Cardinals Care started Redbird Rookies in 2004, which annually serves around 2,000 participants. It is a free, noncompetitive, co-ed baseball/softball program for youth ages 5-13. In addition to providing all the uniforms and equipment needed for each team, Redbird Rookies provides extensive off-field support in the areas of health, education, mentoring, cultural arts and scholarship.
To have your organization considered as a host for a Redbird Rookies league please email us at [email protected].
Redbird Rookies coaches and league organizers take part in training sessions led by Positive Coaching Alliance and USA Baseball, that teach innovative coaching practices and character-building techniques that are essential to each participant's growth. Parents are also involved, as they participate in courses that share how to encourage and support their children through positive reinforcement. In addition to the training the adults receive, Redbird Rookies participants are led in a series of clinics taught by Cardinals Alumni and USA Softball players that teach the fundamentals of the game.
Redbird Rookies support extends off-field with activities developed to support children in the areas of health, education, mentoring, cultural arts and scholarship.
Along with encouraging our athletes to stay active on and off the field, each summer we host a Health Fair sponsored by Boniface. During the fair, our partners provide important nutritional information to families, free health screenings, and activities that are both fun and educational.
We also partner with Schnucks to encourage an active lifestyle and healthy eating throughout the summer, which Redbird Rookies track on their Healthy Habits Form to win rewards!
Each summer, Redbird Rookies athletes participate in their local library's Reading Program. After completing the program, they can redeem their completion certificate for a special prize at the end of the season.
Every Redbird Rookies participant also has the opportunity to learn and explore the histories of those who call the metropolitan St. Louis region home as well as partake in educational lessons that teach real life skills through our partnerships with the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station, Missouri History Museum, The Magic House, Healthworks! and the Saint Louis Science Center.
In addition, Redbird Rookies teams up with Girls in the Know, who believes every girl needs and deserves to have a strong foundation and sense of self heading into their challenging teen years. We host an event that creates a fun, safe space for pre-teen girls (ages 9-13) to discuss life’s most important topics led by licensed female professionals.
Redbird Rookies has partnerships with The Sheldon Concert Hall, Stifel Theatre and The Muny, where participants and their families are able to experience live music and other unique performances at these historic St. Louis venues.
Redbird Rookies is proud to partner with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri to help find matches for our participants. BBBS pairs children, ages 5-17, with a caring adult volunteer. This volunteer is there to listen, laugh and learn alongside the child in a 1:1 mentoring relationship.
The Redbird Rookies Saigh Scholarship is a $10,000 scholarship that supports the postsecondary education of up to ten students who participated in, or registered for, the Redbird Rookies youth baseball/softball program after completing the 7th grade. The purpose of the Redbird Rookies Saigh Scholarship is to recognize the achievements of individuals who have demonstrated success in the classroom and as a team member by providing financial assistance toward the student's continuing education. Each award recipient demonstrates outstanding integrity, confidence, leadership and teamwork as a Redbird Rookies team member as well as the strength of character, attitude, and promise that define a successful graduate of Redbird Rookies.
