SOUTH JORDAN — Nine-year-old Leah Steele could hardly believe where she was standing.
A special baseball clinic experience
“Oh my gosh. I'm actually on the Bees field,” she said while taking part in a youth baseball clinic Friday at the Ballpark at American First Square in South Jordan.
For Leah and hundreds of other kids, the chance to play on a professional baseball field was an unforgettable experience.
It’s part of Play Ball Weekend, an effort by Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball to encourage kids to get active.
Launching a statewide fundraising campaign
But organizers behind a new statewide fundraising effort say too many young athletes are missing out on opportunities like this one because youth sports have become increasingly expensive.
“Today, we are proud to announce the first ever Utah Youth Sports Giving Day,” said Michelle Smith, President of Miller Sports + Entertainment, during a news conference at the Ballpark.
The campaign is designed to raise $3 million to help youth sports organizations across Utah, providing more opportunities for children whose families might face financial obstacles to allow them to play sports.
Addressing rising costs of sports
Those barriers have become increasingly common as families deal with the rising costs of registration fees, travel expenses and equipment.
The personal impact of barriers
For Olympic bobsledder and Herriman resident Kaysha Love, that reality is personal.
She got choked up while speaking at Friday’s announcement.
“It breaks my heart to know that there are some families out there that feel like sports come with a financial barrier, that can feel more like a nightmare than a dream,” Love said.
Benefits of participating in sports
Supporters of the campaign say sports provide much more than competition.
“When young people have the chance to play sports, they build confidence and character and they create lasting connections,” said Steve Miller, chairman of the Larry H. Miller Company.
Many of the young athletes participating in Friday's clinic already understand those lessons.
“Honestly, it kind of helps with things in life as well like discipline, like knowing what the next play is, and just stuff like that,” said 11-year-old Ben Wilcox.
For 11-year-old Maddex Layne, the benefits are even simpler.
“Just having the perks of having fun and making friends on your team,” he said.
How to participate and donate
Those friendships, lessons and experiences are exactly what organizers hope to make available to more Utah kids.
For more information on how to donate, or how your sports team or league can participate on Utah Youth Sports Giving Day, click here.
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