Dominican Republic Sports & Education Academy

The Arias & Goodman Academy, one of the premiere baseball development programs in the Dominican Republic, has launched a pilot project developed by the Dominican Republic Sports & Education Academy to provide education for its prospects.

Gary Goodman

“Make no mistake about it,” said Gary Goodman in announcing the program. “We are in the business of preparing young Dominicans for careers in baseball; to help talented young men achieve their dreams. But there is also a social side that must be addressed.  Reality is that most of these kids will not succeed in baseball and we owe it to them to make sure they are prepared for life after baseball.”
 

The DRSEA designed the educational program to give the Arias & Goodman Academy prospects the tools to succeed in life on and off the field.

In designing the program, the DRSEA wanted to provide options and alternatives to just playing baseball.  While the DRSEA ultimately wants to prepare young Dominican boys to position themselves to qualify for baseball scholarships at U.S. colleges and universities, there are a multitude of others in camps like the Arias & Goodman Academy who need a solid and basic education.  The DRSEA wants to improve lives through the DRSEA experience, and what those lives can ultimately do to improve their country.

The Arias & Goodman Academy education program is custom designed to meet the needs of its prospects whose educational levels vary from minimal to intermediate; many dropped out of school to pursue their dreams.  Added to the challenge is that most of the prospects are only in the Arias & Goodman Academy, located in San Pedro de Macoris, for short periods of time.  The DRSEA had to take all that into account and come up with a program that will not only vastly expand the education levels of all prospects, but also provide them with additional life skills that will make them more complete human beings, and ultimately better baseball players as well, which will make them even more valuable to the Arias & Goodman Academy.

Batting practice at the Arias & Goodman Academy

The program is heavy on developing conversational English, as well as critical thinking and life skills, but also provides general education in math, history, geography, art, health and nutrition, financial planning and acculturation.  This broad spectrum will allow the Arias & Goodman Academy prospects to develop skills in conceptualizing, analyzing, evaluating and applying information that they are exposed to; to make them better able to handle a multitude of decisions that will be coming their way as they mature.

Goodman said he believes his academy is the first of its kind to offer a comprehensive education program to prospects.  “Investing in the education of our players is important to us,” he said.  “We want to provide them with the skills to succeed beyond baseball. For while it is true that many of them will not make it all the way in baseball, we will try to give them the opportunity to develop skills that will help them throughout their lives.”

“For many of these young men, they are experiencing their first structured, disciplined environment. It is our hope that in the relatively short period of time they spend with us, they will awaken to the larger world and the opportunities it holds for them.”

La Academia Arias y Goodman, uno de los primeros programas para el desarrollo del béisbol en la República Dominicana, ha lanzado un programa piloto que tiene por objeto proporcionar estudios a sus jugadores prospectos.

Gary Goodman

“No se equivoquen,” dijo Gary Goodman al dar a conocer el programa. “Nuestra línea de negocio se dedica a preparar a los jóvenes dominicanos para las carreras beisboleras y para ayudar a jóvenes talentosos a realizar sus sueños. Pero hay un lado social también que se tiene que enfrentar. Es decir, la realidad es que la mayoría de estos jóvenes no tendrán éxito en el béisbol, por lo cual es nuestro deber asegurarles la preparación para la vida después del juego.”

La DRSEA diseñó el programa educativo para dar a los prospectos de la Academia Arias y Goodman las herramientas para que tengan éxito en la vida, dentro y fuera del campo.

Al desarrollar el programa, la DRSEA quería brindar opciones y alternativas más allá del juego. Mientras que la DRSEA desea preparar a los jóvenes dominicanos para que estén en una posición que les dé derecho a conseguir becas universitarias peloteras en las universidades estadounidenses a la larga, también quedan muchos en los campamentos como el de la Academia Arias y Goldman que requieren una educación tanto sencilla como sólida. La DRSEA tiene como objetivo mejorar las vidas a través de la experiencia DRSEA, e impactar cómo esas vidas eventualmente lleguen a mejorar su país.

La Academia Arias y Goodman hace uso de un diseño personalizado para satisfacer las necesidades de sus prospectos, cuyos niveles educativos van de lo mínimo a lo intermedio, dado que muchos han abandonado sus estudios en busca de sus sueños. El hecho de que la mayoría de los prospectos sólo pasan ratos breves en la Academia Arias y Goodman intensifica el desafío. La DRSEA tuvo que tomar todo eso en cuenta e idear un programa que no sólo ampliará bastante los niveles educativos de todos los prospectos, sino también les proporcionará habilidades vitalicias adicionales que les harán seres humanos más completos y mejores peloteros a la larga, lo cual hará que aporten aun más valor a la Academia Arias y Goodman.

Práctica de bateo en la Academia Arias y Goodman

El programa pone mucho énfasis en desarrollar la capacidad del inglés conversacional, el pensamiento crítico y las destrezas vitalicias, pero también ofrece estudios generales en las matemáticas, la historia, la geografía, el arte, la salud y la nutrición, la planificación financiera, y la aculturación. Este amplio espectro les permitirá a los prospectos de la Academia Arias y Goodman a desarrollar habilidades para conceptualizar, evaluar y aplicar datos a los que estén expuestos, para que traten mejor con la multitud de decisiones que se les presenten como se desarrollen.

Goodman dijo que cree que su academia es la primera de su clase en ofrecer un programa educativo global a los prospectos. “Nos importa invertir en la educación de nuestros jugadores,” dijo él. “Queremos proporcionarles las habilidades necesarias para tener éxito más allá del béisbol. Verdad que muchos no se colarán a las Grandes Ligas, pero intentaremos darles la oportunidad de desarrollar habilidades que les ayudarán de por vida.”

