Englewood Police Youth Baseball League Hits A Home Run For Cops, Kids
CHICAGO (CBS) -- In a Chicago neighborhood where police and civilians might not see eye-to-eye very often, both are calling a new police-coached baseball league a success.
The Englewood Police Youth Baseball League was created to keep kids busy, and off the streets, and to change perceptions of police in the crime-plagued South Side community.
"That's our whole objective, is to leave that positive impression. Even when we're not on a baseball field, if they happen to see me on the street, or drive by in a squad car, or something like that, say 'Hey coach. That's my coach.' That makes a big difference," said Officer Chauncey Moore, one of the league's coaches.
Englewood mother Diana Edwards said the league was a little confusing at first.
"That was a shocker to us, because we did not know the coaches were going to be cops until the first day, and so when they got out there, they were like, 'These police are all around here. What are they doing?' I was like, 'Oh, I guess they're going to stay,'" she said.
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Active and retired officers have been coaching about 100 kids – boys and girls from ages 9 to 12 – this summer.
Jasmine Brooks, 12, said it has worked out pretty well.
"Some of these police officers might not seem like they're going to be nice, but then once you get to know them, they're really beautiful, nice," he said.
One officer said recruiting kids for the league was a challenge at first, but they ended up with enough kids for six teams.
Wednesday night is the league's championship game.
