On a warm fall morning at the Accelerated Learning Academy campus in the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, the best Indigenous baseball and softball athletes in the Valley flashed their leather during the inaugural Indigenous Spring Ball Showcase. 

This year, management and staff from the Phoenix Indian Center have been creating plans with neighboring tribal communities to further advance the dreams and goals of Indigenous peoples in Indian Country, specifically in Arizona. The showcase was a collaboration between the Phoenix Indian Center, SRPMIC and the Accelerated Learning Academy campus. 

With the rapid ascension of all-star pitcher Ryan Helsley (Cherokee Nation) during this year’s recent Major League Baseball season, it’s more than apparent that the talent in Indian Country is there, but the opportunities just need to be more readily available. 

That’s why the Phoenix Indian Center and SRPMIC decided to step in. 

“This is the first time ever that we have put together a showcase for our Indigenous-identifying athletes in baseball and softball,” said Phoenix Indian Center Youth Program Manager Quentin Begay.

In previous years, the Phoenix Indian Center hosted sports showcases for Indigenous youth; however, they were only for football and volleyball.

More than 50 Indigenous athletes spent the morning of November 23 participating in baseball and softball drills, with each station operated by highly trained coaches and staff. The event also welcomed family members to attend and capture video and photos of their athletes while they participated in on-field drills to help generate content for their college-recruitment portfolios. For some athletes, the showcase was the first time they have been coached by staff from the collegiate level. 

“This [Spring Ball Showcase] is something new the Center deemed necessary to highlight additional Indigenous athletes,” Begay stated. 

Each of the athletes in the showcase was required to bring their own uniform and equipment. Coaches and athletic staff from Phoenix’s Alhambra High School and the University of Arizona, along with former collegiate baseball and softball athletes, handled everything else as they taught the future superstars of the game the fundamentals. 

Now, with less than 75 days until pitchers and catchers report for the new MLB season, events like the showcase prove that we will continue to see Indian Country well represented on the baseball and softball diamonds in both college ball and the pros. 

To remain up to date on upcoming events involving the Phoenix Indian Center Youth Programs, interested individuals can contact them directly via email at youthprograms@phxindcenter.org or by phone at (602) 264-6768.