WHY BATTER-UP?

Click here to see a short video about the need for a program like BATTER-UP Foundation

When present, interscholastic athletics programs for DC students fail the most basic standards of adequacy, and trail far behind suburban schools in neighboring Fairfax County, VA and Montgomery County, MD regarding funding, participation, and programming. Early development of fitness, skills and attitudes encourage lifelong participation and better physical and mental health. Only about one-third of elementary children have daily physical education, and less than one-fifth have extracurricular physical activity programs at their schools.

The delivery of physical education and sports in the school system needs to be improved to provide quality daily physical education to every student and unrestricted opportunity to participate in school-based sports. The majority of DCPS elementary schools do not have physical fitness/education classes at all. Inner city schools face a variety of problems. There is little stability in sustaining general necessities such as essential school supplies, orderliness, and building maintenance. More schools are being forced to trim physical education programs due to budget cuts and the increased emphasis on academics in order to prepare students for standardized tests.

Minority children are largely the most affected group of the school systems shortcomings as they make up more than 90% of the school population in Washington, DC. Consequently, these children and youth are severely disadvantaged in learning the fundamentals of sports and sportsmanship and are unable to enjoy the full benefits of participation in an athletic environment. BATTER-UP uses baseball as a means to provide youth development to school aged children and youth.