On Aug. 6, Great American Ball Park hosted a group of Reds Community Fund (RCF) Scholars for the inaugural Fanatics Nike RBI Showcase.
Following the Reds’ win over the Athletics, 24 RCF Scholar MVPs participated in a home run derby on the Great American Ball Park field.
The event was held in partnership with Fanatics and Nike, with the RCF Scholars MVPs being rewarded for their commitment to academic excellence, community service, leadership and personal growth as they strive to become what the RCF Scholars program identifies as Major League Citizens.
Now in its fourth year, RCF Scholars provides an immersive, year-long curriculum that combines individualized high-level athletic training with academic support and life skills development for each high school student-athlete in the Reds Nike RBI program.
Some of the specific criteria included a minimum of 20 community service hours, eight elective workshops and a 2.0 GPA. This group of MVPs combined for over 1,050 hours of community service, 248 completed seminars and an average GPA of 3.7.
“It’s been an honor to be a part of the program,” RCF Outreach and Education Manager Sara Scharff said. “It’s been a dream to be out on this field, work with these student-athletes and give these opportunities that are truly one-of-a-kind in the city of Cincinnati.”
When the student-athletes arrived at Great American Ball Park, all they knew was that they would be receiving a jersey and that they had to bring their gear to the ballpark. But when they arrived to the ballpark’s Fan Zone, a surprise reveal of the personalized City Connect jerseys provided by Fanatics awaited them, along with the news about their opportunity to take part in the postgame competition.
“If you define City Connect, it’s all about connecting the city and every community out there,” Fanatics Vice President of Club and Team Relations Steve Eaves said. “So, working with RBI and Nike, we wanted to put together an outreach program that connected with the RBI participants and put them in personalized jerseys, uniforms and headwear so they look like a pro when they’re out on the field today. Having the opportunity to go on the field and show off their skills is something they’ll never forget. It’ll be a lifetime memory and will be incredibly fulfilling for us, the Reds and Nike.”
Once they put on their new City Connect uniforms, all 24 RBI players were honored on the field during a pregame ceremony with Reds pitchers Brock Burke and Sam Moll coming out of the dugout to greet them. The pregame activities also included simultaneous first pitches and the game ball delivery.
After watching a Reds win, the stage was set for a once-in-a-lifetime experience on the Reds’ home field.
Before the big swings got started, Reds players JJ Bleday and Zach McCambley visited with the student-athletes. Reds Hall of Fame pitcher Bronson Arroyo was also on hand for the event’s entirety, taking time to speak with all the players, take photos and present the MVP Awards to the best individual performers.
With a DJ on the field and one of the Reds’ in-game hosts on the mic, the home run derby got underway.
Each player was given 90 seconds to get as many swings in and hit as many homers as they could. By the time all the long balls had landed, it was team City Connect 2.0 who earned the overall victory.
Individual winners included Chris Eutsler from the male side and co-female winners Evie Denen and Kinlee Krug.
The chance of hitting a home run on a major league field was the highlight of the day for many of the players. But it was also a chance to reflect on their Reds Nike RBI experience as a whole and the hard work they put in to earn such a special day.
“It’s a really good experience that not everyone gets to do, so it’s really meaningful to me,” said Da’Nyiah Shamel, a four-year Reds Nike RBI player and Reds Youth Academy Member of the Year. “Getting picked to do this, knowing I met their expectations, is amazing.”
“[The RBI program] has definitely helped me be a better player and learn the discipline and commitment it takes to succeed,” added Tyler Beard, who has been a Reds Nike RBI player since eighth grade. “It has helped me be a better leader and a better person.”
Enjoying the afternoon almost as much as the RBI Scholars MVPs was Eaves. He was heavily involved in the months-long collaboration to put the Showcase together and made sure he was at Great American Ball Park to see the event come to life.
“The RBI Showcase games is a project of passion,” he said. “I absolutely love it and believe in it. Whenever you’re following your passion, you want to be there to experience it with the folks that are a part of it along with your partners, which is the Reds. I wouldn’t miss this for anything, and I’m thrilled to be here today. To see it come to fruition is really special.”