Baseball and softball players took the field at the Texas Rangers MLB Youth Academy at Mercy Street Sports Complex, Presented by Toyota, on Wednesday night, December 19. But this time, it wasn't for a game or even a special clinic. 
 
Instead, approximately 125 Academy participants and their families were on Adrian Beltre Field in the Globe Life Training Center to have their photos taken with Santa and Frosty the Snowman or play yard games as part of a Christmas party thrown by Texas Rangers Chief Operating Officer Neil Leibman. 
 
Leibman, who also serves as the chairman of the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation board, and his wife Amy, funded the party for the group, as well as Christmas gifts that attendees took home wrapped to open on Christmas morning.
 
The event featured food and Christmas activities, as well as a visit from new Texas Rangers Manager Chris Woodward. 
 
Erin Ledesma, a junior at Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women's Leadership School and regular Academy participant, enjoyed the festivities with her dad. 
 
"I like how it brought everyone together to enjoy Christmas," Ledesma said. "I like how the families are involved so you don't just see the players and you don't see the players wearing softball uniform, baseball uniforms. I like how we're all together."   
 
Another Academy regular, Natalia Cantu, attended the party with her dad and younger siblings, including a 5-year-old brother who is also an Academy participant. 
 
The senior at Bishop Dunne was excited to see her teammates from the Rangers Academy RBI league and their families. 
 
"I'm really thankful for all the presents," Cantu said. "It was nice seeing the girls again. I really liked that…
I think it's really nice to see everyone together and to see everyone happy."   
 
The Torchmark Corporation, the parent company of Globe Life Accident and Insurance Company, also donated toys collected at the company's holiday party earlier this month. 
 
And the Academy's on-site Buckner Family Hope Center, which serves many of the families who attended, contributed additional activities and decoration.

"It's just great to be able to serve families and maybe fill some gaps that they have at this time of the year," Buckner International President and CEO Albert Reyes said. "The spirit of the Rangers and Buckner together is making a huge impact."
 
Planning to Camp
 
The Winter Academy Training Session is slated to begin in January. 
 
Starting Monday, January 14, training will be available for baseball and softball players ages 13 through 18. Camp for the 18U athletes will run on Monday and Wednesday nights from 6:00-8:00 p.m. 
 
Starting Tuesday, January 15, training will be available to baseball and softball players ages 7 through 12. Camp for the 12U athletes will run on Tuesday and Thursday nights, also from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
 
The Academy Winter Training Program runs through Wednesday, February 27, for the 18U campers and through Thursday, February 28, for the 12U campers.
 
Registration is now available at https://texasrangersya.leagueapps.com/camps.