Many of the members of the Padres' baseball team are non-English speakers. They come from countries such as the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Columbia, and Mexico. Living in or near San Diego having the ability to speak English is important. So three to four days a week the players of the Padres team take classes to help them learn English.
Since the players have been out in the sun practicing all day they are exhausted by the time they would enter a classroom. Kaitlyn Teske and Karen Foltz, both doctoral students, had to get creative with teaching the players the skills they need. Teske and Foltz help the players learn practical language and everyday skills like ordering at a restaurant and using a banking app.
I think this is a great lesson for students. Many students (especially younger students) want to become professional athletes when they are older. Sharing this story via a video conference or Webinar would be a great way to show students that even athletes need more than just sports training.
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