The STRIPES (Sports Returning In The Public Education System) program is a community project supported by the Memphis Redbirds and the Memphis Redbirds Foundation. First started in 1998, the STRIPES program provides support for softball and baseball in Memphis City Schools at the middle school and junior high level - sports that were not available at those levels before the program's start-up.
STRIPES began in 1992 after the school system's budget for baseball and softball at the middle and junior high levels was cut. Through the STRIPES program, the Memphis Redbirds Foundation replaced the middle and junior high school baseball and softball budget in 1998. For the first time in six years, city school children were afforded the opportunity to put on a baseball uniform, take the field and play ball. The foundation has continued to fund these programs, and now more than 1,100 children from almost 40 schools participate in STRIPES each year.
Each school in the Memphis City Schools system with grade levels 6-9 are offered a chance to participate in the program. The league is made up of middle school divisions, each starting play in March and culminating with the league championship games in May. The program also sponsors a pre-season coaches clinic and a banquet after the season concludes.