Decatur Memorial Hospital and Decatur Park Districk Redbird Rookies Program Celebrates Opening Day

The Decatur Park District, Dr. Wendell Becton and Decatur Memorial Hospital invite you to join in the celebration of opening day ceremonies for Decatur’s Redbird Rookies.

Ceremonies will be held Saturday, June 7 at Hess Park. Interactive displays and booths will open at 11 a.m., with the opening ceremony beginning at 12:15 p.m.

First pitches will be thrown out by Decatur Memorial Hospital’s Dr. Wendell Becton, and Decatur Park District’s Jack Kenney. Decatur Public Library’s Bookmobile will be there, as reading is an important element in the Redbird Rookies philosophy. Attendees at Redbird Rookies’ Opening Day will also enjoy a mini-performance by the Decatur Park Singers, and appearances by University of Illinois Football players Marques Wilkins and Brit Miller.

Redbird Rookies is a baseball league for boys and girls, age five to seven, who otherwise might not have had the chance to play. This special league, sponsored by Cardinals Care, provides kids with uniforms, gloves, bats, balls, and other equipment, as well as extensive off-field support in the areas of education, the arts, mentoring, and health. Cardinals Care is the team’s community foundation that cares for kids. Since 1997, Cardinals Care has cared for kids by building youth baseball fields, supporting youth baseball, and funding children’s organizations and youth agencies. More than $11.5 million has been distributed to help kids.

Decatur Memorial Hospital’s Sports Medicine Medical Director, Wendell W. Becton M.D., is a team physician for the St. Louis Cardinals. He and the DMH Athletic Trainers provide the health component of the program through screenings, physicals, and health and nutrition information. Decatur Park District helps provide staff resources, as well as baseball diamonds in the local parks for use by the teams.

In 2004, Redbird Rookies was formed to allow kids to play baseball free of charge. Rawlings, a major contributor and supporter of Cardinals Care, donates and discounts most of the equipment and uniforms for any child who wants to play in Redbird Rookies. In addition, Cardinals Care provides training so that coaches and organizers can learn innovative coaching/character building techniques that are essential to the program. Parents also take part in workshops that teach the philosophy of the league so that there is support on every level.

Central to Redbird Rookies is instructional play. Keeping score and winning are secondary to the life lessons that can be learned as part of a team on the ball field. Redbird Rookies works to instill the values of teamwork, integrity, self-esteem and leadership in the “classroom” of a baseball setting.

For more information, call Justin at the Decatur Indoor Sports Center at 429-3472.

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