The fourth annual USA Winter Baseball Academy will be held every Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. beginning Jan. 7-8. Mission statement: teach the proper fundamentals for skill development and long-term success. Players will rotate between 25-minute stations to cover several facets of the game. Instructors include:
-- Carson Helms, former starting outfielder at Virginia Tech and SNHU; assistant coach at New England College
-- Junior Mendez, former Oakland A's draft pick and All-America pitcher at SNHU
-- Mike Mastroberti, current professional in the Can-Am League and former NE-10 All-Conference infielder
The Winter Baseball Academy program director is high school coach Kevin Gray, director of the New Hampshire Bobcats travel program and associate scout for the Seattle Mariners. The NH Bobcats are one of the fastest growing, most affordable and most successful travel programs in New Hampshire. We emphasis long-term player development and realize each player develops at his own pace. What to expect at the Winter Baseball Academy:
-- Skill stations with rotations every 25 minutes
-- Attention to detail with coaches who love the game and have a passion for teaching young players
-- Repetition and routine. Learning the proper fundamentals requires good habits and muscle memory.
-- Pitchers will learn the value of arm care and proper mechancs to reduce arm injuries
-- Hitters are taught about swing efficiency and what makes a successful hitter.
-- Players will be invited to use our HitTrax batting simulator and play simulated games.
-- Cost is $20 per session. Buy a 10-pack for $200 and receive a USA membership for 60 days. Memberships provide unlimited batting cage access and turf time based on availability.
For more information, please sign up the USA front desk or call USA general manager Kevin Gray at 782-4949.