• Spring Training at Citizens Bank Park | RBI/Rookie Coaching Clinc photo gallery
• Rookie and RBI League season kicks off!

Noticing the dwindling number of children from inner city areas involved with baseball, the Phillies decided to take action and created the Phillies Rookie League program in 1989. Geared toward children aged 12 and under in areas that had not housed an organized baseball league in almost 20 years, the Rookie Leagues benefited 400 children. Since that time the program has grown to encompass over 5,500 boys and girls playing both baseball and softball in more than 70 locations throughout Philadelphia, New Jersey and Delaware.

Volunteer with the Phillies Rookie or RBI Leagues and help children play baseball and softball! For more info email fandev@phillies.com.

The success of the program lies in its noncompetitive nature. Children learn that winning is not the most important aspect of the game, rather they are encouraged to learn the rules, proper techniques and to have fun while playing while at the same time being a good teammate and displaying good sportsmanship. But as the Rookie League children entered their teen years, we decided that it was time to implement a program that would include the children who had already become hooked on the game through their Rookie League participation and thus the RBI League was born.

 • A Phillies Rookie League Banner
 • A uniform, t-shirt and hat for each participant
 • Catcher's equipment
 • Bases
 • Batting helmets
 • Bats
 • Batting T (T-ball only)
 • Pitching machine

Each year participants of the Rookie Leagues have the opportunity to participate in various special events. In 2004 participants from the various sites were invited to attend a Phillies game and participate in a special pre-game Rookie League ceremony. Throughout the year, we were able to invite members of our Rookie League to attend a game in a suite donated by Phillies left fielder, Pat Burrell.

Throughout the course of the year, the members of the Phillies Rookie League participate in various events.

Coaches from the Phillies Rookie leagues were instructed by Frankford High School's varsity baseball coach Bob Peffle and assistant coach Juan Nammum in the Phillies batting cages at Citizens Bank Park. The clinic covered the fundamentals of baseball, including stretching, throwing, fielding, hitting and pitching. Over 30 coaches from the Philadelphia region were in attendance.

For the past three years, Phillies second baseman Chase Utley has been the Rookie League Chairman. Chase loves working with the children and has met with members of the Rookie Leagues on several occasions to give baseball tips, answer questions, sign autographs and help hand out gloves to those in need.

Many of the children in the Rookie Leagues have never been to a professional baseball game, so each year we provide tickets to the players and their coaches to come out and cheer on the home team.

Rookie League sponsor Citizens Bank helps to make the Rookie Leagues special and for this, members of the Rookie League help us say thank you with a special on field presentation.

To qualify to be a Phillies Rookie League, you must be located in an area that serves children who are unable to afford to play in an organized baseball league without assistance, you must have dedicated personnel to organize and run the league. A league is made up of a minimum of four teams of the same age level. You may have more than one league at your location, for example, 7-8 year old league and a 9-10 year old league for a total of at least eight teams.

• 48th and Woodland Playground, Philadelphia  • Academy Sabres, Philadelphia  • Athletic Recreation, Philadelphia  • Marion Anderson Monarchs, Philadelphia  • Boys & Girls Club of Delaware, Newark, DE  • Bridesburg Cougars, Philadelphia  • Bustleton Bengals, Philadelphia  • Cecil B. Moore Rookie League, Philadelphia  • Chester Rookie League, Chester, PA  • Columbus Square, Philadelphia  • Cruz Rookie League, Philadelphia  • District 7, Philadelphia  • East Poplar, Philadelphia  • Edward O'Malley Athletic Association, Philadelphia  • FAJR 2 ISHA, Philadelphia  • Federal Yards Baseball, Philadelphia  • Feltonville Boys and Girls Club, Philadelphia  • FJ Myers, Philadelphia  • Gambrel's Recreation Center, Philadelphia  • Germantown Wolverines, Philadelphia  • Grays Ferry, Philadelphia  • Granahan Monarchs, Philadelphia  • Hank Gathers, Philadelphia  • Harrogate B.C. Developmental, Philadelphia  • Heitzman Rookie League, Philadelphia  • Holy Terrors, Philadelphia  • Hunting Park, Philadelphia  • I.C.B.A. , Philadelphia  • Ivy Hill, Philadelphia  • J. Finnegan, Philadelphia  • Jardel Athletic Association, Philadelphia  • Kendrick Rookie League, Philadelphia  • Kingsessing, Philadelphia  • Lanier Playground, Philadelphia  • Lee Cultural Center, Philadelphia  • Liberty Bell, Philadelphia  • Martin Luther King Recreation Center, Philadelphia  • Mayfair Athletic Club, Philadelphia  • McAlpin Playground, Philadelphia  • Mc Veigh, Philadelphia  • Moore A.A. , Philadelphia  • Mount Airy Baseball, Philadelphia  • Mt. Airy/Germantown Boys & Girls Club, Philadelphia  • Mullin, Philadelphia  • Muslim Baseball League, Philadelphia

• Newark Boys & Girls Club of Delaware, Newark, DE  • Nicetown Assocation, Philadelphia  • Norris Square, Philadelphia  • North Hills, Philadelphia  • North Light/Venice Island, Philadelphia  • North Philly Baseball League, Philadelphia  • Northeast Peanut League, Philadelphia  • Northwest Philadelphia, Philadelphia  • Northwest Raiders Baseball, Philadelphia  • Oak Lane, Philadelphia  • Olney Midget and Teen League, Philadelphia  • Olney Recreation Center, Philadelphia  • Overbrook Athletic Association, Philadelphia  • Overbrook Park Athletic Association, Philadelphia  • Palmyra Riverton Athletic Association, Philadelphia  • Parents of Carmella Youth Association, Philadelphia  • Passyunk Homes, Philadelphia  • Pepper Playground, Philadelphia  • Pleasant Panthers, Philadelphia  • Port Richmond, Philadelphia  • Rivera Recreation Center, Philadelphia  • S.P.Y.L, Philadelphia  • Samuel, Philadelphia  • Sayre/Morris, Philadelphia  • Shepard Rookie League, Philadelphia  • Shot Tower, Philadelphia  • Simons, Philadelphia  • Simpson, Philadelphia  • South Philadelphia Girls Softball, Philadelphia  • South Philadelphia Sabres, Philadelphia  • Southwest Philly Baseball, Philadelphia  • Tabor Rams, Philadelphia  • The Lighthouse, Philadelphia  • Tioga, Philadelphia  • Tioga United, Philadelphia  • Tomlinson, Philadelphia  • Torresdale Boys Club, Philadelphia  • Vare Recreation Center, Philadelphia  • Vogt C.A. , Philadelphia  • W.E.M.A. (Delaware) Youth League, Middeltown, DE  • West Kensington Boys & Girls Club, Philadelphia  • West Mill Creek, Philadelphia  • West Oak Lane Stars, Philadelphia  • West Philadelphia Youth Association, Philadelphia  • Whitman Park Youth Association, Camden, NJ  • Ziehler Playground, Philadelphia

If you are interested in learning more about the Phillies Rookie Leagues or to see if your organization qualifies, e-mail fandev@phillies.com or call 215.463.1000.