- Barney McCosky becomes the 6th League to become part of BGCSM’s sports coalition, now serving over 5,000 youth and adult athletes
- Barney McCosky staff to be located within BGCSM’s dedicated Ponyride co-working and maker’s space
- Baseball registration for youth 3-14 years old include Annual Club Membership
- BGCSM’s Sports Coalition includes 42 sports clubs covering football, baseball, volleyball, soccer, hand ball, basketball
DETROIT – May 17, 2021 – Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan (BGCSM) continues to grow and scale to improve the experience and quality for youth, and develop the 21st Century Athlete. This spring the organization expanded their youth sports offerings through a new partnership with the renowned Barney McCosky Baseball League. The partnership becomes the 6th sports league under BGCSM’s sports umbrella,
Last summer, BGCSM merged with the Greater Metropolitan Youth Sports League, saving football and cheerleading for nearly 2,700 youth in southeastern Michigan. The league was in danger of losing its programs when their host organization made the announcement to cancel the fall season due to COVID-19.
“BGCSM is committed to providing our youth with all of the necessary resources needed to become a 21st Century athlete not only excelling on the court and field but also in the classroom while becoming start up, career and homeowner ready,” said Chris Kyles, executive area director for BGCSM. “We are excited about our partnership with the Barney McCosky League which gives us a chance to provide youth in our community with an opportunity to participate in and fall in love with the great game of baseball.”
Both organizations have an aligned mission around youth development through sports. BGCSM’S 21STCentury Athlete mission is to produce youth-athletes who are competitive, career and character focused.
“I am super excited about the partnership with BGCSM. I feel it will extend both organizations reach in putting youth in positive atmospheres with amazing mentors encouraging them to set and achieve their goals,” said Isaac Orton V, president of Barny McCosky League. “We are teaching life lessons and preparing the youth for the real world. It’s just an all-around exciting opportunity for us and for the growth of the community.”
The Barney McCosky League has deep roots in Detroit, being founded in 1957 by a group of Detroit-area businessmen and supported by the organization’s namesake Mr. Barney McCosky, a former major league outfielder for the Detroit Tigers from 1939 to 1946.
Youth-athletes will engage in BGCSM’s off Season training (OTAs) which offers youth enrichment programs, and events designed to engage league participants all year-round. Parents can begin registering youth for baseball.
Ponyride additions
This partnership brings the total of sports entrepreneurs to 35 for Ponyride, the small-business incubator powered by BGCSM. The additions continue to feed the BGCSM ecosystem that provides access, skills, and ultimately self-efficacy by creating economic mobility for the whole family through neighborhood entrepreneurship opportunities.
Ponyride unique and below-market rate co-working and manufacturing spaces are located within three BGCSM Club sites—Dick and Sandy Dauch Club (Ponyride West), Fauver-Martin Club (Ponyride East) and Diehl Club (Ponyride South).
BGCSM continues to be a safe space for youth amid the current pandemic. Strict safety measures are actively enforced during sports games and practices.
To register youth for baseball and Club membership visit barneymccosky.com.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan
Founded in 1926, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan (BGCSM) has over 94 years of experience serving youth ages 6-18 by providing a safe, fun place that inspires, while offering high quality programs that provide real-world learning from caring adult mentors. Serving nearly 15,000 youth annually within eight Clubs throughout southeastern Michigan, BGCSM works every day to provide a world-class experience, empowering youth to become change agents through economic mobility and positioned to be career, start-up, and homeowner ready. To learn more about BGCSM visit www.bgcsm.org and follow us on social media on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter!
About Barney McCosky Baseball and Basketball League
Barney McCosky Baseball and Basketball League, Inc., was founded in May of 1957 by a group of Detroit area businessmen led by attorney John Hubacher. The Mission Statement then as it remains today is “To implant firmly the ideas of good sportsmanship, honesty, loyalty, and courage for youth under the age of 18 and to develop good citizens.” Which birthed the motto “Better kids through better sports.” All boys and girls age 4-16 are welcome.
About Ponyride
Since 2011, Ponyride continues to cultivate a diverse community that fosters opportunities for socially conscious artists, entrepreneurs, innovators, and light manufacturers, and is committed to creating supportive environments where businesses can experiment, develop, and mature—which in turn helps to make Detroit a unique place to live, work, and thrive.
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Media contact: Antonice Strickland, Antonice.strickland@bgcsm.org, (734) 812-4423