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Play Ball!

By Vickie An

Major-league baseball†hit a home run when it opened the Urban Youth Academy in Compton, California, last spring. Organizers hoped the academy, the first of its kind, would be a positive force in the community. But most of all, they wanted to get kids excited about America's pastime.

The academy is the vision of baseball executive Jimmy Lee Solomon. He says his goal was to bring a lush, green playing field to inner-city kids. Kids ages 7 to 17 can participate for free at the year-round school. Former major leaguers head the six-week-long, after-school instructional camps. Last month, Hall of Famer Rod Carew stopped by to share hitting tips.

Are kids loving it? Ask Priscilla Mota, 10, who plays softball at the academy. Although she was on Little League teams, she says that they did not offer "many opportunities to learn [hitting and catching]." She likes that the academy has taught her a wide variety of skills.

Academy director Darrell Miller, a former catcher for the Anaheim Angels, tells future big leaguers that schoolwork is just as important as baseball. The academy offers tutoring as well as college-prep classes for high school students. "As we're growing, it's becoming evident that the community is hungry for what we've got to offer," Miller says.

For now, the kids in Compton are just happy to be on the field. Cy Wiggs, 12, dreams of playing in the major leagues. The seventh grader says his game has improved a lot since he started at the academy. "When I'm grown up," Cy says, "I'll teach other little kids." Malik Martin, 10, adds, "If you want to play baseball, the place is here."

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