Cannonball
Ex "Expert"
- Feb 25, 2009
- 4,882
- 113
We started our summer camp today. We had over 50 participants and so, this is the largest summer camp we have had. We will have our "Advanced Hitting Camp" next week and it is already filled. I wanted to make a thread about what we do and some of the things we share with our camp players.
First, as the players were arriving, we separate them into 6th grade and below and 7th grade and up. We don't have high school players in this camp. The high school players will participate in the advanced hitting camp but in their own time slot. BB and I waited until a significant number of campers were present and both dugouts were filled and then we went out to play catch. I love playing catch with my kid. We were letting it fly some and some of the parents who were waiting for camp to start were amazed at us playing catch. BB has a hose and I still can throw pretty hard. We had a completion on who could hit the other in the chest and that can get intense. I scare myself sometime when I really let one go but BB is pretty good and is not scared. When we finished and it was time to start the introductions, The HC asked these players what they were watching. The answers were amazing and some of the veteran players got it right away. I took the time to say to the players that there will come a time as they grow up where they are going to want to run with friends etc. but don't forget to grab their mom or dad and ask them to play catch. BB comment about our relationship and how playing catch is so much more than just throwing a ball. I hope all of you develop that same relationship.
Then, we gave these players their first quote. Of course we do this every year and when I started, I don't complete the saying and we always have young ladies who came to previous camps complete the sayings. Our first quote is, "Repetition is no fun but its the reason we have won." Then, we ask various players to explain it. We continue saying this all day long. Another one for this day was, "Attention to detail is everything."
Our HS players also work this camp. I have always believed that for them to be able to explain what they do and why they do it to a young player cements in their own mind what we teach and coach. We had several college and former college players show up as well. In all, we had 15 coaches there. Today was mostly fielding since we had 25 mph wind gusts and so the cages were a little dangerous. Tomorrow, we get after hitting. Our camp is inexpensive and we don't really care about making money. We are trying to build a program. I think that this year's success has made this camp bigger. More to follow.
First, as the players were arriving, we separate them into 6th grade and below and 7th grade and up. We don't have high school players in this camp. The high school players will participate in the advanced hitting camp but in their own time slot. BB and I waited until a significant number of campers were present and both dugouts were filled and then we went out to play catch. I love playing catch with my kid. We were letting it fly some and some of the parents who were waiting for camp to start were amazed at us playing catch. BB has a hose and I still can throw pretty hard. We had a completion on who could hit the other in the chest and that can get intense. I scare myself sometime when I really let one go but BB is pretty good and is not scared. When we finished and it was time to start the introductions, The HC asked these players what they were watching. The answers were amazing and some of the veteran players got it right away. I took the time to say to the players that there will come a time as they grow up where they are going to want to run with friends etc. but don't forget to grab their mom or dad and ask them to play catch. BB comment about our relationship and how playing catch is so much more than just throwing a ball. I hope all of you develop that same relationship.
Then, we gave these players their first quote. Of course we do this every year and when I started, I don't complete the saying and we always have young ladies who came to previous camps complete the sayings. Our first quote is, "Repetition is no fun but its the reason we have won." Then, we ask various players to explain it. We continue saying this all day long. Another one for this day was, "Attention to detail is everything."
Our HS players also work this camp. I have always believed that for them to be able to explain what they do and why they do it to a young player cements in their own mind what we teach and coach. We had several college and former college players show up as well. In all, we had 15 coaches there. Today was mostly fielding since we had 25 mph wind gusts and so the cages were a little dangerous. Tomorrow, we get after hitting. Our camp is inexpensive and we don't really care about making money. We are trying to build a program. I think that this year's success has made this camp bigger. More to follow.