Junior Giants hit home run for more youth in California

Community News

Martinez, California, Foundation

Key Points

  •  Chris Staats, General Manager of the Martinez Renewables facility, celebrated the Opening Day of the San Francisco Junior Giants Concord League, highlighting the successful collaboration with Marathon Petroleum.
  • Ana Villalobos, Junior Giants Concord Commissioner, credited Marathon Petroleum for saving the 2023 season and enabling the program to expand, offering a summer of baseball and learning for over 400 children.
  • The Junior Giants, a non-competitive, co-ed baseball program for children aged 5 to 13, is seeking volunteer coaches to sustain its mission of providing leadership lessons, teambuilding, and mentoring at no cost to the players.

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General Manager of the Martinez Renewables facility in California, Chris Staats, welcomed the crowd for the Opening Day of the San Francisco Junior Giants Concord League Youth Skills Camp. The baseball program that was without sports fields last year, now, with help from Marathon Petroleum, not only has a home but is also growing.

“Without the support and partnership of Marathon, the Concord Junior Giants would not be running,” said Ana Villalobos, Junior Giants Commissioner. “They came to the rescue last year and saved the 2023 season. Now we have expanded to offer our program to even more children, who are enjoying a summer full of baseball, learning experiences and fun.”

Caption: (L to R) Chris Staats, General Manager, Martinez Renewables; Laura Hoffmeister, Concord City Council; Carlyn Obringer, Vice Mayor City of Concord; Ana Villalobos, Commissioner of the Concord Junior Giants; Nichol Carranza, Community Engagement Lead, Marathon Petroleum; Tim Grayson, California State Assemblymember; and Tim McGallian, TSBAA and the fiscal manager for Jr Giants.

The Junior Giants is a non-competitive, co-ed baseball program that is run by volunteers. They provide eight weeks of play that includes leadership lessons, teambuilding and mentoring at no cost to players of all abilities ages 5 to 13. More than 400 children are part of the program this year. 

The Concord league draws youth from Concord, Bay Point, Martinez, Pleasant Hill, Lafayette, Pacheco, Pittsburg, Antioch and Richmond. The Junior Giants play on Marathon’s baseball fields, which they rent for a symbolic $1 a year.

Opening Day of the Junior Giants baseball season on the Marathon Sports Fields.

“Marathon is proud to welcome the Junior Giants as its newest tenant at our sports fields,” said Staats. “Now that the Junior Giants have a place to call home, the program can expand to help even more youth make lifetime memories and learn vital leadership skills.”

The Junior Giants are looking for volunteer coaches to sustain the program. Find out how you can help support the team. 

Children ages five to 13 can play for free with the Junior Giants non-competitive sports league.