ROHNERT PARK CAL RIPKEN SCHOLARSHIPS

Rohnert Park Cal Ripken will not deny any child a chance to play baseball due to a financial hardship. Full or partial scholarships are available. We are committed to providing a program that allows every child to play baseball. Our mission is to offer an affordable program for our players and families while maintaining the financial health and sustainability of the league.

The Rohnert Park Cal Ripken scholarship program was established to assist families with financial hardship. For players that are accepted into the program, registration fees for the season in question will be paid partially or fully by Rohnert Park Cal Ripken. Scholarships are neither permanent nor automatically renewed every year and will expire at the end of each season. Applicants must meet the scholarship eligibility requirements to be considered for the program. In financial hardship cases, a scholarship may be requested for each child in your family that wants to participate in the season. The scholarship committee will then determine if full or partial scholarships will be awarded. Every applicant will be evaluated on their own merit that has met the eligibility requirements. If your child currently participates in any type of travel/club team or is taking private sporting lessons of any sort they are not eligible for a scholarship. If a scholarship is granted and the league has reason to believe the player that received the scholarship is involved in any of the above, the scholarship will be immediately revoked and the parent/ guardian will be expected to pay the league in full for the registration fees. Family members of major contributors and members of the scholarship committee are not eligible to apply for a scholarship.

A limited number of scholarships are available based on the league’s annual budget, community sponsorship received, and the overall number of registrars. Since scholarship funds are limited, applicants must meet certain financial criteria, as noted below, and certify that they qualify. Applicants may be asked to provide additional information to prove the player is eligible for a scholarship.

In addition, families applying for a scholarship acknowledge that the league is run by volunteers and there is an expectation that parents/guardians of scholarship recipients will give back to the Rohnert Park Cal Ripken by volunteering in any way they can, as detailed below, for a minimum of 10 volunteer hours.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

If your son or daughter receives a scholarship, please provide help to the league in any of the following ways:

  • Volunteer to coach or be a team parent (must have background check)
  • Offer help with Opening Day Festivities
  • Volunteer to work extra shifts in the snack shack
  • Volunteer on field work days
  • Be available to volunteer at events and tournaments
  • Obtain a sponsorship for our league

IMPORTANT - if you fail to uphold your volunteer obligation you may be disqualified from receiving scholarship from Rohnert Park Cal Ripken in the future.

Application information will be kept confidential and will be reviewed anonymously by the Scholarship Fund Committee. No information of any kind will be shared.

apply for a scholarship here

AARON GATTON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

Aaron Gatton was the younger brother of two players who had been playing for years in Rohnert Park Cal Ripken by the time he passed away.  He was really looking forward to his turn to be a baseball player, and it is in that spirit that this scholarship was started. The recipients of this scholarship represent the baseball little brother or sister that we all know. They're at every event and now it's their turn to play ball. A family on each PeeWee team is chosen each year to receive a scholarship of $100 for their younger child to start playing baseball.

The Aaron Gatton Memorial Scholarship was established in 2021.

BABE RUTH LEAGUE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Realizing youth are our most important resources, Babe Ruth League is committed to providing our participants with the very best educational sports, experience possible and to providing them with tools to enrich their lives long after their days on the baseball diamond.

This is one of the main reasons Babe Ruth League established a College Scholarship Program in 2001 to provide financial assistance to former Cal Ripken Baseball, Babe Ruth Baseball and Babe Ruth Softball Players looking to further their education beyond high school.  And since each year we are overwhelmed by the many applications received and with the incredible accomplishments of each applicant, we continue to look for avenues by which to generate funds for additional scholarship programs.  One such program is the Irby Luquette Endowment Scholarship, established in 2014 by Luquette’s son, Gary Luquette.

To apply for one or both of these scholarships, as well as view the details/criteria specific to each scholarship program, please click here.