A Home Field Advantage
We believe the greatest need in any child’s life is positive, consistent relationships. While relationships can happen anywhere, we know that a “home” provides consistency, safety, and the ability to be known in a unique and powerful way.
We’re building a youth development complex to give our kids a true home field advantage not just in sports, but in life.
Project Snapshot
- Location: 33 acres in East Austin on Loyola Lane
- Planned Spaces: Headquarters building, covered turf field, outdoor ball field
- Status: Final fundraising phase underway
- Break Ground Target Date: mid 2026
The Need
Since 2011, the disparity in team sports participation between kids from low-income and middle class homes has grown drastically. Children from low-income homes are now half as likely to play a team sport as children from $100K income homes.
During that same timeframe, RBI Austin – consisting of 93% low-income households – has grown from 15 kids in 2009 to 1,706 kids in 2025.
Children from low-income homes are:
Half as likely to play a team sport
More than 3x as likely to be physically inactive
1/3 less likely to attend church
In Travis County, Black and Hispanic children are 5 to 7 times more likely to live in poverty than White or Asian children.
- 93% of RBI Austin kids are considered economically disadvantaged. 93%
- 74% of RBI Austin kids are Black or Latino. 74%
- 38% of RBI Austin kids are female. 38%
- 43% of youth in the project area live below the poverty line. This is more than 3 times the rate in Austin MSA (14%). 43%
- The Median Family Income in the project area is $34,255. This is less than half the Median Family Income in Austin MSA. 49%
Impact
By being physically active, RBI Austin kids:
%
Are 90% less likely to be obese
%
Achieve up to 40% higher test scores
%
Are 15% more likely to go to college
Have lower rates of smoking, drug use, and pregnancy.
Have reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
By participating in RBI Austin, kids and families are:
Engaged in a Christian community of support of individuals, families, and churches.
Developed spiritually through Christian-based programs.
Challenges to overcome
Currently, RBI Austin operates primarily out of school and city ball fields, limiting programs to certain days, times, and weather conditions.
- No year-round home for RBI Austin
- Mentoring is the mission, but no consistent place for RBI Austin players and coaches to gather
- No place for RBI Austin players to train after dark or during bad weather
Solution
Through a remarkable chain of events and partnership with a local church, RBI Austin acquired 33 acres of land off Loyola Lane in the heart of East Austin. RBI Austin now has the location to build a permanent home to include:
- HQ building with classrooms for mentoring, academic support, and job training, along with a weight room
- Covered turf field with batting cages and sports performance facilities
- Outdoor ball field
Future Youth Development Complex: What’s to come
