WORDS: Sheri Roca
PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen
There is a safe haven for the inner-city kids of central Bradenton to grow, learn, be creative, and play ball, and it is called 13th Ave Dream Center. For the last 86 years, the United Community Center (UCC) in Bradenton has been building dreams, changing lives, and strengthening families.
The many dedicated volunteers, or “Dream Builders,” work tirelessly to encourage about 1,500 kids yearly through before and after-school academic enrichment courses, mentoring programs, and reading recovery and literacy interventions. They are inspiring the students with cultural arts experiences and peer empowerment programs and motivating them through many sports opportunities with the Manatee Mustangs Sports Academy, all of which are run out of the 13th Ave Dream Center. But now, they could really use some help.
When the facility was relocated to 24th Street East in 2010, the organization gained a new “state of the art” Dream Center, complete with classrooms equipped with updated technology, game and conference rooms, and a modern gym. The amazing new location also featured two parks and four athletic fields. However, the sports fields are now about 40 years old and are very rundown, according to Vice President of Operations Andre Mays, a veteran of the Center for more than 23 years.
“The fields can be beautiful; they just need some work,” explained Mays. “We could use some funding to get the two baseball fields safe for the kids, and then we can work on the football fields,” he continued. “And we can always use more people passionate about helping kids.”
According to Mays, it’s all about connecting the dots and finding the people and the means to make things better for these kids through a combination of sports, education, and counseling.
A little over two years ago, the Dream Center lost long-time Athletic Director Alphonso “Al” Cox. Coach Al was not only the Athletic Director for more than 20 years, but he was also one of the founding members of the Manatee Mustangs Football and Cheer program. With his guidance, the Mustangs Sports Academy grew to offer RBI Baseball, USA Track and Field, AAU, and USSSA Basketball. But, with Coach Al gone, the baseball program floundered, and the Center has been unable to offer a baseball program for more than a year.
“Now we have great people in charge of baseball again since Coach Logan Wells joined the team in February of 2023, and we have already seen so much progress in the program!” said Mays. “Logan’s passion is to help kids, and he has come in with some great ideas. He is re-introducing baseball to the younger kids and getting them excited about the game,” he continued. “He wants to show people how great baseball is, and he is a great teacher and leader.”
Coach Wells is a local to the area and started his impressive career playing ball here at Palmetto High School. His enthusiasm for teaching the game and helping local youth has taken him to incredible places. Logan is now the Assistant Coach at Eckerd College. He and his business partner Frank “Skip” Ose, own two local businesses, Bay Area Pro Baseball, a local travel team, and The Spot Athletic Center.
Recently, Coach Logan partnered with NEXTGEN Family Magazine to establish the Coach Logan Wells Foundation to offer gifted and dedicated players the same opportunities available to those on a travel ball team that may not otherwise have had the means to do so. Now, Logan has been appointed Commissioner of Baseball for the Manatee Mustangs and the 13th Ave Dream Center.
The entire community has rallied to restore the fields and the program to its former days. “I have had nothing but support and positive feedback from everyone I have talked to,” said Logan.
NEXTGEN has sponsored one of the two baseball fields needing a makeover and has already named it the Al Cox Field in memory of the man who will forever be remembered at the Manatee Mustangs Sports Academy. Sean O’Leary, retired from the Bradenton Police Department, is to be the Project Manager in charge of reviving the fields.
“He has the experience and is an intricate part of organizing this endeavor,” Logan explained.
Since his initial introduction to Andre Mays and the 13th Ave Dream Center by former NFL player Tracey “Ace” Sanders, the Commissioner of Football at the Center, Logan has already begun implementing his ideas on how to reinvent the baseball program and has gathered a team of incredibly talented individuals to help.
“I am fortunate enough to know so many great people who are like-minded and not only care about the kids but love baseball and try to pass on as much of their knowledge as possible,” confided Logan.
And many of these “great people” are also some pretty great ball players and coaches, like Victor Martinez, Cody Gelwick, Reggie Simmons, and Dave Stover.
According to Logan: “These are a bunch of guys, highly qualified in baseball and no ego. The kind of guys that believe in leading by example.” Scooter Gennett is another major league player who is “huge into giving back to the community” and has offered to help. “But he is busy with a new family, so I am trying not to kill him too much,” he laughed. “But I know he is out there with whatever we need.”
Logan has also been working with and talking to Jeff Podobnik, Vice President of the Bradenton Marauders and Vice President of Florida Operations at the Pittsburgh Pirates, for potential ideas for the program. He has already helped out immensely by providing equipment for the players.
“None of this would be possible without the Early Learning Coalition CEO Darrell King believing in what we are doing, the sponsorship he has given us through NEXTGEN, and, of course, the love and support of my entire family,” acknowledged Logan.
Logan’s hope for the program is that with enough sponsorships, they can offer the same opportunities to these kids that are offered to kids in other communities, which could include travel ball and even possible college opportunities.
“But really, Andre and I have one common goal. At the end of the day, it’s about letting the kids play ball,” said Logan.
For Andre Mays, it’s about anything that can help the kids. He smiled: “You can’t save all the kids, but the ones you can, you have to do everything you can. So, it’s a match made in heaven.”
- UCC is a private, not-for-profit agency licensed by the Department of Children and Families. UCC is partially funded through private donors/supporters, corporations, foundations, government/federal grants, and fundraising events. All contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. For more information about how to get involved or support UCC, call 941.746.7470.
