L.E.A.D. (Launch, Expose, Advise, Direct)

A burdened man

2012-02-27T06:18:00.005-08:00

I know that I can't save every troubled child in the world but I'm definitely going to try to save every Atlanta Public Schools student that wants to play baseball with the goal to access college. My organization L.E.A.D. provides inner city Atlanta youth access to higher education and civic engagement through baseball. For several inner city Atlanta APS students, going to college is non achievable due to social and economical circumstances.

God put the love of baseball on my heart at the age of 10. My relationship with Him, my family and baseball have made me the person that I am today with a long lasting legacy.

It's that time of year again when baseball becomes relevant in the U.S. The Braves are preparing to beat the Rangers in the 2012 World Series. Go Braves! You will also notice articles and interviews with regards to the decline of African-Africans in baseball. It humors me when it is said that African-American youth "choose" to play basketball and football over baseball. The reality is that baseball requires instruction and lots of time to develop the skills of hitting, throwing, fielding, etc. Access to professional instruction is expensive. The solution to this problem is a burdened man.

I am burdened and a on a mission to increase the number of African-Americans that are competing in baseball at the collegiate level. Currently, there are less than 5% of African-Americans competing in the NCAA.

I never thought as a child that I wouldn't achieve my goal of playing professional baseball for the Chicago Cubs. I had too many positive people on my side in order for me to fail. I won't fail the young men in Atlanta that want to be like me. L.E.A.D. Today...Change Tomorrow.

Atlanta Public Schools (APS) currently graduates 34% of its African-American males from high school. Going to college and graduating with a career for these young men changes an entire community.

L.E.A.D. succeeds with four pillars of excellence: academics, baseball, service/civic engagement and exposure. Since 2007, 100% of my L.E.A.D. Ambassadors graduate from high school and enroll in college while 89% enroll with a baseball scholarship.

This isn't rocket science. Making an impact can be done if you want to do it. You truly have to be burdened, willing and able. I have days when I feel that I am invincible then I have days when I question if I'm making a difference. I continue because God has put this on my heart to be a change agent. Inner city Atlanta was home for me as a child. Without my experiences, I wouldn't understand what young African-American males face daily. I have the capacity to help so that is what I will do.

When your only tool in life is a hammer, everything begins to look like a nail. On my watch, inner city Atlanta males are receiving the tools required to access college and a career upon graduation. That is impact. You can impress people from a distance, but you can only impact them close up.

APS serves over 46,000 students and 79% of those students live at or below the poverty level. As a high school baseball player, expect to pay over $8,000 per year for training and exposure if you want to receive a baseball scholarship. Baseball isn't what it used to be. You have to pay to play today.

Through God's will, you can count on me to continue to knock down walls and open doors for any young man in this city that wants to play this game in college. Why wouldn't I, somebody did it for me.

Help me help others through L.E.A.D.

1. If you love baseball, "Like" L.E.A.D. at www.Facebook.com/LEAD2Legacy

2. Join our L.E.A.D. Young Professionals Tailgate Club

What's So Funny?

2012-02-22T11:22:00.003-08:00

Nothing.

That's what. Nothing is funny.

Failing schools, failing leadership, failing communities; that's what is being depicted in the media and that's what our children are seeing..hearing...absorbing.

Merriam-Webster defines propaganda as "ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one's cause or to damage an opposing cause". While I am in no way saying that all the things that are said about our schools, leadership and communities are true or not true, I am definitely saying that there is too much GOOD that goes unreported.

So in that spirit, it's time for L.E.A.D. to invoke a little propaganda of its own- the good kind of course, that deliberately spreads facts and ideas to further a cause: L.E.A.D.'s cause.

Drum roll please....

Voices of L.E.A.D. is a resource that we'll use to talk about some of those negative things being reported in the media, however, we will talk about them in the context of how L.E.A.D. trained student-athletes are coping with and overcoming them. Voices of L.E.A.D. will appear in different communication mediums and I'm really excited about the way we are launching this program.

With issues this serious, the best way to attack them is with a sense of humor, so our first offering will be via a comic strip.

Yes- a comic strip where you just might see some familiar faces.

So without further delay, here's our first offering of Voices of L.E.A.D.

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Breaking Chains

Click www.lead2legacy.org to learn more and give.

Black History Month Legend of the Day: Monica Pearson

2012-02-21T04:14:00.000-08:00

Monica Pearson has been an honorary member of my family since I was born. She gave Atlanta good news and sometimes bad news. She gave African-Americans a strong since of accomplishment. She connected communities.

Mrs. Pearson will retire this year after 37 years of service to Atlanta. She was the first African-American and female evening news anchor in Atlanta. Her signature hair styles set the trends and kept beauticians busy. Her skin and smile is so radiant that it makes the cameras appear to be high tech.

I was present yesterday when she received a Proclamation from City Councilman Michael Julian Bond. There were hundreds of people there to say thank you to Mrs. Pearson. To my surprise, she spoke to everyone in attendance. To the people that know her best, they say that is Monica being Monica. I figured that it would be overwhelming to give that much attention to so many people but she did it.

I was fortunate to get a huge and a photo with her. Mrs. Pearson is Atlanta. She is a living legend and it was an honor to meet her. It was like she knew me already. She is the epitome of class.

Atlanta is a renowned city that has produced many amazing icons but we wouldn't be complete without the voice of Monica Pearson. I'm not sure what she will do in her retirement but I and thousands of others will remain a fan of hers.

Black History Month Legend of the Day: Smokey Robinson

2012-02-18T06:06:00.004-08:00

My first introduction to music was listening to Smokey Robinson. Like Mars candy bars, my dad loved Smokey Robinson.

Back in the day, Mr. Robinson was revered as an accomplished artist. Today, he is a world icon. Smokey wrote songs that brought people together in this country when we were still separated.

Over a period of time, most things stay the same and often time fade away. Like my dad, Smokey continues to get stronger.

I am so glad that my dad introduced me to Smokey because I have been able to track his success. He has adjusted to the times yet maintained his identity. I strive to do the same. Before I approach the fourth quarter of my life, I want to be referred to as an icon. If so, that means that I have helped a lot of people.

Thank you dad for being great and thank you for introducing me to greatness at such a young age.

Black History Month Legend of the Day: Alonzo Herndon

2012-02-16T07:41:00.002-08:00

Living in Atlanta has so many advantages. As a child, I was exposed to so much through my parents and the Atlanta Public School System. That exposure made it difficult for me to decide what I wanted to become in life. That's a good problem to have.

One of the first field trips that I can remember taking in elementary school was to the Herndon Home. Just to think that in the early 1900's, a black man was doing something that he loved, impacting an entire city while obtaining wealth. Looked like the perfect role model for me.

Mr. Alonzo Herndon's first successful business venture was a barber shop in Atlanta on Peachtree Street. I hear stories about the marble floors and chandeliers. Here is a black man with a barber shop on Peachtree Street with a clientele of the most successful white men in the south. Mr. Herndon became Atlanta's first black millionaire.

The barber shop on Peachtree later became Atlanta Life Insurance which has expanded and continues to thrive.

As I walked through the Herndon Home as a third grader, I decided that I wanted to be successful just like Mr. Herndon. I knew that I could do it because he did it.

Today, I am one of the most respected baseball instructors in the country. The seed of striving for excellence was nurtured in the Herndon Home. Thank you Mr. Herndon. Your legacy of excellence lives on through me.

Black History Month Legend of the Day: Hosea Williams

2012-02-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

I remember Tj Wilson taking me to Forsyth County for a batting session with Denny Pritchett while I was in high school. As we drove into the rural town, my heartbeat raced because I was looking for the Klansmen (KKK). Thank God that I never saw them.

Ten years prior, I watched civil rights activist Hosea Williams marching in Forsyth and being attacked by Klansmen with rocks on television. I associated Forsyth County with hate towards blacks.

Ironically, Mr. Williams made it possible for me to receive baseball instruction so that I would later receive a college education at Georgia State University and play professionally for the Chicago Cubs.

Forsyth County became a land of opportunity for an African-American boy from the inner city of Atlanta.

Thank you Mr. Williams for your sacrifice and commitment to the equal rights of all humans. I will continue to show my appreciation to you through L.E.A.D.

Black History Month Legend of the Day: James "Red" Moore

2012-02-07T10:27:00.000-08:00

Where would baseball be without the legacy of the Negro League players. In the famous words of Negro League founder Rube Foster, "We are the ship, all else is the sea." African-Americans weren't allowed to play in the major leagues so he had the audacity to establish the Negro Leagues and made it great.

We all know about players such as Jackie Robinson and Hank Aaron. Did you know that Booker T. Washington High School (Atlanta, GA) graduated a respected Negro League player?

James Moore, commonly known as "Red" was born in Atlanta, GA in 1916. He played on several Negro League teams but played his best ball with the hometown Atlanta Black Crackers.

"Red" is a living legend. I have had the pleasure of meeting him on several occasions listening to great stories. He expressed how proud that he was of me for establishing L.E.A.D. in his hometown.

There are thousands of African-American males in Atlanta that would love the opportunity to embrace this game that "Red" still lives for. How can it continue to be said that inner city boys don't want to play baseball? We are talking about baseball. African-Americans have been playing baseball since the days of slavery.

Our country has a problem. There are less than 8% of African-Americans playing baseball at the major league level and less than 5% in the NCAA. Every problem creates an opportunity and L.E.A.D. is the solution. Check our success rate of converting raw African-American talent to college strident-athletes at www.Lead2Legacy.org.

Thank you for inspiring me Mr. James "Red" Moore.

Black History Month Legend of the Day: A.D. Williams King

2012-02-06T07:44:00.000-08:00

As a child and up until a month ago, I played at A.D. Williams Park in Northwest Atlanta off Hightower Road not knowing who Mr. Williams was. I knew that he had to be somebody special in order to have a park with his namesake.

A month ago, I attended a worship service at Ebenezer Baptist Church and discovered that Mr. Williams King was in fact an ordained minister and Civil Rights leader like his older brother, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Alfred Daniel Williams King (A.D. Williams) was born in Atlanta, GA on July 30, 1930 to Rev. Martin Luther King, Sr. and Mrs. Alberta Williams King and died July 21, 1969.

I am far from a historian. I am however making it a habit to learn about the legacy of men that did so much for society and called Atlanta home.

A.D. Williams is more than a name on a sign at park. He is one of the reasons that I can lead.

Get to know Mr. A.D. Williams King.

Black History Month Legend of the Day: Dr. Alonzo Crim

2012-02-03T06:28:00.000-08:00

I attended Grove Park Elementary School (APS) for grades 1st through 5th. During that time, Dr. Alonzo Crim was our superintendent for Atlanta Public Schools. I never met him personally but I saw him often walking the halls at the school. My overall experience with APS was great and I associated that with the head man in charge. As an adult, I now realize that Dr. Crim was more than just the “head man in charge”.

Dr. Crim came to Atlanta Public Schools in 1973 on a mission to give every child in the district an opportunity to receive a quality education regardless of complexion or skin color. In 1972, the Atlanta Compromise was proposed as part of the settlement of the federal de-segregation suit and constituted that Atlanta Public Schools had to adjust their administrative staff so that 50% of the staff would be African American. In addition, APS had to hire an African American superintendent of schools. Cited

In 1973, Alonzo A. Crim, who was serving as the superintendent of a school county in Carmel, California at the time, became the first black superintendent of a school county in the South. He made it his mission to focus on providing quality education to every child in the district regardless of the complexion of their skin. Cited

Upon accepting his invitation, he remarked that he wanted to create a county “where students would know that people cared about them”, and provide them with the tools necessary to achieve their greatest potential. Dr. Crim turned the focus from race to that of learning by initiating what he termed a “Community of Believers” – a network that consisted of Atlanta organizations and individuals who believed in the potential of the city’s children and who were willing to invest time and money in that potential. To Dr. Crim, “belief by the community at large must include the following factors: 1.) Each student is a valuable person fully capable of learning, 2.) our school system can bring about learning, 3.) the economic failure of the nation is dependent on the academic achievement of all students, and therefore, 4.) every person in the total community is a stakeholder and has a vested interest in the Atlanta Public School System.” By 1986, Dr. Crim managed to increase the students’ performance level in basic skills to above the national average, significantly increased attendance rates to higher than 92%, and brought the graduation rate up to more than 70%. He was longest tenured African-American superintendent in the nation by 1986. Cited

My organization L.E.A.D. is a “Community of Believers”. There are currently 46,000 students in the Atlanta Public School System. 79% of the families in APS live at or below the poverty level. Without a “Community of Believers” supporting our students in APS, there will be a loss of hope and increase of bad habits. Dr. Crim has a legacy of believing and achieving. When the book is closed, I want it to be said that Coach CJ believed in us as well.

Black History Month Legend of the Day: Benjamin Elijah Mays

2012-02-01T06:45:00.000-08:00

Benjamin Elijah Mays (August 1, 1894 – March 28, 1984) was an American minister, educator, scholar, social activist and the president of Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA from 1940 to 1967. Mays was also a significant mentor to civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and was among the most articulate and outspoken critics of segregation before the rise of the modern civil rights movement in the United States. (Wikipedia)

Mentorship requires knowledge, a willingness to share information and experiences and consistent availability to your mentee.

The accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. are well documented but the world knows very little about the men that guided him. Benjamin E. Mays was one of those men. I remember being a 1st grader at Grove Park Elementary School (APS) in 1982 and receiving my first Quotable Quotes book by Mr. Mays. This book was like the bible to our teachers. We read inspirational quotes from it every day during school. Those quotes provided hope because of the person that said it. One of my favorites is “It must be borne in mind that the tragedy of life does not lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy of life lies in having no goal to reach.”

I take my role of mentorship very seriously because there are hundreds of young men that see value in following me because of what I know and what I’m willing to expose them to. Baseball is my life. The game measures your success based on how often you fail. It trains you to overcome adversity and the true meaning of perseverance.

Setting a goal can be the easy part. Achieving it is extremely difficult. Having a reliable mentor makes anything possible. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream and Benjamin Elijah Mays helped it become a reality.

L.E.A.D. Today…Change Tomorrow!

The legacy of a King

2012-01-13T05:42:00.000-08:00

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. died at the age of 39 but his legacy lives on through so many of us. I remember as a child watching countless documentary’s about Dr. King. You couldn’t live in Atlanta and attend an Atlanta Public School without knowing who Dr. King was. There were photos throughout the schools to serve as a reminder of his servant leadership.

How fascinating it is that God would choose a man and use him to empower millions. Dr. King was here on Earth for a purpose. He was on a tour of duty led by God the Father.

What’s your purpose in life? What will be your legacy?

What a friend we have in Jesus. Jesus gave his life so that we may live life abundantly. I’m living life abundantly. Through baseball, I help shape the lives of young men and women. Not all of my mentees will be major league baseball players like Dexter Fowler. Some are attorneys. Some will be entrepreneurs. One may be the President of the United States.

God has a calling on my life to lead. I accept the responsibility with humility. I am willing to learn from others and be an Ambassador. I’m not living my life for me. I’m living my life for God and it is a pleasure to serve you. Continue to pray for me.

If your presence on this Earth doesn’t make an impact, your absence won’t make a difference. Thank you Dr. King for accepting the calling on your life from God. Thank you for leaving a legacy that continues to empower me and millions of others.

I will continue to L.E.A.D. and Direct!

Like the things that you love

2012-01-09T05:01:00.000-08:00

I've loved baseball every since I was a kid. It started with me watching games on television. I remember my dad buying me a wooden bat from Kmart and I would hit rocks outside all day.

Those of us that love baseball have so many stories to tell about getting your first glove, playing catch with your best friend or going to your first major league game.

When I was a kid, playing competitive baseball cost less than $200 per year. Today, you can't even buy a glove with that. If you don't invest at least $5,000 per year for year round baseball, you have no chance to compete for a college baseball scholarship. There are currently less than 7% of African-Americans competing in baseball at the college level. Click here to learn more.

L.E.A.D. uses baseball to help inner city Atlanta males access college. Our success rate has never been achieved in America prior to L.E.A.D. To date, 100% of our Ambassadors have graduated from high school and enrolled on college while 89% of them have have enrolled in college with a baseball scholarship. The state of Georgia currently graduates 45% of it's African American males from high school.

What L.E.A.D. needs now more than ever is support from communities across Atlanta and throughout America. If you love baseball, "Like" L.E.A.D. Please share with your friends and network!

Meet The Ambassadors

2012-01-07T12:24:00.000-08:00

Being an Ambassador is all about making the sacrifice to learn and then being willing to share what you learned with others for the sake of empowering them.

We began the process of selecting our 2012 L.E.A.D. Ambassadors in the fall of 2011 during our Legacy League fall instructional play program. Forty high school males competed for 18 L.E.A.D. Ambassador spots.

The Ambassadors represent the best of L.E.A.D. in four areas of excellence: academics, athletics, service and exposure. Since November 2011, our Ambassadors have raised funds for families in need, toured the CDC and the Jimmy Carter Center and learned the same skills of hitting like Dexter Fowler and Jason Heyward at Diamond Directors.

Today, the Ambassadors are sharing what they have learned with the Atlanta community during our annual Meet The Ambassadors event. Through L.E.A.D., we are truly transforming communities by connecting communities.

The Ambassadors are truly celebrities. These are our change agents that are invested in Atlanta and are willing to learn how to lead the way.

We all offer tremendous value to the world. We all have a story to tell that can empower others. Follow the story of L.E.A.D. in 2012 as we continue to L.E.A.D. Today and Change Tomorrow!

Meet The Ambassadors
*Elder, Mendez (Grady)
Jackson, Rhandal (Mays)
Morgan, Jerald (Mays)
Ratliff, Quinton (Washington)
Martin, Miles (North Atlanta)
Reed, Cedric (Carver)
Reed, Cornelius (Carver)
Booker, Antwain (Tri-Cities)
Booker, Darvell (Tri-Cities)
Hodge, Marcus (SW Dekalb)
Sinkfield, Marquese (Grady)
Muhummad, Earl (Grady)
Key, Santoine (Redan)
Phiffer, Julian (Mays)
Willingham, Jamarcus (Therrell)
Thompson, Dexwin (Therrell)
Mackenzie, Russell (Therrell)
Cornell (Hughes)
Hyde, Max (Hughes)

*Honorary Ambassador

If I can do these 3 things in 2012, I...

