x
Breaking News
More () »

Adopted Children in DC Play Baseball; Form Bonds Beyond the Mound

WASHINGTON (WUSA9) — "I think today is awesome. At first I didn't really want to come. I thought it was going to be just another thing my parents told me I had to do, but when I came here I met a bunch of kids that had similar stories just like mine and I had a lot of fun. I did things that made me get out of my comfort zone," said 15-year old Shannon Crockett.

Today a smile comes easy for Shannon Crockett, but it wasn't always this way. For years, she's been bouncing around from shelters to foster homes.

"It is hard for kids to get out of the system once they have been placed in because no one wants a kid that has had problems. One day I met Josh and Amy, they found me, and they asked me if I would like to live with them and I got this big packet of paper and it was pretty much like if you want to come live with us it is on you and you get to make that decision and that was the day I knew I wasn't going to be in any facility every again. I wasn't going to be a system kid anymore," said Crockett.

'Jockey Being Family,' the foundation arm of Jockey, hosted Saturday's baseball clinic along with instructors with the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy. The foundation focuses on post adoption care and support. Using clinics like this one… as an opportunity.

"About 15% of all adoptions still fail. Our goal is to make sure every child going through the adoption process finds a loving, forever family," said Tom Hecker, from Jockey International Inc.

"It was really fun being here making new friends and playing baseball," said 8-year old Jose.

Meaningful bonds, beyond baseball

"The thing I like about being a foster parent is first and foremost role modeling. For my other biological kids, I let them know it's not all about them. We have so much in this world and so many things to be grateful for and it's a shame not to share that with someone who needs it, " said foster parent, Josh Thompson.

Statistics from the US Department of Health and Human Services show 415-thousand children live in the U.S. foster care system each day. More than 100-thousand of those children are eligible for adoption.They will wait, on average, four years for an adoptive family.

Before You Leave, Check This Out