Column: For Boys Baseball of Aurora, funding is down while requests for assistance are up
For more than 70 years, Boys Baseball of Aurora has been giving kids in this community – no matter what their economic status, gender or disabilities – a chance to take part in America's favorite pastime.
Now it needs your help, but not because the program itself is in trouble.
On the contrary, enrollment continues to grow, with numbers back up to pre-pandemic levels after the organization lost half its participants.
Here's the problem: More families are struggling to pay the enrollment fees, which remain reasonable compared to other sports leagues but have increased to keep pace with the rising costs of, well, pretty much everything.
Throughout its long history the organization has always offered scholarships to ensure that no child is denied the opportunity to play baseball. But as costs have gone up, grant money from the city of Aurora has gone down, in large part, said Boys Baseball of Aurora Board President Joshua Ream, because there are more groups requesting funding from the city.
Numbers of those asking for assistance from the baseball organization have doubled, said board member Mary Walton, 'with a few more coming in with late registrations.'
Emails have gone out to other parents: Boys Baseball of Aurora has long-considered itself a tight-knit family who help each other. But 'a lot of people are hurting financially,' said board member Joel Wyeth, who has been associated with the group for four decades and whose 15-year-old son is now coaching at the Minor League level.
'It's just the cost of everything,' he noted. 'But if you want to play, we want you to play and we will figure it out.'
It should be noted that this nonprofit youth group opened up to girls back in 1984, long before Title IX went into effect. Today there are six divisions for ages 5-14, including Pony, Major, Minor, Rookie and Instructional leagues, as well as the Aurora Starz tournament team program.
Also, in 2014, BBA formed the Adaptive Recreational League, which is made up of players with cognitive or physical challenges and is staffed with volunteers, both adults and players, from the regular leagues who work with these kids during their weekly games.
What's not to love about this all-inclusive organization that is so deeply woven into the fabric of Aurora? Indeed, talk to any number of its 200-plus volunteers and chances are they played there as a child, and now have kids and/or grandkids in the program.
Ream's own family is one such three-generational story. Joshua, a board member for 15 years, began playing at age 8. His father Kevin, who managed a team in college, then returned when his son was 11 and has been coaching ever since, has been on the board 25 years. And, no surprise here, Josh's boys, ages 14 and 9, have been playing since they were 6.
Ream points to the strong 'connection' that is made as a kid playing Aurora baseball. And it's those fun memories and strong friendships, he insisted, that often bring people back to Aurora in their 20s who want to 'give back and make those memories for another generation.'
Unfortunately, costs over the years have gone up in order to keep pace with such necessities as rental fees, equipment replacement and uniforms, Ream said. Today's fees start at $120 for Instructional League and go to $180 for Pony League. And for many families, especially those with multiple children, that number can be a tough hill to climb.
A dedicated group of team sponsors continues to make this program as successful as it is. But this season, Boys Baseball of Aurora leaders hope a few more businesses, families or individuals will step up to make sure no kid who wants to join is turned away, including those who could play tournament ball. While the Aurora Starz is considerably less expensive than most traveling teams, it is still not reachable for some families, noted Wyeth.
Interested in helping? Go to boysbaseballofaurora@gmail.com.
If nothing else, consider sponsoring a kid in memory of four dedicated volunteers who passed away since the beginning of the year: Charlie Essig, who died Jan. 12 at age 94, began coaching in 1977 and, with his sons, continued doing so through 2016; coach Jose Acevedo, who was a coach/manager and member of the board, died March 1 at age 55; Donnie Jungels, a former player/coach/manager and member of the board, died March 20 at age 56; and George Kackert, 87, who dedicated decades as a coach and manager, passed away April 1.
In yet another example of the family connection this group has formed, Ream pointed out, Jose's daughter Sarina Acevedo is stepping up to manage her dad's Aurora Police Pony League team in his memory.
When it comes to Boys Baseball of Aurora, he told me, 'that's just the way it is.'
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