My seven year old son is entering his 4th year as a Bonnie. He loves the game of baseball and the Bonnie's have helped him to develop and grow as a player and as a person. The Bonnie's are truly a family that works together to make everybody better. I volunteer with this organization as a small way for me to give back to a group that has given us so much.
Joe Morales Bonnie Boys Club (1973-1976). I will never forget the opportunity the BB Club gave me to play the game I loved. The Bonnie's represented what growing up in New York was all about. They provided the environment to learn, play and experience the game of baseball.
The Bonnie teams I played on were the most racially diversified teams I would play on until I entered professional baseball and we played winning Championship baseball. Thanks to Coach Katzke's dedication and continued commitment to the kids and the organization. He was ,unbeknownst to him, my MVP. I had teammates that I established friendships with from high schools and neighborhoods throughout NYC. It was an honor and a privilege to be associated with the BBC. I can say that as a youth I had my vision of playing in the Major Leagues one day. The reality, I have lived a Bonnie Life,
attending and playing Division 1 college baseball, received a college degree, went on to play pro ball and have been very successful in my life and career in law enforcement. I can truly say it stems from my time getting prepared on the ball field , allowed me to be prepared for the journey of life. Thank you BBC. May god continue to bless an organization that builds ball players to become succesful players in the game of life. Thank you to the Bonnie Family for all that you have done for NYC youth ballplayers and kids. I'm sorry for recent loss to the Bonnie Family. Their blessings are truly waiting them in heaven.
With sincere and much appreciation , Joe Morales (Lafayette H.S -Bensonhurst Brooklyn)
I remember the day I tried out to join the Bonnie Youth Club. Everyone was so excited to play baseball that when the coach hit a ball to the outfield during practice, everyone on the team ran to the outfield to retrieve the ball. We had no discipline. Our coach instantly stopped play and used the time to teach us why our approach would not work. His knowledge of the game commanded respect.
The Bonnie organization instills discipline in its players through its coaches by way of example. Bonnie coaches are not only good coaches who know how to create good baseball players but they are good, responsible people who, through their example, help create good, responsible individuals.
Bonnie coaches don’t get paid for their time; however, throughout the year they teach responsibility by always showing up and being available to their players. At times they provide personal advice. For players who don’t have both parents in the home, this interaction is critical. I always remembered Bonnie coaches to be positive role models. For some of us, being a positive role model was the most important contribution these coaches made to our lives.
-- Sean Fairweather
I heard about the Bonnies when my brother inlaw played for them but did not believed what they stand for. But after my son started playing for the organization at the age of four years old and I got involved by helping coach more and more I realized what they really stand for. I started helping as much as I can to make a different and help them achieved their main goal which is for every players that come thru the organization optain the opportunity to attend some of the top schools in the country. I have seing so much success in the eight years that I have been involved, this baseball organization is like no other. I can not see my son playing for any other organization! I thank the Bonnies for giving me the chance to get incolved in this great mission.
The Bonnie Youth Club is a place where our youth can come and really learn the game of baseball at very high level. There have been many kids from the Bonnie Youth Club who are in great schools, colleges, and professions because of the positive impact of this youth club. There are numerous coaches and administrators who volunteer many hours of their time at no charge. The Bonnie Youth Club is a place that is truly needed in our community. Volunteer/Parent Anthony Hewitt
In the early 90's I was a college age player for the Bonnies. They allowed me to develop as a player and an individual and never asked for anything nor pressured players that struggled economically. Fast forward twenty years to the present and its my pleasure to give back and support an organization that gave me so much without asking for anything in return. The organization is run by selfless professionals that truly care and its my honor to serve on their advisory board.
The Bonnie Youth Club is an amazing organization supporting the young urban youth. Focusing on the academics as well as the athletics.
This organzation has help me grow as a person. I have played baseball with them for 8 yrs and now my son plays with them. They help you grow as a student ahtlete and as a person. I would recommend the bonnie youth club to anyone who is looking for a great organaztion to grow with.
