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Can you help the neighborhood baseball and softball teams?
The coaches of the Armstrong High School Softball and Baseball teams have launched a fundraiser to help buy gear that they need for the upcoming season, including uniforms, hats/visors, socks, bats, balls, gloves, and field equipment.
Your contribution will support a program and students who are operating at a high level and who are being stewarded by great coaches. The softball team has won the unofficial Richmond title (vs other city teams) in Coach Anderson’s first four years, going 16-0 against RPS teams over that span. The baseball team is headed up by Lawrence Day, a veteran of inner city baseball and lauded area little league coach.
The teams have already begun to practice for the upcoming season which begins in late February.
Want to contribute but uncomfortable with online donations? Make a check out to Armstrong High School Softball Program and drop it off at the front office or mail it to Armstrong HS CO/ Glenn Anderson at 2300 Cool Lane, Richmond, VA 23223.
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Long term, the teams also need actual facilities in which to play and practice. The Armstrong campus does not have a field for either sport, although the baseball team will have access to a Parks and Rec-owned field adjacent to the Armstrong Cycle Track. This still leaves the softball team homeless, as baseball is played on a field with a pitchers mound while softball is not. Even this field, though, is incredibly sub-par.
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Armstrong Baseball will be able to play on this Parks and Rec-owned field adjacent to the school. That tire is at approximately 3rd base.
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Softball Coach Glenn Anderson estimates that it would take $35,000 to put in a new softball field. He has already secured a $2,500 grant from the Enrichmond Foundation, and is actively looking for other funding sources.
Without the capability to host home games, the softball and baseball teams are cut off from the most basic fundraising that are available to the basketball and football teams. Coach Day day also laments the lost opportunity for the community to come out and see a game, to support and cheer for the team.
Coach Day sees a new baseball field as one step, not an end goal. “We could have clinics, camps. We could really build,” he says.
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Coach Anderson and Coach Day
An excellent cause – I’m in.
If this doesn’t work is there something else we can do? Can we have baseball night at a local eatery? Anything fun that would bring people out and raise money. Maybe we could do that anyway and a start a fund for a new field. These kids deserve better.
I’m in. Do you know if they’ve contacted any of the local businesses for sponsor? And I understand that the field is a big and expensive job but anyone know if the neighborhood could offer a little love with a work day, would that help get the field in better shape? I would definitely sign up for that.
Count me in for a great cause. Play Ball!
The community has helped raise $2,365 towards the $3,000. 25 or so more donors could finish this off TODAY.
THEY MADE IT!!!!!!
From Coach Glenn Anderson:
“On behalf of the Armstrong High School’s Baseball and Softball programs, I would like to say Thank You for helping us reach our goal!!! We have made 100% of what we were striving for.
Your community involvement at the urging of Church Hill People’s News, is remarkable to say the least. We pledge to be good stewards over this donation and provide our kids with the gear that they need to succeed.
Go Wildcats!!!”
https://www.gofundme.com/ahsbballsball-com?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=email&utm_content=cta_button&utm_campaign=upd_n
Aw, where’s the ‘like’ button?! Awesome news Coach!