2011-12-27T11:44:00.000-08:00

It's that time again to set new goals for a new year. 2011 was good to me but improvement has never killed anybody.

In 2012, I want to become more patient, more consistent and execute at a higher rate.

I wouldn't call myself a perfectionist but I do like for things to be done with excellence. I have high standards because of exposure that I have received in my life time. I have to remind myself that I'm a long way from being considered as the gold standard of human beings on Earth. With patience, we can all become great. Thank God for my family members and friends for being patient with me. In the most loving way possible, I ask that you remind me when I lack patience.

Being good at something means that you can do it it once and maybe even a few times. To be great is to be consistent meaning you do good things most of the time. My intentions are good but laziness and not being aware causes me to be inconsistent. I want to be a great husband, father, son, leader, friend, mentor and more. To be more consistent in 2012 would be amazing.

I'm a visionary and I love it. My mind races all day and all night with ideas. I'm convinced that I have come up with several million dollar ideas in my lifetime but my bank account doesn't reflect it because of lack of execution. Execution requires patience and consistency.

Father God, help me to be a good steward of the time and talents that you have blessed me with. Allow me to receive the blessings provided by my family and friends. Remind me that everything that I do must be done for your glory. All these things that I ask in your son Jesus Christ name. Amen.

You are the best gift to L.E.A.D.

2011-12-22T06:18:00.000-08:00

I'm biased but I think that Atlanta is the best city in America. So much history and so much innovation. We are an international city that sets many trends.

We have gotten away from something that we were once known for. Did you know that several influential men wanted a baseball team in Atlanta so bad that they went to Milwaukee and purchased the Braves before we even had a stadium. Did you know that Aaron's Rents founder Charlie Loudermilk provided chairs and tents to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights Movements. Charlie jeopardized the success of his business for another Atlantan despite him being black.

These are two classic examples of the "Atlanta Way". L.E.A.D. was created with the "Atlanta Way" in mind. My blessings are your blessings.

L.E.A.D. is a year round youth development organization that uses baseball to provide access to college for inner city Atlanta males. We serve over 180 student-athletes annually with four signature programs. Since 2007, 100% of our Ambassadors graduate from high school and enroll in college while 89% of them enroll with a baseball scholarship. As an organization, we complete over 2,200 community service hours annually.

With Christmas right around the corner, I have a gift request to ask of you for the Ambassadors. Click here to "Like" us on Facebook and "Follow" us on Twitter. It is only through continuous prayers and community support that L.E.A.D. will continue to thrive.

We are Atlanta and there is a need for L.E.A.D. L.E.A.D. is more than me. L.E.A.D. is also you. L.E.A.D. is we and we are Atlantans.

Click here to enjoy our newly designed L.E.A.D. website and we look forward to serving with you in 2012. It's the "Atlanta Way".

APS hit a homerun for its student-athletes

2011-12-13T08:02:00.000-08:00

As an 8-year-old African-American male living in Atlanta, GA, I dreamed of playing professional baseball with the Chicago Cubs and becoming a "businessman" as my back up plan.

Over the years, I've had hundreds of people pour into me to make my dreams a reality; I did play for the Chicago Cubs and I am a successful business owner and philanthropist.

Thank God for my mom and dad and my family. Thank God for the Atlanta Public School System (APS) and all of my Grove Park Elementary School teachers. Thank God for the patience of my first baseball coach Emmett Johnson who still serves on the APS School Board. Thank God for my wife, daughters, all of my coaches, teachers, principals, mentors and friends. Without you, success for me still would have remained a dream.

Yesterday evening, I along with several of my L.E.A.D. Ambassadors and their family were recognized and honored by the Atlanta Public School Superintendent Erroll Davis as well as the APS Board of Education. The room was packed and they gave us a standing ovation for our continued commitment to excellence. Since 2007, 100% of my Ambassadors have graduated from high school and enrolled in college while 89% of my Ambassadors have enrolled in college with a baseball scholarship.

Standing behind my Ambassadors last night was a strong woman who has supported L.E.A.D. from the start. APS School Board Chairwoman Brenda Muhammad has been our #1 fan because of her passion for excellence in academics, athletics and community engagement. Her expectations are high and we aim to please.

It was so fitting for me to shake the hand of my first baseball coach Emmett Johnson last night as we were being honored. Maybe he knew all along that I wanted to become a leader and a change agent throughout the country. It just goes to show the positive influence that coaches have on youth. Mentorship matters.

I had to smile and laugh as I was being recognized to keep me from crying tears of joy. Often times, men go without recognition in their own hometown. I strive for excellence everyday while I'm on this Earth because I believe that God has given me a gift. It is also my civic duty to do so.

On behalf of L.E.A.D., I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to APS Superintendent Erroll Davis, APS Chairwoman Brenda Muhammad and the APS School Board for the special recognition. Like me, my Ambassadors have a sense of belonging and investment to the city of Atlanta so we will continue to represent you well.

APS worked for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It worked for me and it works for my Ambassadors. APS works for Atlanta.

We are more than bats and balls y'all

2011-12-08T05:27:00.001-08:00

Our L.E.A.D. Ambassadors have been selected and the real work has begun.

In our fall Legacy League program, a few Ambassadors expressed some academic struggles that they were experiencing during our daily group reflection time. I am pleased that their grades have improved and met my expectations. Believe it or not, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. received a C in a public speaking class while in college. Like baseball, life is all about making adjustments in order to be successful.

We still have a few disciplinary issues that require attention. As an adult, I am still working hard to learn how to properly express myself. Often times, young adults act out at school and home because they lack sound communication skills. We are looking forward to working with Drew Sisselman on December 18.

We've toured the Jimmy Carter Center thanks to my fellow Atlanta West End Rotarian Don Schewe. Exposure is a pillar of excellence for L.E.A.D. and something that we don't take for granted. As a kid, exposure gave me a sense of belonging and involvement in the great city of Atlanta. We will be welcomed as guest at WSB-TV as well as the Center of Disease and Control (CDC) in the new year.

The Ambassadors continue to raise funds to support individuals and other organizations in need through our annual Dollar Drive. We are donating $200.00 to support Amy Hosier and her family. Amy is a former Georgia Tech All-American that was recently diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer. We know that money alone won't solve the problem and we want Amy and her family to know that we are here to go to bat with her. Click here to go to bat with Amy.

As you can see, we stay busy even when it is too cold to get on the baseball field. We will have our first practice this Saturday at my Diamond Directors indoor training facility. I get excited when I see the Ambassadors. They are committed to my vision and I am committed to theirs. A perfect partnership.

On behalf of the Ambassadors and the entire L.E.A.D. family, we want to thank you for your continued support and partnership. Our newly designed website will launch soon and provide many ways that you can continue to support us as we continue to graduate our students-athletes from high school and ensure that they enroll in college.

Since 2007, 100% of our L.E.A.D. Ambassadors have graduated from high school and enrolled in college while 89% of them have enrolled with a baseball scholarship. We serve over 180 elementary, middle and high school student-athletes per year.

This impact is intentional! Join us at Lead2Legacy.org.

It's more than just a day now

2011-11-21T08:27:00.003-08:00

My plan was to write this blog last night but my mind and body was exhausted from the Dinner with Champions experience at Turner Field's 755 Club. I woke up this morning with my endorphins firing and had to put pen to paper.

Atlanta rallied behind L.E.A.D. in a major way last night. The program started with two great emcees, Sandra Golden and Chuck Dowdle of 680 The Fan. The crowd was welcomed by 2011 Jr. Ambassador Ryan Martin who attends B.E.S.T. Academy. I was moved by his words as he spoke about the impact that L.E.A.D. has on his life. Currently, 34% of Atlanta Public Schools African-American males graduate from high school. As a proud former APS student (Grove Park Elementary School), I know that the school system works but there are so many challenges within inner city Atlanta communities that makes it difficult to reach success. Thus the need for us as mentors to go to bat for inner city males everyday. We serve with dignity and love.

Jacarri Allen who attends John F. Kennedy Middle School spoke about the impact that L.E.A.D. has made in his life. I appreciated him being authentic. He told the audience that he came to L.E.A.D. with poor grades and a bad attitude and 10 months later, his grades continue to suffer. Jacarri is a brilliant kid who is in a transitional phase of his life. He will graduate from high school and enroll in college but it is going to take the support of the Atlanta community to make it possible. When Jacarri shines, America shines.

I am so ready to move mountains after hearing our keynote speaker John Hope Bryant last night. If we really want to make America better, we must invest in our youth. John made it clear to us all last night that it is a mistake to give up on individuals that are in transition in their life. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. received a C grade in public speaking while in seminary school. Steve Jobs struggled to make good grades. Our lives are all better today because of contributions to the world by these two powerful men. Thank you John Hope Bryant for answering L.E.A.D.'s call and providing hope to America everyday. I told John at the end of the evening that I am thankful that he wrote his book LOVE LEADERSHIP because it is difficult to take it all in when he is speaking. Dynamic!

Yesterday was a special day for L.E.A.D. to say the least. Thanks to Rendell Jackson, Atlanta Public Schools Office of Athletics and Michael Julian Bond, Atlanta City Councilman, Post 1 At Large, November 20th will always be recognized as C.J. Stewart Day and L.E.A.D. Day in Atlanta, GA. Wow! I have tears of joy again as I write this. This recognition means so much to me. Atlanta has been good to my family for generations. I am Atlanta because I serve. I am Atlanta because I lead. We are Atlanta because we RISE UP!

Special awards were presented to our Legacy Builders Michael J. Russell (HJ Russell & Company) and Sam Bacote. Our Community Partners are Victor Menocal (Excel Sports Management), Chuck Dowdle (680 The Fan), Walter C. Thomas (Thomas Barber Shop), Kathy Brandt (Rotary International), Lincoln Martin (former Houston Astros scout) and Tom Hughes (Hope Beckham PR).

The upcoming year is going to be full of excitement and many more families will be impacted. Communities will be changed because of the support of Atlanta. We are a great city! Let's all commit to increasing the high school graduation rate of African-American males from APS schools. L.E.A.D. has successfully graduated 100% of our Ambassadors from high school and they all have enrolled in college while 89% have enrolled with a baseball scholarship. There are thousands of young men in this city who need us. Click here to join us as we L.E.A.D. Today and Change Tomorrow!

Special thanks to my beautiful wife Kelli Stewart and my amazing daughters Mackenzi and Mackenna. Special thanks to our L.E.A.D. Weekend sponsors Atlanta Braves, Georgia's Own Credit Union, Aramark and 680 The Fan.

We were all CELEBRITIES today

2011-11-19T17:18:00.000-08:00

We couldn’t have ordered better weather for our 5^th Annual L.E.A.D. Celebrity Baseball Clinic at Turner Field. We had 60 clinic participants that had the time of their life.

Kelli, Mackenna and I arrived at Turner Field at 6:30AM knowing that today was going to be a great day because it has to be that way when Mary Jo Walker is involved.

For the first year, Kelli and I were able to relax and enjoy the clinic experience. D.J. Huyck, Ben Wolosick and Steve White handled the on field experience like champions. Dexter Fowler, Bobby Scales, Jon Mark Owings, Chris Epps and Travis Witherspoon had the kids swinging the bat with power from the Turner Field batting box. The kids were able to roam the outfield grass with Jason Heyward and Telvin Nash. Jemile Weeks and Tony Plagman taught them how to flash the leather in the infield dirt while Micah Owings and Jamel Mann showed the tools of the trade from the pitcher’s mound. Barbara Greene proved that baseball is 90% mental in her mental game of baseball workshop. Special thanks to all of the Kennesaw State University baseball players in attendance.

Doug Melton, ATS Graphics hung out with me for the VIP experience. He provided over 100 complimentary clinic t-shirts for all of the participants. We all remained refreshed with Blue-04 water. These were definitely homeruns for L.E.A.D.! Thank ya Kaisha Weeks!

Our annual Celebrity Clinic truly allows L.E.A.D. to connect communities throughout Atlanta. Serving others is the "Atlanta Way" and I’m so glad that we were allowed to L.E.A.D. the way!

Tomorrow is our 2^nd Annual Dinner with Champions Awards Ceremony at Turner Field’s 755 Club. Angie Chesin and Mary Jo Walker are on deck but they are batting 1.000 so I’m not worried. Our keynote speaker is John Hope Bryant. Talk about a dynamic speaker.

We will be officially announcing the 2012 L.E.A.D. Ambassadors as well as the 2011 Jason Heyward Award recipient. There are over 300 guest confirmed with a few tickets remaining. Click here to purchase your tickets. You don’t want to miss this. Our Legacy Builder recipients are Michael Russell (H.J. Russell & Company) and Sam Bacote. Community Awards will be presented to Victor Menocal (Excel Sports Management), Tom Hughes (Hope Beckham PR), Kathy Brandt (Rotary District 6900 Assistant Governor), Tommy Thomas (Thomas Barber Shop), Lincoln Martin (former Houston Astros scout) and Chuck Dowdle (680 The Fan).

Special thanks to the Atlanta Braves, Georgia's Own Credit Union, Aramark and 680 The Fan for sponsoring L.E.A.D. Weekend!

What it means to be Georgia's Own

2011-11-15T05:25:00.001-08:00

I'm Georgia's Own and that means that I have a responsibility to serve others in my state the same way that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did.

I'm Georgia's Own and that means that I must learn from the success of other communities and bring the good news and practices to the pecan state as Ambassador Andrew Young does.

I'm proud to be Georgia's Own along with my youth development organization L.E.A.D. L.E.A.D. successfully uses baseball to allow inner city Atlanta males to access college. Yesterday, Georgia's Own Credit Union raised over $28,000 for L.E.A.D. in it's annual golf tournament. This donation will allow L.E.A.D. to keep over 10 inner city males on track to graduate from high school and attend college. L.E.A.D. is a year round organization that serves over 180 middle and high school age males from the Atlanta Public School System. Our four pillars of excellence are athletics, academics, service and exposure.

The state of Georgia currently graduates 45% of African-American males from high school. Since 2007, L.E.A.D. has graduated 100% of our Ambassadors and they all have enrolled into college while 89% have enrolled in college with a baseball scholarship. We are transforming inner city communities with year round programs that are measured for success.

Our young men have a future and Georgia's Own Credit Union is helping them own it. Special thanks to Dave Preter, Georgia's Own/CEO, Julee Brunson, Georgia's Own; Vivian English, Georgia's Own; and Ted Wood, Morgan Stanley.

We are counting on the Atlanta community to continue to support L.E.A.D. Click here to purchase your tickets for L.E.A.D. Weekend 2011 at Turner Field Saturday, November 19-20.

What are we doing?

2011-11-01T16:39:00.001-07:00

The Legacy League is winding down. Twenty middle school and forty high school student-athletes continue to work hard to develop their baseball and leadership skills.

Our 3-month program provides a service opportunity each month, exposure to over five corporate industries and thousands of repetitions under the watchful eye of professionals.

One of the main purposes of the Legacy League is to help me identify the L.E.A.D. Ambassadors. We choose 20 Ambassadors that represent the best of L.E.A.D. from the 40 high school participants. The Ambassadors will be officially announced at L.E.A.D.'s 2nd Annual Dinner with Champions Awards Celebration. They will continue with their development with me through the summer.

Since 2007, 100% of my Ambassadors have graduated from high school and enrolled in college which 89% of them have enrolled with a baseball scholarship. Why commit to L.E.A.D.? Because we use baseball to launch educational opportunities.

I can do so much more with your support. Join us during L.E.A.D. Weekend 2011. Click here to learn more.

Legacy League Opening Day the Omega Psi Phi Way

2011-10-23T21:30:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a perfect day for four reasons.

1. I was able to spend time with my beautiful wife and daughters.
2. We had perfect weather in Atlanta.
3. It was L.E.A.D.'s Legacy League Annual Opening Day Ceremony.
4. The Omega Psi Phi fraternity was at Perkerson Park celebrating with us thanks to Rendell Jackson.

The ceremony started with introductions from over 30 Omega's at the pitchers mound. Each fraternity brother shared the college that they graduated from along with the degree and their current career field. That was powerful for our young Leaders to witness.

Coach Kelli later introduced our 60 Legacy League Leaders to the crowd. They received high 5's from the Omega's and lined up on the foul line. Coach Kelli had everybody's attention with her powerful voice as she sang the National Anthem.

A long day of games began with our two middle school teams competing against each other followed by intra-squad games for our high school division. We finished the day of games before darkness hit with our Legacy League Prospect Team hosting the East Cobb Saints. DJ Cosmo kept everybody energized with music from Jay-Z and a bunch of old school.

Opening Day is always fun! I remember how I felt as a kid on Opening Day at CYO (Cascade Youth Organization). Lots of people, cheers, food and music.

Baseball is a big deal again in the inner city again. If my vision is right for L.E.A.D., we will play a major role in repopulating African Americans in baseball at the collegiate and major league levels. We can do so much more with your help. Click here and help us L.E.A.D. Today and Change Tomorrow!

One of Georgia's best

2011-10-23T20:59:00.000-07:00

We all strive to be the best and on Thursday evening, Georgia Trend Magazine recognized me and 39 of my colleagues as Georgia's best and brightest. We are Georgia Trend's top 40 under 40. Click here to learn more.

My good friend and L.E.A.D. advisory board member Steve White told me not to deflect the recognition from this award as I normally do. Being humble is a characteristic that I am proud of but tonight was a night that allowed L.E.A.D. to shine.

With the support of my family, close friends, my board and advisory board members, we continue to launch educational opportunities for inner city males. We continue to use baseball to provide access to college for 100% of my Ambassadors.

I walked up to receive a beautiful award for the over 200 inner city males that L.E.A.D. will impact for 2011-12. With God as the head of my life, I will continue to lead the way for some amazing young men and families.

ICAN be ICONIC

2011-10-06T20:55:00.000-07:00

This evening, my beloved city Atlanta paid tribute to a living legend, R. Charles "Charlie" Loudermilk Sr.

Charlie Loudermilk borrowed $500 in the 50's to start Aaron's Rent and today he is partly responsible for Atlanta being a revered city.

