Our CORE Training Academy Leadership Program seeks to help our student-athletes develop, improve, and practice three distinct leadership characteristics that will eventually help them better serve their communities as they venture into adulthood.  The focuses in this program are rooted in three critical aspects of good leadership; good decision making, good communication skills, and practice and appreciation for service in the community.

Over the past seven years, the CORE Leaders have engaged in some AMAZING projects.  Since 2013, they have led seven annual used book drives and collected more than 25,000 used books for at-risk kids.  Our leaders have also led five annual toy drives since 2015 which have seen the CORE Leaders collect more than 1,000 brand new toys for underprivileged kids during the holidays.  In 2018 our leaders led a two-month fundraiser to help one of our member families whose youngest child, their 13-year-old son was diagnosed with osteosarcoma.  Our Leadership members helped organize our staff and membership in two COLESTRONG events and collected more than $10,000 in donations for this family.   And most recently our CORE Leaders led an effort in 2020, whereby our members raised more than $1200 and baked more than 1,000 goods to help feed dozens of health care heroes in an entire department at Bridgeport Hospital.

Below are the CORE 5 components of our Leadership Program.  The CORE Leadership program is run in conjunction with our Connecticut Gators Baseball Program whereby our 13U and 12U Gators serve as our CORE Leaders.

PROGRAM COMPONENTS
1) Annual Community Project
2) Annual Facility Project
3) Expression of gratitude toward a role model/mentor
4) 6 bi-monthly seminars focused on improving communication skills & decision-making processes
5) Volunteer Hours: requirement of 15 annual volunteer hours at the CORE