Wasco Baseball Presented with $2,500 Grant

On Saturday, Liberty Mutual Insurance presented a $2,500 check to Wasco Baseball for the Liberty Mutual Insurance Spring 2013 Responsible Sports Community Grant.  The presentation was held on Saturday, August 24th, which was opening day of the fall baseball season.

The presentation was held prior to the opening pitch of an Instructional League game between the Rays and the White Sox, made up of 6 & 7 year old boys and girls.  The ceremony featured a live singing of the National Anthem and a fire truck from the Fox River & Countryside Fire/Rescue District.

Wasco Baseball was among 15 youth sports organizations that received a $2,500 Responsible Sports Community Grant after the winning organizations were announced on June 19, 2013.  Wasco Baseball will use the grant for field improvements and to enhance the overall playing experience for participating youth athletes.  Liberty Mutual Insurance created the Responsible Sports™ Community Grant program in 2007 to give youth sports teams, clubs and school sports programs the chance to earn funds by rallying their communities to celebrate sportsmanship and a Responsible Sports environment. 

Wasco community members showed their support for Wasco Baseball by participating in an online program at ResponsibleSports.com that guided them through various aspects of responsible youth sports coaching and parenting, including helping children set goals for the season and teaching athletes to represent the best of sportsmanship.  Wasco Baseball’s high participation level earned them one of this year’s Responsible Sports Community Grants. 

“At Liberty Mutual Insurance, we believe that youth athletes can learn valuable life lessons when responsible coaches and parents come together to champion the importance of winning both on and off-the-field,” said Julie Brassard, Liberty Mutual Insurance manager of sponsorships. “We applaud Wasco Baseball and the surrounding community’s commitment to promoting an environment rich with sportsmanship and hope that this grant will continue to provide young athletes with positive sports experiences.”

The Community Grant program is part of Liberty Mutual Insurance’s overall Responsible Sports initiative powered by Positive Coaching Alliance, which provides youth sports coaches and parents with valuable resources, tools, tips and advice.  Twice a year, the Responsible Sports Community Grant program rewards youth sports teams, clubs, associations, and schools who demonstrate their commitment to responsibility, sportsmanship and teamwork with a $2,500 grant.  Since 2007, more than half a million dollars has been awarded to youth sports organizations.

“We greatly appreciate the support that we received from our community and members in securing this reward on behalf of Wasco Baseball and our community,” said Scott Buziecki of Wasco Baseball. “Contributions like this one from Liberty Mutual Insurance make such a big difference in helping our program succeed.  This grant provided a simple, ‘out of the box’ solution for increasing the knowledge of our board members, coaches, and parents to all work together toward providing a positive, nurturing sports environment for our youth athletes.”

“Wasco Baseball would like to thank the community for its support in helping us secure this award from Liberty Mutual,” said Chris Bell, president of Wasco Baseball. “As a non-profit, 100% volunteer led organization, this award will help us to continue to deliver on our commitment to providing the best baseball experience possible for our community youth,” he said.

Beginning September 1, organizations can again participate in the Responsible Sports Community Grant program, competing for one of the $2,500 awards.  Teams and organizations can register during the next grant period in the fall of 2013, which runs through November 30th.  For more information on the Community Grants as well as Responsible Sports resources, please visit ResponsibleSports.com or the program’s Facebook page Facebook.com/ResponsibleSports.  Fans can also join the conversation @JoinTeamRS.

About Wasco Baseball

The objective of Wasco Baseball is to implant firmly in the boys and girls of the community the ideals of good sportsmanship, teamwork, honesty, loyalty, courage, and respect for authority, within the environment of the sports program provided.  Wasco Baseball provides a positive, structured, educational baseball experience for approximately 950 boys and girls aged 5 to 17 years during each of two seasons per year.  The level of competition ranges from recreational to competitive travel teams.  Check out our website at www.WascoBaseball.com.