The Redcoats feel privileged that they had the opportunity to attend a training camp conducted by coaches and players who are the products of the best softball developmental model in the world
The Ghajnsielem Redcoats have always relied on short intensive training camps for the youth softball team as a means to improve the fundamental skills of the players as well as to enhance their love for the game. Such training camps are generally conducted by a foreign coach and also serve as a coaching clinic for the coaching staff of the club. Last week the Redcoats had a real treat as to conduct the spring training camp they had Scrap Yard Dawgs General Manager, Connie May, along with four hand-picked US softball players to help out.
The visit to Malta of Coach Connie May was made possible by the World Baseball and Softball Confederation in support of the Softball in Schools initiative of the Ghajnsielem Redcoats. The Club is making every effort to introduce softball in state schools to increase the rate of participation of girls in sports as part of the Erasmus+ Sports: Small Collaborative Partnerships project Inclusion and Gender Equality Through Softball (IGETS) which is co-financed by the European Union. Providing opportunities for girls to practice a sport is one way to improve gender equality. Coach May and her team travelled to Malta to deliver a softball coaching course to Physical Education teachers so that they can teach the game to their pupils.
The coaching delegation from the United States included Tatum Edwards, former pitcher at Nebraska Huskers Softball, Madison ‘Madi’ O’Neil, outfielder at Baylor University, Jade Smith, former UTSA Roadrunners outfielder, and Kelcy Leach, a catcher who just graduated from The Woodlands High School in Texas. Scrap Yard Dawgs and USA Softball made the participation of the four players possible.
The five coaches did not come to Gozo empty handed. Connie May also managed to recruit corporate support to help out. Bownet Sports, a US manufacturer of sporting goods, supplied portable screens, batting tees, buckets of softballs and wiffle balls, elbow guards for the entire team, equipment bags, as well as a batting practice caddy. BSN Sports a US retailer of sports apparel, footwear, and equipment, also chipped in with throw down bases, buckets, and several other items which come in handy during practice sessions. The Scrap yard Dawgs also printed 80 t-shirts with the logo of the project along with that of the two partner clubs at the front, and the logos of all the sponsors at the back. These t-shirts were handed to each participant in the training camp as well as to those who attended the coaching course.
The training camp was held between June 12 and June 15 at the Gozo Stadium. The focus was on softball fundamentals as well as pitching. Footwork, glove work, fielding ground balls and fly balls, throwing, catching, baserunning, sliding, bunting and hitting were all covered during the training camp. Having five coaches conducting the practice sessions made it easier to keep up with a group of over 20 players aged from 8 to 16 with varying abilities.
The training camp concluded with a game as the players were split into two balanced teams. The game served to assess the progress of the Redcoats while at the same time to further instruct the players on specific game situations which popped up as the game went along. Overall the Redcoats did really well and the US coaches were satisfied with the progress of the girls. There was a sense of satisfaction for both the players and the coaches as the improvement was quite evident. The training camp also went a long way to boost the confidence of the players as well as their determination to continue to work hard to reach the desired level.
At the end of the training camp the players as well as the coaches of the Ghajnsielem Redcoats were given a Certificate of Participation issued by the World Baseball & Softball Confederation signed by WBSC President Mr Riccardo Fraccari. Scrap Yard Dawgs General Manager, Connie May, who conducted the training camp handed out the certificates to the players.
The Redcoats feel privileged that they had the opportunity to attend a training camp conducted by coaches and players who are the products of the best softball developmental model in the world. It is also astounding for the club to be associated with such an important and big softball franchise based in the United States. It is hoped that this is only the beginning of a long-lasting and fruitful relationship between the Ghajnsielem Redcoats and Scrap Yard Dawgs of Texas, USA.
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