I can’t wait for the new APS school year to start. The past two years have presented some challenges but I’m optimistic that 2011 will be great.  In the end, Atlanta’s best assets include young bright minds of APS. As a city, our success or failure lies in the hands of the students. 

In 2011, my organization L.E.A.D. will continue to offer baseball as a year round program to APS middle and high school students.  Since 2007, 100% of our L.E.A.D. Ambassadors have graduated from high school and enrolled in college while 87% have received college baseball scholarships.

My wheels are turning everyday as I figure out what more can I do to help APS carry out it’s mission and vision. I attended Grove Park Elementary School K-5 in the Atlanta Public School System. It was an awesome academic, social and exposure experience for me.  I am who I am today because of APS. 

I challenge you to do what you can to support APS through the school system or partnering organizations like L.E.A.D.  Let’s make OUR APS better today!

Join the L.E.A.D. Tailgate Club today at www.Lead2Legacy.org. L.E.A.D. Today…Change Tomorrow! 

The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776 granting the United States it’s freedom from Great Britain.  This freedom didn’t come without a fight. Many lives were lost to ensure that we all can live the American Dream. 

This is a day that I am also reminded of the sacrifices that were made by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to ensure equality in America.

Unfortunately, freedom isn’t often appreciated until it is taking away. We are fighting a battle in the Middle East right now to maintain our peace of mind and liberties that were fought for by soldiers centuries ago. I wake up every morning wanting to be the best American that I can be. I want to serve others. I want to love others. I want to make sure that my time on this earth isn’t done in vain. God has us all here 
on a mission. 

In the words of Cee-Lo Green, “We alive but we ain’t living!”. Take advantage of the freedoms that we have in America because someone gave up their life so that you can live. 

The annual College Baseball World Series has a new corporate home.  AmeriTrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska now seats more people than it’s former CWS home Rosenblatt Stadium and provides an even better fan experience for the thousands of fans that travel from coast to coast to witness the best teams in college baseball compete.

NCAA college baseball doesn’t make nearly as much money as college football but you don’t build a stadium with those types of specs unless there is a substantial amount of money to be made.

As a Southerner, I am extremely proud because the southeast is represented by so many teams from the ACC and SEC. We take baseball serious in these parts!

Among the 8 teams that are competing for the National Championship title, there are only 4% of African American players that are competing among the total 275 scholarship players. There are no African American coaches on either school staff.  Is the representation so low because the NCAA doesn’t want African Americans to participate?

Each school recruits the best student-athletes that they can that will graduate from college and help them win the College World Series trophy.  With that said, if you aren’t a polished player, you can’t play for Vanderbilt, North Carolina, Florida and the other participating schools in the CWS. You don’t get to Omaha by luck.  You better have talent and a lot of it.

What does it take to become a polished player?  It takes a lot of money!  With an investment of 8K per year, you can get professional development training, exposure and advice.  If you don’t have the money, you don’t have chance.  This is why my wife Kelli and I created L.E.A.D. to serve inner city families in Atlanta that want to use baseball to access a college education. 75% of the families that we serve in the Atlanta Public School System live at or below the poverty level while 34% of African-American males graduate from high school.

L.E.A.D. continues to develop inner city players on and off the field and place them in colleges as student-athletes. We haven’t had an Ambassador play in the CWS yet but it is coming soon. We were fortunate to have Ambassador alum Nick Marigny compete this year in the Junior College World Series representing Southern Union College.

Our year round programming for middle and high school age students is getting stronger especially with the support of individuals like you. Join L.E.A.D.’s Tailgate Club at www.Lead2Legacy.org. L.E.A.D. Today…Change Tomorrow!

Everyone is welcome to attend the College Baseball World Series as a fan but only the skilled student-athletes can take the field.  We will continue to L.E.A.D. the way to Omaha!

We selected 20 Ambassadors for the 2010-2011 season back in November during L.E.A.D. Weekend at Turner Field. Eight of those Ambassadors were seniors that devoted themselves to the L.E.A.D. organization and the Ambassadors program for the sole purpose of graduating from high school and receiving a college baseball scholarship.

Because of disciplinary reasons, three of the 8 Ambassadors were removed in the spring. It is unfortunate but the Ambassadors program is strict and requires 100% commitment from everyone involved. The only way that we can continue to achieve amazing success as an organization is to remain rooted in our mission and vision.

Today is a special day for Georgians because all five of the remaining Ambassadors have graduated from high school and will be signing college baseball scholarships. Only 43% of African American males graduate from high school in Georgia while less than 7% of African Americans compete in baseball at the NCAA level.

L.E.A.D. batted 1.000 once again in 2011. Since 2007, 100% of our Ambassadors have graduated from high school and enrolled in college while 87% have entered with a baseball scholarship. With the rising cost of tuition, our young men need all the financial support that they can get in order to further their education.

Please continue to pray for L.E.A.D. and we hope to see you at one of our upcoming Ambassadors/Junior Ambassadors games or monthly service projects. Check out our schedule and join our Tailgate Club at http://www.lead2legacy.org/.

2011 Ambassadors Seniors
Desmond Stegall, B.E. Mays High School, Grambling State University
Marvin Goodman II, MLK High School, Atlanta Sports Academy
Cedric Daniel, MLK High School, Abraham Baldwin Community College, GA
Kerry Webb, MLK High School, Atlanta Sports Academy
Brandon Sharpe, MLK High School, Andrew College, GA

Mendez came out today locked in! In his first at bat, he hit a stand up triple facing a low 90’s fastball from a lefty.  When he hit the ball, all you heard from the scouts was “Whooo!”. Everything was perfect. Good timing and swing mechanics. On his second at bat, the middle infielders were playing at double play depth and he hit a hard ground ball up the middle and the shortstop was able to easily range to the ball to turn the double play.

The showcase is over for Mendez and he performed well against top tier national competition. He carried L.E.A.D. on his back this week. He has cut the trail for young baseball players from the Atlanta Public School System for years to come.

Mendez is heading to the beach tomorrow with his mom while Ben and I bake in the hot sun scouting players. L.E.A.D. Today…Change Tomorrow!