Caddo Parish Parks and Recreation Director Patrick Wesley represented the Caddo Parish NIKE-RBI Program this past weekend at the Nationals Park baseball stadium in Washington, D.C. as Major League Baseball recognized successful community service programs.
Director Wesley was selected to speak to other Major League Baseball NIKE-RBI programs leadership representatives, and discuss the overall success Caddo Parish NIKE-RBI Program is having with the development of youth baseball in underserved and rural communities in Caddo Parish.
“Special thanks to Major League Baseball for their confidence in Caddo Parish on being a ‘model’ RBI Program for youth baseball development around the country,” said Wesley.
In addition to meeting with other RBI leadership representatives, Director Wesley attended the Washington Nationals vs. New York Mets game, where over 32,000 baseball fans celebrated “Military Appreciation Day.”
The Parish of Caddo, Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball-Players Association Youth Development Foundation recently funded a $400,000 ballfield improvement project at P.B.S. Pinchback Park, located at 7903 Jefferson Page Rd. in Shreveport. The ribbon cutting ceremony will be on Tuesday, May 6, at 6 p.m. With this capital investment, the P.B.S. Pinchback Park ballfield will serve as the primary youth baseball/softball development site for Caddo Parish youth (girls and boys) ages 3-14.
Nike RBI provides administrative, programmatic and infrastructural resources for organizations that provide baseball and/or softball programming, with a focus on underserved children and communities across the globe. The Major League Baseball Players Association Youth Development Foundation is a joint initiative of Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association to support efforts that focus on improving the caliber, effectiveness and availability of amateur baseball and softball programs. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded over 31 million dollars to 315 grantees-serving 47 states and territories.
For more information on parks, programs and services offered by the Caddo Parish Parks and Recreation Department, visit www.caddoparks.org.