CRESTVIEW — For many young baseball players in the Hub City, the Crestview Bulldog Baseball Camp marks summer's beginning.
The camp, under Crestview High School baseball Coach Tim Gillis' direction, is North Okaloosa County's longest, continuously running camp.
This year’s camp starts next week, and Gillis looks forward to another year of teaching young people the fundamentals of a game he loves.
“First of all, we like to have a lot of fun with it,” he said. “We do basically everything baseball related over the course of those three days. We concentrate on throwing every day.
“The first day, we will spend more time on the hitting aspect of it. We will go the defensive side of it on Tuesday. We will do more of the base running the last day."
Different games will be played throughout each day to help players use the skills they are learning.
Crestview High School players and assistants will help Gillis with the camp, which usually has 60 or 70 participants.
“We are just trying to build a good firm foundation, as far as mechanics go,” Gillis said. “Hopefully, the kids will be able to pick up a thing or two and be able to apply it to their year.
“One thing I’ve noticed is there are guys that come back year after year and those are the guys that end up playing for you.
"They develop a pride in Crestview High School and in being a Crestview Bulldog, and that’s a big deal.”
UPCOMING
WHAT: Crestview Bulldog Baseball Camp
WHEN: Register 8-9 a.m. June 8; camp is 9 a.m. to noon June 8-10
WHERE: Crestview High School baseball field
COST: $75 per child. Camp fees cover a camp T-shirt, pizza on Wednesday and admission to the June 11-13 Justin Richards Tournament.
NOTES: Open to 4- to 13-year-olds.
CONTACT: Tim Gillis, 689-7177, ext. 7090
EmailNews Bulletin Sports Editor Randy Dickson, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview Bulldog Baseball Camp starts Monday