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Haese Academy

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HAESE ACADEMY
Helping Achieve Excellence in Sport and Education
#BookSmartPlaySmart

MISSION
By instilling the values nurtured through education and athletic competition, we strive to develop leaders, both in the classroom and on the playing field, who will become a catalyst for positive energy and growth in their respective communities.

VISION
With proper guidance we can develop individuals to be free thinkers who strive to achieve excellence in sport and education.

With proper nutrition we can feed the mind and body the nutrients it needs to allow individuals to thrive in the classroom and on the field.

With proper training and access to world class equipment and materials we can develop student-athletes into their most competitive self.

With proper education and established strategic partnerships student-athletes can utilize their abilities to earn scholarships and enroll in a collegiate university.

All together, we strive to develop leaders who serve their communities and are viewed as role models for future generations.



THE STORY
In the summer of 2016 Derek and Susan Haese quit their jobs, sold all of their belongings and moved their family of four from Washington, DC to the coastal town of Las Terrenas in the Dominican Republic. Susan had secured a job teaching at a local international school. And while Derek didn’t have job, he knew he wanted to coach baseball; and what better place to do so than the Dominican Republic, a land where baseball reigns. Thus, on his birthday, Derek ventured to the local “play” and told “el jefe” he wanted to help.


A little over a year later, after coaching teenagers seeking professional contracts with MLB and teaching in this small Dominican town, the concept of the Haese Academy was born. You see, the ballplayers, or “peloteros” as they are called here, little by little, started spending more and more time in the Haese household. They would run to the house in the morning (3 miles) and train on the grounds in the afternoon. This was welcomed with open arms because it gave Susan and Derek the opportunity to provide the aspiring athletes with some healthy food and vitamins, something that unfortunately these kids were not guaranteed to have on a daily basis. The peloteros quickly realized this which led to countless breakfasts and dinners and eventually one moving in full time.


As you would suspect, the schedule of the ballplayers transformed to mend with the schedule of the Haese family. They would workout at the field in the morning and early afternoon with Derek, and then meet up with Susan in the early evening for a study session and dinner that consisted of conversation in English. The two worlds, education and sport, were coming together beautifully and all involved were able to quickly see the growth and development that was occurring. And this is a beautiful thing because when a person can feel or see the results of something, he or she is much more likely to continue to put in the work.






A year later, the boys have put on an average of 12-15 pounds, are pitching much better (better mechanics, increased velocity, more command) and are on the verge of signing professional contracts. While this is an excellent feat in its own right, Susan and Derek are most proud of the fact that the boys are now engaged in their school work and starting to speak English.



USE OF FUNDS
$100 - 20lb Bag of Protein - This provides two (2) kids with a quality breakfast consisting of proper nutrients every day for one (1) month.

$100 - Quality lunch (rice, protein, salad) for one (1) person for one (1) month

$250 - High quality baseball glove - Peloteros train everyday to become a professional baseball player,  yet most do not own their own glove. At our field, there is usually one (1) glove per three (3) Peloteros.

$100 -  New pair of cleats (same as above)

$20 - Access to gym for one (1) person for one (1) month

$30 - New pair of baseball pants

$$$ - Donation towards grocery bills (milk, bread, meat, pasta). With 6-8 peloteros in our household every day, it’s no wonder that I have become a favorite at the local grocery store.
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Donations 

  • Dave Burgess
    • $200 
    • 4 yrs
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Organizer

Derek Haese
Organizer
Washington D.C., DC

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