With fall programming and RBI leagues gearing up to begin soon at the Texas Rangers MLB Youth Academy at Mercy Street Sports Complex, Presented by Toyota, it's clear that there's no offseason at the facility.
 
Keeping the athletes engaged in sports and programming throughout the year requires a coaching staff committed to giving back to the West Dallas neighborhood.
 
Sebastian Martinez is one of those coaches. For Martinez, who primarily has been coaching softball during his time at the Academy, the highlight of his role is watching the athletes "advance past the limits they put on themselves."
 
During the two years Martinez has coached at the Academy, he's been able to witness the development of regular participants into what he describes as "youth coaches." 
 
"Whenever they see kids making mistakes that they've made and we corrected, they step up and they say, 'hey, coach said this for me. Maybe you should try it out and maybe it will work for you.' And they end up almost being an extension of us," Martinez said. "(They) grow from the first time they show up -- when they're really shy, really nervous, have a lot of doubt -- to being confident enough to step up and help the other kids improve."
Giving back is a way of life for Martinez, a firefighter with Dallas Fire Rescue. In his time at the Academy, he's focused on reminding the athletes to keep working hard for their dreams in both sports and in daily life.
"We hope that them coming out and getting a chance to play on the fields that the Rangers built, the indoor facility that we have now, getting a chance to go out and hear from some of these pro players that come out and speak to them, we hope that will motivate them to push themselves that much harder, to understand that it's something that's very difficult to do, but it's also something that's very rewarding," Martinez said. 
Coming Soon to Globe Life Park
 
On Monday, September 17, a pre-game presentation on the field at Globe Life Park in Arlington will honor Whataburger Rising Stars from the Academy. Athletes who displayed stellar achievement and outstanding sportsmanship were nominated by Academy and RBI coaches for the monthly honor. 
 
Below are the athletes selected:
•   Melanie Henderson, 16, Irving High School  
•   Cesar Saucedo, 15, Cedar Hill High School  
•   Josiah Drake, 13, Byrd Junior High School   
•   Mackenzie Amaya, 15, Woodrow Wilson High School  
•   Darren Simon,15, Carter High School   
•   Amaad Garrett, 11, Collegiate Academy Middle School   
 
Drake, Henderson, Amaya, Saucedo, and Simon will be at Globe Life Park for Monday's presentation.
 
Kick Off
 
The Youth Academy Fall Training program begins Tuesday, September 18, and will occur Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays through November 15.
 
Athletes participating in the free program will work on hitting, fielding, throwing, and defensive strategies with members of the Academy coaching staff.
 
Registration is now available for baseball and softball players ages seven through 18 at www.rangers.com/academy. 
 
Coming Soon
 
Mercy Street Little League: season begins Friday, September 28
 
West Dallas Little League partners with the Little League Urban initiative to facilitate baseball and softball for participants ages four through 12.
 
Registration is available at https://www.mercystreetdallas.org/baseball/
 
RBI Fall Baseball and Softball: seasons open Saturday, September 29
 
Fall RBI baseball and softball games will be played on Saturdays from September 29 through November 17. More scheduling information will be announced in the coming weeks. 
 
The Academy league is expected to facilitate eight baseball and eight softball teams for the fall season.   
 
The Buck O'Neil Scouts Association Clinic: Saturday, November 10
 
The clinic aims to promote baseball in inner-cities by educating coaches and mentoring players.
 
Founded in honor of the late legendary player and scout Buck O'Neil, the Buck O'Neil Professional Baseball Scouts & Coaches Association was created to provide a forum for scouts and coaches to share their passion for the game. O'Neil was the first African American to coach in the Major Leagues and one of the first to scout fulltime.
 
Registration is available at rangers.com/academy for players ages 14 through 18.
 
Kershaw's Challenge Baseball Camp: Saturday, November 10  
 
This will mark the seventh annual Kershaw's Challenge Baseball Camp, hosted by Mercy Street. 
 
Dallas native Clayton Kershaw and his wife Ellen founded Kershaw's Challenge in 2011 and have since given over six millions dollars to support at-risk children and families around the globe. The foundation contributed generously to the building of the Academy facility, which includes Kershaw's Challenge Field named in his honor.