Stay in Softball was started in January of 2015 by fastpitch player, Meghan McKeogh. Meghan came up with the idea after her local softball team helped her family by providing meals and other assistance when her mother was recuperating from kidney donation surgery. The assistance helped Meghan continue playing softball without interruption.
Seeing how much the assistance helped her family, Meghan wanted to help other players who were experiencing some hardship so they could also continue to play softball. It was at that point that Stay in Softball was started. In February, 2015 Stay in Softball was incorporated as an Ohio non profit corporation and in May, 2015 SIS obtained its 501(c)(3) tax exempt status.
Although SIS started with the idea of helping players with a family emergency, it became apparent that there are many other things that can keep girls from continuing to play softball at any level. Lack of equipment, facilities, coaching and inability to pay fees are other issues that can keep players from playing and advancing. SIS wants to help players experiencing any of these obstacles.
Therefore, SIS’s charitable purpose is to: i) provide equipment, training, mentoring and other assistance to girls who participate in fastpitch softball and who, because of low income or other hardship require outside support; ii) provide equipment, assistance, training and mentoring to low income or otherwise in-need fastpitch softball teams; iii) conduct activities that help keep girls active and advancing in fastpitch softball; and iv) conduct educational and charitable activities for fastpitch teams and players that emphasize good sportsmanship, team and individual values, and promote charity and goodwill among all fastpitch players."
STAY IN SOFTBALL PROGRAMS
Although Stay in Softball has a broad charitable purpose and conducts many different activities aimed at helping girls continue playing softball, we have focused our initial activities on three main programs. As Stay in Softball grows larger we aim to increase the number and scope of these programs. The three programs are:
Free Clinics and Lessons
Free Clinics: SIS sponsors free clinics to help girls learn and improve their softball skills. The clinics are geared towards recreational or school level players and are coached by elite private instructors, professional softball players and elite travel team coaches. SIS volunteers who are club softball players also volunteer at the clinics to help demonstrate skills and assist the participants. Stay in Softball utilizes only elite, well respected instructors and coaches to coach its clinics. Our goal is to ensure that the fundamentals being taught at ALL of our free clinics are technically correct and are being taught by instructors and coaches who have a proven track record. Many of our instructors are also known and respected on a national basis.
Free Coaching Clinics: SIS sponsors free coaching clinics for recreational and school level coaches. Clinics are held for both beginning and advanced coaches and are coached by elite private instructors, professional softball players and elite travel team coaches. SIS volunteers who are club softball players also volunteer at the clinics to help demonstrate skills.
Free Pitching Program: SIS also has a pitching program geared towards helping new pitchers develop their skills and keep pitching throughout the entire year. This program is limited to low income players and consists of a combination of free small group clinics and individual lessons. Players are considered for the program by being referred by their coach. Players must agree to meet attendance and practice standards in order to continue in the program.
SIS collects used softball equipment and solicits companies and other sponsors for new equipment to donate to teams and players who may otherwise not be able to afford it. SIS distributes the equipment at the free clinics and also take requests for equipment donations from coaches and instructors on behalf of teams and individual players.
SIS seeks to assist players and teams who are unable to afford softball fees and expenses. SIS helps support inner city, rural and low income teams lacking adequate funding. SIS will consider supporting fundraising events for teams or families experiencing extreme hardship or emergencies on a case by case basis. For more information, please contact us.