Our Mission Statement
Make the game of baseball accessible to youth in underserved areas by providing training facilities, and equipment. Creating an environment where young athletes can be empowered to learn, grow and succeed both on and off the field through teamwork, skill development and love for the game. Mentoring and coaching youth to build confidence, resilience and to develop lifelong friendships while embracing the time-honored values of sportsmanship, dedication and passion for baseball.
our Goals
What we hope to accomplish
Knowledge of how to play the game of baseball the right way, with a respect of the game, coaches, teammates, opponents, and officials.
The understanding of the role proper nutrition, sleep habits, and physical well being have on performance on the field and in the classroom.
The power of teamwork and the magic of what can be accomplished when a group of people come together for a common purpose.
A sense of hope that comes from knowing that people in the community care about their development as a human being.
Provide opportunities for young people to grow into mentorship roles in their local community.
From our Founder
Baseball has been transformational for my family. It provided our son Karl with a lifetime of memories and the opportunity to fulfill his lifelong dream of playing in the MLB.
More importantly, baseball offers him the experience of being a contributing member of a team, responsible and accountable to his coaches and teammates. From little league to the pros, Karl learned the value of bringing his very best efforts to what he loved, to every practice and every game. In short, baseball offers a community, and lifelong lessons to those fortunate enough to play.
Like many baseball families, we accumulated a great deal of equipment over the years. Cleats, gloves, wood bats, sliding shorts, pants, belts, socks spilled over in our basement. As we tried to find a new home for this equipment, I called a nearby high school in Pontiac, Michigan. To my surprise I found they no longer have a baseball program due to youth baseball options being severely limited in the city of Pontiac, and many other Michigan communities, due to a lack of practice facilities and proper fields for games. Initially, I felt sad, then I got mad….and motivated to make a change. I created the “Leading Off Foundation,” a Michigan nonprofit, to ensure that every kid has the opportunity to grow with and through the game of baseball, guided and trained by inspiring mentors in their own neighborhood.
Please consider joining us on the journey!
Sincerely,
Ray Kauffmann
Founder
our Pillars
Character counts.
Optimism
We choose to see challenges as chances to learn.
Empathy
We understand the unique traits and experiences that each of us brings to the team. We are welcoming and kind to all.
Respect
We value our coaches, our teammates, the spaces we play in and the opportunities we are given.
Responsibility
We take ownership of our actions and our attitude
Teamwork
We look out for each other. We play fair. We share success and learn from loss.
Our team
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