2024 Registration is now open for Project Play Ball!
Spring clinics begin April 15, with the season starting May 18
Buffalo, N.Y. (April 12, 2024) – Project Play WNY, in partnership with the MLB Nike RBI program, is pleased to announce “Project Play Ball!,” offering free house softball, baseball & t-ball leagues and clinics for girls and boys ages 4-13 in the City of Buffalo this spring and summer. The Buffalo Police Athletic League, Willie Hutch Jones Educational & Sports Programming, River Rock Baseball and West Side Baseball have collaborated to host four in-house leagues for the East Side, West Side and Black Rock communities.
Games and practices will be held at three Buffalo parks – Walden Park (10 Bakos Blvd.), McCarthy Park (304 East Amherst St.) and Riverside Park (2607 Niagara St.). Spring clinics begin April 15, and the season starts May 18.
3&2 Baseball and the DICK’s Sporting Goods Foundation partnered with Project Play WNY to support free equipment for each team, including a uniform for every player. The Buffalo Bisons will also provide free tickets to program participants for the June 16 home game.
The softball/baseball clinics and leagues align with Project Play WNY’s mission of building a community in which all children have the opportunity to be active through sports.
“We’re excited to launch this collaborative effort to bring house softball, baseball and t-ball to City of Buffalo neighborhoods, at no cost to families, as part of our continued efforts to open up access to sports,” said Aaron Hord, Director, Project Play WNY. “It is imperative that we revitalize in-town leagues to create affordable opportunities for youth to participate in local programs built for all athletes and all skill levels.”
Each league will provide programming for the following divisions:
- Co-Ed T-ball – Ages 4-7
- Girls’ Softball – Ages 8-10
- Girls’ Softball – Ages 11-13
- Boys’ Baseball – Ages 8-10
- Boys’ Baseball – Ages 11-13
To learn more and to register, please visit www.projectplaywny.org/softballbaseball
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About Project Play WNY
Project Play Western New York is driven and funded by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation’s Youth Sports & Recreation focus area in partnership with the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo and the Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program. Project Play Western New York envisions a community in which all children have the opportunity to be active through sports. Every child—regardless of location, income or ability—should have access to fun and fulfilling physical activities that build confidence and set them on a path for lifelong success. For more information, visit www.projectplaywny.org.
About the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
For more than a century, the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo has enhanced and encouraged long-term philanthropy in the Western New York community. A 501 (c)(3) organization, the Community Foundation’s mission is: Connecting people, ideas and resources to improve lives in Western New York. Established in 1919, the Community Foundation has made the most of the generosity of individuals, families, foundations and organizations who entrust charitable assets to the Community Foundation’s care. Learn more at cfgb.org.
About the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation
The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation is a grantmaking organization dedicated primarily to sustained investment in the quality of life of the people of Southeast Michigan and Western New York. The two areas reflect Ralph C. Wilson, Jr.’s devotion to his hometown of Detroit and greater Buffalo, home of his beloved Buffalo Bills NFL team. Prior to his passing in 2014, Mr. Wilson provided that a significant share of his estate be used to continue a life-long generosity of spirit by funding the Foundation that bears his name. Based in Detroit, the Foundation began with a grantmaking capacity of $1.2 billion over a 20-year period, which expires January 8, 2035. This structure is consistent with Mr. Wilson’s desire for the Foundation’s impact to be immediate, substantial, measurable, and overseen by those who knew him best. For more information visit www.rcwjrf.org.