MILWAUKEE — A new baseball facility on Milwaukee’s South Side opened this weekend, with a mission to support young athletes in disadvantaged areas.
The nonprofit Milwaukee Baseball Club (MBC) partnered with the Milwaukee Brewers Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities program (RBI) to transform an old building where solar panels were manufactured into a hub offering athletic, academic and artistic resources.
What You Need To Know
- Milwaukee Baseball Club and Milwaukee Brewers RBI partnered to open a baseball facility for youth athletes in underserved communities
- The MBC facility features five batting cages, two pitching tunnels, a computer lab and three music rooms
- Organizers say it's a hub for athletic, academic and artistic excellence, on and off the field
- The facility hopes to level the playing field between Milwaukee-area city and suburban baseball players
MBC President Julian Haliga said the organization is not just about baseball.
“It’s about producing young men that are going to be leaders,” said Haliga.
He created MBC back in 2009 with the goal to level the playing field for inner-city kids by addressing financial barriers, lack of support and guidance.
Haliga said it can cost players and their families thousands of dollars annually to participate in a comprehensive baseball program.
“I saw the need and every year, it’s consistent. New kids show up, new kids get better, they graduate, they go to college. They become cops, they become firemen, they become outstanding citizens,” said Haliga.
A true testament to MBC’s path to success is Jon Caban, a fifth-grade teacher at St. Augustine Prep in Milwaukee, and the MBC director of programming.
At 12 years old, Caban said he was unsure what opportunities were out there. That was until he found the Milwaukee Baseball Club.
“We created the first team. At the time, it was called the South Siders. That’s when it all started,” said Caban.
He said it’s a full circle moment for him to be back with MBC, now coaching the future generation of baseball players.
“I want the City of Milwaukee to do well. I want our kids from here to do well. I want us to be able to grow and make an impact through the game of baseball, to show that although there’s disadvantages, we can still succeed,” said Caban.
The facility features five full-length batting cages, two pitching tunnels, a computer lab and three music rooms.
SAT/ACT prep will also be offered at the facility, so that students can succeed on and off the field.
Milwaukee Brewers RBI program, and private and public donations helped make the revival possible.