Girl Scout Day at the Braves

By: Liz W.

2013 LGG Webmaster

Once a year, the Atlanta Braves host the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta in a Girl Scout day at the ballpark. This home game is filled with all things Girl Scouts; Girl Scouts and their families get reduced admissions as well as plenty of other perks, including parading around the field before the game. One Girl Scout is chosen to throw the first pitch, and another is selected to sing the national anthem. These opportunities don’t come by every day!

Each year Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta holds a contest for the chance to run out onto the field at the start of the game, meet a player, and receive an autographed baseball. Contest entry is simple: Write a sentence on what you would tell an Atlanta Braves player about Girl Scouting. Last September I entered on a whim, not expecting anything to come of it. I’m so glad I did, because I was selected as one of the nine winners.

On the day of the event, I met the other eight girls who would run onto the field with me. They were all younger than me, but just as excited; a couple of the girls were even coming back in their second year as a contest winner. After gathering as a unified group of excited Girl Scouts, we were led backstage, where we saw Braves players and coaches being shuttled around in golf carts, preparing for the game. Gates opened, and we lined up against the Braves dugout. Braves player Kris Medlen said hello and gave everyone bubble gum. A cameraman came up and filmed us for the jumbo screen. On his signal, we raced out to our assigned positions to await our player. I stood in left field, and when Justin Upton came out, I smiled as he autographed my baseball and shook my hand.

The rest of the game went well—Braves won!—although it wasn’t nearly as exciting as my on field experience. When next year’s Girl Scout Day at the Braves rolls around, I’ll be quick to enter the contest, and you should too. Just think: Next year, it could be you standing on the field and shaking a Braves player’s hand.