Inner-City Elite Founder

THE ONLY PRESCRIPTION IS MORE BASEBALL:

HOW ANTOINE MOTEN IS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE THE INNER-CITY ELITE

By Josh Citron

Every single weekday at 4am, Antoine Moten wakes up and drives to his day job at The Aerospace Corporation, a California nonprofit that operates a federally funded research and development center in El Segundo. But even as his car whizzes on below a slumbering California sky not yet illuminated by the morning sun, his mind is usually locked in on one subject - baseball.

For Antoine, baseball has been woven into the fabric of his life ever since he was a kid running across dirt fields in South Central, Los Angeles. At that time, there was no expectations or visions of grandeur associated with the game but instead it was just “something to do.” But for adolescents raised amongst the degrading schools and increasing gang violence of the South Central streets, anything that consisted of a productive use of time was preferable to the often violent and deadly alternative. Antoine was determined not to become another statistic lost to the seemingly endless struggle between those that live-with and those that live-without. Even he admits that without baseball, Antoine’s idle hands would have led him down the same dark and

EDUCATION AND

EDUCATION AND

CAREER READINESS

CAREER READINESS

twisted path that has broken so many families and so many hearts.

“Baseball was definitely a tool to get me where I am today.” Antoine said about how the game impacted his life, “I make a pretty good living, I work for Aerospace Corp., been there for 18 years, and I’ve done it all through the love of baseball. I think if hadn't stuck with the game I definitely would have gone off track just because of the environment and all the ways I could have went if I didn’t have the game of baseball.”

Antoine never lost his enthusiasm for the game. The passion and commitment it takes to hone a craft as technical as baseball has led him into a lucrative, stable profession that keeps food on his table and the lights on in his home. In other words, Antoine Moten is exactly who every South Central kid should be aspiring to become. Working in defense contracting isn’t quite as sexy as playing in the big leagues and studying for the bar exam doesn’t seem quite as exhilarating as warming up for a Game 7 but for Antoine Moten his mission is to create an ecosystem where success is measured using a different metric.

In order to put his passion into practice, Antoine founded the Inglewood

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Antoine Moten (2nd from left, back) stands with Mets prospect and fellow South Central Product, Dom Smith (2nd from right, back) at Crenshaw High School during a tryout held in February 2018.

Inner City Elite, a youth baseball organization dedicated to improving opportunities for inner city kids like himself. For Antoine, it was an obvious response to all of the good fortune he found playing the game of baseball and most importantly the people he met along the way that gave him opportunities.

“I’m a homegrown L.A. native, graduated from Crenshaw High School in ‘88, played baseball there. At the time when we were playing baseball that was just something that we did we didn’t really have an expectation and never really thought past that day.” Antoine said of his youth, “I was blessed enough to meet a guy by the name of Phil Pope who was a well known LA scout and eventually asked if I was interested in playing baseball past [high school]. At the time, I was a kid and I said “sure why not” and I was recruited to play at Los Angeles City College where I made All-conference First team.

It was Antoine’s first experience outside of the confines of his Crenshaw neighborhood, tossed into a competitive, structured, high-level baseball program. While many would struggle with such a drastic change in environment, Antoine thrived by finding something in himself that he didn’t even know was missing.

“After I got to college, baseball kind of changed for me.” Antoine said, “I learned to love it. I developed a passion and I learned the game. I learned the game to the point where I could come back and teach it like Phil Pope. He really made it fun for me and made me realize that even if you don’t go professional you can always go back and give to the community. From there, I went to some free agent camps that he got me into and things just didn't work out [as a player]. I was never bitter about it. I did go on to finish my education. I got my degree. I came back and started teaching baseball.”

• Providing Life Changing Experiences Through Sports •

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Antoine addresses a group of young ballplayers.

Perhaps Antoine is of that rare breed able to casually brush off what most would consider monumental disappointments without the faintest hint of regret. However, it appears more likely that Antoine is of a far more special build that is able to internalize disappointment and failure with the ability to channel it into something positive.

there was some information that I needed I could reach out and actually get it. That way could bring it back and teach.”

Antoine’s coaching and passion for delivering hardworking and disciplined young people into society was embodied by those closest to him and those he first coached. The noticeable advantage displayed by those under Antoine’s tutelage created enough demand that it lead to the establishment of the organization now called the Inner City Elite.

“Inner City Elite represents all the children that want an opportunity to play baseball in the community.” Antoine said about the mission, “In our black communities we don’t have a lot of resources and I’ve been blessed enough to be apart of a lot of kids lives. One thing that was consistent was that parents wanted more baseball. That lead me to developing this program here and keep these guys out on the field. We also have an educational piece so we can work on tutoring because it's one thing to play baseball but we are going to make sure that they are academically sound too so they can explore all their options once the game is over for them.”

