In this baseball tournament, the warm-up rituals for young student athletes include drafting players and preparing for the roll of the dice! On July 8, the MLB Players Trust and its nonprofit partner Learn Fresh launched its very first MLB Players STEM League tournament in Nassau, Bahamas. The event was part of a larger collaboration with Babe Ruth International and the Bahamas National Sports Authority.
Youth baseball teams from across the Caribbean and beyond were enjoying the Bahamian culture, sun, and beaches, while also competing for the inaugural baseball Caribbean Championship crown. In between their on the field competition, young athletes were invited to participate in a very different style of baseball tournament, which came in the form of a board game called the MLB Players STEM League. The board game is a valuable and engaging educational tool supporting students’ foundational math and social-emotional skills.
The fierce competition came down to the home country of the Bahamas against Cuba, with Team Cuba winning it in the end in a very close game. In addition to their trophies, Team Cuba earned custom tournament jerseys and bragging rights amongst their teammates.
The next stop for the MLB Players STEM League program is Los Angeles, California during All Star Week. Players from across the United States as far away as Hawaii will be competing in their own tournament of All Stars at the same time our major league Players hit the field at Dodger Stadium.
If your school, nonprofit, or after school program would like to implement this exciting new youth development tool, please contact colleen@learnfresh.org.