I Love Baseball

The Cost of Chasing a Dream

Throughout our 10-year history of working in the Dominican Republic, COTN has come to understand that education and leadership are among the biggest problems facing young men in DR. While the love of baseball thrives in the country, the idolization of the Major League dream also causes many generational problems. Many youth forego their education (skip classes or drop out) to pursue their dreams of becoming professional baseball players. Since this dream becomes a reality for only a few, many young men are forced to return home to their villages—uneducated, unskilled, and in most cases, destined to a life of poverty.

Our Response to the Problem

The vision of COTN’s program, I Love Baseball (ILB), is to give youth a place where they can pursue their dream of playing professional baseball while still getting an education, along with living a balanced life socially, mentally, physically and spiritually. In 2008, ILB opened the Barahona Baseball & Education Academy. The teens accepted into the program are coached by Jose Carrion, a Dominican native and former MLB–Triple A player. They practice baseball in the mornings, eat a nutritious meal at midday (for most, their only true meal of the day) and go to school during the afternoons. Each player is required to maintain an average of 80% of all possible points in each class to participate in the program, along with meeting with local community mentors and attending a weekly men’s group. The goal of ILB is to improve the futures for young men in the DR by encouraging them to pursue both an academic education and training in baseball.

There are many ways to get involved with I Love Baseball, both on a local level and on an international level. Currently the best ways are by sponsoring a player in the DR, serving as an intern, volunteering, or donating new or used baseball equipment. For more information, visit www.ilovebaseball.org.