My sons have been playing with the Bonnies since they were 5 an 7 years old. I am proud to say they are still playing for the Bonnies 10 years later. They have learned how to play the game the correct way and have become great teammates. I am proud that my sons has stayed with the Bonnies and will continue to play with them for many years to come.
The Bonnies have been great to my son. He has made life time friends from this organization. The Bonnies have provided great opportunities for my son not only baseball but academics as well. The coaches have been great role models and have taught my son to fight hard for what he want to accomplish in life.
My brother has played with the Bonnies for 8 years and I have watched him grow not only as a baseball player, but as a young man. This has all been because of the help and support he has received from the coaches of this baseball organization.
I have 2 sons that are a part of this wonderful organization. The Bonnie Youth Club has provided an opportunity for young boys to learn America's greatest pastime. Through baseball my sons have learned the importance of working hard, striving to be their best and other life lessons that will prepare them to be great men. I believe the opportunities that this organization provides for young people will carry them along way in life. My sons have been exposed to other cultures and other parts of the country thanks to their experiences with the Bonnie Youth Club. It's a great place to be.
This wonderful organization has my support because a makes a tremendous impact on the lives of young men in NYC. It helps them gain valuable life lessons and gives them an outlet in which to play the sport they love--- baseball. The volunteers in this organization offer guidance and support to these young men throughout their lives. As a testament to the impact this organization has many of the young men return as volunteers to pat it forward.
I've been involved with the BYC since 1980 and have found the entire experience extremely important, rewarding and worthwhile. Every year this organization helps hundreds of young people grow by providing them with positive alternatives to the many negative things going on when they're not at home or in school. The sports program and other extra-curricular activites, like trips and high school and college placement programs, point them in right direction. Many join as early as age 5 and are still with the program when they reach 21. The huge list of the clubs college graduates and distinguished alumni prove this. Everyone envolved with the program are volunteers and many of the current staff are kids that grew up "Bonnies", and then returned to give back. We need more nonprofit organizations like the BYC!
At the age of 5, my son, Gil, joined the Bonnie Youth Club as an instructional league player. For nine consecutive seasons Gil has learned the game of baseball from a cohort of knowledgeable and dedicated coaches. He has gained a skill set which simply would have been beyond reach with another organization. Bonnie baseball is a way of life--there is code of conduct and an exacting level of commitment that is required. This cultivated discipline carries over into school life and the academic world. Bonnie ballplayers strive for excellence on the baseball field and in the classroom. Gil and his teammates are together whether they win or lose. They support each other through their success and failure. Their collective effort in the competitive world of youth baseball is the template for lifelong friendships.
I was a member of the Bonnie Boy Club for a few seasons, but in that short period of time, I was able to not only take my game to another level, but more importantly, I was able to make some great friends and memories that will last a lifetime. Thirteen years later, I still look back to our road to the World Series as one of the greatest summers of my life. Not only were the coaches/volunteers great baseball minds, they were even better leaders/role models to follow for young men of all ages. They encouraged hard work, discipline, respect, and accountability; key elements in the game of baseball, and in the game of life. This organization created, molded, and refined some of the city's finest baseball players and finest young men, and adults; myself included.
My name is Alejandro Brown and I am currently an active player and coach with the Bonnie organization. The Bonnie organization not only saved my life but the lives of many inner city kids. They provide a structure for many of us. A good sense of directon not to mention a discipline that is needed to survive in the everyday world. So I would definitely recommend this organization to any parent if they want their kids to continue to become better young men and young women. Also have fun and win some championships in the process.
Joining the Bonnie's is an introduction to a support system that lasts all through your life. Great friendships are forged and the commaraderie that is fostered by this organization is outstanding! So many who have joined any one of their clubs have so enjoyed this non-profit that they have returned to sign up their children; and for some now, even their grandchildren. Please lend your support to keep the Bonnies!
