Young Baseball Players Provided A Chance To Grow With PRO Youth Foundation And The PYF/HBCU Showcase

GROWING THE GAME OF BASEBALL: LAST FALL, 220 BASEBALL PLAYERS FROM AROUND THE U.S. AND CANADA ATTENDED A TWO-DAY CAMP CREATED BY SAN DIEGO PADRES SCOUT AND NATIONAL CROSS-CHECKER, EDWIN “CHIP” LAWRENCE, WHO TEAMED-UP WITH WOOTER APPAREL AT THE 2019 PYF/HBCU AND ALL COLLEGE BASEBALL SHOWCASE CAMP (PICTURED, ADRIAN HOLLOWAY HEAD COACH XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA)

Edwin “Chip” Lawrence knows a thing or two about turning a double play. 

Not only did this former minor leaguer eventually make it to the bigs and currently serves within the San Diego Padres organization as a scout and national cross-checker, but the one-time infielder is now making the quick flip by giving back through baseball with his 501(c)3 organization, PRO (Providing Resources and Opportunities) Youth Foundation (PYF). It’s a time where Lawrence not only showcases his own talents as an ambassador of the game and mentor, but he’s also providing opportunities for a number of players who might not have had the chance otherwise.   

“At a time when African-American participation in the sport is reportedly on the decline, we aim to show that there are still plenty of young men across this country that have both athletic and academic ability to play at the next level, be it college or the professional level,” said Lawrence when asked about what drove him to start the Foundation and launch the PYF Showcase.  

“Our 2020 Showcase Camp will be unparalleled as our reach continues to expand nationally and internationally allowing PYF to spotlight more deserving student athletes. The PYF HBCU /All College Showcase Camp has quickly become the largest event of its kind.” 

Last Fall Lawrence brought PRO Youth Foundation to Atlanta, Georgia to hold the largest Historically Black College and Universities (HBCU) and All College Baseball Showcase Camp for the third-straight year featuring 220 student-athletes from 20 different States and Canada with 24 schools in attendance over the two-day showcase camp. It was also the chance for Lawrence and Wooter to team-up to design and customize the jersey shirts for the Showcase and discuss ways to work together on future baseball apparel projects.  A National Cross-Checker for the Padres, Lawrence retired from playing in 1999 after an extensive career in minor league baseball as an infielder before becoming a full-time professional baseball scout. For the Southern University alum, staying involved and giving back to help young players grow in the game became his post-career passion in baseball. In 2016, Lawrence launched PRO Youth Foundation to both mentor young people and provide opportunities within the game to aspiring college baseball players by showcasing their skill set and building relationships in baseball with college coaches.  At the PYF/HBCU Showcase in Atlanta, players received professional coaching and training tips from a wide-range of MLB scouts from the Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Oakland A’s, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, and the Texas Rangers.

“Chip” Lawrence recently shared his thoughts on returning to give back in Atlanta, what drove him to launch his PRO Youth Foundation, collaborating with Wooter Apparel on the diamond, the biggest lesson he learned in minor league baseball, and mentoring young PYF Showcase players on how to get better on and off of the field...

BATTER UP: AT THE PYF/HBCU SHOWCASE IN ATLANTA, PLAYERS TOOK PART IN DEVELOPING THEIR HITTING, FIELDING, THROWING, CATCHING, AND PITCHING SKILLS WITH DRILLS FROM MLB SCOUTS FROM THE ATLANTA BRAVES, CINCINNATI REDS, COLORADO ROCKIES, DETROIT TIGERS, NEW YORK YANKEES, OAKLAND A’D, PITTSBURGH PIRATES, SAN DIEGO PADRES, AND THE TEXAS RANGERS.

Why did you decide to form and start PRO Youth Foundation and how has it grown since first launching the non-profit organization? At what point in your pro career did you feel led to help mentor and work with student-athletes after your own playing days?

PRO Youth Foundation was formed with the mission to (PRO) Provide Resources and Opportunities to today's youth, which in turn will promote the leadership and decision-making skills essential for future success. The Foundation aims to serve underserved student athletes with guidance, mentorship and development both on the playing field and off. Since starting the Foundation we have increasingly been able to impact student athletes on both a national and international level. During my time as a minor league player, I always felt the need to give back, whether through substitute teaching or speaking to up and coming youth players. It was this same interest that led to my formation of PRO Youth Foundation with minor league teammate, Maleke Fowler, once I entered the scouting profession. 

You spent four to five years playing minor league baseball from the Carolina League to playing Independent ball in the Atlantic League...are there certain lessons you learned while playing at those different levels that you still reflect on today and try to share with young players? 

