For an entire week, children from across the country are enjoying an all-expenses-paid summer baseball camp in Aberdeen, MD, courtesy of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation (CRSF).
The Badges for Baseball Camp runs during the week of August 4th through August 7th, the foundation and their partners are hosting 200 youth from 23 states, helping them learn the games of baseball and softball. The campers participate in instructional stations and team-building exercises that teach them the fundamentals of being an athlete. The emphasis of these activities is building character and sportsmanship.
CRSF partners with law enforcement and youth service agencies to strengthen America’s most underserved and distressed communities. The foundation and its partners select deserving youth from these communities for programs like the Badges for Baseball camp. They also build Youth Development Parks and STEM Centers, impacting more than 1.4 million children in 2024 alone.
Law enforcement officers in CRSF’s 2025 Badges for Baseball camp.
Badges for Baseball is a year-round program created by CRSF in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Justice. It is a life-skills training program that pairs young people in under-resourced communities with mentors from law enforcement who use team sports to help them learn important life lessons. The program was created to keep vulnerable youth from entering the justice system, and to help “repair contentious relationships between inner-city youth and law enforcement.” Each partner organization participating in Badges for Baseball chooses which children and mentors will attend the camp.
Camper activities extend beyond baseball to include swimming, rock climbing, ziplining, and more. Every evening, campers have a discussion in which they are invited to talk about what they have learned and how they might bring those lessons back to their communities to have a positive impact.
The capstone experience for the campers is when the 75 law enforcement mentors from the surrounding area offer lessons for the youth to carry with them beyond the baseball diamond. The mentors perform demonstrations that include K9 Units, equipment and vehicle show-and-tells, and the landing of a Blackhawk helicopter.
Campers enjoy activities during CRSF’s 2025 Badges for Baseball camp.
“The Ripken Foundation Summer Camp is truly one of the most special weeks of the year,” Scott Swinson told Baltimore Fishbowl. Swinton is CRSF’s Senior Director of Development.
“It’s more than just baseball and softball, it’s a life-changing experience for most of our campers,” Swinton said. “For many, it’s their first time traveling out of their hometown, flying on a plane, meeting peers from across the country, and being part of something bigger than themselves. During the week, they build confidence, learn teamwork, and discover the joy of pushing past their limits, all while having fun on and off the field. Camp is a place where lifelong memories are made, and where kids begin to see just how far they can go.”
Campers from CRSF’s 2025 Badges for Baseball camp.
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