"Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the
city, the guards stand watch in vain.”
Psalms 127:1
- DEVELOP ON & OFF THE FIELD AS CHRIST-LIKE YOUNG MEN
- GROW AS PLAYERS WHILE GROWING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE HEAVENLY FATHER
FOUNDED ON FAITH
MORE THAN BASEBALL
As the sun rises over the southern valley, the silhouette of oil derricks, pipelines, and refineries outline the landscape. For generations, the men and women of our community have tirelessly labored to liberate oil from the earth. That commodity has become the circulatory system of our entire country. The uses of refined oil impact every industry and Bakersfield’s economy runs on oil.
Just as oil is drawn from the earth bringing forth riches, God created, in His image, man from the dust of the earth (Genesis 2:7). God’s relentless pursuit of each individual, He has created far exceeds man’s dripping desire for recovery and refinement of oil (Genesis 1:26 ; Matthew 10:29-31). Like oil, man is messy in his own sin, but both have the potential to become new creations used for many good purposes.
Oil must be lifted from the earth and then refined for its true potential to be realized. The same is true of man. Every individual has the opportunity to be separated from the thick, black ooze of sin, and then continually refined by The Creator. God then uses His transformed children to carry out His good purposes in their communities and the world at large (Acts 1:8). Each beloved child of God is on an individual journey of refinement that results in carrying out His intended purpose. Our collective commitment is to trust that The One who created, values, and bought us will continue to refine and use us to bring Him glory. We are Black Gold!
WE ARE BLACK GOLD
Development
Responsibility
Academics
- This is a long-term process (Where will they be at the end of high school as they head out into the world?)
- Teach the skills and strategies of playing the game of baseball with the journey in mind.
- We are not about winning at all costs.
- Academics comes first.
- Without academics the opportunities to play baseball at the each of the next levels becomes limited.
- Who are they as men? (Respectful, accountable, responsible, etc.)
- Things will change over time to increase the level of commitment, their responsibilities, etc. (For example-at the beginning, parents will be responsible for communication and over time that responsibility will shift over to the players.)
- All players, their parents/families, and coaches are part of this. We are all invested in not only our own sons’ lives, but every child involved in this.
- We take the role that we have been called into and the influence it has on everyone seriously.
- Included is how we act at all times. Especially while representing the organization.
OUR FOCUS
