MLB trainers host virtual PLAY campaign

November 5th, 2020

Major League Baseball's athletic trainers have teamed up to bring the PLAY campaign to kids and parents virtually in 2020.

The annual PLAY events -- PLAY stands for Promoting a Lifetime of Activity for Youth -- are normally hosted in all of the Major League stadiums during the baseball season, with clinics run by team athletic trainers with help from the players. But with COVID-19 putting the face-to-face events on hold this year, the PLAY campaign is going virtual.

The Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society released a YouTube video for a virtual PLAY campaign to help share the messages they normally teach kids at the stadium PLAY events.

In the video, MLB athletic trainers from around the league -- including the Indians' Jeff Desjardins, the D-backs' Ryan DiPanfilo, the Royals' Nick Kenny, the Brewers' Rafael Freitas, the Twins' Michael Salazar and the Tigers' Matt Rankin -- explain how kids can stay healthy and keep playing at home, whether they’re inside or outside.

They talk about everything from doing warm-up activities, to eating fruits and vegetables instead of junk food, to always having good sportsmanship and playing fair.

The PLAY campaign helps educate kids about the importance of living a healthy and active life, the dangers of performance-enhancing substances and the importance of inclusion for all people with and without disabilities.