Being one of Joe Bonnie's daughters, I pretty much grew up at the Parade Ground while my dad was coaching! For over six decades The Bonnie Youth Club has been keeping kids off the streets and out of trouble. The focus is not only about the sport but also "hitting the books". This helps mold it's player's minds and sets the foundation for them to have a chance at a successful future!! Being a player also gives them a sense of belonging to something and even a second family!!!
I first joined the Bonnie Youth Club as a baseball player back in 1962 at the age of 14 years old. After playing with the Bonnies for a few years, I became a manager with the organization in 1966 and have been with the organization ever since as a manager, coach, Athletic Director and President of the organization. Over the years I have seen many players of all ages join the organization, develop their athletic skills as well as their sense of sportsmanship and fair play and go on to be successful in High School and College both on and off the field and graduate and become solid citizens of the community. Many of them have gone on to become doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers, policemen and firemen as well as professional baseball players. Many of them have returned to the organization as managers and coaches who are now volunteering their time to help the next generation of Bonnie players become successful. In many cases the organization has provided top quality athletic, recreational and educational activities for 3 and 4 generations of the same family. The organization has continued to grow and become stronger over the years. I look back with a great deal of pride at what the organization has accomplished over the last 63 years, and with the help of all of our wonderful volunteers we are committed to keeping the Bonnie Youth Club going strong for many years to come.
I was introduced to the Bonnie Youth Club some 25 years ago when my sons joined the club to learn to play baseball. They not only learned the game, they learned, teamwork, volunteerism, sportsmanship, how to be student athletes and they made lifelong friends. As a parent I not only bonded with other adults but also ended up becoming a mentor and volunteer myself. The club helps inner city youth travel, balance school and books and hone their skills on the ballfield. There are so many young people who are touched by the work being done by the Bonnie Youth Club that now there are generations of ballplayers who can call the Bonnies home. The club's longevity is a testament to the good work they do for our kids.
The Bonnie Youth Club is an example of how a grass roots organization should operate. They provide an opportunity for young people to learn to play and work together, and for volunteers to learn to know the children of their community and to help improve the quality of their lives. It is no wonder that they have so many adult volunteers who grew up participating in the program. The value of this small organization in Brooklyn is felt throughout the country, as the children grow up and spread the word wherever they go.
I've been involved with the Bonnie Youth Organization since I was 6 years old. As I get older I see more and more what a tremendous impact this organization has on the community it services. I live in California now and wish the Bonnie's would start a California branch.
I played for the Bonnies from 16-19 and it was without a doubt the most fun I've had playing baseball.
I too am one of the great success stories of the Bonnies. Growing up in the crime and drug infested streets of Flatbush Brooklyn in the mid 80's. The Bonnies was a safe have and beacon of light for young men and women who desired athletic competition through baseball and a way out of the pitfalls for urban youth that was rampant throughout the US during that era. It for me personally was exactly what I needed because it provided guidance, structure, discipline and values. It helped provide peace of mind for my mother who was hard at work raising myself and sisters as a struggling single mother. My coaches throughout my years became the male role models and mentors I needed and their guidance and direction proved invaluable. Through my affiliation with this organization I was able to become a very productive member of my communities in education and bred to be a leader. The greatest value of this organization are the volunteers and coaches who work tirelessly to ensure the youth of the communities in which they serve are given guidance, advice and the greatest instruction possible to see that player be a future success. I urge you to please confirm this by going anywhere in NYC and and the Eastern seaboard with any kind of Bonnie clothing and you will meet a person or people with fond memories and gratitude to the organization for all they have done. You will also see those same people who have continually come back to the organization with their sons, daughters, and friends as well as volunteering their time much in the same way as the people who were there for them in their time with the organization.
There are so many positive things I can say about this organization. There are many "teams" and sports clubs. The "Bonnies" are the epitome of a first class organization that has served the youth for many decades and...generations. The lessons that I learned about focus and discipline are ingrained in my soul. It is truly wonderful when baseball is used as a tool to give life lessons. I started as a player in 1980 and not a day goes by that I don't think about this organization and the life long friends I met on the Ballfield and in that little clubhouse on Church Avenue.
