POWER Improve Skills of Young Players With Baseball Camp

Palm Springs, CA — More kids have been racing around Palm Springs Stadium than usual as the POWER hosted their annual youth baseball clinic from June 14^th through the 16^th. The clinic allowed young ball players the chance to take the field with their hometown heroes and learn from some of the best, like POWER manager Harry Gurley who has experience at the minor league and division one collegiate levels: “we’re having a great time out there, we’ve had a nice turnout, our players really enjoy being there and working with the youngsters and they’re really hustling and I think they’re learning a little baseball,” said Gurley. “I think sometimes they’re a little bit in awe, working with the fellas, but they’re trying hard and they’re listening, and that’s what you want them to do—is to listen and learn.”

La Quinta native and pitcher Nick Baker teaches a youngster how to throw like an ace

The clinic covered everything from stretching and throwing to hitting, base running, and sportsmanship. The clinic also featured POWER players and coaches instructing the kids on how to excel in their favorite positions.

Each day started with the youngsters getting to know each other and warming up. After stretching exercise they got right into training. Evan Boyd, the shortstop for the POWER, was one of the players who coached the clinic. “The kids camp is a great opportunity for the kids to interact with some of the older guys. You get to learn some techniques that they might not have learned throughout their little league careers yet. So, it’s just a great opportunity for them,” Boyd said. “You know, it’s fun for the kids, but also it’s fun for us to get to see those guys smile and have a good time with each other. They’re getting knowledge throughout the game, and it’s a good opportunity for us as well.”

The first half of the day was composed of working with the kids on the fundamentals of the game. The youngsters worked through several stations including fielding, hitting, and base running. The coaches and POWER players helped fine tune specific skills to use during games.

After a productive first half of the day the kids cooled off with some Gatorade and got a chance to talk to the POWER players. “I think it was good to get out with the kids and share some knowledge with them–everything I know. And even I’m still learning out there, so it was fun to get out there with them and have a good time,” Carney Chamberlain said.  Chamberlain, a catcher for the POWER, was another player at the clinic helping the youth improve their skills.

After a much-needed break from the heat, the young players again took the field for the second half of the day. This half separated the kids by age group and then had them play a small scrimmage against each other. This was a great aspect to the day because it allowed the youngsters to apply the skills they had learned in an actual game situation while being coached. Finally, after a tough, productive and fun day, the players went home with their parents. They seemed tired but with a sense of improvement in their baseball skills. One of the parents had this to say about their son’s participation in the clinic: “I’m glad my son got a chance to meet and learn from the POWER players. He seemed very excited after the clinic and was eager to try out the things that the players and coaches showed him.”

One thing is for sure, when the kids return to their teams they’ll have received invaluable knowledge that they will be able to apply to their game.