Photo Courtesy of Julian Haliga
Milwaukee Baseball Club
The Felix Mantilla Little League diamonds at Baran Park on Milwaukee’s near South Side had been home for years to kids playing Tee Ball and teenagers working to take their game to the next level. Julian Haliga and his fellow coaches were up for a challenge and organized winter workouts where players could develop their skills year-round.
It paid off. After years as a doormat to other southeastern Wisconsin teams, Haliga’s players won the state title and represented Wisconsin in 2013 at the Central Regional tournament in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Rise of The Southsiders
Haliga’s passion for youth baseball has grown over time. In 2009 he was part of a group that founded the Milwaukee Southsiders travel team, has overseen winter workouts at sites as varied as Bruce Guadalupe Middle School, Riverside High School and Hitters Baseball Academy. He’s also head baseball coach at St. Augustine High School.
In recent years Haliga has been piloting the Milwaukee Brewers RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner-Cities). Previously operated by Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, the organization is now run by Milwaukee Baseball Club.
New Facility
On January 11, Milwaukee Baseball Club will host an open house for its new 9,000 square foot community center at 1623 S. 38th St. The facility will be the home to the Milwaukee Brewers RBI program. The multi-use space will also offer softball for female athletes, ACT prep and academic tutoring.
MIAD provided the computers for the student resource center. Charles Buddy Love, John Reed and Kevin Fine will provide music lessons for guitar, piano, trumpet, drums and saxophone—as well as lessons in recording and podcasting.
Haliga says anyone of any age can sign up for music lessons. The facility will also be available for private rentals.
The open house will also offer hitting, fielding and pitching lessons for players ages 11-14. More info here: facebook.com/photo?fbid=1035582868616375&set=pcb.1035582928616369.
Haliga says the structured environment with positive role models is a way to guide student athletes through the challenges of the streets of Milwaukee.
Mission Statement
The goal, according to Haliga, is to keep participation fees minimal in a city that urgently needs a way to show its young people that success is within reach. By encouraging them to focus on their dreams and work hard to make them a reality, MBC aims to empower the next generation.
“Leading by example—the opening of this facility marks the realization of a lifelong dream to create a space where Milwaukee's youth can not only grow but thrive,” he says.
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Full Circle
Part of MBC’s mission statement is bringing back young men, like John Caban, Christian Lopez and Victor Cortez, who played on those Little League diamonds at Baran Park as instructors and coaches to work with the next generation of student athletes at the new facility. An additional resource is community connections the facility can offer to apprenticeships for careers in the trades.
A grant from the Milwaukee Brewers means young coaches will be paid for their time and will also help with rental of the new facility. Up until recently MBC also had volunteers working at Milwaukee Bucks concession stands,
Having a brick-and-mortar space is what elevates an organization the public’s mind. Haliga says the ongoing challenge with a non-profit organization is resources and funding. He’s thankful for assistance from Ashley Furniture, RJ Fergus at Hitters Baseball Academy, St. Augustine Prep, Waterstone Bank as well as all the board members over the years in bringing the vision to life.