Today was undoubtedly a special day for a special man. How could I be anywhere else but in that room? Myself and my L.E.A.D. Ambassador Wesley Clement shared the same space with so many great men that have spent decades giving of themselves and empowering others.

Officially, Mr. Loudermilk was being honored by the Council for Quality Growth as a recipient of their annual Four Pillar Tribute.

Mr. John Schuerholz, President of the Atlanta Braves paid tribute to Mr. Loudermilk with the pillar of QUALITY. Know body in their right mind will argue that Mr. Loudermilk exemplifies the meaning of quality.

Mr. Herman J. Russell, Chairman of H.J. Russell and Company delivered a heartfelt tribute with the pillar of RESPONSIBILITY. I am personally reminded of the responsibility that I have to next generation of leadership in my city.

Mr. John C. Portman, Chairman of Portman Companies made a statement about the third pillar of VISION that I will never forget. "Self doubt is the death to vision." Almighty God has me on this earth for a reason and I will not doubt his plan.

The integrity of a man is based on how he handles situations when nobody is looking. Ambassador Andrew Young made it clear to the crowd of hundreds that Mr. Loudermilk is a man of INTEGRITY.

Mr. Loudermilk is an icon and it became clear to me that I can also be iconic. I will make my time on earth meaningful. I will also have a rich legacy like Mr. Loudermilk. ICAN be ICONIC.

Development includes failure

2011-10-03T11:36:00.000-07:00

This has been a great start to the fall Legacy League season. Everything is going right as planned. As a coaching staff, we came into the fall development season with a curriculum. Now it is time to get dirty.

We began our first games of the Legacy League on Saturday, October 1st at the beautiful Perkerson Park with a 10:00AM Middle School Development League game and a 12:30PM High School Development League game. We have two middle school development teams in the league as well as two high school development teams and one prospect team.

The middle school game included good pitching by Elijah Richardson (Sylvan Hills Middle School) and lots of strong bats. All of our games are instructional based which allows us as a coaching staff to create offensive and defensive situations. We really have to spend more time on 1st and 3rd defensive situations. Team defense is new to a lot of our Leaders. No problem, that's why the Legacy League was created.

The Legacy League is America's first fall instructional league that targets inner city middle and high school age males and provides baseball development for college baseball scholarships.

The high school development league showcased solid pitching by Marquese Sinkfield (Henry Grady High School). Rhandal Jackson (Benjamin E. Mays High School) was 2 for 3 and was the starting catcher for the Legacy League White Team.

The Legacy League Prospect Team lost 2-1 in a good game on Saturday to the East Cobb Patriots. We scored lots of runs on Sunday against the Nelson Baseball School team but we also gave up quite a few. Sunday's game ended with an 11-11 tie. The Prospect Team received stellar pitching from Julian Phiffer on Saturday. Julian "JuJu" is a right handed pitcher from Booker T. Washington High School and only threw 29 pitches in three innings. Wesley Clement (Benjamin E. Mays High School) made great adjustments to his swing this weekend and got some key hits.

I'm looking forward to a great upcoming week of practice with our Leaders. Development isn't always fun because development includes failure. Funny how you can fail on a baseball field 70% of the time yet you are considered successful. The reward for our success in the classroom and on the baseball diamond is a college baseball scholarship.

1, 2, 3, L.E.A.D.!

Call them GREAT

2011-09-26T05:16:00.001-07:00

We are in the third week of the Legacy League fall instructional season. The first baseball games are this upcoming weekend. Several blogs have been posted by our Leaders recording their Legacy League experience. Coaches have developed life long relationships with young men and their family. Baseball skills have been developed that will provide access to college.

It is an honor to be the founder of L.E.A.D. because I play a major role in the future success of hundreds of inner city African-American middle and high school males every month throughout the entire year.

Our young men are called Leaders because that's what Atlanta needs them to be. L.E.A.D.'s four pillars of excellence are academics, athletics, service and exposure. We achieve success because we are available to our Leaders and our programming is consistent. They are assets to this city. They only lack a sense of belonging and investment to the city

I know that they aren't all great students. I know that some have disciplinary issues at the school. On this past Saturday, they were all called young men of greatness because they were able to serve.

L.E.A.D. has adopted Section 8 of the Atlanta BeltLine and our Leaders were responsible for maintaining it. For some, it was their first time being involved with service. Through their involvement with L.E.A.D., it won't be their last because we offer service to the city of Atlanta once per month every month throughout the year. Last year alone, we recorded over 2.200 hours of community service as an organization.

Atlanta's own Dr. Martin Luther King once said that everybody can be great because everybody can serve. Join our Leaders for October's day of service. Check us out at Lead2Legacy.org for our upcoming game/practice schedule, blogs, service projects, enrichment opportunities and more.

Time for a change

2011-09-16T14:59:00.000-07:00

I'm often asked why the number of African Americans are declining in baseball at the college and professional levels.

As a player development professional in the baseball industry, I'm expected to say it's because of a lack of professional player development resources. I'm obviously biased, but this is also very true.

Parallel the baseball industry to education. What happens when you build the finest schools, equip them with the best state of the art resources money can buy and then open the doors and tell the children to have at it? No teachers, no professors; just lots of expensive stuff that looks good.

What happens is this: less than 8% of African Americans competing at the professional levels and less than 6% at the college levels.

It's time for a change in the way we approach this solution.

L.E.A.D. provides that change. Through curriculum based year round programming derived from a proven methodology, my organization has successfully provided inner city, African American youth with the professional player development resources necessary to compete for college baseball scholarships. You see, new equipment and uniforms are nice and they definitely play a role in the solution, but I don't value a bat, ball or jersey over my professional coaching staff. L.E.A.D.'s professional coaching staff is the knowledge source that helps our young men understand how to use the glove to field the ball properly, how to use the bat to bunt or hit opposite field and how to wear their uniforms properly and with pride. Those things can't transfer knowledge on their own. I mean, I have never seen a baseball glove explain to a player how to use it or a ball explain to a pitcher how to throw certain pitches.

For over four years now, 100% of L.E.A.D.'s Ambassadors graduate from high school, enroll in college and 89% have received college baseball scholarship opportunities. And by the way, these young men also complete over 2,000 hours of community service annually.

From where we're standing...change is good.

It's going down at 6:00PM today

2011-09-15T07:56:00.003-07:00

Leadership is an action word. It is also a commitment that requires sacrifice. L.E.A.D. provides countless amount of leadership opportunities that we measure throughout the entire year. As an organization, we easily record over 2,000 hours of community service annually since 2007.

Our student-athletes are required to participate in a service opportunity at least once per month every month throughout the year in order to remain eligible as a L.E.A.D. program participant. You can't be an effective leader if you aren't serving others.

Leadership is mentorship. To date, 28 L.E.A.D. Ambassadors have graduated from our program and are currently enrolled in college. They are more than names in our history book. They remain engaged. In order for our young men to understand the road ahead, they must ask those coming back.

L.E.A.D. offers a pipeline for youth development that starts with elementary school and goes all the way to top to me. Our college alumni mentor the high school Leaders. The high school Leaders mentor the middle school Leaders and the lives of Atlanta APS elementary students are enriched by our middle schoolers. Leadership is an action word. It is also a commitment that requires sacrifice.

The "D" in L.E.A.D. reminds us as an organization to direct our student-athletes using the historical journey of past African-Americans as the roadmap. Is there a better city in America with such a rich legacy of leadership than Atlanta - the home of the Civil Rights Movement?

At 6:00PM today, I along with my wife Kelli Stewart will be officially introducing 60 Legacy middle and high school League Leaders to the city of Atlanta at the Atlanta Public Schools Main Office. These young men represent their families, the Atlanta Public School System and their community with great pride.

They will have the opportunity of a lifetime to develop this fall professionally both on the field and off. L.E.A.D.'s four pillars of excellence are Academics, Athletics, Service and Exposure. You can bet your last dollar that we are excellent!

I will follow up at 9:00PM after the ceremony.

I couldn't help but break down with tears when I gave the end remarks. To look out in the audience into the eyes of 60 student-athletes that have committed to my vision of L.E.A.D. was overwhelming.

We were joined by APS School Board President Brenda Muhammad, Atlanta Braves Director of Community Affairs Ericka Newsome-Hill, Georgia's Own Credit Union Business Development Manager Julee Brunson, Georgia's Own Credit Union's Vivian English, APS Athletic Director Jeff Beggs and APS Middle School Program Director Rendell Jackson.

Special thanks to our parents, board members, supporters, staff and of course our Legacy League Leaders for making this a memorable night.

Come join us for an upcoming practice, game, enrichment activity and/or service project. We are always looking for energetic members for our L.E.A.D. Tailgate Club. For more information, click here..

L.E.A.D. Today...Change Tomorrow!

We ready!

2011-09-12T11:32:00.000-07:00

My parents are ready. My coaches are ready. My Leaders are ready. Let's go!

We are a little over three hours away from our first fall Legacy League practice. We consider every practice to be an event because we aim to provide a positive experience for everybody involved.

Day 1 will consist of assessments according to my fall curriculum. I have developed some of the best baseball players in the major leagues by first assessing their strengths and weaknesses. The assessment also holds our coaching staff accountable because we measure improvement throughout the fall and coaches are graded as well.

We have 60 middle and high school student-athletes that want to use baseball to access college. If the young men have made it this far in our application process, we owe them the best professional baseball development opportunity.

Year round baseball is in the inner city of Atlanta. We ready!

Be...We...

2011-09-06T08:54:00.000-07:00

Contrary to popular belief, baseball is an individual sport played in a team concept. Since childhood, I have always heard that there is no "I" in team. According to Webster's dictionary that is true but in order to have a successful team, each individual has a has to be at its best.

For the 2011 Legacy League fall season, we have adopted a theme that we hope will foster a winning culture for our Leaders both on and off the field. Be...We...is the theme that I thought of that will serve as a reminder to over achieve to our Leaders, their parents, our coaching staff and supporters.

If I wake up every morning striving to be my best, we as an organization will be our best. Students being enthused and respectful in the classroom will allow L.E.A.D. to send more student-athletes to college on scholarship. Being on time and prepared for each practice will allow L.E.A.D. to win more games on the field. Being willing to serve our community will allow our community to become all that we desire. Being exposed to the best of Atlanta allows Atlanta to benefit from our investment in it.

The time is now! If not now, when? If not me, who? Be your best and we will be our best!

They deserve it

2011-08-27T10:46:00.001-07:00

If something of value is provided, people will invest and support it. From 10AM-2PM today, families were interviewed for L.E.A.D. scholarships. Contrary to popular belief, African-American males love this game. They want to contribute to the legacy and tradition of the game.

Like tax season, there is a time of year when the media asks the infamous question, "where are the African-American baseball players?" That time of year isn't the fall because football owns the headlines.

In the inner city of Atlanta, L.E.A.D. has developed year round programming for middle and high school baseball players. These young men aren't playing for fun either. They develop under a proven curriculum, methodology and training process. L.E.A.D. scholarships lead to college scholarships.

L.E.A.D.'s fall Legacy League program is the answer for young men who want to use baseball to access college as well as developing a professional network for post college career opportunities.

Since 2007, 89% of my Ambassadors have enrolled in college with a baseball scholarship. We achieve success by offering programs with value. The young men that fulfill the requirements of L.E.A.D. will achieve. When they achieve, Atlanta achieves.

They want it! They deserve it! So I give it!

Join L.E.A.D. at www.Lead2Legacy.org. L.E.A.D. Today...Change Tomorrow!

Rise up Atlanta, Build the Dream

2011-08-26T06:46:00.001-07:00

The world is ready to see the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial in Washington, DC. Dr. King's legacy is still alive but we can do so much better here in Atlanta.

Dr. King didn't march so that Atlanta would have one of the nations highest crime rates.

Dr. King didn't speak to millions about hope so that his school district would graduate 34% of it's African American males from high school.

Dr. King didn't ignore death threats so that thousands of Atlantans would live at or below the poverty level.

Dr. King had a dream so that you and I could see the reality. My reality is that I'm able to be great because I can serve others. My reality is that I can be anything that my God wants me to be. It's not up to me. My reality is that talk is cheap and walking makes you weary but prayer, faith and courage creates icons. I want to be ICONIC.

www.BuildTheDream.org

How does L.E.A.D. spell Impact?

2011-08-23T12:11:00.000-07:00

It is that time of year again when L.E.A.D. gets the opportunity to partner with 60 new families during our fall Legacy League program. The Legacy League is America's first fall instructional league that focuses on the professional baseball development of inner city middle and high school baseball talent for the sole purpose of receiving college baseball scholarships.

Why are we considered professionals? We are professionals because we instruct from a proven curriculum, patented process and comprehensive methodology developed by our founder C.J. Stewart, owner of Diamond Directors.

Since 2007, 100% of our L.E.A.D. Ambassadors have graduated from high school and enrolled in college while 89% of them have enrolled in college with a baseball scholarship. Now that is Impact with a capital I!

We are very intentional when it comes down to making a difference in the lives of our young men. Impact is more than a trending buzz word to us. We measure our impact. We want to be held accountable. My coaches and I enjoy being mentors and the families that we serve are counting on us to help make attending college a reality. If a young man goes to college, L.E.A.D. gets an A, if he doesn't we get an F. Period.

Baseball is a fun and challenging sport that can teach so many life lessons. I am a firm believer that baseball doesn't build character, it exposes it. On Saturday, August 27th, I will look in the curious eyes of young men from Booker T. Washington High School. I will shake the firm hands of young men from Joseph Emerson Brown Middle School. I will stand proud before several families within the Atlanta Public School System assuring them that they are in the right place at the right time.

We are committed to continuing to Launch, Expose, Advise and Direct. Atlanta is counting on us!

Check us out at Lead2Legacy.org. We want you to join us!

Following Mendez: East Coast Professional Showcase Day 5

2011-08-04T15:34:00.000-07:00

The East Coast Professional Showcase is over and Mendez (Henry W. Grady HS) and I fly back home on Delta. This has been a great experience for Mendez and I. This week, I watched him enhance his leadership and baseball skills. He showed courage and perseverance. He made adjustments everyday. Felecia Calhoun has raised an awesome young man.

His success at this showcase has created new opportunities for young males in L.E.A.D. as well as the Atlanta Public School System. APS baseball doesn't produce nationally ranked high school baseball players very often compared to Cobb and Gwinnett County because of a lack of financial resources. Now there is a name that can be recognized among NCAA and MLB scouts with regards to APS baseball.

Mendez carried the hopes and dreams of little leaguers and grade school players on his back here in Florida this week. APS baseball players will now get a much needed evaluation from college scouts. It is now up to L.E.A.D. to continue to develop the baseball talent of inner city youth. Mendez is an example of the player development curriculum that is used in our year round program. Inner city youth want to play baseball in college and L.E.A.D. will continue to provide the resources and mentorship to make it happen. Mendez is currently ranked as one of the top 300 high school players in America.

To date, 100% of our Ambassadors have graduated from high school and enrolled in college while 89% of them have received baseball scholarships. This success rate is impressive when you consider the Atlanta Public School graduation rate of black males being 34%. L.E.A.D. is proud to partner with APS to change the culture and create new levels of success in the classroom and on the baseball field.

Special thanks to Barbara Greene (L.E.A.D. Advisory Board member), Crystal Giles (L.E.A.D. parent), Courtney Mata (Marriott) and Rick Winstel (Delta Airlines) for your help with making this a wonderful experience for Mendez. Thank you to all of the L.E.A.D. supporters. On behalf of the city of Atlanta and our partners, than you Mendez for being a great Ambassador!

Following Mendez: East Coast Professional Showcase Day 4

2011-08-03T18:56:00.000-07:00

Today, I watched Mendez take the best rounds of batting practice that I have ever seen from him. The swing was efficient and he repeated it like a polished professional hitter. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to transfer it in the game because he wasn't in the line up.

I'm sure that he was disappointed to not see his name in the starting lineup. Tough competitors always want to get on the field. I was very impressed to see him with a smile on his face throughout the entire game hopeful that he will be able to showcase the same swing from today on tomorrow.

The talent here is incredible making it hard to believe that these are high school kids. One of the Colorado Rockies pitchers topped at 99MPH. I believe that Mendez would have gotten good wood on the ball though.

I'm really looking forward to tomorrow for Mendez. He has worked hard for this moment. Tomorrow is the last day at this showcase but he has gained a lot of experience here that will boost his development on and off the field.

Following Mendez: East Coast Professional Showcase Day 3

2011-08-02T18:47:00.000-07:00

Today was an awesome day! Mendez didn't get an opportunity to play in the field but was the extra hitter. He didn't get a hit today going 0 for 2 but he made great adjustments at the plate.

For four years, we have been discussing the importance of playing under control. With the stakes being so high at this MLB Showcase, it is easy to feel high levels of anxiety and nervousness. Mendez put his emotions to the side today and accepted the fact that he is one of the top high school baseball players in America. We are a long way from the finished product with Mendez but he is further along that most high school players.

He was so relaxed in the batters box today and I was internally saying to myself with each at bat how proud I was of him.

Baseball truly is the ultimate game of failure that measures success based on how much you fail. Kind of weird when you think about it. Major League scouts grade prospects on a 20-80 scale with a 50 score being major league average and 80 being off the charts. Today, Mendez got an 80 for his ability to make adjustments. Tomorrow is a new day and another opportunity to improve.

A day of service at Grove Park Elementary School

2011-08-01T20:58:00.000-07:00

For the second year, the L.E.A.D. Ambassadors and Jr. Ambassadors had the opportunity to help teachers at Grove Park Elementary School prepare for the first day of school on August 8th. Service is one of the four pillars of excellence for L.E.A.D.

I attended Grove Park from kindergarten to 5th grade and those were some of the best years of my life. Teachers served as mentors as well as an extended family. As a child at Grove Park, I remembered walking through the halls feeling that I could truly be anything that I put my mind to. I was blessed to have caring parents and the school served as partners to my family. The community was strong and anything other than excellence was unacceptable. I felt that all of my dreams could become reality.

Today was special because the young men in my organization L.E.A.D. that I mentor had an opportunity to serve others. Leaders are developed by serving others. This day of service also gave them a sense of investment to their community. Martin Luther King Jr. once said that everyone can be great because everyone can serve. L.E.A.D. has a day of service at least once per month every month throughout the year.

