MLB Urban Youth Academy

“Courtesy of Major League Baseball”

In June, Major League Baseball announced its collaboration with USA Baseball to sponsor the inaugural Breakthrough Series at the MLB Urban Youth Academy in Compton, California, during the week of July 21, 2008. The event’s designed to showcase rising high school junior and senior baseball players from urban areas throughout the United States who haven’t participated in other travel and high-end tournaments, which give players considerable exposure.  The Breakthrough Series will consist of instruction and a round-robin series of games among three teams of selected players from July 22-24

Many college coaches are expected to attend the event to recruit players who demonstrate outstanding potential, but who may not have had the opportunity for exposure through other summer events. The tournament will consist of three teams that’re selected by the Major League Scouting Bureau, the MLB Urban Youth Academy and an Atlanta-based organization known as Mentoring Viable Prospects, or M.V.P. for short.

As a side note, M.V.P. focuses on supporting young athletes in both academic and athletic settings, for the purposes of helping them obtain college scholarships.

In addition to that, USA Baseball will work with the athletes to facilitate communication between players and college recruiters. 

The MLB Urban Youth Academy, which Major League Baseball established in 2006 as part of its Urban Youth Initiative, will host the Breakthrough Series. It was founded to foster a passion for baseball among urban youth, ages 8-17, who wouldn’t otherwise be able to participate in the sport. Along with week-long camps and after-school programs, the Academy provides participants with educational resources by partnering with El Camino College-Compton Center. The Academy also offers opportunities for students to learn about different aspects of baseball, including sports journalism, umpiring, field management and public relations.

The Breakthrough Series is one of the many events Major League Baseball has made possible since the launch of its business partnership with USA Baseball in July 2006. The relationship’s designed to help support USA Baseball’s mission to cultivate interest in baseball at the amateur level. The Academy and the Breakthrough Series are instrumental elements in MLB’s aim to increase interest and participation in baseball among American youth and, in particular, among those who may be disadvantaged.

Although Major League Baseball’s been on the receiving end of media criticism for the passed few years, it’s important to give them some LOVE for their off-field accomplishments. It’s nice to see that they’re doing everything in their power to help athletes that might otherwise go unnoticed.

(The Love of Sports has teamed with Charity Water to bring fresh water to those who need it most. For just $20, you can give the gift of life to one person for 20 years. Be a good sport. Donate Now!)