On May 8, the Boston Red Sox athletic training staff welcomed more than 100 local Boston-area students to Fenway Park as part of the PBATS PLAY Campaign, creating a memorable day focused on health, wellness, education, and the importance of living an active lifestyle.
The PLAY Campaign, which stands for Promoting a Lifetime of Activity for Youth, is a nationwide initiative led by the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society (PBATS) in partnership with Major League Baseball, the Taylor Hooton Foundation, Song for Charlie, and longtime supporting sponsor Henry Schein Cares Foundation. The initiative continues to provide young students across the country with hands-on experiences and educational opportunities centered around making healthy decisions both on and off the field.
The Red Sox athletic training staff led this year’s event at Fenway Park, giving students a unique behind-the-scenes opportunity to learn directly from sports medicine professionals working at the Major League level. Hosting the event were Brad Pearson, VP, Sports Medicine; Brandon Henry, Head Athletic Trainer; Masai Takahashi, Assistant Athletic Trainer; Jon Jochim, Assistant Athletic Trainer; Anthony Cerundolo, Athletic Trainer; David Herrera, Assistant Athletic Trainer; and Kevin Avilla, Physical Therapist/Assistant Athletic Trainer.
Throughout the day, students rotated through a series of interactive on-field stations designed to promote healthy habits and teach important lessons surrounding athletic performance, nutrition, and overall wellness. Participants took part in baseball-specific drills, active warmups and stretching sessions, and discussions centered around proper nutrition and the importance of competing in a healthy and fair manner.
The event also featured impactful educational presentations from several of the PLAY Campaign’s national partners. Brian Parker of the Taylor Hooton Foundation spoke to students about the dangers of performance-enhancing substances and the importance of making informed, healthy decisions as young athletes continue to grow and develop. Gina Malagold from Song for Charlie shared important education surrounding counterfeit pills and fentanyl awareness, helping provide students with life-saving information in an engaging and age-appropriate format.
For PBATS and its partners, the educational component of the PLAY Campaign remains one of the initiative’s most important elements. By combining hands-on baseball activities with meaningful conversations around health and wellness, the campaign continues to create lasting impacts for students and communities across Major League Baseball.
Henry Schein Cares Foundation once again continued its longtime support of the PLAY Campaign, helping PBATS and its partners expand the reach of these educational events and provide valuable resources to participating students throughout the season.
In addition to the on-field activities and presentations, the students also received a memorable surprise visit from Red Sox pitchers Johan Oviedo and Tanner Houck. The players spent time interacting with the students, answering questions, and helping reinforce the day’s message about the importance of health, preparation, teamwork, and making positive choices.
The visit from Oviedo and Houck helped cap off a memorable day at one of baseball’s most iconic venues and highlighted the commitment from the entire Red Sox organization to supporting youth wellness and community outreach initiatives.
The Fenway Park event marked the first PLAY Campaign event of the summer and continued a longstanding tradition of Major League athletic training staffs using their platform to positively impact local communities. Across the country, PBATS athletic trainers continue to play an important role not only in caring for professional athletes, but also in educating and inspiring the next generation through programs like PLAY.
As the 2026 PLAY Campaign continues throughout the baseball season, PBATS and its partners remain committed to helping young people develop healthy habits, stay active, and learn valuable lessons that extend far beyond the game of baseball.