Little League Urban Initiative

The Little League Urban Initiative is a vigorous attempt to provide access to the benefits of the Little League program to boys and girls within urban communities.

For years, through adult leadership, the Little League program has made a decided difference in the lives of boys and girls it serves, exposing them to these values and nurturing their childhood development. The success of the program has occurred primarily in American rural and suburban communities where safety, security, and comfort are common realities for children rather than exceptions to normal loving conditions. The continual erosion of recreational space, lack of trained volunteer leadership, and other social conditions in many urban settings place children in lifestyles unwarranted, unacceptable, and dangerous to the future of our society.

Therefore, it is the goal of Little League's Urban Initiative to identify and then create or renew baseball and softball programs in urban neighborhoods or communities having the characteristics of these neighborhoods. Initiation of these leagues can provide the vehicle to assist community leaders in accessing boys and girls who otherwise may not have participated in organized sports activities. In turn, this will provide Little League the opportunity to fulfill its fundamental mission to assist community leaders to foster the positive influences of citizenship, discipline, self-esteem, teamwork, and physical well being.