Youth baseball initiative aims to improve access to sport

UNSPLASH

Baseball aficionado Dexter Hayes is in the process of launching the Fellowship Royals, a youth baseball initiative in west Charlotte. His mission is to give youngsters better access to the game and the life lessons it teaches.

Dexter Hayes saw a need for baseball, and plans on filling it.

The game teaches fundamental principles for life. In west Charlotte, the lack of fields, interest and other issues has driven baseball out of communities. Hayes wants to bring it back.

“Back in the 1980s I had a Babe Ruth baseball program,” Hayes said. “We did that for about 10-12 years. And now I guess you could say I am coming out of retirement. Baseball is a good sport that a lot of inner-city kids don’t take advantage of, and that is really the push behind me right now and what has driven me to come out of retirement.”

Hayes is launching the Fellowship Royals, a 12-and-under travel team, because he feels a mission to instill the values baseball teaches and the foundation of teamwork. The goal is to start playing tournaments May.

“I'm going with the younger kids, so the kids can be introduced to the game of baseball,” he said, “and then we can take the baseball and use it as somewhat as a tool to get the kids interested in some other things. Use it for other positive things that come about in their lives.” 

Hayes said the program, which would be affiliated with the North Carolina Amateur Athletic Union, is in the early phases but a passion he will see through.

“Right now, the goal is to bring the kids together,” he said. “And to be perfectly honest with you, right now, I only have access to a few kids. But that is OK. It is a start and we just got another coach. So, we have a few kids now and we just want to be able to bring them in, teach them the importance of teamwork and then run the team under these principles. We hope to teach them the proper behavior and ways to conduct themselves not just at games, but when they are out in the community as well.”

A deterrent to accessing baseball is the monetary strain on families. Baseball is widely considered one of the most expensive sports with costs ranging from $1,500 to upwards of $7,000 to play on a competitive travel team. Much of that cost come from the money it takes to actually travel, but factoring in the cost of equipment, it drives the price up. 

“Forty years ago, when I was doing Babe Ruth baseball, I have always worked on this principle we put this league together for the kids,” Hayes said. “I feel it is my obligation to hustle up this money so the kids can be provided for. I know a lot of times in travel organizations the costs can be really high. I have a little financial backing. I have been a professional waiter for about 50 years now. I have met some people amazed by [the program] and I will be hustling up some money, believe that.”

Hayes added that 30-40 years ago there were registration fees — sometimes exceeding hundreds of dollars — that some parents couldn’t afford. In those cases, kids couldn’t play.

Not anymore.

“The money is not the purpose of this program,” he said. “The purpose of the program is to get westside kids back playing baseball. If you want to play, we will make sure you can play. … I know all of our fees will not be over $75 but no kid will be turned away because of the lack of ability to pay to register. If kids want to come out and play, they will play. It is that simple.”

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