80 maconmagazine.com | April/May 2026
and be part of a team.
Through RBI Macon, the game becomes more
than just baseball or softball. It becomes a place
where young people learn discipline, resilience, and
confidence while building friendships that often last
long after the final inning.
In addition to the four softball teams, RBI Macon
also has four baseball teams.
"When we started, my goal was simple: give kids
something positive to do in the summer and an
opportunity to play baseball or softball," said RBI
Macon founder Jeff Battcher. "If a kid couldn't pay the
where you need to be," Divert said.
Divert's team was one of four softball teams
participating in Macon's Reviving Baseball in Inner
Cities (RBI) program. For more than a decade, RBI
Macon has been opening doors for hundreds of
young athletes, giving girls and boys the opportunity
to play baseball and softball while learning lessons
that extend far beyond the game.
At its core, RBI is about removing barriers. It
does not matter where a child comes from or
whether their family can afford the sport. What
matters is their willingness to show up, work hard,