Degree in hand and promising career on the horizon, it would have been easy for Antoine to use baseball as the foundation for nothing more than fond memories but instead he chose to give back to the very community that had raised him. Like so many men of great character, that mission started humbly and with his own family.

“I have five nephews who all play baseball. My sons play baseball and I started off with those group of guys and they were really good.” Antoine explained while discussing the roots of the Inner City Elite, “So we attracted other players and I just got really good at teaching kids how to play the game. Because I had made so many great relationships along the way whenever

Antoine’s mission is one that is objectively positive and admirable in its design and furthermore can not be accused of any sort of malicious or financial intent regarding the future of players. The emphasis on using baseball as a means to hone life skills is perhaps a radical idea that may be beginning to foster real growth in the inner-cities of South Central. Part of the way that Antoine has helped accumulate young athletes who are willing to learn from him and trust his guidance is his dedication to an honest and open relationship with every kid he coaches. Antoine was honest and direct when asked for one simple thing parents and coaches can improve upon to help their kids.

“Just a lot of healthy dialogue.” Antoine said

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without a moment's hesitation, “One thing is when I'm on the field with those kids I allow them to express themselves and tell me when they’re not happy. A lot of coaches don’t allow players to have the appropriate dialogue with them. I tell my players all the time that I’m not perfect. I give them examples where we’re in the game and I give guys some assignments, I’ve empowered them to say, ‘Hey coach, this doesn’t really work against this team.’ and I hear them out. 9 times out of 10, its the correct move. That's the way that I encourage them to always step up speak their mind and don’t be afraid to lead. Everybody doesn’t know everything. It’s about teamwork and confidence. It’s really about confidence.”

Antoine allows his players to demonstrate the life skills that have helped him excel in life and figure out when and where is the appropriate time to speak up, lead, and question authority where the consequences are far less brutal than in the real world. For Antoine and the rest of his coaching staff, the reality is that none of this infrastructure he is building, both interpersonally or tangibly on the baseball field, would last another

day without a solid foundation of trust.

“You want to develop trust.” Antoine said when discussing the most important aspect of his life changing program, “Once you get the kids to trust you, you help them develop a love and passion for what they’re doing and it’s much easier for them to learn. So that’s the first thing that you should do if you want to have any type of success on any level with a kid. You have to make sure it’s something they love. Or if this not it, let’s talk about what you do love and I’ll see what I can do to make sure you can achieve that goal as well.”

What lies at the epicenter of the problem Antoine is trying to tackle is the discrepancy in exposure that will need to be uprooted and unwound from the very fiber of youth baseball. The pay-for-play model has effectively priced out communities like those found in South Central with prices for tournaments, travel teams and private coaches acting as a gatekeeper for communities that have far less disposable income than others.

• Providing Life Changing Experiences Through Sports •

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“I think the passion is there its the resources that have been the problem.” Antoine said of the Inner-City exposure dilemma, “If you don’t have the opportunity to get out in front of the right people then you're never seen. So what happens in our community is if young athletes know they aren’t going to have the opportunity to be seen they are going to move on to the next sport which is basketball and football.”

The paradox found in the trying to rectify the discrepancy in exposure is simply that the scouts and talent evaluators are going to flock to the areas where athletic talent is plentiful but if no scouts ever make it down to these inner cities than how will they know if the talent is there?

“Just the overall price of baseball is out of control.” Antoine lamented, “Tournaments range anywhere from $700-$800 per kid, and when you can’t come up with the money to attend these events it really takes away from your opportunity to get these kids exposure.”

Because of this ingrained roadblock that has frustrated people like Antoine for so long organizations like Inner City Elite offer to level the playing field in the form of exposure. Up to this point they have been unable to match their charity and goodwill with the financial resources needed to support it. However, by way of donations and personal contributions, Inner City Elite is striving to help inner-city kids hurdle that growing roadblock in order to show that good baseball is still being played in South Central.

“Even with the equipment, you have guys that don’t even have cleats so you have to supply cleats. They might not have a glove.” Antoine said of the struggle to keep his players properly equipped, “Me, personally, I go out there and buy them a glove. You do whatever it takes to make them apart of this game. Not everyone is coming from a poverty stricken background but they are coming from a more structured financial background and there's not a lot of room to invest in sports for kids. So what I do is I go out and seek sponsorships and if I don’t do that I just put together the money myself and make

it work for those guys.”

