Jay Langlois throws out first pitch at Wednesdays West Ranch-Saugus Foothill League Baseball game

Building a baseball program isn’t just about winning baseball games, its about teaching young men how to be part of a team and community. That is exactly what Casey and Brady Burrill have tried to teach and on Wednesday May 6^th the team was recognized with a $1000 grant from the Allstate Foundation.

“West Ranch High School baseball was selected due to their program Coach Burrill has created and incorporating us into it” said Allstate Valencia Senior Associate Jackie Langlois Steffen.

In 2012 the Wildcats baseball program joined the Action Team, a group started by the Volunteers of America and Major League baseball to get high school students active in the community.

The first West Ranch Action Team event was the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive in May of 2012. Since then the team has helped out at multiple events including food drives, Help the Children events and Special Olympics events throughout the Santa Clarita Valley.

Along the way the Burrill’s have gathered the support of programs like the Allstate Foundation who have become involved in the West Ranch Baseball program and its volunteer efforts over the years.

“We love to give back to our community and are committed to making it a better place to live,” said Langolis Steffen

Wednesday Allstate Valencia Agent Jay Langlois was on hand to present the team with a $1000 check and throw out the first pitch before their game against the Saugus Centurions.

“Jay has been an agent out in Santa Clarita for 37 years and he aims to give others an opportunity to grow. We look for an organization that seek to help Santa Clarita.”

The Burrill’s have done more then just help the community, they have instilled in the young men they coach that teamwork is bigger then just the game of baseball, its part of the game of life.