Kids of Summer Sports, New York

When Coach Mike Handell founded Kids of Summer Sports in 2002, the first baseball players to attend his skill-building camps were only 7 years old. In the last decade, he's watched some of the same young, rough-around-the-edges players grow into mature home sluggers and ace pitchers with the help of his guidance. Recently, some of his original campers have gone on to pursue college degrees with athletic scholarships, and some have even begun teaching little kids the same fundamentals they learned from Coach Handell, such as keeping their eye on the ball and filling their pockets with confetti for home-run celebrations. As a former high-school standout who owned a .460 batting average and a spot on the New York Daily News All-Bronx team, Handell’s most cherished moments as a coach involve watching his players enjoy the same success he experienced when he was younger.

Kids of Summer’s experienced coaches––all of whom played baseball in college––help Coach Handell run his baseball camps and clinics and maintain a fun, supportive environment for children. In addition to baseball, Kids of Summer incorporates other sports, such as basketball and soccer, into its year-round athletic agenda. "I love all sports," Coach Mike says, "but I think [football and hockey] are a little more violent, their fans are little more rowdy. The most accessible sport to bring kids to is baseball."