Both of my sons were lucky enough to learn baseball with the Brooklyn Bonnies! We love this organization. They teach more than baseball ; they teach drive and determination, commitment , respect, team work, hard work and ultimately success! The Bonnie Youth Club is like a great big family. It's an experience every boy should have.
I am one of many of this organization's success stories. I have been involved with this organization since 1979 as a player that has benefitted from many of the role models that were there at the time. The Bonnie Boys Club provided me with a positive environvment to channel my energy in a productive manner. After graduating from college and embarking on my business career, it was only fitting for me to give back to to such a worthwhile cause, the youth.
The Bonnie Youth Organization deserves to be recognized as a top notch nonprofit organization. I became apart of the Bonnie organization as a player back in 1997 and not only did the organization make me a better baseball player but the coaches I played for and the great people I was surrounded by all gave me a lot of valuable life tools that have carried me in my life to this day. The coaches and people who are involved with the organization all voluteer their time but helping the youth of brooklyn and creating a family atmosphere is what it's all about in the end.
I have been involved with the Bonnie Boys Club for more than 30 years, and I cannot think of an organization more committed to helping the youth of Brooklyn. It provides a safe haven for children of all ages and teaches them invaluable life skills such as teamwork and sportsmanship. The impact of this organization has been far reaching, helping kids get into colleges and allowing some to even pursue their dream of playing professional baseball and other related jobs in sports. This is an organization that survives based on the unlimited dedication of several volunteers in the community and it should be recognized as one of the truly great nonprofit organizations.
My son Eric played for the Bonnies for many years and I helped out as a volunteer and assistant coach. They were the most interracial sports organization in Brooklyn- Black kids, White kids, Latino kids- all working together and playing baseball and the highest level. Many of the players went on to get college scholarships. This is an incredible organization run by an all volunteer staff.
Very good organization that gives young youth the opportunity to become great assets to the community. The staff are passionate about the kids and are concern about there well being. Very strong ties with the comminoty.
Once simply a local baseball-based organization, the Bonnie Youth Club now plays a key role in the development of inner-city youngsters who often need only a helping hand or piece of friendly advice or a mentor. As a player, I learned valuable lessons in discipline and teamwork from the Bonnie organization. Now as a parent ( and grandparent ! ), I see a much bigger picture, and a much bigger role for groups like the Bonnies in improving the urban lifestyle, demonstrating the importance of a social fabric that ties us together. As for the people behind the scenes doing the real work, the dedication of the Bonnie volunteers is unparalleled, and their track record of success speaks for itself. -- Bob Genalo --
My time with the Bonnie Youth Club changed my life. I was a player in the organization for four years and a volunteer assistant coach for two years after that. As a member of the Bonnie family I had great baseball experiences, but I also made great friends and grew a lot as a person. I played and coached with the Bonnies in a time when I was going from being a kid to being a young adult. Playing and coaching with the Bonnies changed the way that I see the world and taught me lessons that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
The Bonnie Youth Club is a great organization that not only supports their youth on the field but also in the classroom. They have a family atmosphere and great leadership. I have learned a lot as a member of the Bonnie's and I would recommend anyone who is looking for a baseball program to them.
The Bonnie's really focus on training kids to learn about baseball the right way from the start. My oldest son has really improved his game this year. He was given the opportunity to play various positions and travel throughout New York to get a real feel for the talent in his age bracket. It encourages healthy competition while emphasizing school as a critical part of overall success.
The Bonnie Youth Club is a great non-profit organization that is run by dedicated volunteers only. It helps city youth from ages 5 to 21 years old develop skills that emphasize both their study habits in the classroom as well as their athletic abilities on the baseball field. It has been an important part of the city for over 40 years and deserves to continue to do its good work serving the youth of NYC. Please support the Bonnie Youth Club. Check out: http://bonnieyouth.org/donate/
Great program for minority young in the inner city. They have supplied a sport and education, and with the support that was given to me it was life changing. I will forever be a Bonnie member.