The Little Earth Red Bears won the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board Youth Baseball League Championship this summer in the 10 Year Old And Under division. In celebration of the team’s success, Little Earth of United Tribes (Little Earth) hosted an awards banquet on Aug. 7 at the Little Earth Neighborhood Early Learning Center.
The event included a trophy presentation and the unveiling of new team uniforms, which were designed and funded through a partnership with the Indian Health Board. The uniforms and the Red Bears’ team name were created to honor Trinidad Flores, a 16-year-old Little Earth resident who passed away this April due to complications from a heart transplant.
“Trinidad was the heart and soul of a lot of the youth programming we did,” said Nathan Ratner, Little Earth’s Volunteer Coordinator.
Representatives from the Minnesota Twins Baseball Club (the Twins), another of the program’s partners, were also on hand at the event to distribute back-to-school backpacks to community youth. Over the course of this season, the Twins have invited the team to Target Field for a tour and offered the youth classes on the intersections between science and baseball.
Miguel Ramos, the Director of
Emerging Markets at the Twins, said that the organization is excited to
partner with Little Earth as part of their overall mission to connect to
diverse communities in Minnesota.
“Our
goal is to be sure that all communities feel welcome at Target Field
and feel part of the Twins organization,” said Ramos. “We work closely
with them, but not only to teach the kids baseball. We want the kids to
be successful and the community to be successful, too.”
The
Little Earth Red Bears’ success highlights the many positive benefits
the baseball program offers to both Little Earth youth and the community
at large.
“We
provide youth with an opportunity to win. That seems like a simple
thing, but for a lot of the youth that participate in our programming,
it’s a big deal because they don’t get the opportunity to win a lot in
their lives or feel like they’re winners,” said Nathan Ratner, Little
Earth’s Volunteer Coordinator. “Starting there I think the positive
effects of this program radiate out.”
The
long-term goal of the baseball program is to encourage youth to become
high school athletes, thereby motivating them to be successful
academically.
“We
believe sports teach them accountability but also a strong work ethic,”
said Ratner. “Not that sports is going to take them through a
professional career, but that those same skills will carry over and
guide them for their entire lives.”
Most
importantly, Ratner feels that the program helps youth to build strong
and meaningful bonds with adults in the community. Muck-wa and
Rose-Marie Roberts, volunteer coaches and Little Earth residents, are
the cornerstones of the program, often working up to 25 hours a week
during the season.
“Having
them as members of the community and as consistent, positive influences
does more good than sports or anything else does,” said Ratner.
“They’re amazing and they’re always there for the kids.”
Rose-Marie,
who has been coaching for over two years, is motivated by the
supportive relationships she is able to build with the players. “I
do it for the kids, to let them know that there are adults who are
willing to take the next step and care about them,” she said.
Muck-wa,
who has seven years of coaching experience, seeks to share the positive
influence sports have had on his life with youth in the community. “Ever since I was younger, I played sports. I believe it kept me out of trouble, so that’s why I do what I do for the kids.”
Youth
at Little Earth enjoy the program because of the lively environment
created by coaches, staff, and their fellow players. Players Jose
Rodriguez, Victor Rodriguez, and Ernesto Rodriguez highlighted their
favorite things about baseball, including batting and pitching.
“My favorite thing is just being out there and participating,” said player Sequoi Bryant. “It’s a fun way to get exercise.”
This
year, 46 youth participated consistently in the four divisions of
Little Earth’s baseball program. Youth of any gender between 8-18 years
old are eligible to participate. Although the program’s first priority
is to serve youth in Little Earth’s community, enrollment is open to
all. This winter, Little Earth plans to continue its youth basketball
program, which is also open to 8-18 year old youth. Within the next
year, Little Earth also plans to begin lacrosse and soccer programs. For
more information about these programs or to enroll a youth player,
contact Ratner via phone at 612-455-2813 or via email at
Nathan.Ratner@learth.org.