The doors at Grove Park will be open to hundreds of smiles next week. Principal Caitlin Sims will give hundreds of hugs and future leaders of Atlanta will be nurtured. It is a honor and a privilege to give back to a school that poured so much love into me.

"Everyone can be great because everyone can serve". Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Following Mendez: East Coast Professional Showcase Day 2

2011-08-01T19:43:00.000-07:00

Day 2 was the first day of baseball action for the East Coast Professional Showcase. Mendez and the Houston Astros Scout Team played the Arizona Diamondbacks Scout Team in front of hundreds of NCAA and MLB scouts. He was definitely in the right place at the right time. High school players dream of being in this position.

Most of the players here have already committed to some of the nations top college programs but there are still several uncommitted players like Mendez that are looking to capture the eyes of scouts.

Mendez was the second catcher to play for the Astros today. He caught the 5th and 6th inning and got one at bat. He was 0 for 1 with a fly ball to center field. There are three catchers on the team so I'm sure that he will get more innings behind the plate and more at bats tomorrow.

Being here is an amazing opportunity but it is easy to be overwhelmed. Mendez is taking everything in stride realizing that everyone is aiming to be the best. Baseball is an individual sport that is played in a team concept. It is also a sport that considers you a success based on how often you fail. Major Leaguers make millions of dollars to fail.

I wake up every morning thankful that God has given me life, a sound mind and the opportunity to be the best. My prediction for Mendez tomorrow is three quality at bats and a big smile when he walks off the field.

Good night.

Following Mendez: East Coast Professional Showcase Day 1

2011-07-31T17:08:00.000-07:00

If you are top ranked high school baseball player with Major League Baseball draft potential, you are in Lakeland, FL August 1-4 for the annual East Coast Professional Baseball Showcase. It is an honor once again to be on the road with Atlanta's Own Mendez Elder. Mendez is a four-year L.E.A.D. Ambassador and a senior at Henry W. Grady High School in Atlanta, GA.

Day 1 has been very relaxed. He checked in at the Detroit Tigers Spring Training Complex and received his Houston Astros uniform and equipment followed by dinner and symposium. Tomorrow will include batting practice and a 3:30PM game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Scout Team.

There will be over 500 NCAA and Major League Baseball scouts at this event that showcases the top high school baseball players east of the Mississippi River. I have been fortunate over the years to have several of my clients at Diamond Directors here including 2008 1st pick overall selection Tim Beckham (Tampa Rays), Kyle Parker, 1st Round, Colorado Rockies; Charlie Culberson, 1st Round, San Francisco Giants; Xavier Avery, 2nd Round, Baltimore Orioles; Jay Austin, 2nd Round, Houston Astros; Telvin Nash, 3rd Round, Houston Astros to name a few.

Mendez is a special talent and should walk away from this showcase with several more scholarship offers. He currently has offers from Alcorn State University and Savannah State University to name a couple. He is fast twitch right hand hitter with a above average throwing arm from the catching position and the outfield.

He earned the right to attend this invitation only showcase after an outstanding showing at the Perfect Game National Showcase in Fort Myers in July. In preparation for this showcase, we trained at my Diamond Directors Training Facility helping him to repeat his swing with efficiency. He also maintained his strength at Rapid Performance.

There are so many people that have helped Mendez along the way as he achieves his dream of playing college baseball and it is an honor for me to be a part of his journey. Click here to learn more about the East Coast Professional Showcase. Baseball is alive in the inner city of Atlanta. Among other things, Mendez's continued success is putting Atlanta Public School baseball back on the map.

Think "Encouragement"

2011-07-16T09:53:00.000-07:00

Think "Encouragement"

By: Dr. David Jeremiah

...that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God.
Colossians 2:2

Recommended Reading
Colossians 2:1-3

Jonas Salk, the great scientist and discoverer of the vaccine against polio, understood how to think and work with confidence. He was once asked, "How does this outstanding achievement, which has effectively brought an end to the word ‘polio' in our vocabulary, cause you to view your 200 previous failures?"

"I have never had 200 failures in my whole life," he replied. "My family didn't think in terms of failure. They taught in terms of experiences and what could be learned. I just made my 201st discovery, and I couldn't have made it without learning from the previous 200 experiences."

Salk's example is illustrative to the Christian life. To support and encourage others we have to stay encouraged ourselves; and we have to learn to think, believe, and live with assurance and conviction. Based on the promises of God, we have every reason to be optimistic. It's the uplifting "can-do" attitude of a biblical encourager that stokes the flames of God's work in the lives of others.

Learn to think "encouragement."

I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.
Thomas Edison

Two eyes aren't enough

2011-07-14T11:22:00.000-07:00

How do poor students in Atlanta view success? Do they see hope and a promising future the same way that my daughter does who will enter the Westminster School in the fall as a fifth grader?

I was born and raised in the inner city of Atlanta and had both parents in the house. My parents worked really hard to provide everything that I needed but we still had our share of financial struggles. I remember my mom always telling me that I could be anything that I wanted to be in life with hard work and hanging around the right people.

The right people that she talked to me about often times were my teachers at Grove Park Elementary School in the Atlanta Public School System. Mrs. Jacobs, Mrs. Weems, Mr. Flynn, Mrs. Blue, Principal Jones and many others helped my family to raise me to become a good fearing servant of others.

God blessed me with two eyes but I was blessed to have great mentors around me that allowed me to use their eyes as well. They provided a culture of accountability, excellence and achievement every day that I walked into the school. Becoming successful was just as easy as breathing air as long as I followed their lead.

A promising future will be difficult to see with only two eyes. I charge you today to find young adults that you can mentor and let them see life from your eyes.

Let's make OUR APS better today!

2011-07-11T09:08:00.001-07:00

I can't wait for the new APS school year to start. The past two years have presented some challenges but I'm optimistic that 2011 will be great. In the end, Atlanta's best assets include young bright minds of APS. As a city, our success or failure lies in the hands of the students.

In 2011, my organization L.E.A.D. will continue to offer baseball as a year round program to APS middle and high school students. Since 2007, 100% of our L.E.A.D. Ambassadors have graduated from high school and enrolled in college while 87% have received college baseball scholarships.

My wheels are turning everyday as I figure out what more can I do to help APS carry out it's mission and vision. I attended Grove Park Elementary School K-5 in the Atlanta Public School System. It was an awesome academic, social and exposure experience for me. I am who I am today because of APS.

I challenge you to do what you can to support APS through the school system or partnering organizations like L.E.A.D. Let's make OUR APS better today!

Join the L.E.A.D. Tailgate Club today at www.Lead2Legacy.org. L.E.A.D. Today...Change Tomorrow!

We alive but we ain't living!

2011-07-04T09:55:00.001-07:00

The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776 granting the United States it's freedom from Great Britain. This freedom didn't come without a fight. Many lives were lost to ensure that we all can live the American Dream.

This is a day that I am also reminded of the sacrifices that were made by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to ensure equality in America.

Unfortunately, freedom isn't often appreciated until it is taking away. We are fighting a battle in the Middle East right now to maintain our peace of mind and liberties that were fought for by soldiers centuries ago. I wake up every morning wanting to be the best American that I can be. I want to serve others. I want to love others. I want to make sure that my time on this earth isn't done in vain. God has us all here
on a mission.

In the words of Cee-Lo Green, "We alive but we ain't living!". Take advantage of the freedoms that we have in America because someone gave up their life so that you can live.

Everyone is welcome to the 2011 College Baseball World Series

2011-06-24T15:09:00.000-07:00

The annual College Baseball World Series has a new corporate home. AmeriTrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska now seats more people than it's former CWS home Rosenblatt Stadium and provides an even better fan experience for the thousands of fans that travel from coast to coast to witness the best teams in college baseball compete.

NCAA college baseball doesn't make nearly as much money as college football but you don't build a stadium with those types of specs unless there is a substantial amount of money to be made.

As a Southerner, I am extremely proud because the southeast is represented by so many teams from the ACC and SEC. We take baseball serious in these parts!

Among the 8 teams that are competing for the National Championship title, there are only 4% of African American players that are competing among the total 275 scholarship players. There are no African American coaches on either school staff. Is the representation so low because the NCAA doesn't want African Americans to participate?

Each school recruits the best student-athletes that they can that will graduate from college and help them win the College World Series trophy. With that said, if you aren't a polished player, you can't play for Vanderbilt, North Carolina, Florida and the other participating schools in the CWS. You don't get to Omaha by luck. You better have talent and a lot of it.

What does it take to become a polished player? It takes a lot of money! With an investment of 8K per year, you can get professional development training, exposure and advice. If you don't have the money, you don't have chance. This is why my wife Kelli and I created L.E.A.D. to serve inner city families in Atlanta that want to use baseball to access a college education. 75% of the families that we serve in the Atlanta Public School System live at or below the poverty level while 34% of African-American males graduate from high school.

L.E.A.D. continues to develop inner city players on and off the field and place them in colleges as student-athletes. We haven't had an Ambassador play in the CWS yet but it is coming soon. We were fortunate to have Ambassador alum Nick Marigny compete this year in the Junior College World Series representing Southern Union College.

Our year round programming for middle and high school age students is getting stronger especially with the support of individuals like you. Join L.E.A.D.'s Tailgate Club at www.Lead2Legacy.org. L.E.A.D. Today...Change Tomorrow!

Everyone is welcome to attend the College Baseball World Series as a fan but only the skilled student-athletes can take the field. We will continue to L.E.A.D. the way to Omaha!

L.E.A.D. batted 1.000 again in 2011

2011-06-20T20:37:00.000-07:00

We selected 20 Ambassadors for the 2010-2011 season back in November during L.E.A.D. Weekend at Turner Field. Eight of those Ambassadors were seniors that devoted themselves to the L.E.A.D. organization and the Ambassadors program for the sole purpose of graduating from high school and receiving a college baseball scholarship.

Because of disciplinary reasons, three of the 8 Ambassadors were removed in the spring. It is unfortunate but the Ambassadors program is strict and requires 100% commitment from everyone involved. The only way that we can continue to achieve amazing success as an organization is to remain rooted in our mission and vision.

Today is a special day for Georgians because all five of the remaining Ambassadors have graduated from high school and will be signing college baseball scholarships. Only 43% of African American males graduate from high school in Georgia while less than 7% of African Americans compete in baseball at the NCAA level.

L.E.A.D. batted 1.000 once again in 2011. Since 2007, 100% of our Ambassadors have graduated from high school and enrolled in college while 87% have entered with a baseball scholarship. With the rising cost of tuition, our young men need all the financial support that they can get in order to further their education.

Please continue to pray for L.E.A.D. and we hope to see you at one of our upcoming Ambassadors/Junior Ambassadors games or monthly service projects. Check out our schedule and join our Tailgate Club at http://www.lead2legacy.org/.

2011 Ambassadors Seniors
Desmond Stegall, B.E. Mays High School, Grambling State University
Marvin Goodman II, MLK High School, Atlanta Sports Academy
Cedric Daniel, MLK High School, Abraham Baldwin Community College, GA
Kerry Webb, MLK High School, Atlanta Sports Academy
Brandon Sharpe, MLK High School, Andrew College, GA

Following Mendez: Perfect Game National Showcase Day 4

2011-06-18T19:07:00.000-07:00

Mendez came out today locked in! In his first at bat, he hit a stand up triple facing a low 90's fastball from a lefty. When he hit the ball, all you heard from the scouts was "Whooo!". Everything was perfect. Good timing and swing mechanics. On his second at bat, the middle infielders were playing at double play depth and he hit a hard ground ball up the middle and the shortstop was able to easily range to the ball to turn the double play.

The showcase is over for Mendez and he performed well against top tier national competition. He carried L.E.A.D. on his back this week. He has cut the trail for young baseball players from the Atlanta Public School System for years to come.

Mendez is heading to the beach tomorrow with his mom while Ben and I bake in the hot sun scouting players. L.E.A.D. Today...Change Tomorrow!

Following Mendez: Perfect Game National Showcase Day 3

2011-06-17T19:30:00.000-07:00

We were up at 6:30AM preparing to get to the stadium for Day 3 of the Perfect Game National Showcase. Mendez’s game was at 1PM. The excitement remained in the air for all of the young high school players that are getting the opportunity to showcase their talent in front of hundreds of scouts.

Once again, the sun is beaming early in the morning. I sat back in my new favorite shaded spot along the first base side of the field in order to get a good camera angle.

Mendez was back in action again catching some of the best high school flame throwers. He was doing well until after 10 pitches when he began to collapse. Dehydration began to kick in and caused him to leave the game defensively. He did get two at bats today though. He didn’t get any hits today but he hit every ball hard between shortstop and 2^nd base which is an indication of how short his gotten. So far, he is 1 for 3 with no strikeouts.

We are getting some much needed rest tonight and looking forward to tomorrow. Today was special for me as well since I had the opportunity to discuss hitting with Hall of Famer Cal Ripken.

Following Mendez: Perfect Game National Showcase Day 2

2011-06-16T20:40:00.000-07:00

The day began with check in at 9AM and it is now 11PM and we just got back to the hotel. Mendez is still amped up from a great day.

He threw 92 MPH from the outfield in the showcase format. His pop time was 1.8 from the catching position which is a solid major league average grade. He was a little tight in the beginning of batting practice but quickly settled in and began to hit line drives.

When the lights came on, Mendez stepped in the box against an easy throwing right hander that topped out with a 93 MPH fastball. The first pitch that Mendez saw was a 92 MPH fastball on the outside corner that he drove up the middle for a base hit single. The ball was hit so hard that the middle infielders didn’t even attempt to field it. Getting the single wasn’t enough so he immediately stole second base. Three pitches later, he stole 3^rd base.

All and all, it was a great day to perform in front of hundreds of college and MLB scouts. I am glad to be on the ride.

Following Mendez: Perfect Game National Showcase Day 1

2011-06-15T19:50:00.000-07:00

Today’s flight to Ft. Myers from Atlanta was a quick 70 minute trip. As we took off in the plane, I reminded myself that this is a part of the plan for L.E.A.D. Our job is to get Atlanta inner city high school players to college. Many critics feel that inner city Atlanta teens aren’t good enough to compete on the national stage. Mendez is proving the critics wrong with every step that he takes to City of Palms Park in Ft. Myers for the Perfect Game National Showcase which is the spring training home of the Minnesota Twins.

I sat next to Felicia (Mendez mother) on the way down and we talked about how Atlanta was back in the day. She was born and raised in Atlanta just like me and elated to be here to watch her son represent the Atlanta Public School System that she graduated from.

Crystal Giles hooked us up with an amazing hotel room so we will be able to sleep well and be rested for a full day tomorrow. We are so fortunate to have a Publix next door. I love those sandwiches.

There is so much work scouting work to be done out here for me that I had to bring in my trusty assistant Ben Wolosick with us. There will be over 500 scouts in attendance tomorrow watching the top 150 players in America.

We are winding down for the night and Mendez is starting to relax. He is so excited for obvious reason. He will do well. Tomorrow is scheduled to start at 9AM with orientation, BP and a 1PM game to follow. Stay tuned for photos and my blog post tomorrow. Good night from Ft. Myers, FL.

Overcoming the storms

2011-06-15T11:14:00.000-07:00

Guest blog post by: Marvin R. Goodman II

How did this happen? How did we go from having our own home, a new truck, and easy living to joblessness, financial uncertainty, carless, and no place of our own? Mom says “It’s just a test and a temporary situation. Just do what you need to do to get where you want to be; we have your back,” but I can’t help but to wonder how they keep it all together when it seems like we just can’t catch a break.

My high school days have been reeked with challenges: the loss of my grandma in 2009, watching the debilitating effects of Dementia on my granddad, losing our home and our car in 2010, and yet, through it all, Mom finds a way to keep the family balanced. Her ‘keep it moving’ attitude is what has helped me make it through. After all, despite our downfalls, this spring I have the opportunity to join the ranks of degree-seeking, career-minded student athletes across the nation, and that is exciting.

My goals are to someday play major league baseball and to become an FBI agent. I realize now that I dropped the ball in high school, but I hope to make a stunning recovery in college. Mom pushed her way through and graduated Summa Cum Laude last May with two bachelors’ degrees and I aspire to graduate with honors as well. For me, going to college equates to a soldier being awarded the Medal of Honor. Part of my plan to get there is to use my athletic talents as a means to my desired end – scholarship offers.

I have a new appreciation for life’s storms because they help build character and help make us stronger. I know I have what it takes to succeed in college and I look forward to every potential opportunity before me. In the words of my late great-grandmother, “I can show you better than I can tell you.”

Getting our lead and headed to 2nd base

2011-06-14T15:01:00.001-07:00

The L.E.A.D. vision became reality the summer of 2007. We had amazing athletes on the field that were giving their all but we fell short in the win column often. The losses on the field continued to increase but the scholarships increased. To date, 87% of our Ambassadors have gone on to compete at the collegiate level with a baseball scholarship. Prior to the 2011 season, our Ambassadors record was 10-150.

We began the Ambassadors summer baseball program with a strategic plan in mind. We used 2007 to 2010 as our time to get from home plate to 1st base. Head coach Duane Wilson continues to push our boys and get the most out of them. We are so blessed to have an amazing head coach and even better person.

So far in 2011, our record is 6-5 and every game has been competitive against nationally ranked opponents. Today, we hosted the East Cobb Patriots at our home field Perkerson Park. Very seldom does nationally recognized teams travel to the inner city of Atlanta to play games but L.E.A.D. is earning respect. As an organization, we are getting our lead and headed to 2nd base with your continued support.

We have several games coming up. Join our L.E.A.D. Tailgate Club at www.Lead2Legacy.org and support an organization that is "Winning At The Game of Life!"

A day of service with Deloitte

2011-06-10T14:34:00.001-07:00

How much money would it take for you to sign a Major League Baseball contract and forgo a college education? This is a very difficult question that my L.E.A.D. Ambassadors was able to answer today with the help from professionals at Deloitte (www.Deloitte.com) in Atlanta.

Throughout the United States, Deloitte declared today as Service Day and made an impact in several communities.

