SAN FRANCISCO -- The 2018 National PLAY Campaign stopped at AT&T Park on Wednesday to promote the importance of children living a healthy and active lifestyle.
The PLAY (Promoting a Lifetime of Activity for Youth) campaign was created in 2004 by the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society to raise awareness of children's health issues, primarily a growing obesity epidemic. Now, PLAY educates America's youth about the importance of living a healthy, active lifestyle, and it works in conjunction with MLB Charities, the Taylor Hooton Foundation, the Henry Schein Cares Foundation and the Ruderman Family Foundation.
"It's one thing that we always look forward to as a staff," said Giants assistant athletic trainer Anthony Reyes. "It helps us get going with community service -- we always try to do that every year -- but it's also a great way network in the community."
The Giants' trainers and strength coaches reached out to pitcher Ty Blach to help run the PLAY campaign Wednesday.
"Ty is very active in the community," Reyes said. "He's one of the nicest players I've ever met in the game. He's always got a smile on his face. He's one of the hardest workers on the team. So he was a perfect guy to pick."
"They asked me if I would be willing to volunteer for it, and I jumped on the opportunity," Blach said. "I was excited to be able to help out. Just grateful that they thought of me."
Nearly 60 kids attended the PLAY event on Wednesday, rotating through a series of stations that touched on everything from healthy eating, injury prevention, strength and conditioning and education about the dangers of illegal performance and appearance-enhancing drugs.
Blach spoke highly of the "great" cause of the National PLAY Campaign and ensuring that kids stay away from PEDs and steroids.
"Anytime you can have an impact on the kids -- they're our future, and for me growing up, being a huge baseball fan, anytime I had the opportunity to interact with a Major Leaguer, it was life-changing," Blach said. "To know I can make that kind of impact on kids is really humbling."