Chris Mackie – Quickball Co-Founder
Quickball doesn’t have a Hall of Fame yet, but when it does, Eric Osborne should definitely be one of the first inductees. As the Senior Director of Sports and E-Sports for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Osborne has championed youth sports for over 40 years. For 20 of those years, he has played a pivotal role in promoting and developing Quickball, making a lasting impact on the sport and its young players.
Starting with a Greater Atlanta BGC tournament in 2003, Osborne has championed Quickball as a programming staple for the past two decades. Thousands of kids have been introduced to the diamond through Osborne’s Quickball leagues and tournaments, including some who are stepping onto the field for the very first time.
Many have gone on to become high school, college and even professional athletes. Others have become coaches and youth mentors, no doubt inspired by Osborne’s infectious enthusiasm and leadership.
“I’m proud of all of them, especially the ones who have chosen to help kids through coaching or working for a club,” Osborne said recently. “It gives me such a good feeling to know that the Boys & Girls Club experience has such a positive impact.”
In addition to his leagues and events, Osborne has managed to secure some of Atlanta’s best venues for his Quickball tournament play — including Turner Field and Georgia State University. Going the extra mile to provide a top-flight player experience has always been a priority.
“It’s always fun to give the kids a great place to play,” he explained. “We once played Quickball all day in the Braves outfield. Other times we used the lights at our club to hold a midnight Home Run Derby, followed by an all-star game the next day. We also let the kids take the fence footprints of MLB stadiums and use them to set up their own outfield fence in similar configurations. It’s their field so we let them decide how they want to lay it out.”
Another innovative concept Osborne has implemented is the “Screen-to-Scrimmage” League. It involves two different forms of game play — with part one being “MLB Baseball The Show” video games and part two being outdoor Quickball play. “The video game teaches spacial awareness and terminology while Quickball gives them a chance to use what they’ve learned,” he said. “It makes kids who haven’t had a baseball experience more comfortable.”
Away from the field, Osborne still has strong ties to Boys & Girls Clubs. He met and married his wife, Pam, while working at BCGA (she was an art teacher) and they now have six children and 13 grandkids. Osborne said several family members now work for Boys & Girls Clubs. “A daughter and two of our sons work at Boys & Girls Club, and we have two grandkids who work there too. So it’s definitely a family thing for us.”
Looking back on an amazing career that continues to flourish, Osborne said the most meaningful part of the journey has been the smiles. “The biggest thing for me is when kids grow up and come back to see us,” he added with a note of pride. “They always have a big smile and say ‘Thank you, I had a really great time.’ That means a lot. There’s something about a childhood with less stress, less trauma and more play that makes growing up a whole lot easier. I love it when kids are having a great time and staying active at the club. We never want them to be bored.”