I remember 1994 like it was yesterday. I signed my National Letter of Intent with Georgia State University in the winter and was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the summer. I was the only graduate at Westlake High School faced with the opportunity to attend college or turn pro and it was a difficult decision but I chose to attend GSU.

Deloitte made the process so simple today for my Ambassadors by adding real numbers in an Excel spreadsheet along with sound advice. The reality is that as an 18 year old, you don't have as much money as you think that you do when you consider the things that you need to be successful and the things that you want to be happy.

Being exposed to Deloitte today allowed my Ambassadors to also see yet another industry leader right here in Atlanta. They were all able to do some powerful networking. For some of them, they will be working in the 191 building on Peachtree Street and some of them will hire a professional from Deloitte upon graduation from college.

Special thanks to John Sadoff and Deloitte for serving us today. The "E" in L.E.A.D. stands for Exposure and Deloitte didn't let us down.

Hope Full

2011-06-02T20:48:00.001-07:00

I write this blog asking God to keep me strong to do His will day to day. I'm hopeful that He will continue to bless me while I bless others. To be hopeful is to trust. To trust in God. I remain hopeful that He will continue to use me to do big things.

There is a man sleeping on the streets of Atlanta that will close his eyes tonight with dreams of success just as clear as mine. He will rise tomorrow undefeated because of hope. He will remain strong because of that hope.

There is a child that will take her last breath tonight in an Atlanta hospital dying from a terminal illness. She will go to sleep with a smile because of hope. To be absent from her body is to be present with the Lord.

There is a mother that will cry herself to sleep tonight in Atlanta worrying that she may never see her only son alive again. Hope will wake her and remind her that He is in control.

Hope is very under appreciated. I guess it's because you can't pay bills with hope. I guess it's because hope doesn't bring reality into plain sight as quickly as we would like. Hope has kept me sane as I have developed into a responsible man that cares a lot about others. Hope makes me believe that I can continue to make a difference in the world. Hope has allowed us to graduate every Ambassador in our L.E.A.D. organization and send them to college while haters say that it can't happen.

Hope along with integrity, passion and genuine concern for others has been my peace in a selfish world. I hope for the best and continued success to you.

The International City

2011-05-31T16:47:00.000-07:00

The world had it's eyes fixed on Atlanta, GA when we hosted the Olympic Games in 1996. I was playing my second year of baseball in the Chicago Cubs organization and didn't get a chance to be a part of history.

We are the proud home of Coke, Delta, Chick-Fil-A, UPS and many other corporate powerhouses. We are considered an international city by many people throughout the world.

I went to Centennial Park in downtown Atlanta on Monday and saw thousands of people there enjoying the beautiful weather. Families holding hands. Guys teaching their dogs new tricks. My family played 4-square for at least an hour inviting strangers to participate in the fun.

It wasn't until we got over to the Olympics rings and found out where the action really was. There were kids of all ethic backgrounds playing in the water as it shot up in the air and cooled off the crowd during a hot Atlanta day.

My eyes were fixed on two African-America boys that appeared to be in the first or second grade. Not passing judgement but it made me realize that the Atlanta Public School System only graduates 34% of it's African-America males from high school. Without consistent mentors in their life like I had, the evils of this international city can soak them up like the sun does the water from their bodies on that hot day and they will be lost forever.

The only reason that I was able to get a good sleep last night is because by the grace of God, we have L.E.A.D. School will start back in August and I believe that I will see these young men again giving them an opportunity to play catch like Coach Joshua Butler did for me.

I wake up everyday being open to others pouring themselves into me to make me great. I also look for opportunities to help others in their life journey. It is that attitude that makes Atlanta so attractive to the world. It is called the "Atlanta Way".

I see the future

2011-05-28T18:32:00.000-07:00

The future looks great for inner city baseball in Atlanta through the efforts of L.E.A.D. I see 100 APS student-athletes furthering their education in colleges across America by 2020 using baseball as the vehicle.

To date, L.E.A.D. has graduated 100% of our Ambassadors from high school and placed 87% of them in college with a baseball scholarship. We achieve success using the L.E.A.D. P.R.O.C.E.S.S.

We PREPARE our Ambassadors for practices and games with sound information. Our coaches REINFORCE the fundamentals taught with OPPORTUNITIES to learn which often times involve failure. Reinforcement is most effective when we COMMUNICATE with a patient voice. EXPOSURE to high level baseball competition presents struggles yet it allows our Ambassadors to adjust and gain SUCCESS.

Our Ambassadors are willing and able to learn. Our coaches are capable and competent. The development process has worked thus far. Atlanta, do you see what I see?

Closing the gaps and achieving success

2011-05-27T08:04:00.000-07:00

For generations, inner cities throughout America have been the home for a large population of African Americans. It has also represented financial struggle, crime, and poor education. However, there are a lot of great people and ideas that were born in the inner city. The inner city of Atlanta birthed one of the greatest Americans of all time, Dr. Martin Luther King. We all have the potential to be great because we all can serve others. I am a success story born from the inner city of Atlanta because of support and mentorship from people that cared about me regardless of their race, my financial status or my family's educational background.

L.E.A.D. has been successful in our effort to develop college bound civically engaged student-athletes from the inner city of Atlanta because we respect three gaps that have to be closed before we can make an impact.

The first gap that has to be closed before we can make an impact in the inner city is the culture gap. Within the inner city, there is a culture that exists that forces students to ask three questions internally or externally. Who are you? Why are you here? When are you leaving? Often times with good intentions, many people and organizations come into the inner city to help but their lack of consistency does more harm than good. Nobody wants to be hurt so it is easier for students to harden their hearts to protect themselves until you answer all three questions with a positive response.

The second gap that has to be closed before we can make an impact in the inner city is the history gap. For generations, inner city communities have been and still are underserved. Lack of resources and drugs have contributed to an increase in the crime rate. Increased high school dropouts and teenage pregnancy has caused our youth to give up before they can start. This is nothing new to inner city communities though. This has been going on for many many years. To understand the road ahead, you have to ask those that are coming back. Strong leaders that fought for change decades ago are older and/or deceased. It is important now more than ever that L.E.A.D. continues to develop a new generation of leaders and show them how to prepare the next generation of leadership that will follow them. We have to take a different action in order to get a different result.

The third gap that has to be closed before we can make an impact in the inner city is the language gap. When I say to my daughter "Don't give up!", she interprets it as "Dad is here with you today, tomorrow...to help me". L.E.A.D. is in the inner city everyday saying "Don't give up!" to our student-athletes. The question is do the parentless students that we serve interpret our encouragement the same way that my own daughter does? The answer is yes because consistent action follows our words. In order to effectively speak the language of the inner city, you must be understood. Otherwise, it is just moving lips.

In order to make positive change in the inner city, sustainable impact must be made. Join the L.E.A.D. Community as we continue to close the gaps of higher education achievement in the inner city of Atlanta. L.E.A.D. Today...Change Tomorrow.

A firm hand shake

2011-05-21T18:18:00.000-07:00

There used to be a time when a firm hand shake really mattered. You weren't even considered a man if your hand shake wasn't firm back in the day according to my Uncle Bob Wilburn. What happened to the firm hand shake? Why did it get lost?

Uncle Bob reminded me today that your hand shake says a lot about you without you even opening your mouth. "You are supposed to shake a man's hand and look him right in the eyes so that he can know who you are!," said my Uncle Bob with a confident voice that I admire.

So I guess that men and boys that don't shake hands firmly and look you in the eyes lack confidence? I would agree with that. Gaining confidence has a lot to do with winning in various areas of life. A down economy has caused a lot of men to lose their confidence but don't underestimate the power of hope. Hope and my faith in God carries me even when times are rough. That is why I love baseball so much because you can strike every time today and get two hits tomorrow and still be considered great.

One of the distinct traits of my L.E.A.D. Ambassadors is that they all will shake your hand firm, look you in the eyes and speak to you with confidence. I don't have to tell them to do it because my actions speak louder than my words. When I discuss the issue of confidence with my Ambassadors, I remind them that regardless of your circumstances, you have the support of the L.E.A.D. community. The L.E.A.D. community gets stronger every day because serving others is the Atlanta Way!

Summer is almost here and the Ambassadors and Jr. Ambassadors are developing into some of the best baseball players in the country. Baseball like life is full of ups and downs. I invite you to come to our next game and firmly shake the hand of one of my Ambassadors. Look him in the eye, tell him your name and let him know that you are here to support him. My name is CJ Stewart and I am the proud founder of L.E.A.D. I look forward to shaking your hand soon.

Go to www.Lead2Legacy.org to check out Ambassadors and Jr. Ambassadors game and event schedule. Winning at the Game of Life!

Why baseball?

2011-05-20T13:47:00.000-07:00

Myself and others would argue that baseball is the most difficult sport ever known to man. Hitting a round baseball traveling 90+ MPH with a round bat isn't something that you can do without dedicated practice. The other aspects of the game such as defense and baserunning require tedious training as well. Baseball is the only sport where the human being scores without the ball. The individual is celebrated without trying to draw attention to himself.

I chose baseball at the age of 8 years old as my favorite sport because I felt that it would best prepare me for life. In life, we are guaranteed to face adversity. Baseball is the only sport that considers you a success based on how many times that you FAIL. It forces you to learn from your mistakes and make the adjustments in an effort to succeed. Alex Rodriguez is one of the games best players and one of the wealthiest sports figures. He recently signed a contract earning him over $260 million guaranteed dollars through the life of the contract. The funny part is that he only gets a hit 30% of the time. In the world of football, Alex would be considered a failure and unemployed. Try making a NBA team as a 30% shooter. Good luck!

I've heard people say that baseball develops character. I strongly disagree, baseball exposes character. Preparation, failure and adjusting are three words that go hand and hand with baseball. They also go hand and hand with living a meaningful life.

At the age of 8, I dreamed of being successful as a man of God, husband, father, entrepreneur, community leader and a trusted friend. I can proudly say that my dream is now a reality thanks to America's favorite game, BASEBALL!

The Legacy was passed to the L.E.A.D. Ambassadors

2011-05-17T09:39:00.001-07:00

Did I see what I thought that I saw on Sunday, May 15^th during the pregame Civil Rights Game ceremony? Did I hear what I thought I heard the Braves PA announcer say? If you were at Turner Field with over 30,000 fans or tuned in with the millions of television viewers on the memorable day, you saw and heard it. Ambassador Andrew Young and Reverend Joseph Lowery stood at the pitcher’s mound with my L.E.A.D. Ambassadors Mendez Elder and Wesley Clement. With a loud and clear voice, the PA announcer said, “Ambassadors Mendez Elder and Wesley Clement, will you accept the legacy passed down to you from Ambassador Young and Reverend Lowery?” After his voice stopped, I saw Ambassador Young and Rev. Lowery give Mendez and Wesley a baseball. Mendez threw his baseball to Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies and Wesley threw his ball to Jason Heyward. Jason and Ryan hugged both Mendez and Wesley and presented them the baseball.

That was a magical moment for our Ambassadors, the L.E.A.D. organization, the city of Atlanta but most of all, it meant a lot to baseball in the African American community throughout the United States. L.E.A.D. is so much more than baseball. The “D” in the acronym L.E.A.D. is how we direct our Ambassadors using the legacy of legends such as Ambassador Young and Rev. Lowery. These men walked the walk with Atlanta’s own Dr. Martin Luther King. They are still alive to share the stories and keep the dream alive through Mendez and Wesley.

We do accept the legacy passed down from these iconic men. Baseball has been a part of the African American community since the game was created many decades ago. The 2011 Civil Rights Game at Turner Field gave baseball a platform to showcase how baseball is still America’s game for all Americans because of the influence of the Civil Rights Movement that was birthed here in Atlanta.

L.E.A.D. will continue to lead the way with the support of the Atlanta community. We can do this because by the grace of God, we are the solution to using baseball to help inner city males graduate from high school and access college. The only problem with solutions is that you can no longer talk about the problem.

Special thanks to Ambassador Young and Reverend Lowery for keeping the dream alive and being Ambassadors of hope. L.E.A.D. will continue to uphold your legacy with service to the game and world.

Mendez Elder L.E.A.D.'s the way to the Perfect Game National Showcase

2011-05-16T18:35:00.000-07:00

A message from C.J. Stewart, Founder of L.E.A.D.

Being a L.E.A.D. Ambassador is about being exposed to the best that Atlanta and other U.S. cities have to offer and sharing it with the inner-city Atlanta community. We have four pillars of excellence: Academics, Athletics, Service/Civic Engagement and Exposure.

We select our Ambassadors from a three-month fall baseball development league, called the Legacy League. In order to be considered for the Legacy League, families must complete a college admissions style application process that includes an online application, letters of recommendation, family interview and an on field baseball tryout that is used to measure aptitude.

Our Ambassadors are held accountable for their scholarship opportunity in L.E.A.D. monthly. Their contributions on and off the field are tallied and measured; thishelps us determine who is invested in the organization and honoring the scholarship experience provided by our donors.

Mendez Elder is a junior at Grady High School in Atlanta and will be the first player to spend all four years in high school as a member of L.E.A.D. He is the face of our organization and represents what baseball could be in the Atlanta Public School System.

The Atlanta Public School System currently graduates only 34% of its African American male students. Seventy-five percent of the families that APS serves live at or below the poverty level. Through the support of the L.E.A.D. organization, Mendez is on track to graduate with a GPA of over 3.0 and earna baseball scholarship to a top-tier college.

This summer, Mendez will be only the second baseball player from the Atlanta Public School System to ever attend the Perfect Game National Showcase, which showcases the top 150 high school baseball players in America. There is an old saying that "you get what you deserve". I can't think of anyone more deserving than Mendez and his family!

In His Own Words: What does the Perfect Game National Showcase mean to Mendez?

Q: How many scouts do you expect to be there, and without this exposure,can you attend your dream school GA Tech?

Mendez: Scouts from the ACC, the SEC and most of the Major League teams will be at the Perfect Game National Showcase this summer. Without this exposure, being a student-athlete at Georgia Tech would be way out of reach for me.

Q: Has anyone else in your family gone to college?

Mendez: No. No one in my immediate family has gone to college.

Q: If you get a baseball scholarship to a Division 1 school, how willit impact your community?

Mendez: It would impact my community a lot because I would be one of the few to go to college through baseball. We have a middle school baseball program in L.E.A.D. now, and they all want to be Ambassadors like me. When I earn my scholarship to a Division I school, I will inspire them to do the same. And to go somewhere like Georgia Tech where they can come see me play? That would be a life changing experience for me and my community.

Q: What makes you sure that you will succeed at the showcase? Do you think you have a real shot to earn a Division 1 scholarship?

Mendez: All my life I have been practicing and working for a shot like this. Being in L.E.A.D. has helped me access the training I need to have a real shot at competing at this level. Through L.E.A.D. we have sponsors who help me get the training I need. Through Coach C.J.’s company, Diamond Directors, he’s been developing my swing for over 3 years now. And just recently I started working with a speed and agility trainer named Coach Matt at this place called Rapid Performance. Having access to this kind of training is unheard of where I come from, but because I have it, I’m confident I have a true shot to get a Division 1 scholarship.

Q: How do you plan to share your experience at PG National with otherplayers in your community and L.E.A.D.?

Mendez: Of course. Ever since 9th grade and being selected for L.E.A.D., I was taught to give back. I will blog about it and also spread the word in my community.Sometimes it's all about holding conversations with people in person so they can see your face, and see that you are serious. I will encourage the scouts I meet to come scout Atlanta Public School baseball. There are baseball players all over Atlanta Public Schools (APS) but we just don't get a chance at playing baseball on a higher level like players from other schools because we don’t have access to the resources that L.E.A.D. provides. As L.E.A.D. grows, I hope we’ll have enough money for scholarships for every kid in APS who wants to play baseball- but of course, like me, they have to earn it.

And the winner is...

2011-05-07T19:45:00.000-07:00

Today, L.E.A.D. crowned Jean Childs Young Middle School as the 2011 L.E.A.D. Middle School Baseball Development League Champion. Young posted an undefeated season and played with energy and intensity every game. Congratulations to the entire Young Middle School!

The reality is that the city of Atlanta won today. There was a high level of excitement at Perkerson Park today. The stands were packed with family and friends. Everybody was asking “What’s next!?” Our next event is the All-Star game which will feature 30 Leaders representing B.E.S.T. Academy, Sylvan Hills, Young, King, Kennedy and Parks Middle School. The game will be played at Perkerson Park on Saturday, May 14^th at 10:00AM.

After the All-Star game, Coach Kerwin Giles will select 15 Leaders to represent L.E.A.D. as the Jr. Ambassadors for a competitive summer of baseball. The process to select these young men has been tough and I look forward to establishing relationships with some of Atlanta’s best assets.

If we are right about this, baseball in the inner city will be changed for the good for decades. Student-athletes from APS will flood college campuses across America receiving college degrees and setting records on the baseball field. Come be a part of the L.E.A.D. team by cheering in the stands at our next L.E.A.D. baseball game or getting dirty with us during our next service project. Check out our event schedule at www.Lead2Legacy.org.

And the winner is…Atlanta!

L.E.A.D. Volunteer and KSU pitcher Jeff Brown reflects on his time with Parks Middle School baseball players

2011-04-27T13:52:00.000-07:00

As we face the different obstacles along the journey of leading our young men from being hopeless to hopeful, there are small things that happen to encourage, energize and reassure us that we are indeed doing what's good for baseball and our communities.

The "small thing" today came from a Kennesaw State student, Jeff Brown, who selected L.E.A.D. as his volunteer project for his Education major. Please take a moment to read Jeff's reflection.

Jeff Brown at Parks Middle School baseball practice

My field experience was with the L.E.A.D. organization located in Atlanta. This is a nonprofit organization that is committed to having a significant impact on the number of inner city middle and high school students athletes playing competitive baseball to prepare them for college baseball scholarships. L.E.A.D. stands for Launch, Expose, Advise, Direct. The purpose of this organization is to get young African Americans involved in baseball in order to teach and develop them not only as a baseball player, but as a person in order to get them a college scholarship. The three basic programs that L.E.A.D. provides are the Middle School Baseball Development League, the Legacy Baseball Instructional League, and the Ambassador Program. I worked with the Middle School Baseball Development League and was connected with Coach Ford at Parks Middle School. This school is located in downtown Atlanta and is part of the Atlanta Public School System.