Over the course of my playing career, I learned to embrace the grind of playing at the professional level every day. As an amateur you often see the glitz and glamour of MLB baseball, but you never get the true feeling of Minor League Baseball until you're submerged in it. One of the major lessons I learned early on in my playing career was to always make time for the kids that would come out to watch you play. Whether it was staying around after the game to sign autographs or to stand in for a photo, I felt it was important to make those connections. It was those small moments in time that kids would remember and hopefully draw them to the greatest game on earth - baseball. Because of my past experiences, we always stress to our Showcase participants that whenever they rise to a position to give back to the next generation, they should always make time to do so.

THE FUTURE OF BASEBALL IS IN GOOD HANDS THANKS TO EDWIN “CHIP” LAWRENCE, THE PRO YOUTH FOUNDATION, AND THE PYF/HBCU SHOWCASE WHO ARE PROVIDING PLAYERS TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL EVENT IN HOPES OF FURTHERING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENT-ATHLETES WITH COLLEGE ASPIRATIONS.

Why do you feel it was important to have PRO Youth Foundation once again team up with HBCU at the Showcase? What made this past year’s event in Atlanta stand out from the ones in the past PYF has been a part of? 

The HBCU/All College Showcase Camp was created by PRO Youth Foundation in 2017 in order to provide a platform for student athletes to display their abilities at a very affordable price. Not only are the student-athletes provided instruction by college coaches, they are also challenged with all of the academic requirements needed to play at the collegiate level. At a time when African-American participation in the sport is on the decline, we aim to show that there are still plenty of young men across the country that have both athletic and academic ability to play at the next level, be it college or the professional level. Our 2020 Showcase Camp will be unparalleled as our reach continues to expand nationally and internationally, allowing PYF to spotlight more deserving student athletes. The PYF HBCU/All College Showcase Camp has quickly become the largest event of its kind.

Wooter Apparel was excited to create the customized jersey tops for the players for the Showcase...what did it mean to be able to have PYF and HBCU team-up with an apparel brand to help outfit the players? 

Every year we look to offer the best experience possible for our participants. Teaming up with Wooter Apparel gave us the ability to create an awesome sublimated camp shirt the kids would look forward to wearing, even after the conclusion of the Showcase. The fit and feel of the camp shirts is outstanding. We look forward to Wooter's involvement in 2020 as we intend to add a very meaningful HBCU/All College Showcase Camp this summer in Kansas City, MO, that coincides with the 100th Anniversary of the formation of the Negro Leagues. This event will give participants the opportunity to not only display their talents at the Kansas City Royals Youth Complex, but our PYF players will also learn the incredible history of the Negro Leagues while touring the Negro League Museum. Each day before we start the Showcase camp, we take group photos and then an entire group photo with all 220 players featured...the group picture is powerful. It gives these young men a chance to see there are many other kids across the country that look like them and share the same passion for the game. 

You are this remarkable opportunity to serve as a mentor and help influence these young student-athletes on the field and in life. Looking back, who were some who were a mentor or influenced you through baseball?  

We stress the importance of education at all of our events. Education provides for the extension of the number of playing days at the next level. It can also help to open doors for many opportunities in the future. Over the years, a lot of the young men we have mentored and continue to mentor, move into various roles throughout college and professional baseball. It was because of their athletic and academic accomplishments that they were granted these opportunities. Looking back, the biggest mentors for me have been my parents Ed and Jacqueline Lawrence who have always stressed the importance of giving back and helping the next generation along the way. My Southern University Coach Roger Cador has also been and continues to be a major mentor in my life. The impact he has had on numerous kids from very different backgrounds is the type of impact that I can only hope to match. In my 20 years of professional scouting, I have been very fortunate to work for Scouting Directors Tim Wilken (Blue Jays), Chris Buckley(Blue Jays), Marti Wolever (Phillies), Billy Gasparino (Padres), Jaron Madison (Padres), and Mark Conner(Padres) whom have all been very supportive of my efforts to help grow the game of baseball and provide young players with opportunities that may not be afforded to them otherwise.

What’s next for PRO Youth Foundation looking ahead to this Spring and what impact do you want the organization to have in the New Year? 

Looking forward to 2020, PRO Youth Foundation looks to continue to have a positive impact on young men throughout the country as our network continues to grow. We are very appreciative of our past participants, players, and parents that allowed us to be a part of their journey in baseball. Similar to most non-profit charity organizations, we are only able to succeed as a result of the generosity of the time and expertise the coaches, professional scouts, former and present players share with our organization through their service. It truly takes a village. We are forever grateful to be able to contribute in whatever way possible.