Coaches and players on the Pace Patriot baseball team provided insight to area youth during this week’s ‘Camp of Champions’ baseball camp. Although the rainy weather did slightly change the organizers plans and locations, it did not hinder boys as young as five years old to age 15 from learning baseball skills from coaches and players in the high school baseball program.
Click here: For more photos from the 'Camp of Champions' baseball camp
Patriots baseball coach Jason McBride said the coaching staff taught the boys many of the fundamentals of the game from base running to the proper techniques to catching a ground ball and at bat.
“It’s been a great camp,” Jason McBride said. “They have been real receptive.”
McBride said many of the attendees have prior baseball experience through learning the game at a early age, whether from their parents or coaches in little league baseball.
“Our community loves baseball,” McBride said. “These kids get quality instruction year round.”
Since being with the school since 2002, McBride said it is a unique experience to watch the boys in camp eventually make their way through high school.
“It’s pretty neat to see that process of growing up and maturing and seeing how much better he can get as a baseball player,” McBride said.
In addition to receiving insight from assistant coach Kevin Ricks, current players on the Patriots baseball roster were also on hand to volunteer and serve as a mentor. Many of the players also previously went through the ‘Champions’ camp.
One of those players is Bito Orlando, who is going into his junior year at Pace. Since the age of five, Orlando said he has attended the camp. Now Orlando is serving as a role model to the kids at the camp.
“It’s fun, they look up to you, you just got to make sure you got the right attitude,” he said.
Like Coach McBride, Orlando has like what he has seen from the youngsters at the camp.
“They listen, which is really good; they are really coachable,” he said. “They work hard.”
Both Chase Register, 13, and Hunter Kimball, 15, said they have learned quite a bit in their first ‘Champions’ camp experience, both also want to earn a spot on a future Patriot baseball roster. Kimball also has greater expectations through his love of the game.
“I just love being on the field and playing with my buds and I hope to make it to the pros,” he said.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Patriots share baseball insight with youth through ‘Champions’ camp (PHOTOS)