Mrs. Stewart, who was my contact, let me know that I could best serve the organization by assisting with the team at this school and put me in contact with Coach Ford. Coach Ford introduced me to the team as Coach Brown, and I worked with the fifteen seventh and eighth graders at their practices on Monday afternoons. I worked with the pitchers during each practice, teaching them the proper mechanics of throwing both from the wind up and stretch. I also taught them how to properly pick off to each base and was able to teach a new pitch to the more advanced pitchers on the team, the change-up. I also helped out in other skills during practice such as fielding ground balls, catching fly balls, and hitting the ball. During one intra-squad scrimmage at practice I pitched to the players. I basically did whatever Coach Ford needed me to do because he planned out the practices and had his itinerary in mind when making the schedule, so I helped out in whatever he needed me to do. I felt right at home with a glove on my left hand and a baseball in my right. I was a little apprehensive at first just driving to the school based on the community and neighborhood, but once I got introduced to the guys and we started practicing, I felt right at home.

I expected that this experience would be one where I kind of helped out a little bit, not with anyone in particular, but just some pitching help with a variety of players. But with the L.E.A.D. organization having me go to the same school, with the same players and coaches every week, I was able to develop a relationship with some of the players and definitely with Coach Ford. As I taught him things about baseball, he was there teaching me how to lead young men and giving me tips on excelling as a teacher. Coach Ford actually even brought his son and two of the players out to a Kennesaw State game against Georgia State, where they were able to see me pitch. I was also able to develop relationships with those higher up in the organization such as the CEO, C.J. Stewart, who wants me to come out anytime I have an opportunity to join in with any events they host. So overall, I wasn’t expecting to make the connections and develop the relationships that I was able to do through this experience.

The first assumption that I brought in was that they would be practicing at a baseball field, but I was proved wrong. This blew my mind because for as long as I’ve been playing baseball, basically every practice that I’ve been a part of has taken place on a baseball field. These students had to practice on a not very well kept field that needed bases to be put out to make it a field. Even though they didn’t have a baseball field, they were able to get the things done that they needed to get done in order to improve their skill during practice and get ready for the games on Saturdays. I also assumed that the students would be further advanced in their baseball skill level. My thinking was that they have probably played in the past in local youth leagues, but I found out quickly that we would have to go back to the basics in order for these players to be successful and not give up. I also assumed that they students would have their own gloves and maybe even bats, but I learned that most of them don’t have the money to purchase a glove and rely on the organization to supply gloves and everything else.

I used to be under the impression that not very many African Americans play professional baseball because they don’t have the desire to play it at a high level, but through this experience I’ve learned that’s not the case. Many African Americans love the game of baseball, but are unable to play the sport due to the lack of community based opportunities as well as the potential costs for the sport. By offering these opportunities in not only Atlanta, but many of the major cities around the United States, I believe that we can raise the number of African Americans that play major league baseball, and it all starts with creating these opportunities.

Three big ideas related to diversity that I found through this experience would be:

1- Regardless of the diversity of the group, sports can bring people together. In my case, I was able to meet up with a group of students and coaches that I normally wouldn’t have come across and develop relationships with. We all came from different places, different families, and different communities, but were able to come together to achieve a common goal through the sport of baseball.

2- Being engulfed in a diverse setting makes you, as a teacher, find ways to communicate so that the students can understand. We talked in class about being able to communicate to the students is key in helping them learn, so in a diverse setting, or one that is out of the ordinary, it is important to find a common language. I was able to help the students by not talking as much and more showing the students how to perform certain skills. I was able to communicate in a non-verbal way to the students and those that were visual learners were able to pick up the skill more clearly than if I would have just told them.

3- Find a way to relate things to the task at hand to what the students have grown up learning about in their culture. For me this meant taking some of the skills in baseball and explaining how they might have used the skill in another sport such as football or basketball. When working with the outfielders, I was able to do some drills that are similar to football defensive back drills by having them move sideways, forward, and backwards to catch balls in the air. By relating this skill to something that they have seen and been a part of during their youth sports, there attentiveness increased and it looked like they were having fun.

This was a great experience for me to be part of and I enjoyed every minute of it. I hope that the people that I worked with were able to learn as much from me as I did from them. I look forward to hearing how the team does in the playoffs and am going to try to make it out to their game on Saturday

Fork in the road

2011-04-25T10:52:00.000-07:00

The L.E.A.D. Middle School Baseball Development League is going well. So well that our Leaders from our six partner APS middle schools are asking us to form a summer exposure team. The thought of a Junior Ambassadors team sounds so good.

Our middle school Leaders are faced with a very important week as they take the CRCT test. When this week is over, there are only a few more weeks until school is out for the summer. “What is there to look forward to” is the question that some of our Leaders have asked me.

Without summer baseball programs being offered at their neighborhood recreation center, they are left to be creative with their time this summer. I'm shaking my head as I type.

With the help of our L.E.A.D. Tailgate Club, we may be able to provide 15 scholarship opportunities to Junior Ambassadors for the summer. Making the selections from our current 90 league participants will be difficult but the reward will be sweet to Atlanta! They will have a unique opportunity to experience the L.E.A.D. Way which is excellence in Academics, Athletics, Service/Civic Engagement and Exposure. The things that they will learn this summer will truly allow them to be Ambassadors and be better prepared for school in the fall.

Recurring financial donations of any amount can be made at www.Lead2Legacy.org. I also encourage you to meet some of our Leaders and high school Ambassadors for our L.E.A.D. Tailgate party before the Sunday, May 15th Braves vs. Phillies game at Turner Field. Check out our website so that you can get in on the action. Here is your opportunity to help a young man who is at that fork in the road. Your support will help him go in the right direction. L.E.A.D. him Today and Change his Tomorrow!

Winning is everything to L.E.A.D.'s Tailgate Club

2011-04-20T12:49:00.000-07:00

Everyone has some type of connection to America's game whether you know it or not. Baseball has been with our country through the good times and bad times. Some of us cheer for the hometown Braves and some of us are just simply fans of baseball all the way down to the little leagues.

L.E.A.D. uses baseball in the inner city of Atlanta to help middle and high school students access college through baseball. We currently offer up to 60 scholarships to middle and high school student/athletes in our fall Legacy League as well as up to 90 scholarships to six APS middle schools during our spring Middle School Development League. We choose 18 high school Ambassadors from the Legacy League to represent the elite level of L.E.A.D. from the spring through the summer.

To date, 100% of our Ambassadors have graduated from high school and entered college while 87% of them have received athletic scholarships. We could do so much more with more student-athletes if YOU join our Tailgate Club.

The L.E.A.D. Tailgate Club consists of individuals within the Atlanta community and beyond that:

Attend games and cheer on our awesome Leaders and Ambassadors!
Donate money and time on a recurring basis
Participate in community service activities
Share your expertise by donating your professional services or holding seminars for our Leaders and/or families
Spread the word about L.E.A.D. to all your friends
Watch for emails about activities you can attend or ways you can get involved

Be a part of a winning team as we help our young men win at the game of life. Join the Tailgate Club today at www.Lead2Legacy.org where you can also view blogs from our Ambassadors as well as our 2011 event schedule. Spread the word!

Baseball isn't dead in the inner city of Atlanta

2011-04-16T15:52:00.001-07:00

Spring is the time of year when things come alive. For a long time, baseball has been considered "dead" in the inner city of Atlanta. Thanks to L.E.A.D. in 2007, baseball is alive as a year round sport in the inner city of Atlanta.

Our four pillars of excellence for L.E.A.D. is athletics, academics, service/civic engagement and exposure and we measure each of them. We currently serve families in the Dekalb County, South Fulton and Atlanta Public School System.

We have three programs that serve middle and high school age boys that strive to use baseball to access college. They are the Legacy League Fall Instructional League (August-November), Middle School Development League (March-May) and the Ambassadors (November-August).

Our families have faith in L.E.A.D. to help make their dreams a reality. To date, 100% of our Ambassadors have graduated from high school an enrolled in college. 87% of our Ambassadors have enrolled in college with athletic scholarships.

On Saturday, April 23rd, L.E.A.D. will host its Opening Day Ceremony for our Middle School Development League as well as our 1st Annual Inner City Youth Baseball March. This march will show the world that baseball is alive in the inner city of Atlanta. It also gives L.E.A.D. an opportunity to welcome Major League Baseball and the Civil Rights game to the home of the Civil Rights Movement.

The Civil Rights game is Major League Baseball's effort to honor the role that the Civil Rights Movement had on the advancement of African American's being allowed to play America's game at the highest level.

Spring is here as well as youth baseball in Atlanta. Please join L.E.A.D. as we celebrate youth development in the name of baseball on Saturday, April 23rd at Perkerson Park. Our youth in the inner city of Atlanta are our assets. As they win on and off the baseball field, Atlanta wins!

Get 100 in 10

2011-03-30T18:44:00.000-07:00

Thirty four years ago, I was born into the world destined to be successful – according to my mom. Her expectations were high even though funds were low. My parents needed a strong support system to help with raising me. That support system was the Atlanta community.

On April 10th, I will be celebrating my 35th birthday. My mom's formula for success – prayer, hard work, education and respecting others – has gotten me to a place where I can use baseball to serve others and I love every bit of it. This year for my birthday, I’m asking you to join a support system that will impact hundreds of young men in Atlanta. In 10 days, I’ll celebrate my birthday with family, friends and youth baseball players at Perkerson Park. I want to make the announcement then that 100 people have pledged to donate at least $10 a month for the next year. Will you be a part of that pledge and help support your community?

As a kid, I wanted to be a professional baseball player for the Chicago Cubs. I also wanted to be a successful entrepreneur. Thanks to the support of my community, my reality has surpassed those dreams. Today, I am one of the top baseball instructors in the country and owner of Diamond Directors (www.DiamondDirectors.com). I am also the founder of L.E.A.D., Inc., an Atlanta-based non-profit that uses baseball to help inner city middle and high school males access college. To date, 100% of our L.E.A.D. Ambassadors have graduated from high school and enrolled in college. 87% of our Ambassadors have received baseball scholarships. We achieve excellence in areas of academics, athletics, service/civic engagement and exposure.

L.E.A.D. offers year-round programs and I need your help in order for us to serve more student-athletes in the Atlanta Public School System. By donating at least $10 per month for a year, you can help fund the addition of two teams in our 2011 Legacy League, America's first fall instructional league that focuses on the development and exposure of inner city baseball talent. And our goal is not just to help these young men develop baseball skills; we want to address the fact that Georgia’s statewide high school graduation rate for African American males is only 43% and help more young men graduate and succeed.

Be a part of our winning team like countless others did for me when I was younger. You can visit www.Lead2Legacy.org to set up a recurring donation. Make your pledge and join me on April 10 at Perkerson Park and help me make the announcement that in 10 days, 100 people pledged to donate $10! This is the Atlanta Way!

Your name

2011-03-24T13:15:00.000-07:00

L.E.A.D. shared the stage with some powerful and influential names this week such as Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, Jean Childs Young and Walter L. Parks. This week, L.E.A.D. hosted Signing Day at six of our partner middle schools within the Atlanta Public School System. The LEADers at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, John F. Kennedy, Jean Childs Young, Walter L. Parks, B.E.S.T. Academy and Sylvan Hills signed L.E.A.D. scholarships.

Each LEADer's signature and date on the scholarship was an acceptance of L.E.A.D.'s mission to use baseball to access college. They also agreed to honor our pillars of excellence which include academics, athletics, service/civic engagement and exposure.

D'Anthony Morrow, Cameron Giles, Ryan Martin and Lolon Lemons are among the names of LEADers in our Middle School Development League that are destined for greatness. They will achieve greatness because of the support of people like you.

This was an emotional week for me as well as I looked into the eyes of parents that are grateful for the mentorship that we provide throughout the year to their sons. I spoke to school administrators that are thankful for the added incentive that can be provided to their students. L.E.A.D. charges our young men to make a difference in their school and in their community. We hold our LEADers accountable by measuring their commitment throughout the year.

I want to say a special thank you for your attendance to Elanor Gotell who was in the first graduating class from Martin Luther King Middle School. Ms. Gotell's son Octavious Bradley Sr. currently serves as a coach for the Martin Luther King Cobras and Octavious Bradley Jr. is a member of the King baseball team. This is also Octavious Jr.'s first time playing organized baseball and he is loving it. Ms. Gotell's class was responsible for selecting the school mascot Cobras as well as the school colors royal blue and gold.

Great things are happening in Atlanta through L.E.A.D. and we invite you to join. My name is C.J. Stewart and I am the proud founder/CEO of L.E.A.D. What's your name?

Wise souls

2011-03-21T13:18:00.000-07:00

Spending time with my grandmother today gave me a boost of energy. Like most grandmothers, mine is the foundation of our family. She is filled with so much wisdom and positive energy.

She never saw me play in a baseball game but she was always my biggest fan. We have a large family and grandma couldn't be everywhere at once. I knew that I could always go to her for money to buy Nike cleats when my mom wouldn't buy them. Lol! She always found something for me to do around the house to earn the money though.

I'm older now and she was there to watch me be ordained as a deacon. Her being there on that occassion meant more to me than seeing me hit a homerun. She has also been present at several L.E.A.D. functions. I remind her that I serve others now because I was inspired by her as a child.

A kiss on the cheek and a "job well done" from grandma is what I needed today. L.E.A.D. will continue to move in the right direction with the prayers of wise souls like my grandmother.

Disney Magic in Atlanta!

2011-03-19T20:59:00.000-07:00

Good old fashion hospitality is the secret sauce behind the Disney magic. There is an amazing culture created here. The best part? It can be duplicated.

It starts with having people involved that want to be involved. Disney employees seem more like investors in the Disney Corporation than just employees.

The second of many ingredients is good leadership. Someone is taking the time to make sure that all i's are dotted and t's crossed. Careful planning and execution is critical to providing a memorable experience.

I realize that Disney wasn't created over night. It started with a mission and vision a long, long time ago. That mission and vision was so clear and that is why millions of people throughout the world can leave Orlando, Florida with a smile on their face compliments of Mickey.

I'm having more fun here recognizing the people that are delivering the experience than riding the rides. Maybe I'm alone on this one but I'm a fan of serving others. Sanitation jobs are revered out here. The parking attendants could sign autographs if they wanted to.

We are mixing up the L.E.A.D. sauce and glad that you are willing to try it. We aren't perfect but we strive to provide a wonderful, memorable experience for everyone that is involved with our year round program; from the student-athletes on the diamond to the spectators in the stand.

L.E.A.D. is providing Disney Magic in Atlanta!

Career Day the Grove Park Way!

2011-03-18T09:38:00.000-07:00

I heard the word entrepreneur for the first time when I was in the 3rd or 4th grade at Grove Park Elementary. Of course there were doctors, lawyers and engineers in the building but that wasn't what I wanted to do when I "grew up". I am so thankful that our school principal Mrs. Jones made sure that we had a large variety of careers represented that day.

Fast forward over 25 years and today I was able to have several of my dear friends share their careers with students at Grove Park. Exposure still means so much to me as an adult as I strive for excellence. That same exposure is what is needed to mold our students in APS. Like the old saying goes "you know what you know and you don't know what you don't know". Our students are capable of being great but it is our responsibility to expose them to tomorrow's positive realities today!

Special thanks to Grove Park's Principal Caitlin Sims and school counselor Ramia Cook for organizing the successful event. Thank you to my wonderful friends for pouring yourselves into the Grove Park students. L.E.A.D. Today...Change Tomorrow!

Jeff Johnson-Peachtree TV

Kristi Dosh-www.ItsASwingAndAMiss.com Chadd Scott-Sports Radio Personality Kevin Donovan-Helios Partners (Marketing)

Patty Rasmussen-Freelance writer

Darrin Woley-Ignition (Marketing)

I will be updating this list with others guest presenters that were at Grove Park today.

Time for a good time

2011-03-17T05:36:00.000-07:00

This has been a great vacation and much needed for the Stewart family.

My time in Orlando has allowed me to hear the laughter of my daughters as they swim in pool. We go throughout the day without a set schedule and I use my iPhone mostly for photo taking. We haven't seen Mickey at Disney yet but he looks good in our Braves gear.

Being here makes me realize that I needed a timeout. When you love what you do, the last thing that you want is a break from it. I love baseball and I love L.E.A.D. and it has been good to charge the batteries back up under the hot Florida sun.

Time down here will be used to appreciate one another in the Stewart house. The girls can scream as loud as they want to and stay up really late. They deserve it. Kelli has been able to get some good rest and that makes me happy because she wears her cape everyday back home. I'm simply enjoying the ability to wear sandals and my Ambassadors visor.

It's Friday and our time is almost up. Headed back to the ATL on Sunday and ready to work on Monday. In the meantime, my batteries aren't fully charged yet. We miss y'all and we are having a good time.

High expectations

2011-03-14T08:27:00.000-07:00

It is no secret that inner city schools struggle to meet the bar of academic achievement. Know one has the perfect plan but the key is to have a plan. APS has some of the most talented and dedicated teachers that you will ever find. That is why I am encouraged that Atlanta Public Schools will produce more Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s and Ceasar Mitchell's in the future.

I am fortunate to have my organization L.E.A.D. to be a partner with the Atlanta Public School System through the Atlanta Partners for Education program. This allows me to be a part of the solution.

Within L.E.A.D., we meet our middle and high school male students where they are. We are dealing with at risk male students but our expectations are extremely high for them. We offer year round baseball programs with a methodology that helps everyone stay on track towards graduating from high school and enrolling into college. We realize and accept that it takes a village to raise a child.

Some students have risk factors that are more serious than others and we are sensitive to that but every student has the potential to be great and it is my responsibility to set the bar high for every young man in my organization. If a young man falls, it is also my responsibility to pick him up but push him forward.

One of the pillars of excellence in L.E.A.D. is exposure. I truly feel that a young man is less likely to fail if he is exposed to a high level of success on a continuous basis. High expectations has graduated 100% of our L.E.A.D. Ambassadors from high school and they all enrolled in college. High expectations within APS produced Dr. Martin Luther King from Booker T. Washington High School and Ceasar Mitchell from Benjamin Elijah Mays High School.

