A Day at the Academy; Softball Student-Athletes Conduct Sessions at MLB Facility
October 19, 2006

Photo Slideshow of Visit to MLB Urban Youth Academy

The CSUDH Sports Information Department tagged along with members of the Toros softball program as they conducted one of their weekly sessions at Major League Baseball’s Urban Youth Academy on the campus of Compton Community College.

The Toros and Generals relax after the clinic’s end. Toros pictured are Araceli Martinez, Jennifer Frazier and head coach Jim Maier (standing, far left to right), as well as Chachera Brantley and Jessica Marlow (standing, far right to left), along with Generals’ head coach Jim McElroy (center).

On this day, a reporter from Time magazine was assigned to cover the Academy and conduct interviews with not only children from the community who are the direct beneficiaries of this program, but also with members of the Toros coaching staff, which today included CSUDH softball head coach Jim Maier and returning senior Araceli Martinez.

Former MLB player Darrell Miller, who played professionally from 1984 to 1988 with the California Angels, is the Director of the Academy, whose baseball and softball fields are major league caliber, and whose locker and equipment rooms, computer lab and weight room are second-to-none.

The Academy, whose mission statement is “To set the standard for instruction, teaching and education in Urban America through the strength of the National Pastime and to enhance the quality of life in the surrounding communities,” celebrated its grand opening on February 28, 2006, 2½ years after MLB announced its plan to build its first owned and operated Youth Baseball Academy.

In the course of the two-hour session, Maier and the softball team worked with the Generals from Washington High School, who had 9 of 13 girls participate in the clinic.