DC INDEPENDANT BASEBALL LEAGUE

The D.C. Independent Baseball League was founded by BATTER-UP/RBI in 2007 to provide public and charter schools the opportunity to play competitive baseball games with real umpires, professional coaching, and well-groomed fields. The league is the first of its kind, providing charter schools and public schools the chance to compete against one another on the D.C. RBI Field located at Kimball Elementary School. In the first year, 5 teams participated in the league and we anticipate having 6 in the league in year 2.

The D.C. Independent Baseball League fuses baseball with an in-school mentoring program, creating a cutting-edge model for improving youth outcomes while revitalizing America's pastime in the inner-city schools of our nation's capitol. The D.C. Independent Baseball League will hold its inaugural season in the spring of 2007.

Each school in the league has the opportunity to participate in the BATTER-UP mentoring program. BATTER-UP provides mentor/coaches for each school; these mentor coaches are men who have expertise in baseball but also want to work with at-risk youth in the community to help improve youth outcomes. The mentor/coaches visit each school once per week during lunch to conduct group mentoring sessions. In addition, the mentor/coaches visit each school 1- 3 times per week to assist the baseball team with practice. By developing relationships on the baseball field and in the personal lives of the students, mentor/coaches can provide the guidance and role models that young men need to thrive.

The D.C. Independent Baseball League is a great leap forward for the youth of Washington, D.C. by providing young men more choice in their activities, by cultivating athletic talents, and-most importantly-by helping to mold quality citizens and community leaders through the lessons of athletics and mentoring.

2008-2009 Participating Schools: