Let’s do the Y-M-C-A!

The YMCA song had its day. That day, is no longer today. Sadly, it still is played at baseball games, basketball games, and weddings all over the country.

But, the Greater LaGrange YMCA of Chicago… is not done having their day. 

This was to be our first event scheduled with a YMCA program. Through their summer day camp program, we expected over 30 kids for our morning event. 

We were expecting a couple treats in Chicago as well. Carolyn Carlson, a B4B supporter and Chase’s friend from Minneapolis, was flying out to Chicago to help volunteer for our event AND bring donated baseball equipment to aid B4B’s needs to provide for kids along the way! 

Also, Adam and Christy Coppola were coming. We’ve had the pleasure of talking with Adam and Christy since we were in San Francisco. They completed a similar trip last year as they rode their bicycles through all 50 states! Check out their cause and website. They are very supportive, smiley, and genuine people. Good people to team up with. We were even more excited, because they currently work for www.peopleforbikes.org. A boulder-based company that supports bicycling. Yeah, we want to team up with you. 

Adam and Christy were coming to bring their set-up that they are traveling all over the country as well, participating at big events to gather more pledges to support better bicycling infrastructure in America. Absolutely THRILLED to have them at a Biking for Baseball event.

We were also going to add a new twist into today… WATER BALLOONS!! We had brought hundreds of water balloons all the way from Seattle, thinking that the hot summer sun would have required us to use them much earlier. Welp, Chicago would be the first one. 

We added a new station that would require the kids to work on their communication, eye-hand coordination and tossing ability between partners. Kids partnered up with another, grabbed a water balloon, and started tossing back and forth between each other trying not to drop the balloon! If you drop it, you. are. eliminated!! Ahhhhhh!!! It’s not that bad, you just stand to the side until the next round starts. 

The water balloons were a huge hit and the kids loved getting drenched in water in the hot weather of the Chicago sun. 

After moving through our normal clinics (HR Derby, Pickle Drill, ESPN Highlight Catches, It Takes Two, and our new water balloon clinic) it was time to put the skills to the test for a real baseball game again! 

We divided into two teams, the Ants versus the Cubs! 

We had our most kids who had never played the game of baseball before in their lives! We LOVE that. What a fun way to introduce them into the game… through a Biking for Baseball clinic!

Thanks April, Bridgette, Carolyn, Adam and Christy for helping to put on a successful event with the YMCA of Greater LaGrange and Biking for Baseball!

Stats:

Kids Introduced to Baseball: 26

HR’s Hit: 9

Water Balloons popped: 125

Highlight Catches: 6

Volunteers: 15