Baseball, softball camps offered

Published 9:07 am Friday, June 13, 2014

COURTLAND—Two TopHand Baseball and Softball Camps are being planned for children ages 7 to 15.

The first will take place at Southampton Academy, 26495 Old Plank Rd., Courtland, on June 23-27 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday. General registration until Monday, June 23, is $160 per child. Campers who attended the spring camp will get a $25 discount.

The second camp will at EGRA Park, 1001 Meherrin Park Road, Emporia, on Aug. 4-8 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday. Pre-registration by Monday, July 21 is $150 per child; general registration until Monday, Aug. 4, is $160 per child. Campers who attended the spring 2013 camp will get a $25 discount.

All campers will get five days of hitting, fielding and pitching instruction. As always the camps will be filled with instructions on fundamentals, game strategies and team work with an emphasis on developing good work ethic.

Camp instructors will be made up of local high school coaches: Pat Stafford of King’s Fork High School, Suffolk; Wes Griffith of Southampton High School, Courtland; Rustin Jessee of Greensville County High School; as well as former college and pro players.

John Curtis, a former Boston Red Sox draftee from Great Bridge High School, will be at the camp to work with pitchers for part of the camp.

Coach Randy Jessee, who is a longtime baseball, basketball and football coach in the area and now AD at King’s Fork, said, “The cool thing about the camp is that many of the instructors are former campers who know the importance of learning the fundamentals at a young age. It is also very special to see parents who actually attended the camp for years who now bring their sons and daughters. TopHand camps have been going on since early 1990’s.”

Items recommended to bring are a glove, bat, ball pants, hat, sunscreen and cleats.

A personalized DVD of hitting and fielding instruction will be provided.

Refreshments will be available for purchase.

Go to the ‘Coaches Profile’ at www.tophandsports.com or to register online and pay via PayPal.

For more information, contact Rustin Jessee at 537-8480 or rjessee5@gmail.com