Change Up Sports

Softball Salone is a free and inclusive mixed-gender adult slow-pitch softball league--with an emphasis on learning the game--offered in Freetown, Sierra Leone that enables adult coaches and players to enjoy the many benefits that recreational sports can offering while also helping the participants to become more familiar with the game so that they are better positioned to work with young people as softball coaches, as adult involvement and investment is critical to the success of youth programs. The season incorporates training, instruction, and practice as well as league play.

We partner with recreation centers, schools, community-based organizations, and fellow non-profits in Philadelphia, Belize, and Sierra Leone to introduce young people to softball and baseball and provide fun, safe, and positive recreational and development opportunities for kids of all skill and experience levels at no cost. We also incorporate activities such as kickball, trivia, Zumba, and more and provide snacks and/or meals. These clinics are on both a one-time and ongoing basis.

In areas where softball and baseball are less common, we provide softball training assistance to adults and coaches of other sports to enable them to learn the game and be prepared to work with young people in an inclusive, positive way. We also sponsor and organize free CPR, first aid, and basic lifesaving skills trainings in coordination with our partners for coaches, community members, and youth workers so that they can effectively address injuries and emergencies that arise while working with young people.

The More Than Sports program is our mixed-gender, entry-level sports-based youth development program designed to introduce–or reintroduce–young people to a sampling of sports and recreational activities in a positive, inclusive, and welcoming environment that prioritizes fun, learning, and skill-building. In addition to softball and baseball, the program features kickball, yoga, basketball, soccer, trivia, Zumba, and more, and also includes youth development activities such as educational workshops. Every participant receives healthy snacks and beverages at each session, as well as treats including pizza and ice cream. They also receive a t-shirt and trophy to recognize their effort and participation, in addition to a backpack and school supplies to provide additional support off of the field.