I am honored to be a part of the solution and I encourage you to do the same by joining our L.E.A.D. Tailgate Club at www.Lead2Legacy.org.

If not me, who? If not now, when? High expectations is more than a buzz phrase for me. The bar will continue to be raised high by L.E.A.D. within APS.

God is in control

2011-03-08T16:53:00.000-08:00

The view is so clear from up here as I fly into Orlando with Braves baseball on my mind. Number 22 in right field is a living testimony that dreams become real. What does tomorrow hold? I don't know, but I rest assured that God is in control!

I want tomorrow to bring me more resources so that more African American males will graduate from APS high schools and enter college. More resources will allow me to provide more mentors that can show them the way. These young men are smart contrary to popular belief. They need mentorship on a consistent basis more than math tutors. They need to understand how to manage their own lives. They don't want to fail but failure is the only option when no one will walk the walk with you.

I want next week to bring me more resources so that more African American males in Atlanta will compete in baseball rather than just playing baseball. What is the difference? To compete requires skill development which demands sacrifice, patience and commitment from both the player and the coach. To play only requires showing up. The rigors of baseball have prepared me to be a successful professional off the baseball field. It can do the same for many other young men in inner city Atlanta. Baseball and baseball only made academics relevant for me.

I want next month to bring me more resources so that more African American males in Atlanta can understand the true meaning of leadership through service and civic engagement. Leadership is an action word and not just an adjective. Leadership doesn't have a starting age. Service begins now! There is no reason that young men in Atlanta shouldn't have opportunities to be involved in service every month throughout the year. If we want them "straighten up", we have to first meet them where they are and L.E.A.D. the way.

I want next year to bring me more resources so that more African American males in Atlanta can be exposed to the amazing opportunities that exist right here in our city. We have more Fortune 100 companies in Atlanta than any other city in America. We can do more than taking a bus load of students on a field trip. What is the follow up? We peak their interest but what happens when the flame dies out.

Only God knows the destination of L.E.A.D. He has placed me in a leadership position to lead and I humbly accept it. I'm at the top of this vision and it is my daily prayer for wisdom and courage to fulfill the mission of L.E.A.D. We Launch, Expose, Advise and Direct! We achieve excellence in Academics, Athletics, Service/Civic Engagement and Exposure!

God is in control!

Wide eyes

2011-03-06T06:45:00.000-08:00

Wider eyes mean that you can see more. On Saturday, March 5th, L.E.A.D. trained over 90 student/athletes from six of our partner schools (Parks, Young, King, Kennedy, Sylvan Hills and B.E.S.T. Academy) at my DiamondDirectors.com indoor training facility in Marietta. The rain didn't let up outside on Saturday and there was no way that we could let our student/athletes down by not having baseball practice.

With one phone call to the APS Athletic Department, we had six buses at six middle schools in inner city Atlanta coming up I-75 to receive an amazing baseball experience. Each young man made the unforced commitment to wake up and get on the bus. That made me so proud as the bus drivers called and said, "We are on the way Mr. Stewart!"

Our guests came in and were welcomed by Kelli and I along with some of our executive board and advisory board members. Kerwin Giles, our Middle School Baseball Director provided a comprehensive training program that focused on kinesthetic, visual and auditory learning. The practice schedule was executed by our Ambassadors as well as each school's coaching staff.

You should have seen how wide the eyes were of each student/athlete looking around at the 30,000+ square foot baseball training facility. They were amazed at all of the baseball specific equipment that they had access to paid for by their service in the community, commitment to academic excellence as well as commitment to L.E.A.D.'s mission and values.

Their wide eyes have now seen. Now they can dream. Their dreams of using baseball to access college can come true as long as they continue to follow our L.E.A.D.

I follow L.E.A.D.'s direction!

2011-03-04T14:00:00.000-08:00

Going the L.E.A.D. direction has definitely molded me into a true Ambassador for the city of Atlanta as well as baseball. I am a senior at Benjamin Elijah Mays High School and I have my eyes set on attending college upon graduation. My short term goal is to be granted a collegiate baseball scholarship. I will be visiting Grambling University March 18th-20th and planning visits to other universities in the near future.

After hearing words from our very own Ambassador Andrew Young, I realize even more that academics are the key to my success. I work very hard in the classroom knowing that one day baseball on the field may be taken away. I have come to gain more respect for the game of baseball now that I have seen the fields that Jackie Robinson played on through L.E.A.D.’s exposure opportunities. Jackie Robinson opened the door for young men such as Jason Heyward of the Atlanta Braves and me.

Being able to talk to Jason Heyward who serves as L.E.A.D.’s Honorary Ambassador has helped me appreciate the game of baseball. His talks have also empowered me as I move on to the next phase of my life as a college student/athlete.

There are many others who preach the L.E.A.D. direction that I am following such as the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Hank Aaron. I know L.E.A.D.’s direction is right for me!

Desmond Stegall

2009-2011 L.E.A.D. Ambassador and Senior at Benjamin E. Mays High School

Sound advice

2011-02-25T06:31:00.000-08:00

L.E.A.D. is an acronym that stands for Launch, Expose, Advise, Direct. We successfully carry out our mission by advising parents, coaches and players about the college baseball recruiting process so that the families we serve can use baseball to access college.

Back in the day, baseball scouts would always find you if you were a good baseball player. It was also back in the day when you only had to pay $100 to play baseball. There was no need for families to budget for private baseball instruction because the industry didn't exist. Today, the baseball industry is worth billions. To be competitive for a baseball scholarship you must invest in all or a combination of the following resources and services (professional skill instructor, speed/strength coach, nutritionist, mental performance coach, baseball equipment, travel expenses to showcases/tournaments, showcase/tournament fees, and an advisor to help you manage the process) just to name a few.

I have successfully worked in the baseball industry as a skill trainer and advisor for 12 years. To give a child the best chance to leverage baseball to receive a baseball scholarship, you have to invest a minimum of $8,000 annually into the student/athlete. If you start the process after 15, you are too late.

L.E.A.D. exists because my parents didn't have $8,000 to invest in my dream of playing college and professional baseball. Today, 75% of inner city Atlanta students live at or below the poverty line. How can these young men possibly dream of playing a game that they love at the collegiate level when they don't have the income to support the dream? How did I do it? I did it with the help of my parents, T.J. Wilson, Dave Whitfield and others within the Atlanta community.

My advice as the owner of Diamond Directors (www.DiamondDirectors.com) has helped placed Brandon Thomas at GA Tech, Chris Epps to Clemson University, Jason Heyward (Atlanta Braves) to UCLA, Dexter Fowler (Colorado Rockies) to Harvard and many more. How does L.E.A.D. continue to send so many inner city students to college on baseball scholarships? Sound advice from someone who has lived the life!

Exposure the L.E.A.D. Way

2011-02-24T05:32:00.000-08:00

Exposure means to subject or allow to be subject to an action, influence, or condition. L.E.A.D. has had a positive influence in our lives. L.E.A.D. has exposed my son to things he has never been exposed to before and it is done without bias. He has been exposed to servant leadership within our community as well professional baseball skill training. Exposure to the right things makes a young man excited when you mention L.E.A.D. and what they stand for. Exposure to the right things makes a young man excited to serve his community and feel good about giving back. Exposure to the right things makes a young man excited to come to practice or a workout session.

L.E.A.D. teaches young men how to give back and make a difference even if their peers don't think that it is cool. L.E.A.D. is not exposing young men to things just for today but for the exposure to makes a difference in the future. The mission is to expose young men to a lifestyle where they feel like they are somebody and they can make a difference in the lives of others. L.E.A.D.’s exposure is a great journey with lots of great memories and a legacy for others to follow!

Thanks L.E.A.D. for making a difference in my son's life!!!! As a parent I am PROUD to be a part if this GREAT organization.

Katrina Johnson
Proud mother of D'Anthony, 2010-11 L.E.A.D. Ambassador In Training and 2011 Jean Childs Young Middle School Leader

Launching African American males straight to college

2011-02-22T11:58:00.000-08:00

L.E.A.D. means so much to so many different people. In four words, L.E.A.D. is an acronym that stands for Launch, Expose. Advise and Direct.

We successfully launch educational opportunities by converting the raw baseball talent of inner city Atlanta middle and high school age males to skills that are attractive to college baseball coaches. When we successfully develop the talent of our L.E.A.D. Leaders and Ambassadors, it results into baseball scholarships.

In three years, we have sent 100% of our Ambassadors to college and 87% of them have received baseball scholarships. Only 43% of black males graduate from high school in Georgia. That leaves 57% of black males that have to find a way to pay for their education if they choose to enroll in college.

My parents didn't have a separate fund set up for me to attend college so I had to use baseball and academics to enter Georgia State University. There was no other way. Although I graduated from Westlake High School with a 3.5 GPA, I didn't have a single academic scholarship offered. The HOPE scholarship was a blessing to me and I used it along with my baseball scholarship and financial aid to make my dream of going to college a reality.

At the end of the day, without baseball, there is no way that I value my education enough to graduate from high school and go to college. I just couldn't see how Algebra or Earth Science was going to lead me to a successful job. I knew that getting an A in the class would help my chances of being recruited for baseball so I buckled down and got the A. Without baseball, there is no way that I become one of the top baseball instructors in the country. There is no way that I accept mentor as a word to describe myself. There is no way that I value my marriage and fatherhood. There is no way that L.E.A.D. exists!

This is that time of year when people ask "Why is the number of African Americans in baseball declining?" Not only are young African Americans playing baseball in Atlanta, they are also successfully using baseball to access college.

With your help, I will continue to L.E.A.D. Today and Change Tomorrow! Join our Tailgate Club at Lead2Legacy.org.

Living legends that still L.E.A.D.

2011-02-15T08:25:00.000-08:00

"To understand the road ahead, ask those coming back. Success leaves clues". That is my favorite Chinese proverb. Since a young age, I was told to be a leader. I wasn't shown what leadership was truly about until I was given the opportunity to serve others. Leadership is often times used as a general term when expressed to youth to simply not get in trouble.

L.E.A.D.'s definition of leadership is service. Under my leadership, my young men have an opportunity to serve once per month every month throughout the year. This is how they pay their way to L.E.A.D. and to society. Being in L.E.A.D. for some is an answer to their prayers. Georgia graduates 43% of it's black males from high school.

This inate attitude of leadership as an action word for me has always been inspired by some great Atlantans. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Ambassador Andrew Young and Mr Hank Aaron have displayed an unmeasurable amount of leadership that the world has noticed for decades. I am fortunate to make my dreams become a reality in the same city that these men call(ed) home.

How awesome it would be for me to tell Dr. King that I started the first middle school baseball program in the same Atlanta Public School System that educated him. How awesome it would be for me to tell Ambassador young that the elite level for the young men in L.E.A.D. are called Ambassadors in his honor. 100% of them have graduated from high school and enrolled in college and 87% have received scholarships. How awesome it would be to let Hank Aaron know that I appreciate his accomplishments on the field and I am truly inspired by his front office position with the Atlanta Braves. This inspired me for the 2nd year to take 90 L.E.A.D. Middle School School Baseball Development League Leaders to Turner Field to get an up close look at how the front office prepares us to see our Honorary Ambassador Jason Heyward on the field.

I will continue to push forward to use L.E.A.D. to help my Leaders and Ambassadors use baseball to access college. We have successfully done this since 2007 with a 100% success rate. I can't do better than 100% but I can serve more students in Atlanta. Leadership is an ACTION word so that is exactly what I will do with our L.E.A.D. supporters.

To understand the road ahead, ask those coming back. Success leaves clues. I have one question for you Ambassador Young and Mr. Aaron. How do I lead this next generation of leaders?

I love you Atlanta!

2011-02-14T06:50:00.001-08:00

Love listens, encourages and makes sacrifices for others. I love Atlanta because it first loved me.

On this Valentine Day, my gift to Atlanta is two additional teams (Jean Childs Young Middle School and Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School) in our L.E.A.D. Middle School Baseball Development League. This addition allows 30 middle school males from the Atlanta Public School System to have access to my organization which has graduated 100% of our Ambassadors. To date, all of our Ambassadors have enrolled in college and 87% of them have received a baseball scholarship.

I listened to the cries of inner city high school males in 2007 and I answered with L.E.A.D. I encourage my mentees by being a consistent and stable mentor. L.E.A.D. has remained a 12 month program of excellence since day one because the Atlanta Public School System was the same for me. L.E.A.D. is my families legacy so it is only natural for us to make sacrifices for the city that raised me to be the leader that I am.

I love you Kelli, Mackenzi and Mackenna! I love you Atlanta! I love you L.E.A.D. and our many supporters!

Happy Valentines Day!

Time for some baseball

2011-02-07T05:22:00.000-08:00

The NFL season is over and the Green Bay Packers are the champions. They beat my Atlanta Falcons so they deserve it.

When the clock reaches zero at the Super Bowl, it is officially baseball season. We know that spring is right around the corner and everything becomes alive.

L.E.A.D. is planning for another productive year both on and off the baseball field. Our Middle School Baseball League season starts on Saturday, March 26th and our L.E.A.D. Ambassadors begin May 28th.

The Ambassadors will be present during the GA Tech Baseball annual pre-season dinner on February 17th where the 2011 Yellow Jackets will be introduced and super baseball agent Scott will be the keynote speaker. Our Middle School Leaders will shadow Atlanta Braves staff on March 26th for our Hats Off event.

America's favorite sport is here Atlanta. Come support baseball in the inner city this spring by joining our Tailgate Club. L.E.A.D. Today, Change Tomorrow. It is time for some baseball!

It was a better day for Atlanta

2011-01-30T05:43:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, January 29th, we hosted our "Meet the Ambassadors" event in Marietta. We invited several current and future supporters of L.E.A.D. to participate in baseball drills with our Ambassadors.

There was so much laughter in the air. It is something about baseball that connects people. Connecting people is what allows L.E.A.D. to use baseball to transform inner city Atlanta communities.

All of our guest wore there stylish L.E.A.D. Ambassadors t-shirts and had a chance to swing a bat for the first time in years under the tutelage of myself, Jamaal Hawkins (Minnesota Twins) and our Ambassadors. Several guest like Sam Bacote (investment banker) and Tom Hughes (Hope-Beckham PR) brought their children and they were also able to join the fun.

Daver Preter, Georgia's Own Credit Union CEO was in attendance with his young son. Ambassador Desmond Stegall showed him the proper way to extend his arms during the swing for power.

Chad Scott of 680 The Fan and Kristi Dosh (Sports Biz Analyst for SportsMoney on Forbes.com and Comcast Sports Southeast) both got some one on one training with me. I showed them exactly how Jason Heyward hit his first major league home run.

Chicago Cubs major league utility player Bobby Scales manned the bunting station while Eugene Heyward (father of Jason Heyward) handled the soft toss cage. I heard that Barbara Greene has potential in both aspects of baseball.

All in all, it was a great day to spend time with our amazing coaching staff, parents, supporters and the Ambassadors. It was a great for L.E.A.D. It was a better day for Atlanta!

I will take service to a new level

2011-01-17T18:51:00.000-08:00

Dr. King has been an inspiration to me since I can remember. As a child, celebrating the King Holiday with reverence was an absolute must. We watched documentaries all week in school leading up to the day. Our church service honored him as a man of God and you were always reminded of Dr. King because there was always a photo somewhere in the house of him.

Now that my childhood days have passed, I have become busy with stuff and haven't celebrated his legacy the proper way.

The past four days have been a reconnection for me to Dr. King; a connection that I so desperately need as a husband, father and the founder of L.E.A.D.

I celebrated the legacy of Dr. King Friday at Ebenezer Baptist Church with my mentee Jason Heyward during an ESPN Town Hall Meeting discussing the image of the black athlete. Dr. King was a fan of sports and fought to make sure that black athletes were judged by the content of their character instead of their skin color. The image of the black athlete was portrayed as negative on Friday just as it was when Dr. King was alive.

I celebrated the legacy of Dr. King Saturday at the Celebration of Greatness Dinner at the Hyatt Regency. I enjoyed the celebration with three L.E.A.D. Ambassadors. We heard inspiring words from Ambassador Andrew Young and the wife of the late Senator Edward Kennedy. I left feeling the charge to empower youth in Atlanta and continuing to accept my role as a young leader.

On Sunday, L.E.A.D. was a guest of the Unitarian Universalists Congregation of Atlanta. Their pastor recited the last sermon of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The congregation also chose L.E.A.D. as the "Give The Plate" beneficiary. They actually donated the entire offering from two services to L.E.A.D. Wow! We are committed to connecting communities while transforming communities.

I celebrated the legacy of Dr. King on Monday serving as a Marshal for the Dr. King March. What an amazing sight to see our Ambassadors up front with Mayor Kasim Reed and Martin Luther King III.

I am truly empowered and energized to take service to a new level after my four day celebration of Dr. King.

Thank God for the snow

2011-01-11T14:27:00.000-08:00

Playing in the snow these past two days with my wife and daughters brought back so many memories from my childhood. Memories of playing football in the neighborhood with all of my friends until somebody got hurt. We were rough! I can't remember making any snow men being built but we had a lot of snow ball fights. I had a good arm and was really accurate so I enjoyed that the most.

For the first time in a long time, this week I was able to step away from my Blackberry and walk down the street with my family and simply enjoy the snow. I was able to hold my three year old until she feel asleep in my arms. I was able to experience the same free spirit that I had as a child.

These past two days while playing in the snow has reminded me to enjoy life. I allow so many things to distract me from enjoying all of the blessings around me. Being locked in the house allowed me to realize that I have prevented myself from enjoying the simple yet rewarding things that life has to offer like eating a bowl cereal while watching cartoons. I loved watching Tom & Jerry back in the day!

The snow will be gone soon but I have several photos that will remind me to simply enjoy life in 2011.

Warm hearts in cold weather

2011-01-06T13:49:00.000-08:00

As expected, the temperature drops really low in the winter. For the first time in a long while, we even had a white Christmas in Atlanta. It may be cold outside but the hearts of Atlanta have really been warm.

L.E.A.D. has received a wealth of blessings from familiar supporters as well as unanimous individuals this winter. As an organization, we are increasing the number of families that we are serving in 2011. Support is crucial in order for us to carry out our mission.

