For 15 years, Matt Price and Andy Harris have been serving Austin’s youth through both baseball and mentorship, building to 91 total teams throughout underprivileged communities in Austin.

 In 2009, Andy Harris and Matt Price started RBI Austin, after they were asked to help coach an understaffed Reagan High School baseball team, and realized there was a much greater need than just helping youth in Austin through the game of baseball. This made them realize firsthand how kids in underprivileged communities had significantly fewer opportunities than kids from affluent communities, like the opportunity to play sports outside of school. More than just creating a team, Andy and Matt saw that these kids also need consistent, positive role models in their lives, which is what they and their RBI Austin volunteers continuously strive to be.

Since its humble beginnings in 2009, today RBI Austin serves approximately 1,500 kids on 91 teams throughout several Austin communities thanks to Matt and Andy’s continuous work over the past fifteen years. All of this would not be possible without them and the nearly 600 volunteers and 35,000 volunteer hours dedicated throughout 2023 alone. RBI Austin is an affiliate of Major League Baseball’s RBI program but receives no funding from MLB; over 90% of RBI Austin’s funding is from individual donors and corporate sponsorships earned by the nonprofit’s staff. Matt and Andy have been there throughout it all, and their impact goes beyond the field, staying connected with their players through high school graduations and beyond. This past year, they joined in celebrating some of their players graduations, who initially joined RBI Austin 8 years prior and have remained involved since.

RBI Austin began as a way to provide Christian-based mentoring through affordable baseball and softball programs to underserved youth in Austin. The mission of RBI Austin is not only to form a community for those who need it, but also to teach them about faith. “The faith piece of RBI is one of the best things I align with,” says former player who has since been recruited to play college baseball. RBI Austin is so much more than a baseball league – it is an incredible resource for children and teens who may otherwise have never had the opportunity to join a team due to the significant costs associated with being involved. With RBI Austin, no child or family needs to pay to join, which opens up opportunities throughout childhood and into adulthood – fostering a sense of community for those who need it most.