Prestonsburg High School meets Play Ball Puerto Rico

The Prestonsburg High School baseball program received a donation from Play Ball Puerto Rico and the Hillerich & Bradsby Company. Photo courtesy of Prestonsburg High School

STAFF REPORT

BSN

PRESTONSBURG — The Prestonsburg High School baseball team has received a generous donation of baseball equipment thanks to Play Ball Puerto Rico and the Hillerich & Bradsby Company.

Coach Craig Ratliff and assistant coach Jonnie LeMaster traveled to Louisville recently to meet Play Ball Puerto Rico representatives Dr. Bernard Strenecky, Dr. Jay Hutti and Mr. Jack Stengel, and to pick up the equipment. The goal of Play Ball Puerto Rico is to develop not only excellent baseball players but also good citizens.

Play Ball Puerto Rico was founded by Lawson Strenecky, an engineering student at the University of Louisville, who is Dr. Strenecky’s grandson. His original idea for the organization was to help Puerto Rican youth rebuild their baseball fields and revitalize their communities through engaging in the sport after Hurricane Maria. Dr. Strenecky has long been a passionate advocate for service learning and the idea to find a way to be helpful in Floyd County came after the news of the devastating flooding experienced in Eastern Kentucky reached the Streneckys.

Coach Ratliff stated, “We are grateful for the equipment provided to us. Baseball is an amazing tool to bring people together, and we want to pay this kindness forward by providing no-cost baseball clinics for Little League-aged kids county-wide in 2023.”

“We are proud that Floyd County Schools is the first school system in the USA to get to partner with Play Ball Puerto Rico,” Floyd County Superintendent Anna Shepherd said. “The spirit of service to others demonstrated by the Streneckys is something that we feel it is important to duplicate. Coach Ratliff and the Prestonsburg baseball team will gladly pay this kindness forward by engaging and furthering the knowledge and skillset of some of our youngest stakeholders from across the county in the sport.”