Cops and Kids Baseball Kicks Off Inaugural Season in Woodstock

Wednesday, 21 July 2021 13:40

WPS officers are volunteering their time this summer to coach and mentor kids, who normally don't get a chance to play organized sports in the great game of baseball.

WOODSTOCK - The Woodstock Police Service was thrilled to kick start the inaugural Cops and Kids baseball program today.

Officers volunteered their time to coach local kids and teach them the game of baseball. The program was supposed to start last year but was delayed because of COVID-19. Around 20 kids have signed up this year.

Special Constable Shaylyn Jackson says the goal of the program is to give kids a chance to play organized sports.

"We have partnered with a couple of community organizations and they have connected us with kids who maybe don't normally get the opportunity to participate in organized sports and we are providing them that opportunity by having our officers, volunteer their time as coaches to mentor and coach the kids in playing baseball this summer."

Canadian Tire Jump Start has helped out with the program as well, providing gloves and bats for the program, so every kid can have their own baseball glove.

Right now they are starting with just 20 kids for the 2021 season, with the hopes of expanding to 4 teams next summer. They will be playing baseball every Wednesday.

Jackson says they also have a community element for this as well.

"We will have a couple of community clean up days because as part of this mentorship and relationship building program, we want to instill some community mindedness."

They will be doing the clean ups in the areas of town where the kids live. Jackson notes the officers had just as much fun as the kids today playing baseball.

"The kids had a great time, they seemed really excited and really engaged and they really seemed to have a good time today and I think the officers had just as much fun as the kids did."

Local restaurants have also helped out, by providing free lunches. Today it was Boston Pizza who dropped off some pizzas for lunch. The City of Woodstock is also providing transit to make sure every kid in the program is able to attend.