“Talent Is Universal, but Opportunity Is Not”: How the Atlanta Braves Foundation Is Transforming APS Athletics One Diamond at a Time

“Hank Aaron believed that talent is universal, but opportunity is not. Our responsibility is to help close that gap so every young person has a chance to discover what they’re capable of.” — Danielle Bedasse, Executive Director, Atlanta Braves Foundation.

At Atlanta Public Schools (APS), opportunity increasingly looks like freshly groomed infields, new dugouts, upgraded turf, and young athletes stepping onto fields built to match their potential.

Through the Atlanta Braves Foundation’s $10 million investment in the Hank Aaron Diamonds initiative, which is transforming 16 baseball and softball fields across 11 APS high schools, students throughout the district are gaining equitable access to high-quality athletic facilities.

At Carver Early College, district leaders highlighted a broader $1.7 million investment in athletics, including a $300,000 softball field, a forthcoming $500,000 baseball field, and additional upgrades to football and track facilities. Together, those investments are creating opportunities for APS students to learn, compete, and grow both on and off the field. More than a construction project, the initiative represents a commitment to students, neighborhoods, and the future of Atlanta.

The recent ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new softball field at Carver STEAM Academy highlighted the impact of that commitment. Standing before student-athletes, school leaders, and community members, Braves Foundation Executive Director Danielle Bedasse emphasized that the project is about far more than sports.

“Today, we’re celebrating a softball field, but we’re also celebrating opportunity,” she said.

That opportunity extends to both boys and girls throughout APS. While baseball may be synonymous with the Braves brand, the organization has intentionally invested in softball alongside baseball, ensuring that female athletes receive the same quality facilities and opportunities as their male counterparts.

“We’re excited that every Atlanta Public high school will have Hank Aaron Diamond baseball and softball fields going forward,” Bedasse said. “When Carver plays Midtown, they’re going to see the same equity across the district.”

For APS leaders, that focus on equity sends a powerful message.

“I think for our young women athletes, they know and understand that their athletic programs are just as valuable as our young men and their athletic programs,” said Carver STEAM Academy Principal Naomi James. “They feel more confident and more empowered to find their place in the world.”

The Braves Foundation’s investment recognizes what educators already know: athletics help develop skills that directly support academic and personal success.

“Academics is one part of it, but the other part is being able to work on a team, to collaborate, to work through challenges and adversity,” James said. “Athletics bring that to their high school experience and help us develop a well-rounded scholar and young person.”

At Carver Early College, Principal Dr. Christina Rogers sees the connection every day.

“We are investing in our whole scholar,” Rogers said. “Not only are we investing in their academic future, we are looking at how athletics plays a role in helping them develop skills such as perseverance, focus, goal setting, and grit.”

The Braves Foundation shares that philosophy. During the ceremony, Bedasse reminded student-athletes that softball develops qualities that last long after the final out.

“Teamwork, perseverance, leadership, accountability, confidence, and resilience,” she said. “Those lessons don’t end when the season ends. They become the foundation for success in college, careers, and throughout life.”

The investment also reflects APS’ belief that students deserve facilities that match the value the district places on them.

Associate Superintendent Lisa Hill called the upgraded facilities an investment in students’ “unlimited potential.”

“These state-of-the-art upgrades represent far more than just turf,” Hill said. “They signify equity, access, and athletic excellence.”

APS Athletic Director Rendell Jackson echoed that sentiment, pointing to the district’s broader investments in Carver athletics.

“Atlanta Public Schools, we show our love language through investment,” Jackson said. “That’s how important you are to us. That’s how we say we love you.”

That investment is already changing the atmosphere for players and coaches.

At Therrell High School, head baseball coach Ryan Christian called the improvements a “game changer” for his program.

“We’ve always been on a positive trajectory anyway, but this is really going to help us compete with our counterparts at an even higher level,” Christian said.

Beyond competition, upgraded facilities provide practical benefits that improve training and development. Reliable playing surfaces mean fewer interruptions and more opportunities for athletes to sharpen their skills.

“It totally can change the game for us,” Christian said. “Training, play, everything.”

For Therrell Principal Octavius Harris, the facilities also help establish expectations.

“If you walk into a clean house, you feel the need to keep it clean,” Harris said. “If you walk into a place where it looks amazing every time you walk in, you feel the need to hold up a certain standard when you’re there.”

The Braves Foundation’s vision goes beyond athletics. The initiative is expected to touch communities throughout Atlanta by creating quality gathering spaces, increasing access to sports, and expanding pathways to future opportunities.

“Schools are hubs in our community,” Bedasse said. “They are our future, our hope for our city.”

That belief is rooted in the legacy of Hall of Famer Hank Aaron, whose name now graces fields across APS. Aaron’s lifelong commitment to creating opportunities for young people continues to influence the project’s mission.

For Carver STEAM Academy Principal Niomi James, the significance of the investment is simple.

“It tells our young people that they’re valued, that they’re seen,” she said.

As student-athletes took the field following the ribbon-cutting, that message was impossible to miss. The new diamond represents belief. And, even more, it represents opportunity for every APS student athlete embark upon a journey of discovery, just as Hank Aaron envisioned.