Behind every stat is a story.
Through the #Strikeouts4CP campaign, Boston Red Sox Pitching Coach Andrew Bailey is turning moments on the mound into impact beyond the game - honoring his daughter Teddy, and raising awareness for kids and teens with cerebral palsy. Proceeds will benefit WAWOS national programs, and Boston-area charities serving the CP community, with support from Red Sox Foundation.
Read more about how Red Sox Pitching Coach Andrew Bailey, and his wife Amanda are championing greater awareness of and support for kids and teens with cerebral palsy this baseball season.
Q: For those who may not know your story, can you tell us a little about your family?
Andrew: We're a family of five: Amanda, me, our three kids, and our dog, Dustin. Our oldest, Teddy, is a teenager and an incredible kid. She was born with mild cerebral palsy, but that’s just one part of who she is.
Amanda: We live in Connecticut, which is amazing with Andrew working in Boston. With three active kids I feel like an uber driver! Between their school, theater, dance, and sports schedules, we are always busy. But, I wouldn't have it any other way. It's so much fun watching each kid find what they are passionate about.
Q: When did you first learn about Teddy’s diagnosis, and what was that moment like?
Amanda: Teddy was born 6 weeks early and dealt with a lot of medical issues her first few months. We knew after a few weeks that Teddy was going to be delayed compared to babies her age. She was such a happy baby and toddler. She began early intervention at a few weeks old which helped her a lot and gave Andrew and I some guidance. We began calling her ‘Tough Girl Teddy’, as she never complained through everything. When she was 18 months old, she was officially diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. It was a huge sigh of relief for Andrew and me. Getting her diagnosis was a blessing for us.
Andrew: I think as a parent, your instinct is to want to fix everything. It can be scary at first because of the unknown. However, we learned that it’s not about “fixing”—it’s about supporting, adapting, and making sure Teddy has every opportunity to thrive.
Q: How has Teddy shaped your perspective as parents?
Andrew: She’s changed everything—in the best way. She’s resilient, curious, creative, and doesn’t back down from challenges. That mindset rubs off on all of us. Especially early on, we recognized how much we had to advocate for her. It challenged us to research and push to find the right facilities, medical teams, and support for her needs.
Amanda: Honestly, I didn’t know what I was doing as a first time parent. We were lucky she had such an amazing team of doctors and therapists to guide us. We just knew we had to show up and do what was best for Teddy. She is such a light to us, we are lucky that she is ours.
Q: What’s something you’d like people to understand?
Andrew: Throughout each stage of her life, there have been hurdles, and Teddy continues to find ways to get over those and thrive in any environment. I do think something most people may not realize is the challenge of navigating the consistent medical appointments. Finding ways to be sure we prioritize those appointments, and maintain the school and extracurricular activities. Her wins are the same as any teenager or middle school kid. Such as landing the role she’s desired in theatre, seeing good grades on report cards, or dominating the middle school news cast.
Amanda: Bouncing off what Andrew said, scheduling her medical appointments is a masterclass in organization. The older Teddy is, pulling her from school gets harder. She’s an amazing teen with interests and activities like any other friend her age. Balancing her school and extra curricular schedule around doctor appointments is a job within itself.
Q: How did you get involved with WAWOS and the #Strikeouts4CP campaign?
Andrew: WAWOS really resonated with us because of its message—that everyone is working on something. That’s something we talk about a lot as a family. I had the idea for this campaign and brought it to WAWOS – and they made it happen quickly! We're proud to be supporting both WAWOS and Boston-based nonprofits that work with kids with cerebral palsy.
Amanda: Andrew discovered WAWOS while we were out in San Francisco. The charity is headquartered there, and is a national nonprofit. The #Strikeouts4CP campaign felt like a natural fit. Baseball is such a big part of our lives, and this is a meaningful way to connect that to something bigger than the game, and a great way to give back to the community.
Q: What does #Strikeouts4CP mean to you personally?
Andrew: Every strikeout this season represents more than success on the baseball field. For us, it is a way to raise awareness and support for kids like Teddy, while cheering for our favorite team, The Boston Red Sox. For me personally it’s a way to give what I do as a coach a deeper purpose.
Amanda: Awareness. So many people don’t know what CP means. I didn’t know much personally about cerebral palsy until I had Teddy. It has been eye opening to learn about it and meet families and listen to their journey as well. With the #Strikeout4CP we are hoping it not only brings awareness but lets us connects us with more families too,
It’s also about visibility. The more people understand cerebral palsy and the range of experiences within it, the more inclusive the world can become.
Q: What do you wish more people understood about cerebral palsy?
Amanda: That the diagnosis doesn’t define who you are.
Andrew: And that having CP doesn’t define someone’s potential. Teddy’s goals, personality, and abilities go far beyond her diagnosis.
Q: How do you talk to Teddy about her CP?
Amanda: We have always been open and honest with her. Same with our other two children. It is nothing to be embarrassed about. It is a part of what makes her so amazing.
Andrew: We focus on what she can do, while also acknowledging challenges. It’s about building confidence and self-awareness at the same time.
Q: What role does sport—and specifically baseball—play in your family’s life and in this campaign?
Andrew: Sports have always been a huge part of my life, and they’ve taught me a lot about resilience, discipline, and teamwork. We as a family have been blessed with the opportunity to travel the country together, visit opposing stadiums and explore various cities. We cherish our time together and really love making core memories around baseball. For me personally, I felt as a professional player and now coach, blessed with a platform to speak on. The ability to bring people together, amplify the voices of others and to be able to fundraise and support the various communities around the cities I’m a part of. I’ve always taken that seriously and feel it’s our duty to do so.
Amanda: Between Andrew's playing career and coaching, baseball has taken us all over the country. As a result, Teddy has had physical therapy all over as well. From Connecicut to Massachusetts, and Florida to California. We have been able to meet families from all over, and it's due to baseball. And sports can be such a powerful platform. It brings people together, and it gives us a way to share Teddy’s story and connect it to something people already care about.
Q: What has Teddy taught you about strength?
Amanda: Everything. Just to keep trying and do it while smiling. She is still teaching me, too.
Andrew: Yeah—showing up, trying again, not giving up when something is harder for you than for others. That’s real strength.
Q: What would you say to other parents who are navigating a similar journey?
Amanda: That this is a wonderful community. It is also not a once size fits all.
Andrew: Focus on your child—who they are, what they love. The rest will come. And find a community. Advocate for them strongly, because that makes a huge difference.
Q: How can people support the #Strikeouts4CP campaign and families like yours?
Andrew: Get involved, spread the word, and support organizations like WAWOS that are doing meaningful work.
Amanda: And take the time to learn. Awareness leads to understanding, and that’s where real change starts.
Q: At the end of the day, how would you describe Teddy in one word?
Andrew: Determined.
Amanda: Resilient.
WAWOS is a registered 501 (c) 3 charitable organization