Supporting L.E.A.D. in a major way can be done with time, professional services and/or recurring financial donations. The young men that L.E.A.D. serves have committed to achievement in Academics, Athletics, Service and Exposure. For their sacrifice, they are now in a position to access college and Transform Their Community.

In Georgia, 43% of African American males are graduating from high school. Since 2007, 100% of L.E.A.D. participants have accessed college because of warm hearts like yours.

With each year

2010-12-30T10:02:00.000-08:00

With each passing year, I become wiser as a father, husband and founder of L.E.A.D. Wisdom often comes from mistakes made. That's why I love the New Year. The New Year cleans the slate and allows redemption.

Be ready for an aggressive push by L.E.A.D. to get more African-American males in college through baseball. A 34% graduation rate of black males from Atlanta Public Schools is unacceptable but we are all working together for a positive change.

2010 was great for L.E.A.D., but with each year, God has blessed us beyond our request. I'm claiming success for L.E.A.D. and Atlanta in 2011.

Ordinary people doing extraordinary things

2010-12-20T16:14:00.000-08:00

The difference between being ordinary and extraordinary is simply doing a little extra. Jason Heyward is a great example of an ordinary person doing extraordinary things.

Jason provided a weekend for our Ambassadors that included getting haircuts followed by a visit to Lenox Mall where know one left empty handed. The next day, Jason treated us all to the "Waiting For Superman" documentary. After a great movie, we discussed it over some good food at Applebee's.

Our Ambassadors had an exclusive weekend with Jason that they will never forget. It was empowering in addition to being fun. Our Amabassadors said it best, Jason is just an ordinary person that does extraordinary things.

Ringing the bell

2010-12-20T15:59:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, December 11th, the L.E.A.D. Ambassadors rang the Salvation Army kettle bell at Lenox Mall. We greeted mall patrons with holiday well wishes as they responded with smiles and donations for the Salvation Army.

This was a refreshing sight with so much crime happening around our city involving so many young African-American males. Doing good felt so good was a comment by one of my Ambassadors.

We rang the bells as loud as we possibly could in various locations throughout the mall with 25 Ambassadors. My prayer is that everyone saw a civic minded group of young men that is starting a new trend of leadership in Atlanta through service. The sounds of the bells echo that the L.E.A.D. Ambassadors are here and we are proud to be creations of God and thankful for this opportunity to be L.E.A.D. Ambassadors. We are our brothers keeper and together we will achieve greatness.

Broccoli with cheddar cheese

2010-12-20T15:54:00.000-08:00

I remember our inaugural L.E.A.D. Ambassador season in 2007 like it was yesterday. One of our Ambassadors Joseph McCrary was in his senior year of high school at Redan with aspirations of competing at the collegiate level as a student and baseball player. He maintained above a 3.0 GPA with solid test scores.

Through exposure that L.EA.D. provided, he is now in his junior year of college at Savannah State University. In addition to being a starting infielder on the baseball team, he also carries a 3.6 GPA. He is majoring in accounting and hopes to work at a top accounting firm upon graduation.

Several people ask us is L.E.A.D. just a baseball team. One of the aspects of L.E.A.D. is the strength of our network in corporate America. I am proud of my board of directors and supporters because in addition to providing financial resources, they can provide career opportunities for our Ambassadors.

Deloitte is one of the top accounting firms in the U.S. and is based in Atlanta. By the grace of God, Joseph has an opportunity to work as an intern at Deloitte this upcoming summer. Working at Deloitte will truly change his life and his community.

Teaching baseball is the broccoli while providing career opportunities is the cheddar cheese.

My APS

2010-12-07T12:32:00.001-08:00

I entered the doors of Grove Park Elementary as a kindergartener in 1981. I was a student at Grove Park Elementary School until 1986 when I moved on to middle school. I remember Alonzo Crim being our Superintendent. He was always at our school visiting and making sure that we were committed to excellence.

I loved coming to Grove Park every day to see our principal Mrs. Jones. She was tall and beautiful and always called me a “handsome young man”. Something as small as that made me want to be the best student that I could be.

Our field trips at Grove Park were amazing. Every year, we would attend the Center for Puppetry Arts, High Museum and the Fox Theatre. My second grade year, Mrs. Jacobs took us on a plane ride to North Carolina.

I knew that I wanted to be an entrepreneur after Career Day in the 5^th grade. There was a man that came into our classroom that had so much confidence. He was speaking my language because I always wanted to be a business owner. Now I knew the route to take to accomplish my goal.

I remember taking my peach-colored Quotable Quotes book from Benjamin E. Mays. We read quotes from this book everyday as a school. I still have that book today and the quotes are still empowering.

I am the leader that I am today because of my APS experience. The entire school system embraced me and I felt like an asset of the Atlanta. APS provides much more than an education. It is all about being prepared for the rest of your life.

The Atlanta Way

2010-11-22T18:34:00.000-08:00

A good friend of ours, Peter Rooney, brought to my attention a major detail about this city that should never be overlooked. This detail should never be overlooked or forgotten because it is engrained in every magnificent achievement this city has ever accomplished. This detail is the “Atlanta Way”. This city, the citizens of this city have a rich history in taking what most deem impossible to making it a model for other cities. From the way we got our own hometown team, America’s team in fact, the Atlanta Braves, before we even had a stadium, to the way we went from last class to first class with our prestigious zoo, Zoo Atlanta, and managed to turn the Grant Park community into a thriving, safe place for all of Atlanta to live and visit, to the way we all learned how to Have A Dream from one of our most courageous Atlantans, Dr. King- Atlanta has its way of doing things. L.E.A.D. is also deeply rooted in the Atlanta Way. As the founder of this great organization, I experienced the Atlanta Way when kind strangers reached out to me to help me achieve my goals. And so it is in this tradition that L.E.A.D. was born- one citizen reaching out to help others. And tonight, as we select the 2011 L.E.A.D. Ambassadors, I encourage those who have earned this designation to be prepared to continue in the great tradition that Atlantans have kept so well. Being a L.E.A.D. Ambassador is not just about baseball, it’s about keeping the promise to take care of our city and her citizens. It’s about upholding and guarding the Atlanta Way.

Your Ambassadors

2010-11-16T11:40:00.000-08:00

The L.E.A.D. coaching staff just completed our 2011 Ambassadors selections. This was the toughest selection in three years. We increased our participation for our fall Legacy League from 30 in 2009 to 60 in 2010. The increase produced several viable prospects on and off the field.

Traditionally, we select 18 Ambassadors from Atlanta Public Schools, Dekalb and South Fulton. This year, we selected 20 Ambassadors and I am excited to get started. We will begin off season training in January but the remainder of November and December is packed with some awesome service opportunities.

We will launch our Dollar Drive on November 22. Each Ambassador will have a sheet paper with 20 reasons why someone should give them $1. My goal is for the Ambassadors to raise over $500. We will donate money to the Salvation Army and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta before Christmas. In January, we will begin our winter workouts with Major Leaguers such as Jason Heyward, Bobby Scales and Dexter Fowler along with minor league prospects such as Tim Beckham, Xavier Avery and Kyle Parker. The Ambassadors will also be heavily involved with training middle school Leaders in January and February in preparation for their spring season which will consist of 90 players from 6 APS middle schools.

The Ambassadors will compete for their high school teams from March to May followed by a rigorous summer Ambassadors season that will include competition against several of the top travel programs in the country. They will be exposed to over 200 college scouts during the summer of 2011.

Atlanta, I hope that you are ready for L.E.A.D. to unveil the 2011 Ambassadors of this great city on Sunday, November 21^st. We are committed to representing this city with excellence in Academics, Athletics, Service/Civic Engagement and Exposure.

Pounding the pavement

2010-11-09T19:03:00.000-08:00

In order to develop and maintain a strong business or non-profit organization, you must have strategic relationships. Getting access to the right people is commonly referred toas pounding the pavement.

There will be obstacles along the way to let you know to stop and evaluate your ask. I established a relationship with Mizuno

USA

more than 10 years prior to me asking for their sponsorship. In that time, we I was able to analyze L.E.A.D.’s needs and how Mizuno could help. With a healthy relationship and understanding in place, I was able to approach Mizuno with specific needs – not just a scattershot “we need help” approach. In the past three years, Mizuno

USA

has been an apparel and equipment sponsor of L.E.A.D. 100% of my Ambassadors have enrolled in college wearing Mizuno apparel on and off the baseball field.

I'm approached often by baseball organizations in regards to advice on developing relationships with sponsors. It's definitely not an answer that I can give in an hour conversation. Since my wife Kelli and I founded L.E.A.D., I have beat the bushes and developed more than 100 strategic relationships. There are several people in Atlanta that want to increase the number of African-American males competing in baseball at the college level but it takes the right partnerships to make this happen.

Strategic relationships don't happen overnight so if you lack patience, you will never see them come to fruition. Strategic relationships for L.E.A.D. ensure that I can provide the resources necessary for my Leaders and Ambassadors to succeed on and off the field.

There’s a lot of ground to cover for L.E.A.D. and I’m going to keep pounding the pavement.

Georgia's Own

2010-11-02T09:27:00.000-07:00

This week, I had an opportunity to play in a charity golf tournament that featured some of Georgia's best — Georgia's Own Credit Union. Being a valued citizen isn't an easy task but David Preter and the Georgia's Own Credit Union do it well.

L.E.A.D. was the beneficiary of this year's annual golf challenge organized by Julee Brunson and the rest of the Georgia's Own staff.

I met several staff members at the golf tournament from Georgia's Own. If we could have raised $1 for every smile and kind word that they shared, we would have raised more than a million dollars.

David Preter is the CEO of Georgia's Own Credit Union and is dedicated to the success of Georgia, especially our youth. His passion is infectious and the entire Georgia's Own staff shows a commitment to serving others.

L.E.A.D. was represented at the tournament by Georgians very important to L.E.A.D., including my wife and L.E.A.D. Executive Director Kelli Stewart, L.E.A.D. Ambassadors Cedric Daniel and Desmond Stegall, Dexter Fowler (centerfield, Colorado Rockies), Bobby Scales II (infielder, Chicago Cubs), Bobby Scales I (L.E.A.D. Supporter), Ted Wood (L.E.A.D. Advisory Board Member), Bill McLellan (L.E.A.D. Board Member) and myself.

Thanks to Georgia's Own Credit Union, L.E.A.D. can now help more Georgia youth. Thank you David Preter, Ted Wood, Julee Brunson, Ashley Baker, the entire Georgia's Own team and all the sponsors and supporters for making this opportunity possible for L.E.A.D.!

Crowdfunding

2010-10-28T19:17:00.000-07:00

Less than 40% of African American males graduate from high school and four of the most dangerous neighborhoods in America are located within 10 miles of our home base at Perkerson Park. Our Ambassadors have a 100% high school graduation rate and all have been admitted to college. Working with L.E.A.D. to give them a more positive future makes my heart happy. When I consider that 75% of Atlanta Public School students live at or below the poverty level, it puts a smile on my face when I see a young man going to college using baseball to ensure that his family won't accumulate high debt in order to obtain a college degree.

At times unfortunately, I believe that the smiles that my wife and I have on our faces lead people to believe that we have it all together. The reality is that we are making it day by day. The staff that is making L.E.A.D. successful is my wife Kelli and I. We have faithful volunteers that includes the Leaders and Ambassador’s parents but we need more in order to keep L.E.A.D. going. The "heart" work Kelli and I have done has gotten us to this point but this is our official call for help.

What do we need? We need financial support. If 5,000 people donated $10 a month for a year, we would meet our annual budget without a grant. How have we been meeting our budget over the past three years? Kelli and I haven't received a salary for our 7 day per week, 10 hours per day sacrifice. We have been fortunate to receive grants from the Atlanta Braves, the MLB Baseball Tomorrow Fund and other local foundations. We currently have a partnership with Mizuno that is year-to-year and our board of directors has been active.

Our results show that the program works and can be successful nationwide, but without staff and resources such as qualified coaches, staff, tutors and facilities, the future of L.E.A.D. will be difficult to maintain.

Unfortunately, having a heart for kids doesn't get the bills paid and we become limited in our ability to help additional deserving families. Atlanta is my city and it hurts me to not be able to properly serve those families that want to do better. If you can't find a way to do better, you are simply forced to survive. My commitment is real. We are in the trenches everyday trying to make Atlanta a safe place through the development of young men that are invested in making Atlanta great!

We also need your time. When I was a kid, I was able to make my dreams become a reality through the support of a lot of people. There is no reason that it can't still work. There are millions of people living in this city. Some are privileged and some are not. At the end of the day, we are all Atlantans. How much time do you have to donate to a worthy cause like L.E.A.D. What professional resources can you provide to us? We all have something to offer.

We are in the process of developing a Tailgate Club that will make giving to L.E.A.D. simple. We are scheduled to launch the Tailgate Club December 2010. For more details, visit www.Lead2Legacy.org. Giving to youth is the best investment that you can ever make. You have a lot to offer and we want to show you what it’s worth to us.

Open both eyes wide America

2010-10-28T18:47:00.001-07:00

Darren Oliver is a left-handed relief pitcher for the Texas Rangers. I have never met Darren but I am a fan of his from afar based on his work ethic on the field and hearing him speak during press conferences.

Ron Washington is the manager of the Texas Rangers. Ron had his share of problems during the 2010 season dealing with drug addition but he wasn't alone. His struggle helped motivate the Rangers team to come together and do something that the organization has never done. The Rangers are in the 2010 World Series.

Beside being members of the Rangers organization, Oliver and Washington have something else in common. They are the only African-Americans participating on the field during the 2010 World Series.

Like anything in life, you have to be good enough to get invited to the "big dance". But with less than 9% of blacks playing and coaching at the major league level, chances of having an African-American playing or participating in the World Series are too slim to bet on.

The reason that chances are slim is typically due to economics rather than interest in predominately black communities. Becoming a major leaguer starts with a dream at a young age and is fostered by professional training. Professional training costs thousands of dollars to pay for travel tournaments, nutrition, consulting, vision training and equipment to name a few resources that you MUST have. It is kinda like trying to drive a car without a steering wheel. You will not compete as a baseball player at the highest level without consistent professional help.

We are talking about an annual 5K-10K investment. Baseball is no longer the sport that allows you to develop skills by playing in the neighborhood, hitting rocks with an old wood bat and throwing strikes into a tire until your mom said it is time to come in the house. Those days are gone!

There are less than 9% of blacks in the majors and less than 6% competing at the NCAA level. This is a crisis but L.E.A.D. has heard the cry for help. We’ve answered by going into the inner city, mentoring young men and preparing them for college. We are proud to say 100% of our Ambassadors have graduated high school and were admitted to college; 83% of them have attended college on scholarship. L.E.A.D. is the only development organization that uses baseball to promote excellence with those statistics.

My parents didn't have a college fund saved for me so getting a baseball scholarship was the best present that I could ever give them. Now we are trying help more young men earn scholarships and give that same gift to their parents.

Baseball is America's game but something has to be done to increase the African-American presence at the MLB and collegiate level. More African-Americans in the NCAA means more students have a chance to earn degrees and the opportunity to help create a stronger job force in

America

. Getting this right means we see young black men to college, not in jail cells. .

I'm actually cheering for the Rangers because of Jeff Francoeur but the 2010 World Series puts America on notice that enough isn't being done for baseball in inner city communities. There will be millions of eyes on the World Series. If your eyes can open a little wider America, look at L.E.A.D. in Atlanta.

Remembering When You Were Raw

2010-10-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

I played golf this week for the fifth time in my life. My wife Kelli and I were guests of Zach and Rachel Blend at the Goshen Valley Classic at the Cherokee Golf Club. I'm not much of a golfer but I love it for another reason. Golf keeps me grounded so that I can be an effective baseball coach; it gives me a reality check that I still need development in areas of my life just like the Leaders in L.E.A.D.

Several of the Leaders in the Legacy League program are very raw, meaning that they haven't been coached or developed professionally as a baseball player. In order to be effective as a coach for them, you have to be patient.

Some times as coaches, we forget that we were once raw too. We’ve played at the high school level and beyond and have accomplished our goals. Now we think we have all of the answers and expect to introduce a skill one time to our players and expect them to get it.

Whenever I begin to lose patience with my Leaders in regards to their baseball development, I simply play golf. It reminds me that we all start somewhere and no matter what a person’s athletic ability is, they have to learn how to do something and practice it to get it right consistently. We teachers, mentors and coaches need a reality check sometimes in order to properly help our youth. If you aren't helping them, you are hurting them.

Harvest time

2010-10-18T18:47:00.001-07:00

The Legacy League is going well. Our Leaders are showing strong progress in the classroom and on the field.

We are in week 6 of the Legacy League and I'm using my coaching skills on the field as well as to be a mentor and father figure. L.E.A.D. is more than baseball so we have to be involved with Leaders in everything. Our families count on our coaches to do more than teach their sons how to field fly balls.

One of my 9th grade Leaders from the Legacy League is failing two classes. He has outstanding parents that really care about him so today I stepped in to address the problem. He is a quiet young man with lots of ability and wants to attend the University of GA as an attorney. This is his freshman year and he is learning a lot about himself and where he fits in life. At his school, it is cool to fail classes and not cool to be a Leader.

After my long conversation with the young man, he said "I will do better coach!" I asked him what makes you want to do better now. His response was that he didn't want to disappoint L.E.A.D. and his city! He now knows that he is more than a student/athlete after our talk. He is an asset to this city.

Even though failing two classes isn't anything to be excited about, I truly feel that through L.E.A.D, I helped change a young man's life forever. This country will reap the benefits of his success.

On another note, five Leaders have been invited to attend official visits to college programs. Desmond Stegall (senior, B.E. Mays High School), Cedric Daniel (senior, Westlake High School) and Jarmani Conway (senior, Westlake High School) will travel to Jackson State University in two weeks to begin the recruiting process. Kerry Webb (senior, MLK High School) and Kendrell Dabney (senior, SW Dekalb High School) will travel to Tuskegee University to begin their recruiting process in two weeks as well.

Planting seeds and maintaining them isn't easy but it is well worth it at harvest time. L.E.A.D. has watched 100% of our Ambassadors walk across the graduation stage and into college.

Thank you for watering the seeds of L.E.A.D. by continuing to support our organization. We won't let you down.