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The Heart of Twins Territory

Play Ball! Minnesota was created in 2006 as a partnership between the Twins Community Fund and the organizations that operate youth baseball and softball leagues throughout the state of Minnesota. It is a first of its kind collaboration on youth recreation in the region. The goals of Play Ball! Minnesota is to promote and advance the games of baseball and softball for youth.

Play Ball! Minnesota members meet bi-annually to discuss the current state of youth baseball and softball in Minnesota and ideas to improve the leagues and increase participation. In addition, Play Ball! Minnesota and its member organizations host a youth coaches' conference each spring, sponsor free youth skills clinics across the Upper Midwest, and sponsor the Lion's High School All-Star Game.

The Play Ball! Minnesota Youth Clinics are available to participants and communities free of charge. The Play Ball! Minnesota Youth Clinics format, which focuses on throwing, hitting and base running, was developed by Twins Senior Advisor to the General Manager Terry Ryan and former Twins executive and current Arizona Diamondbacks Special Assistant to the General Manager Bob Gebhard.

The clinics provide quality hands-on instruction for boys and girls ages 6-16. The format is broken down into two 1 1/2 hour sessions. The first session is for youth ages 6-9 years old and the second session is for youth ages 10-16. Participants are divided into three groups and rotated between hitting, fielding and throwing stations.