While the majority of campus took advantage of relaxing during the semester break, LSU baseball coaches and several players returned to campus the day after Christmas to host its annual baseball camp for kids six years old to 12th grade.
The players who voluntarily returned from their holiday early to help out included pitchers Jason Detterman, Jordan Faircloth, Matt Greenwich, Ryan Byrd, Nolan Cain; catchers Matt Liuzza and Brad Bass; and outfielders Ryan Patterson and Kade Keowen.
“It is definitely worth cutting my break short to work with the kids,” said freshman outfielder Kade Keowen. “I want to be a coach and working with kids really helps me out.”
The coaches and players spent five days working with younger players and teaching them different fundamentals to better their game.
“It was very tiring because it lasted all day, but I learned a lot of stuff,” said West Monroe High School player Nick Wade, who attended the camp. “Turtle Thomas helped me the most. He’s the greatest hitting coach ever.”
The camp took place in Alex Box Stadium and gave high school players the chance to experience the excitement of playing in the stadium.
“Playing different teams at night in Alex Box was my favorite part of the camp,” Wade said. “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity, and some kids don’t get the chance to do that.”
The excitement that the kids experience give the LSU players satisfaction of their own.
“They all look up to us and they listen to everything you have to say,” Keowen said. “We had one kid who knew the whole roster from last year’s team and he was six years old. It’s really something to know people look up to us.”
The players helping out in the camp focused on more than just fundamentals when working with the younger players.
“We try to stress the importance of hard work,” Patterson said. “There are a lot of players out there with equal talent but some succeed due to their work ethic.”
The camp is set up to help younger athletes improve their skills for the upcoming season, but the players agree that the camp allows them to start working on their season earlier as well.
“We as players benefit because we are able to teach all of the stuff we have learned which gives us a review on our game,” Patterson said. “Also it is always good to watch and critique others before trying to help ourselves.”
Further preparation for the upcoming season began last week when the team reported back to campus. The season begins Feb. 11 against Nicholls State at Alex Box Stadium.