Waterloo, Iowa – In conjunction with the Northwoods League Foundation, the Waterloo Bucks are proud to announce Jesup Community Recreation has been named the recipient of this year’s Share the Glove Equipment Grant Program. All 22 Northwoods League communities will receive a grant from the Foundation.
The Bucks received many applicants in its fourth year of this grant and are proud to have an impact in providing this equipment to an organization in the area. The Bucks will make an on-field presentation to representatives of the Jesup Community Rec 
before a Bucks game in the upcoming 2021 season.
“We were super excited when we found out we were receiving the grant,” said Brock Sabers, Community Recreation Director. “We will put all of the equipment to good use! Thank you to Rawlings, the Northwoods League, and the Waterloo Bucks! We look forward to seeing a lot of our youth players and their families at a game this summer!”
Jesup Community Rec’s purpose is to provide a great experience for all kids in Pre-School through 6th grade in the game of baseball/softball. All kids in their program play in their rec leagues, which allows all kids to play with their friends in a quality league. They also select a travel team for each grade level for those kids ready and wanting more games. Their goal is to for all of their kids to have a great experience, so they continue to play the game at the high school level and, for some, beyond.
The Northwoods League Foundation is donating over $40,000 in youth Rawlings baseball and softball equipment this spring throughout the footprint of the league. Each grant will include one set of catcher’s gear, ten gloves, eight batting helmets, six bats, and one bucket of practice balls. Eleven baseball grants and eleven softball grants will be awarded. The Share the Glove initiative was developed to encourage participation in youth baseball and softball activities in NWL communities. Northwoods League affiliates promoted the grant and collected applications from youth organizations in their local markets this winter and spring.
The Northwoods League Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that serves as a vehicle to transform a shared passion for baseball into positive change and support for communities. The mission of the Northwoods League Foundation is to utilize the game of baseball to enrich the quality of life for children and families with an enduring and caring focus on Northwoods League communities.
The 2020 Minnesota-Iowa Region Champion Bucks open their 2021 season on May 31 before returning to Waterloo for their Home Opener on June 3 at Cost Cutters Field at Riverfront Stadium. The ballpark welcomed a new state of the art video board in 2016 thanks to a matching grant from the Black Hawk County Gaming Association. Team ownership has invested nearly $400,000 in stadium improvements since the end of the 2014 season including group outing areas, painted bleachers, public Wi-Fi, sound system, kids zone inflatables, wiffle ball field, and concessions equipment. Fans are encouraged to stay in touch with the Bucks by utilizing their website at www.waterloobucks.com or utilizing the Northwoods League Mobile App.
# # #
The Waterloo Bucks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 27th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff, over 250 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and MLB Gold Glove finalist and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TOR). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.waterloobucks.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Bucks as your favorite team.