Baseball has been described as our national pastime, and millions of children grow up loving the game. However, there tends to be a gender divide when it comes to who is told they can play baseball. Once they reach a certain age, girls are often told that they’re supposed to play softball, while boys play baseball.

Why? The game itself doesn’t discriminate, and there’s no reason that girls can’t, or shouldn’t, play baseball. This is an issue that Baseball for All is tackling, and BallQube is proud to help them expand opportunities to play baseball to everyone who wants to play, not just the boys.

In fact, over 100,000 girls play youth baseball, but that number drops to about 1,000 who play in high school. They didn’t stop loving the game, but in many cases, there aren’t leagues or opportunities for girls to continue playing baseball as they get older. Girls are usually told that they can’t play baseball in high school, and that they should play softball instead.

While softball is a great sport for many girls, it doesn’t address the fact that thousands are being told they can no longer play a sport that they love.

Baseball for All is a grassroots organization that’s addressing this imbalance in opportunity and providing girls a way to keep playing the game they love. The organization fosters, encourages, and provides opportunities for girls to keep playing baseball.

Teaching, mentoring, and empowering girls is the foundation behind Baseball for All, but they also provide resources for parents and players to start their own teams, leagues, and tournaments.

In honor of the 25th anniversary of the movie A League of Their Own, and the legacy of the All American Girls Professional Baseball League, the organization will be holding their opening ceremonies on Beyer Field—the home of the AAGPBL Rockford Peaches.

At BallQube, we know that for any kid, getting the autograph of your favorite player is an essential part of the baseball experience. That’s why we’re donating 250 of our BallQube baseball cases to Baseball for All, so that the girls can not only get the autographs they want at the opening ceremonies, but keep them protected for years to come.

That autographed ball can serve as a reminder of both the game they love, and the fact that they can do anything—not just what society tells them they should do. Because if you tell a girl she can’t play baseball, what else will she begin to think she can’t do?

Baseball really is for everyone. Arbitrary decisions about who gets to play only hurt the popularity and reach of the game. If we want everyone to enjoy the game like we do, then we need to stop telling girls that they need to find a new sport. There shouldn’t be constraints on who gets to play after a certain age, and we’re proud to help Baseball for All as they address this important issue.

If you want to learn more about the opening ceremonies at Beyer Field or supporting this great organization, then visit Baseball For All’s website.