Keep Playing Baseball

We created Keep Playing Baseball ("KPB") in memory of Scott Heinig, a young high school coach and former Division 1 pitcher who passed away in 2011. Scott was dedicated to helping high school players succeed and have the opportunity to play baseball in college. Scott's family, friends, and former teammates created KPB to continue this effort. Today, KPB supports players at all levels of youth baseball with cost-free educational resources, programming, and financial support. Thanks to generous supporters like you, our ability to deliver on our mission has never been stronger. 

KPB's efforts to make the path to college baseball attainable for high school players of all backgrounds have grown since our 2011 launch. After taking steps to incorporate in 2015, receiving our 501(c)(3) non-profit designation in 2016, we started our in-person educational outreach efforts in 2017. In 2018, we forged a partnership with the Junior Giants, the flagship youth baseball program of the San Francisco Giants. The following year, we reached well over 1,000 players and parents with free educational programming. During 2020, we pivoted to providing free online courses and launched our Registration Assistance Program (RAP) to help cover participation costs for players amid the pandemic. Since then, we have grown our online education services and the RAP has covered more player participation fees each successive year. All the while, we've continued to build out a robust website that provides essential, free resources to players and families trying to navigate the college search and recruiting process. The website receives over 135,000 users each year.

In just the last year, we have hosted four free youth clinics for hundreds of Little League players, paid league fees for players who couldn't afford them, helped high school players on their journey to college baseball, and launched a college tuition scholarship, awarded to first-generation college students involved with baseball at a four-year college or university. 

KPB's scope extends well beyond the playing field. KPB leverages high school players' interest in baseball to encourage them to focus on grades, organizational skills, and leadership. In addition to information about baseball, KPB provides information about managing the equally daunting academic demands of high school and college. Our mission thus extends to creating a level educational as well as athletic playing field. In providing an economically viable way for high school baseball players of all backgrounds to obtain the information and guidance they need to successfully navigate the college search and recruiting process, KPB is working to create a more equitable and affordable route to college success, both on the field and in the classroom. Watch the short videos in the "Impact Videos" tab to learn more about our work and impact!