- The Black Diamonds are Lansing's only all-Black co-ed softball team.
- After a second-place finish in their first season in the fall of 2023, the team is back for a second season on the diamond.
- Video shows members of the team sharing why they formed the team, as well as what work they hope to do in the community.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
I'm your Neighborhood Reporter Colin Jankowski. You probably know the Lansing Lugnuts are underway with their season, but there's another team in town you may not know about.
Lansing's only all-Black co-ed softball team is taking the field for their second season on Monday. I sat down with some members of the team to speak about what the opportunity to return to the diamond means to them.
"We started with Juneteenth games, which is only one game a year," Heather Taylor said.
"It kind of developed from there, like 'hey, we should get a team. We should get a team,'" LaShawn Peoples said.
The Black Diamonds held their first season in the Fall of 2023, finishing in second place. But more than wins and losses, they say it's important to have representation of people of color in sports, and it's what drove them to become a full-time team.
"It seems to be coming back around," Peoples said. "Skin is the main reason that people do or don't do something. And we're trying to make sure that people understand that it's not a barrier. It's more of a catalyst and you can do what you set your mind to."
In addition to that representation, the team says they'll also be doing work in the community this year to get more youth involved in sports.
"We will be looking to 'adopt' a youth that is interested in softball so that we can give him all the mentoring and pour into him to make him a great success," Taylor said.
The Black Diamonds will play their first game of the season Monday at 6 pm in Gier Park.
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