Tribune photo by John Byrne - Ryan Trujllo-Bright has on his game face as he takes his cuts off the tee during Thursday’s Jr. Giants workout, hosted by the Sparks Parks and Rec. dept. at Oppio Park.
The program is significant because it is the key funding component for the Community Fund's Jr. Giants program. That program helps teach the game of baseball and build character for more than 16,000 kids, including a few in northern Nevada.
The stretch drive raised more than $185,000 in the summer of 2009 and its aim is to eclipse the $200,000 figure this year.
In addition to seeing the Jr. Giants program throughout the Bay Area, the programs are scattered across northern California. Jr. Giants also has two programs in southern Oregon and two more in Nevada (Las Vegas and Sparks).
The City of Sparks Parks and Recreation Department hosts the program locally.
“Whether it's a Parks and Rec department, a YMCA or another entity, that's who is running the Jr. Giants leagues on the ground floor,” said Paul Giuliacci, associate director of the Giants Community Fund. “We supply the Jr. Giants uniforms, T-shirts and camps. One of our goals is to be in the under-serviced areas and give kids the opportunity to play baseball for free.”
The Jr. Giants program not only aims to teach youth the fundamentals of baseball, but it also stresses good character.
“The essence of the program really is to be a community service program, extending beyond the game of baseball,” Giuliacci said. “Baseball is the hook in our eyes. We are teaching character development, teaching life lessons that go far beyond playing days. We like to look at it as a well-rounded program.”
The Giants Community Fund has been sponsoring the Jr. Giants program for 17 years.
The local Jr. Giants program kicked off this week in Sparks. The five-week program will run on Tuesdays and Thursdays for five weeks at Oppio Park. While it is free to participating youths, there are administration expenses. The program was nearly cut a year ago due to lack of funding but the Sparks Sertoma Club made a donation to keep it alive.
The local service club has stepped up to do so again this summer.
“They're keeping the program going,” said Kelli Hanson of the Sparks Parks and Recreation Department. “It's a great program as it gives kids the opportunity to play baseball that they might not otherwise have.”
Hanson said the local program is advertised in local elementary schools and in the Parks and Recreation Department's activity guide. She also said word of mouth is a key in getting word out about the program.
“We have a lot of kids riding by on bicycles, seeing other kids playing baseball and they ask if they can play,” Hanson said. “We don't want to turn anyone down.”
The culmination of the summer program comes Aug. 24 when the Giants host Jr. Giants Day for a game at AT&T Park. More than 4,000 Jr. Giants program participants are expected to attend the Sunday game. Participants will get to be in a pregame parade around the field before settling into their seats to watch the game and eat a complimentary lunch.
The Giants website noted that select Jr. Giants will also sing the national anthem, take the field before the game with the Giants players, announce “Play ball!” and act as the junior announcer.
Hanson said the distance from Sparks to San Francisco keeps many local Jr. Giants athletes from attending Jr. Giants Day, but she said a few still make the trek.
“The Giants Community Fund donates the tickets to whoever can make the trip and we do have families that make the drive down,” she said.
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