Reds Youth Academy creates "major-league citizens" headed to HBCUs

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THE REDS ARE IN THE BUSINESSOF MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.

ATLEAST ONE WING OF THEORGANIZATION IS JUST ASINTERESTED IN DEVELOPING MAJORLEAGUE CITIZENS.

KEENANSINGLETON HAS THE STORY ON THEREDS URBAN YOUTH ACADEMY ANDTHEIR BURGEONING RELATIONSHIPWITH HISTORICALLY BLACKCOLLEGES AND UNIVERISITIES.áPINGáTHE SUDDEN MOVEMENT, THEQUICK FEET, THE SOFT HANDS.THAT'S ALL HARRISON BARNES.HEDIDN'T ARRIVE AT THIS MOMENTALONE."PLAYING COLLEGEBASEBALL HAS BEEN A DREAM OFMINE EVER SINCE I CANREMEMBER.

BEING A PART OF THEACADEMY SIX YEARS THEYACTUALLY DID A VERY GOOD JOBHELPING MOLD ME INTO THE MAN IAM."THEY'RE BREAKING THE MOLDAT THE REDS URBAN YOUTHACADEMY - A BASEBALL FACTORYWHOSE MISSION EXTENDS PAST THECHALK LINE."THIS UNDERTAKINGTRULY IS COMMUNITYDEVELOPMENT.

HELPING KIDSULTIMATELY BECOME MAJOR LEAGUECITIZIENS AND WIND UP INCOLLEGE."CHARLEY FRANK HASSEEN THE PIPELINE INCREASINGLYPUMP PROSPECTS INTO HBCU'S -HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGESAND UNIVERSITIES.

BARNES ISONE OF FOUR PLAYERS MAKINGTHAT PLEDGE.

NIGEL DAVIS ISANOTHER.

THE MAN FROM MOELLERIS BECOMING A MOREHOUSE MAN."I WOULDN'T HAVE THOUGHT TO GODOWN THERE IF NOT FOR RBI.

IKNOW COACH ROOSEVELT BARNESHAS BEEN A HUGE INFLUENCE ONME ESPECIALLY GOING THE HBCUROUTE."ROOSEVELT IS HARRISON'SUNCLE AND THE COACH OF THEREDS UNDER-18 TEAM."TO BE ABLETO IMPACT THESE GUYS LIVES TOHELP THEM FULFILL THEIR DREAMSTO PLAY COLLEGE BASEBALL, TOJUST BECOME BETTER PEOPLE.IT'S REWARDING.

IT'S COACHING,YOU KNOW BUT IT'S ALMOSTSOMEWHAT OF A MINISTRY."HISWORD IS GOSPEL."WE WOULDN'T BETALKING ABOUT 4 HBCUOPPORTUNITIES WITHOUTROOSEVELT."HE SAYS HIS WORKISN'T DONE."WE'RE NOT DONE YETMAN.

I GOT A FEW MORE KIDS ITHNK WE CAN GET THEM SOMEDEALS."SOME SCHOOL JUST MAYMAKE QUITE A CATCH.KEENANSINGLETON WCPO 9 SPORTS