Our Kids Are Not Prepared
Students Entering the Workforce Underprepared, Lacking Key Skills, Says Working Nation
In an article published by Working Nation, they state that today’s students are entering the workforce underprepared, lacking essential skills such as adaptability, communication, and problem-solving. This critical gap leaves many struggling to meet employer expectations and succeed in an evolving economy
Study Reveals Critical Skills Gap Between School Learning and Workforce Demands
The Kauffman Foundation's "Visions of the Future" study reveals a skills gap between what students learn and what employers need. Essential abilities like communication, problem-solving, and emotional management are often underdeveloped, emphasizing the need for more real-world learning opportunities to better prepare students for the workforce.
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Business Leaders Say Gen Z Graduates Lack Critical Skills for Success in the Workforce
A recent survey of business leaders reveals that 40% believe recent college graduates are underprepared for the workforce. Key issues include poor communication skills, a lack of work ethic, and intrapersonal skills. This gap makes it harder for new hires to meet employer expectations.Â
4 in 10 Business Leaders Say Recent College Grads Are Unprepared for the Workforce
The article reports that 40% of business leaders believe recent college graduates are unprepared for the workforce. Key issues include a lack of essential skills such as communication, work ethic, and problem-solving abilities. These gaps in readiness contribute to struggles in adapting to workplace expectations and demands, highlighting the urgent need for better preparation before entering the professional world.
We Need To Use What We Know Prepares them
Youth Sports Build Foundations for Career Success
Research from Cornell highlights how participation in youth sports fosters skills like teamwork, leadership, and discipline, which translate to career success in adulthood. The study emphasizes the long-term impact of sports on professional and personal development, showing that athletes are more likely to excel in competitive environments and achieve leadership roles. These findings underscore the value of sports in preparing individuals for the demands of the workforce.
Why College Athletes Excel in Business
A Harvard Business School report explores how college athletes' experience with teamwork, discipline, and handling pressure translates into business success. Employers value these skills, which help athletes excel in leadership, collaboration, and goal achievement. The study underscores the long-term advantages sports provide in preparing students for demanding careers.
Participation in High School Athletics Has Long-lasting Benefits
The structured environment of sports helps young people understand their limitations and build accountability, discipline, and collaborative skills needed for success in professional settings. Athletes develop teamwork, empathy, and the ability to perform under pressure, all of which make them more attractive to employers.
The NFHS States: Skills Learned in High School Sports Transfer Directly to the Workplace
National Federation of State High School Associations emphasizes that these lessons carry over into post-graduation life, equipping participants with essential skills that are highly valued in the workplace, including performing under pressure, building relationships, and contributing to group success. This underscores the broader benefits of youth sports as a tool for fostering employability and life readiness.
The Lupos Initiative is the Solution
Our Mission
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Baseball is Pricing Families Out
Skyrocketing costs—equipment, travel ball fees, lodging, and high school expenses—force talented young athletes to quit or take on crushing debt, with families spending over $5,000 a year. The Lupos Initiative provides affordable, high-quality training so passion, not money, determines a child’s chance to succeed. Help us ensure every athlete can play, grow, and thrive.
Many Travel Programs are DangerousÂ
Travel ball often prioritizes costly, far-off tournaments over player health, by cramming 4, 5, 6, even 7 games into weekend after weekend, and neglecting recovery protocols. This overuse, combined with an obsession over metrics like velocity and spin rate, predisposes young athletes to injuries that may not manifest until later in their careers over and over—a trend now evident in the professional ranks.Â
High School Coaches Deserve Better
Paid just $3,444 per year to run both JV and Varsity programs, high school baseball coaches face overwhelming challenges with no support for training or professional development. Isolated and underfunded, they struggle to grow their skills or build competitive teams. The Lupos Initiative empowers coaches with resources, development opportunities, and fair compensation—creating stronger coaches, stronger athletes, and championship-level programs.
Park Programs Need a Redesign
Outdated park structures rely on one coach for 15 kids, limiting reps, stifling growth, and making practices boring. Participation is declining as athletes miss out on meaningful development. The Lupos Initiative modernizes park programs with updated formats that give athletes more reps and coaches better tools, creating vibrant, fun hubs for growth that benefit the entire community.
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"Many talented players are forced to quit."
“We had no idea how much of a financial investment it would be. As he moved from being a little kid to a high school player. travel ball fees, tournaments, lodging, and gate fees have cost us over $25,000 over the last 8 years. We made the choice, and we made it work, but many talented kids are forced to quit playing because their families are just not able to spend that much on baseball. This is turning baseball into an elitist sport where many players no longer have access to it, especially after age 10. This has to change.”
– Kevin Jans, parent of Mitch Jans 2025 grad.Â
"The largest number of Tommy John Surgeries are in youth baseball. "
“I started following the injury patterns and injury rates in the year 2000,” said Andrews. “Back in those days, I did about eight or nine Tommy Johns per year in high school aged and younger. The large majority of Tommy Johns were at the Major League level, then the Minor League level, then the college level and then just a handful of high school kids.
“In today’s situation, the whole thing is flip-flopped. The largest number of Tommy John Surgeries are in youth baseball. They’ve surpassed what’s being done in the Major Leagues. That’s a terrible situation.”
– Dr. James Andrews, renowned sports surgeon and founder of ASMI
This is where we need your help
Your support can help us create a sustainable, inclusive model where talent is nurtured, not dictated by economic means. We need you to help us change the current landscape, so that every child, no matter their background, has the opportunity to pursue their dreams in baseball without the financial burden. Scroll below to learn how you can help us help these families and transform the future of youth baseball.
