'Junior Giants' Program Readies For Virtual Summer

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — The Junior Giants are kicking off a new season.

The longtime San Francisco Giants program opens its summer season on Monday with a program adapted to the demands of the coronavirus crisis, moving from grass fields to an online environment.

The Junior Giants program aims to foster a healthy developmental environment for underserved youths

The "Junior Giants at Home" endeavors to teach boys and girls important lessons in education, health, bullying prevention and character development, while accommodating social distancing guidelines.

The Junior Giants program is in its 29th year, serving youths in Northern California, Nevada and Oregon.

The summer season is identical to the four-week season that launched in May in most respects, however players may have new teammates and could interact with new leagues, and some of the some of the training sessions have been changed to keep the program engaging for returning players.

A second virtual summer season will start July 6.

Since its May launch, the Junior Giants at Home program has enrolled more than 4,100 participants across 24 states and four countries.

The four-week program will provide youths aged 5-18 the opportunity to connect with other local players through live team-based practices led by the Fund's team of AmeriCorps Ambassadors and the San Francisco Giants coaching staff.

Age-specific sessions will be scheduled twice a week for 25-30 minutes and will include indoor-friendly warmups, exercises and instructional training videos created by San Francisco Giants Manager Gabe Kapler and his coaching staff.

"Baseball and softball have had a profound impact on the lives of our coaching staff, which is why we're excited to partner with the Junior Giants and bring the values these leagues embody indoors while we can't be with our teammates," Kapler said. "We wish every Junior Giants player a happy and healthy season and look forward to seeing everyone return to play soon."

Junior Giants Senior Manager Nicole Catchatoorian said it's especially important to provide structure to youths during the coronavirus crisis.

"Now more than ever, we believe there is a need for positive programming for our kids and families as we navigate the new normal of daily life," Catchatoorian said.

"Through the four-week program, our hope is to bring the excitement and sense of community each Junior Giants player experiences on the field, into the comfort of their own homes."

Families can sign up to participate by visiting jrgiantsathome.org. Registration will be accepted on a rolling basis. All youth are welcome to sign up, even if they have not previously participated in Junior Giants.

What to know:

• Families can sign up to participate by visiting jrgiantsathome.org (families can sign up for the specific league they’re located within (e.g. South San Francisco) but their friends and family across the country can also participate by selecting the “Out of Market” league)
• Registration will be accepted on a rolling basis. All youth are welcome to sign up, even if they have not previously played Junior Giants.
• Starting the week of June 8, age-specific sessions will be scheduled twice a week for 25-30 minutes and will include indoor-friendly warmups, exercises and instructional training videos created by Giants manager Gabe Kapler and his coaching staff (footage here).