Telepeer

Angels RBI league teaches fourth-graders core values by playing baseball

May 3, 2023

Integrity, commitment, determination and persistence are a few of the nine core values that fourth-grade students at Garden Grove’s Iva Meairs Elementary School will be learning over the next seven weeks — but not in the classroom.

They will learn them playing baseball as part of the Angels RBI League on the Go program.

Katelyn Tran, 9, second from right, joins other fourth-graders showing they are properly gripping a baseball as part of the Angels RBI League program at Iva Meairs Elementary School in Garden Grove on Monday, May 1, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Angels RBI League president Dave Smith describes the proper way to grip a baseball to fourth-graders on the first week of 7-week Angels RBI League program at Iva Meairs Elementary School in Garden Grove on Monday, May 1, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Angels RBI League president Dave Smith gives high-fives to fourth-graders at Iva Meairs Elementary School following their first Angels RBI sessions in Garden Grove on Monday, May 1, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Iva Meairs Elementary School fourth-graders attempt to spread themselves out at arms length during the Angels RBI League program at in Garden Grove on Monday, May 1, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Fourth-graders at Iva Meairs Elementary School line up pickup a baseball out of bucket as part of the first week of a 7-week Angels RBI League program in Garden Grove on Monday, May 1, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Fourth-graders Iva Meairs Elementary School toss a baseball in the air and catch it with the same hand as part of the Angels RBI League program in Garden Grove on Monday, May 1, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Fourth-grader Joana Rosas, 9, tosses the baseball and catches it as she walks out onto the grass playground to participate in the Angels RBI League program at Iva Meairs Elementary School in Garden Grove on Monday, May 1, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Andrew Hernandez, 10, reacts after receiving his free Angels glove as part of the Angels RBI League program at Iva Meairs Elementary School in Garden Grove on Monday, May 1, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Fourth graders Ethan Lee, left, and Andrew Hernandez, both 10, are so excited after receiving their Angels jersey, hat, glove and bag, they begin playing catch with an imaginary ball before the start of the first week of a 7-week Angels RBI League program at Iva Meairs Elementary School in Garden Grove on Monday, May 1, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Fourth-graders Anna Luong, left, and Jade Fernandez, both 10, put on their new gloves given to them as part of the Angels RBI League program at Iva Meairs Elementary School in Garden Grove on Monday, May 1, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Fourth grader teacher Alice Nguyen, right, helps her student Tu Bien Dong put on her baseball cap as part of the Angels RBI League program at Iva Meairs Elementary School in Garden Grove on Monday, May 1, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Wearing Angels baseball caps, jersey and gloves fourth-graders at Iva Meairs Elementary School gather on the schools grass field to participate in the first week of a 7-week Angels RBI League program in Garden Grove on Monday, May 1, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Tony Phan, left, public relations specialist with the Westminster School District takes photos of fourth-graders participating in the Angels RBI League program at Iva Meairs Elementary School in Garden Grove on Monday, May 1, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Fourth-grade teacher Jeanine Lovelace shows students where to place their fingers on the baseball lace as part of the Angels RBI League program taught by Dave Smith at Iva Meairs Elementary School in Garden Grove on Monday, May 1, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Angels RBI League president Dave Smith, right, walks the line to check that each student has a proper grip on the baseball as part of the Angels RBI League program at Iva Meairs Elementary School in Garden Grove on Monday, May 1, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Iva Meairs Elementary School fourth-grader Camden Atangan, 10, hasn’t quite mastered the skill of catching a baseball during the Angels RBI League program at the school in Garden Grove on Monday, May 1, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Fourth-grader Katelyn Tran, 9, reaches out to catch a baseball as part of the Angels RBI League program at Iva Meairs Elementary School in Garden Grove on Monday, May 1, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Fourth-graders prepare to an exercise of throwing the baseball into their own glove as part of the Angels RBI League program at Iva Meairs Elementary School in Garden Grove on Monday, May 1, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Expand

Angels RBI League President Dave Smith will be instructing the fourth-graders once a week on the basics of baseball and softball.

“We teach them life skills and character development and have some fun playing baseball,” Smith said. “Jackie Robinson had nine core values and those values are the pillars of our program.

“If it is integrity, play with integrity. If you didn’t catch the ball it’s OK. Just say you didn’t catch the ball. You’ll catch the next one,” Smith said. “If it’s persistence, if you swing the bat and don’t hit the ball every time that’s OK. Most players don’t hit the ball every time. Be persistent, and you’ll hit the ball and have fun.”

On the first day of the program, each student received a free Angels glove, jersey, tote bag and baseball cap.

“The beautiful thing about this program is it’s free,” Smith said. “Some of them will be introduced to the game for the first time, and (it will be) the first time they held a baseball. We don’t want it to be scary for them, so we’re going to do some fun things.”

When asked what she liked best about the program, 10-year-old Jade Fernandez said it was catching the ball and throwing it. “My favorite part is when we got in a circle and threw the ball in the air and whoever dropped it had to sit down.”

At the end of the first day’s lesson, students packed their new gear into their bags then received fist-bumps from Smith as they headed back to their classroom.

“It was fun,” Anna Loung, 10, said. “I got good at throwing and catching the ball.”

Local News |

Fossils are helping Chapman University students find new passions

Local News |

Orange County Classical Academy eyes traditional school campuses for its expansion

Local News |

After OUSD hastily fired its superintendent, state legislator looks to implement safeguards

Local News |

‘We’ve got a little hero:’ Michigan seventh grader honored for taking over school bus when driver passed out

Local News |

Want to intern this summer for The Orange County Register? Here’s one opportunity taking applications

Orange County Register

News Details

Angels RBI league teaches fourth-graders core values by playing baseball

Related Articles

News

CONTACT INFO

QUICK LINKS

SERVICES

CURRENT NEWS