MLB Together, Atlanta Braves Reveal Local Renovated Softball Fields During All-Star Weekend
During the busy All-Star weekend, Major League Baseball joined forces with the host city team, the Atlanta Braves, and their local park system, Cobb Parks, to renovate three separate softball fields for the Rhyne Park Girls Softball Association.
The renovation included three new turf fields, a new batting cage, updated fencing, painting, windscreens, equipment, and more to help the softball association.
"This is one of the third-oldest parks in all of Cobb County, and it's exclusively softball," said Danielle Bedasse, Vice President of Community Affairs and Executive Director of the Atlanta Braves Foundation. "This park hadn't had repairs in more than 30 years. We've put in three full turf infields, there's another dirt infield as well, that will be used for 6U."
The renovation seemed to impress the most important clientele, the girls themselves.
Nine-year-old pitcher Ellery Thomas said she couldn't believe the field when she saw it.
"I cannot believe how different these fields look. I thought Rhyne Park would only have turf. I didn't know we'd have so much more. I didn't know the concession stand would look different. I didn't know that we would have pads behind [home plate]. I thought it would only be turf, but it's way more."
The investment comes on the heels of the announcement of MLB's partnership with Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL), and projects like renovating Rhyne Park Girls Softball Association and providing better facilities to foster girls' love of the game are a centerpiece for both organizations.
This is just one of many investments into youth softball for AUSL this year.
AUSL Commissioner Kim Ng was on site for the unveiling and stated.
"We want to give accessibility to these youngsters. And so the idea that they have a safe place where they know they can come and live out their passion is incredibly heartwarming. We all know what baseball and softball can give to youngsters and help them grow, and the values and disciplines from the game, I think, are just so incredibly valuable as they grow up and they get into boardrooms and become leaders themselves."
Rob Manfred, Commissioner of MLB, spoke at the unveiling about the momentum of women's sports at this moment but also the investment of the MLB into youth communities for decades.
“For years — over a decade, every youth program that we’ve done, we’ve done in parallel: baseball and softball," Manfred said. "And because of our commitment to softball, that great sport is an important part of the All-Star Game program here in Atlanta.” The moment was emphasized again by Bedasse, who excitedly shared, "To be able to see this investment specifically for girls, particularly from a men's major league, it just really is special. It just shows the importance of girls, the future of girls' sports."
Allison Smith is an expert in leadership and organizational behavior in collegiate and professional women’s sports. Smith is a professor (Georgia State University), researcher, and writer. Smith holds a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee in Kinesiology and Sport Studies. Smith’s research centers on combatting the underrepresentation of women leaders in sport, lack of organizational structure for work life integration for sport employees, and lack of programming and oversight for preparing athletes to transition to life after sport. Since graduating with a bachelor’s in journalism in 2011, Smith has sought opportunities to write about sports as a contributing writer focused on the growth of women’s collegiate, Olympic, and professional sports in this new age and movement for multiple outlets including Athletic Director U, and now Forbes.com. As a former Division I and II pitcher and Division III pitching coach Smith will bring unique insight and expertise to Softball on SI.
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