According to mlb.com, as part of the Dodgers Love L.A. Community Tour presented by Bank of America, the Dodgers held a baseball clinic for the non-profit organization, Ball Girls Baseball. Ball Girls Baseball was founded by Allie Lacey who was one of the Dodgers’ ball girls who started an all girls baseball league. The organization aims to help girls continue to play baseball because typically girls that play age out of the sport at the age of 9 years old and either quit or transition to softball. Ball Girls Baseball Corporation seeks to make sure that baseball is an option no matter the gender, for all children. There were 70 children in attendance from ages 7-21, and they all had the opportunity to take part in baseball drills and receive instructions from members of the Dodgers’ coaching staff. Will Smith and Justin turner also took part in the event, alongside special assistant tot he GM Ron Roenicke, first base coach Clayton McCullough and third base coach Dino Ebel among other staff. Will Smith was quoted in saying, “I thought it was a great opportunity to kind of grow the game, We see more and more female coaches in the Major Leagues, Minor Leagues, managing, coaching and all that. It’s important for the game to progress. For years down the road, kids are the future of this game. Eventually, they’re going to be big leaguers, they’re going to be coaches, they’re going to be staff, and they’re fans as well. So it’s just growing the game to as good as it can be.”
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