​By James Wagner, Published: March 26

When baseball returned to Washington in 2005, it was with the understanding that the Nationals and the District would work together to build an academy that would help promote baseball among young people in the inner city, where interest and participation in the sport has been declining for years. Rough details were included in the lease between the District and the franchise for Nationals Park. But for a time it was unclear when the dream for the nine-acre plot of land in Fort Dupont Park in Southeast would become a reality.

But after years of fundraising, preparation and bureaucratic and construction delays, the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy is finally open. The ambitious, gleaming building that cost nearly $18 million welcomed its first class of children three weeks ago and will be officially unveiled Saturday at a ribbon-cutting ceremony before the Nationals’ exhibition game against the Detroit Tigers.

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Part of the academy’s mission is also to involve the rest of the community. An area collegiate summer baseball team, the D.C. Grays, will use the academy as its home field this year. Two local high schools, private Gonzaga College High and public Anacostia High, already use the fields and indoor batting cages for practices and games. Players from both schools help with the children’s baseball instruction. Nationals players and coaches may also help out during the season. General Manager Mike Rizzo and shortstop Ian Desmond sit on the academy’s advisory board.

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February 14, 2014 12:49 PM by Byron Kerr
The Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, designed for elementary and middle school students in D.C., continues to put the finishing touches on the facility as it prepares for a March 3 opening at Fort Dupont Park.

There has been amazing progress at the facility and grounds since the last time we visited the site in November. Compare them to the pictures here to see the big transformation.

Executive director Tal Alter said planning for the programs, including initial after-school programs already under way at nearby Kimball Elementary, have helped formulate the potential syllabus that will be available at the facility.

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​Andrew Astleford of Fox Sports recently published this article about 2013 Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston and his love for the sport of baseball:

http://msn.foxsports.com/florida/story/no-loves-lost-for-fsu-s-jameis-winston-as-qb-pursues-baseball-dreams-022514

​Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports recently published this article discussing MLB’s diversity initiative:

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/rosenthal-mlb-s-diversity-push-goes-beyond-the-numbers-022814

This past fall, DC Grays Manager Arlan Freeman was added to the coaching staff at Stevens Institute of Technology as the top Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator.

For more on this story read here