Over 450 Kindergarten Boys & Girls
Gather to “PLAY BALL!” One
of the Largest Gatherings of T-Ball Players in Chicagoland

Over 450 Kindergarten boys and girls
will play “T-Ball” and Start the 2012 Spring Season; running bases, throwing, stretching, batting and team building at Wilmette Community Playfields this Sunday, April 15, 2012. 
This marks the 5^th year of the Illinois Baseball Academy
(IBA) T-Ball league; in conjunction with the Wilmette Park District, hosting families across the North Shore for children’s introduction to team sports.

The IBA has grown this introductory program from 150 kids to over 450 due in large part to their blend of baseball
instruction and character education. Boys and girls from throughout the North Shore learn a new baseball
skill each week (i.e. throwing, catching, etc.) and participate in games designed to promote teamwork, respect and a host of other key life-skills.

As a former professional player in the Toronto Blue Jays
system and the New Trier Head Coach, Mr. Beacom has been teaching kids of all ages and ability levels how to play baseball for the past 22 years. Wilmette-based Illinois Baseball Academy brings professional level instruction
to young players and elite players alike and this program is emblematic of the impact he has had on the game of baseball.

While participation numbers are down across the board for
baseball, IBA has taken a community based approach to growing the game.  The growth of the Spring League can be attributed to quality of instruction and the program’s overall aim which is to instill a sense of joy and accomplishment in those just starting out.  IBA’s coaches are a mix of high-school players and college athletes, all of whom recognize that sports is a forum to learn about oneself and others.  This message is shared consistently and throughout the various levels of Illinois
Baseball Academy programming. 

For more information, visit www.illinoisbaseballacademy.com.