6-4 6-1 6-3 on Saturday to reach the French Open fourth round.
The gap in quality between sixth seed Rune and his opponent, ranked 231st in the world, was quickly evident with the Argentine completely overwhelmed by the Dane's aggressive game at the start.
Olivieri's weak second serves, which regularly dipped below 150 kmh, made him even more vulnerable to Rune's attacks in windy conditions on Philippe Chatrier court.
He broke Olivieri early and followed up with another break after the Argentine had briefly battled back to clinch the first set 6-4.
The 20-year-old, bidding to join former world number one Caroline Wozniacki as Denmark's only singles Grand Slam winners, cruised through the second set in 35 minutes, sealing it with another booming crosscourt forehand.
A quarter-finalist last year in his maiden appearance at Roland Garros, Rune secured his last-16 spot on his fourth match point.
Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Ed Osmond
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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