“Para una gran parte de estos jóvenes, están experimentado su primer ambiente estructurado y disciplinado. Tenemos la esperanza de que durante el plazo breve que pasen con nosotros se despierten al mundo más grande y a las oportunidades que les depare.”

Traducido por Arthur Calvano

The Dominican Republic Sports & Education Academy held a special screening of “El Play,” a documentary on Dominican baseball, on June 21 at the 809 Lounge, 112 Dyckman St., New York, NY.   The screening, followed by a panel discussion on baseball and education in the Dominican Republic, as well as a VIP reception, was part of a DRSEA fundraiser.

“El Play” is produced, directed and written by Pablo A. Medina, an assistant professor at the Parsons New School for Design in New York City, and has won several film festival awards.

Alfredo Arias drives home point

Cincinnati  Reds legends Tony Perez and Pete Rose served as honorary co-chairs of the event; panelists for the discussion included: Joel Araujo, a specialist in the International Baseball Operations Department for Major League Baseball;  Pablo A. Medina, producer, director and writer of “El Play;” Charles S. Farrell, co-founder and project director of the Dominican Republic Sports & Education Academy;  Julio Pabón, founder of the Latino Sports Writers & Broadcasters Association (LSWBA), as well as founder of Latino Sports Ventures, Inc.; and Alfredo Arias, partner in the Arias & Goodman Academy.

The film’s main character is Jairo Candelario, a young aspiring baseball player from the town of San Pedro de Macoris, a small city in the Dominican Republic famous for producing some of the best players in the majors, including New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Canó.  The film follows Jairo’s dream of signing a professional contract, and includes conversations with his family, and interviews with professional scouts, coaches and a baseball historian.

Co-hosting the event was the Juan Pablo Duarte Foundation, which focuses its energy on the educational needs of the Dominican community – the largest, and one of the poorest, immigrant groups in New York City.

The event was well attended, and included several Dominican government representatives, former baseball players, and executives from Major League Baseball.

Julio Pabón advocates education for Dominican prospects

“El Play” was well received by the audience, but the panel discussion was what set the event apart. While a multitude of opinions were shared, everyone concurred that education has to be a centerpiece in the development of young baseball players in the Dominican Republic.

The DRSEA is looking to screen “El Play” in other venues before the end of the year. Those wishing to make a donation to the Dominican Republic Sports & Education Academy can do so by going to www.drsea.org or by sending a check to the DRSEA at:

Dominican Republic Sports & Education Academy

600 Anita Street, #16

Chula Vista, CA 91911

Gil Scott-Heron

Not long ago, the world lost an iconic poet and musician when Gil Scott-Heron, a voice of black conscience in the 1970s and beyond, passed away at age 62.   I lost an inspiration from my youth who remains part of my own conscience today.

Gil and I were students together at Lincoln University; I was a mere freshman and he was already creating a legacy that began with “The Vulture,” his first novel at 19; his book of poetry, “Small Talk at 125^th and Lenox,” and a second novel, “The Nigger Factory,” which some said was about Lincoln.

Gil stood out to me as the one of the first black intellectuals I met in life who was in my peer group. Having gone to a white high school, I was seldom around blacks my own age who could articulate the politics and racism of America at that time.  His poetry and music were a voice of black protest, reflecting simultaneous pride and anger.

I was fortunate to have spent hours with Gil, sometimes in the company of other students, sometimes alone, discussing the important issues of the day, from apartheid in South Africa, police oppression in America, war and genocide in Vietnam, and the need for black people to have a social conscience;  to stand up and be heard.

My signature Gil Scott-Heron moment was my freshman year when Mrs. Winkel, my Humanities teacher, gave a class assignment to select a poet and defend their literary contributions.  I know Mrs. Winkel was expecting Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, Paul Laurence Dunbar or Countee Cullen; I picked Gil, much to her consternation. I do not think it was anything particularly against Gil; I think it was that although he was a rising star, he had not ascended enough to have won the critical acclaim she felt was warranted by the attention I wanted to give him.

Gil and I talked about my presentation in depth; he even wrote a half -dozen original poems for the assignment.  I got an “A,”  which was high praise from one of the toughest – and fairest – teachers I ever had.  And somewhere in the deep recesses in the attic of my family home is a small collection of unpublished Gil Scott-Heron poetry.

Gil and fellow student Brian Jackson, my classmate, had a jazz group on campus that always took top prize at the Homecoming talent show.  His music and message were always cutting edge, with its mix of blues, jazz, and spoken word whose style recalled the Harlem Renaissance.  But Gil’s message was also hard hitting as he took on the Establishment with his “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” “Johannesburg,” “Winter In America,” “Who’ll Pay Reparations On My Soul?” “Pieces Of A Man,” “Home Is Where The Hatred Is,” and so many more.

As gifted as Gil was, he also seemed tormented at times; maybe that is why his music and lyrics reflected such pathos.  Even at Lincoln, it was well known that Gil was into drugs, and tragically his addiction haunted him his entire life.  He was convicted twice of cocaine possession and even served a jail sentence for parole violation.

I kept up with him over the years, catching a concert here and there, giving him a shout out whenever possible.  Sometimes he said he remembered me, sometimes he didn’t.  I last saw him in concert about three years ago in New York City; he looked old and frail and, while never a great singer, his voice strained to capture the familiar melodies from his better days.

Last year, he released “I‘m New Here,” his first album in 16 years.  Reviews referred to him as “the godfather of rap,” a label he rejected, but which was accurate.  Not true rapper today could reject the influence of Gil on the genre.

It saddened me greatly to hear of his passing, particularly given the tragic circumstances of much of his life.  He was simply one of the most interesting, complex and compelling individuals I ever met. He was a great talent, and a great influence; hopefully, like all truly great artists, his message will live on.