Antoine’s altruistic streak obviously runs deep and he strikes at something that should be incredibly obvious but simply isn’t because of how misconceptions spread. This idea that everyone from the inner-city is poverty stricken, or on food stamps or struggling to keep the lights on is a figment of media creation and out collective imagination. The reason that families and young athletes are struggling to get into the proper tournaments and attend the right showcases is because they do not have the disposable or flexible income that it takes to throw $1,000 or so at a budding baseball career. Antoine and the Inner City Elite are taking on the challenge of alleviating that burden from parents and removing the pressure having to choose between making a car payment and seeing your son spend another Saturday wandering the streets with nothing to do.

“Opportunity.” Antoine answered when asked what needs to change regarding the 7.8% African-American population in Major League Baseball, “We can get more blacks on the field. That's the biggest thing because there's not a lot of brothers playing baseball right now because of that cost and low opportunity. I think with the right resources, training and development we can definitely put a dent in that percentage in major league baseball but we’re going to need their help as well. I think what happens is we get lost in the shuffle. You don’t see a lot of scouts or recruiters down in the inner-city area. That’s due to inner-city schools and baseball programs not having a lot of money, not having a practice schedule and not playing enough games. There's a number of reasons why they don’t come. I just want to use this opportunity to keep kids playing and hopefully attract some people to come down here to start taking a look at us again.

Antoine relies heavily on the relationships he has built and the promises he has kept to help continue to find opportunities for his players.

“I have such good relationship with folks - they just show up.” He said, “Because I try to stick to any promises that I make as far keeping these

BASEBALL TRIVIA

Name the Player:1) Name the 4th Player in this group with a career .300 average, 500 home runs, and

100 stolen bases. (the others are Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and Willie Mays).

300 homers.

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Antoine (right) stands with President and CEO of Home Field 4 Champions, Dr. Brandon Martin.

guys playing the game. Just them being enthusiastic about playing baseball it brings in the education piece and eventually what happens is you create your own ecosystem. Even if we don’t turn out top notch baseball players we want to turn out doctors, lawyers, politicians we turn out folks that can actually make a change in society we can be apart of the healing process by contributing at the youth levels.”

Antoine and the Inner City Elite may have found their perfect match however in Home Field for Champions. An organization that carries with it an almost identical creed surrounding the lifting up and development of inner-city athletics. Home Field for Champions is national organization currently focused on utilizing and showcasing programs like Antoine’s to increase awareness nationally for the problems plaguing youth sports today. The main contribution provided by Home Field for Champions will come in the form of financial and equipment donations from a few of the many philanthropists and companies that have selflessly donated to the cause. Recently, the Inner City Elite received a donation of $35,000 worth of baseball equipment from Home Field for Champions that will ensure each and every kid in the program will be outfitted with the proper gear.

“This has been a match made in heaven.” Antoine said of the partnership, “Partnering with Home Field for Champions, [Co-Founders] Derron Spiller and Mike Thorne, [President and CEO] Brandon Martin - these guys are helping me bring that into an everyday reality and these guys won't be missing any showcase baseball, they'll get a chance to play in front of the right people...I just really appreciate the time they take to come down to the city and see the number of innercity kids who are interested in baseball and help provide an opportunity for them to get on the field. So, I’m really blessed that we’ve created this relationship.”

However you believe encounters come about, be it divine or otherwise, the partnership between Antoine Moten’s Inner City Elite and the newly formed Home Field for Champions feels somehow pre determined. Antoine is one of the most selfless and charitable individuals walking around right now and up to this point he had been unable to finance all the grand dreams he had for raising underprivileged kids. Antoine’s focus has been and continues to be centered around helping kids find what they love and learn to be good people as a result of mastering that thing. He is tireless in his effort to change the status quo and he plans on upsetting the order of things by remaining steady.

“Stay consistent.” Antoine advises, “Stay consistent. Don’t get frustrated with the process because it’s always going to be a work in process. Teach kids how to deal with failure because in baseball you’re going to fail a lot more than you’re going to succeed but you just have to stay the course. I tell parents don’t get frustrated. It’s a frustrating process but don't let it deter you. We’re here at Inner City Elite to help you keep going forward. Just stay after it. Don’t give up.”

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Answers: 1) Albert Pujols 2) Pete Rose 3) Derek Jeter 4) Gary Sheffield 5) Joe DiMaggio 6) Larry Walker (1999, for the Rockies, of course) 7) George Brett (.407 in 1980) 8) Paul Molitor (Brewers, Blue Jays, Twins) 9) Shoeless Joe Jackson in 1911, when Ty Cobb hit his .420 10) Tris Speaker 11) Dave Winfield (Toronto, 1992) 12) Miguel Cabrera 13) Al Kaline 14) Rogers Hornsby (.358) 15) David Ortiz 16) Rogers Hornsby (four times), Napoleon Lajoie (four times), Roberto Clemente, Miguel Cabrera.