Cardinals Care, Boniface Foundation, And Gateway Region YMCA Celebrate “Opening Day” For New Adaptive Sports Complex
CARDINALS CARE, BONIFACE FOUNDATION & GATEWAY REGION YMCA CELEBRATE “OPENING DAY” FOR NEW ADAPTIVE SPORTS COMPLEX FEATURING PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT FIELD
ST. LOUIS, Mo., May 10, 2024 – Today, the St. Louis Cardinals and Cardinals Care, the team’s charitable foundation, in partnership with the Gateway Region YMCA and Boniface Foundation, celebrated a new YMCA Adaptive Sports Complex on the campus of the South County YMCA. The complex features a Miracle League Baseball Field, funded by Cardinals Care and the Boniface Foundation, an adaptive playground, and a multipurpose field for youth and adults with disabilities.
”I am thrilled to celebrate this special Opening Day for the new Adaptive Sports Complex with our partners at Boniface and the Gateway Region YMCA,” said Bill DeWitt III, President, St. Louis Cardinals and Board Chairman, Cardinals Care. “It is truly fitting that this field carries the name of Paul Goldschmidt, who has demonstrated a passion for making baseball more accessible so that everyone can experience the camaraderie and life lessons that the game teaches.”
“We are so excited to make this investment in support of the Gateway Region YMCA’s service to the adaptive community,” said Win Reed, Boniface Foundation Chairman. “Adaptive sports programs have a significant impact on the well-being of youth with disabilities, and this amazing new facility will help ensure these youth are able to learn, grow and thrive for years to come.”
The centerpiece of the $5 million sports complex is the baseball field, with a cushioned, barrier-free surface and barrier-free dugout to provide accessibility for players with disabilities. The field is designed to have a look and feel similar to Busch Stadium and provide participants and their families with a “major league” experience, including a silhouette of the Gateway Arch on the outfield, just like the St. Louis Cardinals home field.
The complex also includes fixed and lawn seating, a fan plaza with shelter canopies, concessions, and a dynamic, electronic scoreboard featuring “Paul Goldschmidt Field” in honor of the St. Louis Cardinals MVP first baseman. Paul Goldschmidt Field is the 25th ballfield that has been dedicated as part of the Cardinals Care Youth Ballfield program.
“It is a tremendous honor to be the namesake of this Miracle League Field that will provide the opportunity to play the game I love to those who may not otherwise have the chance,” said Goldschmidt. “I am grateful to all of the community partners that made this dream field become a reality.”
In addition, the complex includes an inclusive and fully accessible playground, running track and multipurpose field for soccer, flag football and other sports.
“The Gateway Region YMCA currently serves more than 1,000 children and adults with disabilities,” stated Tim Helm, President and CEO of the Gateway Region YMCA. “This new facility is a natural expansion of our work, allowing our Y to provide much more sports programming to those with disabilities throughout our entire region. We are so thankful to the St. Louis Cardinals and Cardinals Care, Boniface Foundation, and Miracle League for this tremendous investment to provide equal opportunities to this underserved community.”
The Y will run Miracle League Baseball and other programming for youth and adults at the new facility, and continues to run basketball and other indoor sports for those with disabilities.
“We are grateful to the St. Louis Cardinals, Gateway Region YMCA, and the Boniface Foundation for partnering with us on this amazing new resource,” said Stephanie Davis, Vice President of National Programs at Miracle League. “These fields create such an exciting and joyous experience for the kids and their families, and it means so much for them to be able to enjoy the game of baseball.”
As part of the partnership with the Miracle League, the Y and St. Louis will host the Miracle League All-Star Game in 2025, when disabled youth from across the country will be able to play and compete.
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About Cardinals Care
Cardinals Care was established to give fans a way to team up with Cardinals players and the organization to help children in our community—both on and off the baseball field. Established in 1997, Cardinals Care has invested over $31 million to support St. Louis area children, built or renovated 25 youth ball fields in local under-resourced neighborhoods, and distributed over $17 million in grants to nonprofit organizations.
Since 2004, Cardinals Care has orchestrated the innovative Redbird Rookies program, a free co-ed baseball/softball league for kids who otherwise might not have the opportunity to play. In addition to providing all the uniforms and equipment needed for each team, Redbird Rookies also provides extensive off-field support in the areas of health, education, mentoring and the cultural arts for each of the nearly 2,500 kids who participate in the program each year.
In 2023, Cardinals Care launched the Cardinals Nike Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program in cooperation with Major League Baseball to provide greater baseball and softball opportunities for youth ages 14-18 in our community. To learn more about all of Cardinals Care’s programs visit cardinals.com/community and follow @CardinalsCare on X, Facebook and Instagram.
About Boniface Foundation
Boniface Foundation is a private foundation dedicated to providing support for charitable and educational activities that promote individual and community health and well-being in St. Louis counties and city.
About Gateway Region YMCA
The Gateway Region YMCA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit strengthening community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Serving more than 260,000 members and program participants, the Y offers 24 health and wellness branches, operates in close to 100 community sites, and includes YMCA Camp Lakewood and Trout Lodge in Potosi, Missouri, and the Campus Y student leadership facility at Washington University.
The Gateway Region YMCA provides $2.4 million in financial assistance annually to those who otherwise could not afford its services. The organization also employs more than 4,000 full-time and part-time individuals and engages more than 1,100 volunteers annually. The Y is a proud member of the United Way of Greater St. Louis. For more information, please visit www.gwrymca.org or call 314-436-1177.
About Miracle League
The Miracle League is a non- profit organization that builds baseball fields and develops baseball leagues for children and adults with special needs worldwide. The organization removes the barriers that keep children with mental and physical disabilities off the baseball field and lets them experience the joy of America’s favorite pastime. But it’s more than playing a game. The Miracle League is about making new friends, building self-esteem and being treated just like other athletes.
