Project Launch:

The youth of the Batey Ocho Softball Team in the Dominican Republic had a ball team but it fell apart because they had no gloves, bats and balls for practice. A $491 grant to the team in 2009 from World Connect’s Kids to Kids program allowed Batey Ocho to purchase equipment for the team and get organized. Team leaders and captains were selected and a regular practice schedule was established. Practice started as one day a week, but the girls demanded more playing time and increased practice sessions to five days a week. The area where project leaders saw the most improvement, aside from specific baseball skills like catching and hitting, was in sportsmanship. When they first began practicing, the girls fought constantly, belittling and insulting each other on a daily basis. Today the girls fight less and cheer for their teammates during games. Baseball is one of the most popular sports in the Dominican Republic and leagues like this one allow youth to have the opportunity to participate in tournaments with other local teams and with far away teams. Playing with a formal team helps to develop responsibility, teamwork, pride and self-esteem.