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"All of the equipment and financial support has made it possible to help kids in Rivas. Without Helping Kids Round First, it wouldn't be possible for my players to reach their dreams."

Coach Johnny Alvarez - Working from a Dream Academy

THE START

Nicaragua is baseball crazy. Every Sunday communities gather to play, it's the break in their hard week. The problem was games were played with large branches and rocks.

If a community is lucky enough to have a baseball it would need to be sewed between Sundays to have it ready for the games.

All this started in 2009 Craig's son Beau brought the first bags of equipment donations.

Countless bags of equipment continued to be delivered by delegates in Nicaragua on individual trips until 2016 when the Helping kids Round First first annual ocean container.

THE PROCESS

2016.

1ST SHIPMENT

In the spring, our first ocean container shipment of baseball and softball gear arrived in Managua. Over 18,000 pounds of equipment was distributed to over a thousand children in dozens of communities across Nicaragua.

2017.

2ND ANNUAL SHIPMENT

Helping Kids Round First shipped their second annual ocean container of baseball and softball equipment containing over 19,500 pounds of bats, balls, gloves, and other gear!

2018.

1ST TRIP TO THE CARIBBEAN COAST

We delivered equipment to 12 teams in Bluefields and Big Corn Island, they were given 1400 balls, 150 uniforms, 120 hats, 100 gloves, 100 bats, 90 helmets and more!

2021.

START OF THE MLB-RBI PROGRAM

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The inclussion of the teams sponsored by HKRF have now the chance of being included into the mainstream game and major leagues, by increasing the number of talented athletes prepared to play in college and professionally.

2022.

REGIONAL TOURNAMENT AND RBI WORLD SERIES

We managed to have two amazing opportunities to take a Nicaraguan team to Puerto Rico and Florida so they could have a full MLB Experience!

2023.

We started the year with a bang! So far we have done a complete trip to deliver an entire container of Sports Equipment to the most rural communities in Nicaragua.

In June, for a second year in a row we had the opportunity to take the Nicaragua baseball team from the Working for a Dream Academy! The boys gave an amazing performance at the Nike RBI World Regional Tournament against Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and US Virgin Islands, but lost their chance to go to the World Series being beat by Curacao.

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Previous Years

2009 - Helping Kids Round First makes their first donations of baseball equipment to communities in rural Nicaragua on a trip led by a group of doctors and professional baseball player Beau Severtson.

2012 - Working alongside the Lutheran Church in Nicaragua (ILFE), Augustana head baseball coach Tim Huber, Brad Mews, Mike Hilton, Craig and Beau Severtson travel to Rodeito, Caimito, La Flor and Los Limones in the Chinandega department of northern Nicaragua (along the Honduran border). The group handed out baseball equipment, conducted baseball clinics and set the foundation for future trips in these rural communities. This trip was coordinated with help from Mike Busbey and Luis.

2013 - In addition to visiting the rural northern communities, Jay Bentz, Brad Mews, Mike Hilton, Joan and Craig Severtson made contact with the Nicaraguan Baseball Academy, started by former MLB pitcher Dennis Martinez. The baseball equipment distributed on this trip totaled over 800 pounds. It takes 200 pounds of equipment for each community to form a team.

2014 - Over 1,000 pounds of baseball equipment was distributed to rural communities in northern Nicaragua by a delegation led by Jay Bentz. The group met with the Managua Boers, the most influential professional baseball team in Nicaragua, in preparation for the Augustana College baseball team's trip in 2015. They also met with the Nicaraguan Baseball Academy. The efforts of the trips are beginning to blossom. Communities are forming baseball leagues, baseball diamonds are being improved, and we have started outfitting women's softball teams with equipment

2015 - Earlier in the year, the Augustana College baseball team traveled to Nicaragua. The team practiced, played exhibition games against various Nicaraguan professional teams, experienced life in the rural communities, and hosted baseball clinics. This unique study abroad experience provided a life-changing opportunity for over 40 student athletes. Senior Troy Pilkington explains how the team was expecting to teach Nicaraguan youth about the game, but the opposite came true.

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Improving lives through baseball

Every year we bring baseball equipment and provide instruction to youth in rural Nicaraguan communities. Baseball has a unique ability to both bring together different cultures and teach life lessons helping to provide a foundation on which to improve lives.