We had perfect weather yesterday in Atlanta. It’s spring break for public schools which means traffic was mild for a change. 

I drove into the city to get a workout in at the gym before my 10AM hitting clinic at Booker T. Washington High School.  I arrived at the field at 9:15AM to set up and some players beat me there. I knew then that we were going to have a great day.

Within 10 minutes, 15 more players showed up for the clinic. At 10AM sharp, I greeted each player with a good morning and a hand shake. Afterwards, I asked, “Why the hell are you all here this morning on a baseball field with a baseball uniform on in the heart of the inner city of Atlanta during spring break?”

The first player responded quickly by saying, “to get better coach!” Another said “because I respect the game.” Another said “because I don’t want to let my coach down.”

Coach Timothy Lott is the head baseball coach at Booker T. Washington High School managing a varsity baseball team with a $200 budget that needs uniforms and equipment. They haven’t won a game all season. He addresses players as gentlemen and has one of the firmest hand shakes in the city. 

Why haven’t the players at Washington High School quit on Coach Lott, because he hasn’t quit on them. Just that simple. I’m one of the top swing coaches in the country and there are several high school coaches in this state that wouldn’t dare allow me to speak to their players for fear that I might teach them something that they haven’t taught and in some way show them up or make them look bad. But Coach Lott’s shares the same mission as L.E.A.D. – to provide access to at risk inner city males access to higher education and civic engagement through baseball – so he’s intelligent enough to know that I’m here to be a resource and not THE source.

I was empowered and encouraged after yesterday’s clinic. Coach Lott is truly a change agent and capable of developing baseball players. This is great news for the student-athletes at John F. Kennedy Middle School that participate in our L.E.A.D. Middle School Development League because they will enroll into Washington High School. 

Baseball isn’t dead in the African-American community. It just went in hibernation. Within 10 years, you will notice an influx of African-Americans competing at the collegiate level. There are currently less than 6% of African-Americans competing at the NCAA level. Every problem creates an opportunity and L.E.A.D. will continue to be a solution in Atlanta. Check our stats at LEAD2Legacy.org. 

Did you know that it cost the state of Georgia $73,000 per year ($200 per day) to incarcerate one juvenile? Did you also know that youth from the 30310, 30315 and 30318 zip codes grow up to represent 80% of the prison population? With a 34% graduation of African-American males from the Atlanta Public School System, it is time to invest in organizations that are delivering change for our youth.

Since 2007, L.E.A.D. has graduated 100% of our Ambassadors from high school with 100% of them enrolling in college. 89% of the Ambassadors have enrolled with a baseball scholarship. For $3,000 per year, L.E.A.D. puts/keeps middle and high school age African-American males on track to enroll in college.

The problem is obvious and through L.E.A.D., the solution is now even more obvious.

On Tuesday, April 10th, I will turn 36 years of age. For my birthday, I would like for you to donate $6 to L.E.A.D. as well as 3 of your friends.  My goal is to raise $3,600.00 by April 10th.

Baseball has giving me purpose throughout my life and I have committed my life to serving youth through baseball. Without purpose and hope, you have nothing and graduating from high school becomes less important.

Your financial support of L.E.A.D.’s mission will allow us to effectively serve more youth in Atlanta.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE NOW. 

I hope I can shake your hand in the near future at one of our upcoming baseball games or events. Click here to find a date that fits your schedule so that you can see your donation in action.

How do you change tomorrow…by LEADing today!

“To understand the road ahead, ask those coming back. Success leaves clues.” This is my favorite Chinese Proverb.

I had an amazing conversation this morning with Mr. Lyndon A. Wade who is a graduate of Booker T. Washington and Morehouse College.  He said that “today’s youth in Atlanta will never know what they need to become until they know where they have come from.” Mr. Lyndon Wade was a standout student and athlete representing the Atlanta Public School System.  He played during a time when it was said that “you weren’t a man if you didn’t play baseball.” Charles Easley Sr.

L.E.A.D. is an acronym that stands for Launch, Expose, Advise and Direct. L.E.A.D. directs young men towards their promise by using the historical journey of past legends in baseball and the community as the road map.

Baseball has been a strong part of the African-American culture since the beginning of time just as our belief in Jesus Christ.  To say that African-Americans don’t want to play baseball is blasphemy. Even during the days of slavery, African-Americans played baseball.

L.E.A.D. has successfully used baseball to afford several inner city Atlanta males the opportunity to access college but we continue to fly stealth. Baseball hasn’t become totally relevant in the inner city yet.

Today will be the last day of signing week as our six partner middle school LEADers sign their L.E.A.D. scholarship. Coach Kelli Stewart, Kerwin Giles, Crystal Giles and I will be at John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. Middle Schools today.  This signing experience plants the seed for them to sign a baseball scholarship on National Signing Day of their senior year of high school.

Their are currently less than 6% of African-American males competing in baseball at the NCAA level. The numbers are so low because it cost thousands of dollars annually for a high school baseball player to compete for limited college baseball scholarships. If you don’t have the money, you don’t get the exposure.  Period.  Every problem presents an opportunity which is why L.E.A.D. has a .890 batting average. Check out our stats!

On Friday, March 23rd, you will hear the drums of the Atlanta Braves and Booker T. Washington High School drum line playing during Atlanta’s first inner city baseball pep rally at Booker T. Washington High School. Our student-athletes in L.E.A.D. are assets to this city as well as celebrities. Come join us as we make a big deal out of youth baseball in Atlanta.

I have a little time left to write so I will tease you about our upcoming 2nd Annual Inner City Youth Baseball March that will celebrate the legacy and future of baseball in the inner city of Atlanta. Did you know that 1969’s MLB World Series MVP Don Clendenon (NY Mets) graduated from Atlanta’s own Booker T. Washington High School and enrolled in Morehouse College before a successful professional baseball career? Did you know that 100% of L.E.A.D.’s Ambassadors graduate from high school and enroll in college while 89% receive baseball scholarships? Check out our events calendar so that you don’t miss an opportunity to march with us.

I love being able to make authentic impact daily through L.E.A.D. That commitment has developed young men that are civic minded change agents in Atlanta. We choose to fly stealth but we won’t be under the radar in America for long.

One of the many community service responsibilities the Ambassadors have is to prepare the next generation of baseball/community LEADers in Atlanta Public Schools. The Middle School Baseball Development League provides them an opportunity to share what they’ve learned with the upcoming LEADers and become role models within their communities.

Starting in January, the Ambassadors served as instructors for L.E.A.D.’s middle school baseball clinics. These clinics gave interested young men at each partner school the opportunity to work with the Ambassadors and get a glimpse at what they could become – a L.E.A.D. Ambassador. The middle school season officially starts on March 24^th and the Ambassadors will come out to games to assist coaches and players to ensure that everyone has a fun, professional and enriching experience.

If you missed Meet The Ambassadors in January, don’t worry. You can meet the Ambassadors any Saturday this spring empowering young LEADers during L.E.A.D.’s Middle School Baseball Development League season. All games are played at Washington High School in Atlanta, Georgia. Click here for an updated schedule. Click here for more photos.