Dolphin baseball program holds youth camp
Baseball team starts practice January 15
BY JASON THOMPSON Gulf Breeze News jason@gulfbreezenews.com

Jason Thompson/Gulf Breeze News Each of the 43 campers received a free t-shirt after the Dolphin Baseball Camp last week.

More than 40 youngsters spent the early days of their Christmas vacation at the Dolphin Baseball Camp last week at the GBHS baseball field.

“We were fortunate enough to have some good weather,” GBHS head baseball coach Randy Renfroe said. “I would have liked to see more middle school kids show up so we can get a good look at them before they get to the high school.”

Renfroe and his staff taught proper hitting techniques on Dec. 20 before focusing on fielding and baserunning the next day.

Also teaching baseball technique were assistant coaches Jody Brown, Jak-y Kohr and Pete Della Ratta Jr., former assistant coach Sean Branch and former Dolphins Logan Hundley, Steven Cheney and Kyle Brown.

The kids were broken up by age and skill level and rotated from different stations where they learning people pitching, throwing and fielding techniques.

“I learned how to pitch better,” said nine-year-old Peyton Hoover.

“I learned how to ‘squash the bug’ and how to bunt properly,” said 10-year-old Tyler Ueberschaer.

Jason Thompson/Gulf Breeze News Steven Cheney (above, left) and Pete Della Ratta (right) go over pitching technique with campers last week.

Some current high school players also participated in the camp. They are less than three weeks away from day one of practice for the 2007 season.

Mark your calendars - The Dolphins will host a preseason tournament, as well as the district tournament this year.

The preseason tournament is Feb. 7-9. The Dolphins will play the 7 p.m. game on Feb. 8 and 9.

The district tournament is the week of April 23.