Clarksville, Ark.-Every member of the University of the Ozarks baseball team spent time reading books to children at the Clarksville and Lamar Elementary schools recently.
In an effort to get more involved with the community and raise awareness for the baseball program, 35 players went to the Johnson County schools the past two weeks to reach out to the youth.
“This is a good opportunity to give back to the community,” said head coach Jimmy Clark. “The kids enjoy seeing our athletes and our athletes enjoy spending time with them.”
Each player would typically spend 45 minutes reading books in a classroom. Some players went more than once.
“You have to give back to your community,” said sophomore catcher Chris Young from Grand Prairie, Texas. “The kids were excited a college baseball player was reading to them. We tried to talk to them and bring different subjects up. They seemed to enjoy it. I definitely want to do it again. It is a growing experience for us.”
The team also helped raise funds for the university’s Angel Tree project this year.
Topics: Athletics