Ted Rasberry Youth League
For over 25 years, the Ted Rasberry Youth League program has been providing kids with a high quality summer baseball/softball experience right in their own neighborhoods. Through a partnership with the Whitecaps Community Foundation, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Meijer, and Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation the program continues to flourish.
League begins June 10
This year, the league will be offered at the following four locations: Richmond Park, MLK Park, Ted Rasberry Field and Riverside Park. 1st-3rd grade will have their practices and games on Monday and Wednesday evenings, and 4th-5th and 6th-8th grade will have their practices and games on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. SPACE IS LIMITED! Even though the program is FREE, each child needs to be registered.
When you register, you will be able to choose which park, of those listed above, you would like your child to practice at. From there, all you have to do is show up to the park you registered for on the first night of practice.
This exciting community based program, impacts the lives of kids and families in so many ways:
- Strengthening Families: Parents are recruited to be volunteer coaches.
- Positive Role Models: Teams are coached by volunteers who put an emphasis on learning skills and having a positive attitude, with a focus on good sportsmanship.
- Building Character: The program teaches the kids to learn the Y’s core values of caring, honesty, respect, responsibility and inclusion.
- Healthy Meals: Through the Y’s Food Service Program, healthy dinners are available to the kids and family members prior to each game.
Free Player Clinic
In conjunction with MLB’s Play Ball Weekend, we will be hosting a FREE pre-season clinic at Ted Rasberry Field on Saturday, June 15th. The 1st-3rd grade clinic will be 10:00am – 11:00am, and 4th-8th graders will have their clinic 11:30am – 12:30pm. Kids will be introduced to coaches, other players, and the game of baseball before the season officially begins.
1st-3rd grade clinic – Saturday, June 15th, 10:00am – 11:00am
4th-8th grade clinic – Saturday, June 15th, 11:30am – 12:30pm
Give-a-Glove Campaign
April 15-May 31
Got a glove you can give? The Ted Rasberry Youth League will provide summer baseball programs to hundreds of kids this summer, and we’re making sure each of them has a glove of their own. Collection bins will be available at all local LMCU branches, LMCU Ballpark, David D. Hunting YMCA, Mary Free Bed YMCA, SpartanNash YMCA, Visser Family YMCA and Wolverine Worldwide Family YMCA.
Volunteer With Us!
Join us as a youth baseball or softball coach, where you will coach your team through a 9-week season, run practices, and play games, while teaching them the core YMCA values of Honesty, Caring, Respect, Responsibility, and Inclusion. We need volunteers in the following age groups: 1st-3rd grade coed, 4th-5th grade boys, 4th-5th grade girls, 6th-8th grade boys, 6th-8th grade girls.
If you are interested in learning more about this program or would like to get involved, please contact Allison at asides@grymca.org or call 616.855.9538 or stop in at the David D. Hunting YMCA branch. We hope to see you back this summer!
