PHILADELPHIA – USA Baseball and the School District of Philadelphia co-hosted a Fun At Bat Day of Play at Mayfair School today, engaging K-8 students in bat-and-ball sports through fundamental, skills-based curriculum emphasizing character development, functional movement, literacy, active play, and fun.
During the event, Mayfield School physical education teachers, leaders from The School District of Philadelphia, and USA Baseball staff highlighted the Fun At Bat program’s integration into school-based learning environments and its role in expanding access to baseball at the grassroots level.
“The District has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Fun At Bat,” said Nancy Nayowith, the Director of Health and Physical Education for The School District of Philadelphia. “Our partnership has resulted in access to curriculum and equipment for all interested schools. In turn, this has provided an opportunity for students to develop motor skills and baseball concepts through implementation of the programming and materials. We owe a debt of gratitude to the support shown to the students of the School District of Philadelphia by the Fun At Bat program.”
“Mayfair School is proud to have the opportunity to partner with USA Baseball to provide our students with the opportunity to engage in the Fun At Bat physical education program,” said Mayfair School Assistant Principal Maria Bonfiglio. “These types of partnerships not only encourage healthy lifestyles but also allow students to develop vital skills like collaboration, perseverance, and leadership, which extend far beyond the baseball field into the classroom and broader community. The Fun At Bat curriculum and equipment are an excellent addition to our Health and Physical Education curricula and Socialized Recess program, both of which have seen huge successes that can be attributed to our Physical Education teachers. We are excited to see the continued positive impact within our school and community.”
Students kicked the event off in an active start session followed by three instructional stations utilizing the free Fun At Bat equipment kit: throwing, catching and fielding, and hitting. The activities were designed using the latest Fun At Bat curricula, developed in partnership with Shape America, to builds foundational skills in an engaging and inclusive setting. Mayfield School physical education teachers and volunteers incorporated lessons from the Fun At Bat Championship Principles book throughout the day, strengthening concepts such as responsibility, helping others, doing your best, never giving up, teamwork, honesty, leadership, and being supportive during the sessions. Participants also received giveaways as part of the experience.
“The School District of Philadelphia has been an outstanding partner in hosting today’s Day of Play and bringing Fun At Bat to over thirty thousand students,” said USA Baseball Senior Director of Youth Programs & Education Tyler Collins. “Offering access to bat-and-ball sports at an early age is critical to sustained participation and skill development, and USA Baseball is proud to continue provide opportunities to introduce baseball to kids across the country in a fun, inclusive, and impactful way.”
The Fun At Bat program, launched in 2017 by USA Baseball in conjunction with Major League Baseball (MLB), stands as one of the leading school-based youth initiatives, reaching more than 6.5 million participants worldwide. Designed for elementary school physical education classes, Fun At Bat is a FREE program that provides teachers with ready-to-use resources to engage students in bat-and-ball sports while promoting healthy lifestyles and character development.
Since its inception, Fun At Bat has grown rapidly, expanding from 580 schools and 290,500 U.S. students in 2017 to more than 9,700 schools and 4.55 million U.S. students. The program’s expansion demonstrates its impact in classrooms across the country, with more than 1,320 new schools and 570,000 new students added last year alone, reaffirming USA Baseball and MLB’s commitment to growing baseball in the United States.
