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Major League Baseball - First Pitch

Major League Baseball (MLB) is focused on increasing awareness of baseball across the globe with the ultimate goal of making our sport a global passion. MLB First Pitch is a programme that offers fun and inclusive resources to spark an interest in physical activity, sport and the game of baseball through play and basic skill development.

Useful Resources

Description

The programme provides content orientation and training to upskill key stage 2 (KS2) teachers to support the development of children and young people’s health, wellbeing and wider skill and personal development. MLB First Pitch resources, along with an equipment pack, will be provided to aid the delivery of baseball-related activities in lesson time, as a mini festival or an informal competition.

We are looking to target through an invite only approach to recruit 12 new hub schools across academic year 2025/2026.

The programme will look to address the challenges of:

  • Confidence and competence of teachers to deliver high quality PE for young people.
  • Tackling inactivity in young people and supporting their physical wellbeing and physical literacy development.
  • Engage parents, families and with local community clubs.

Expectations of hub schools

  • A hub school is responsible for recruiting primary schools to sign up and access face-to-face MLB First Pitch teacher training. Minimum of 10 schools, up to a maximum of 25 schools (subject to availability).
  • Following the training you will support schools to deliver MLB First Pitch to a minimum of 30 pupils per school who will report their reach through our data collection.
  • Aspirational: Host a festival for participating schools.
  • Aspirational: Foster school to community club connections with local baseball club where available.

What support will successful schools receive from Youth Sport Trust?

  • Each hub school will have access to a face-to-face ‘MLB First Pitch Teacher Training’ CPD hosted locally for primary schools to attend.
  • Each school involved in the programme will receive a free copy of the MLB First Pitch resources and equipment to deliver MLB First Pitch in their school.
  • Programme Manager support from the YST Development Manager with responsibility for the Major League Baseball First Pitch programme.
  • Plus, support from BaseballSoftballUK to connect with a local junior baseball or softball club to help children transition between school and club environments and develop club/school links.

Duration: This programme takes place between 1 December 2025 - 31 July 2026. The deadline for expressions of interest is 18 July 2025.

Find out more: about MLB First Pitch by speaking to the programme manager, Louise Gray, at [email protected]