Off-Season Training with America’s Baseball Camps

Even though baseball and softball season just ended, along with most of the nationwide youth baseball camps and clinics, there are several off-season options to keep your baseball skills sharp.  America’s Baseball Camps has the most complete selection of youth baseball camps for all ages and at any season nationwide.  There are several holiday camps scheduled in Phoenix and San Diego this year.  At each camp, ABC focuses on the fundamentals: hitting for power, hitting for average, throwing, fielding and speed/agility.  Some camps allow players to be evaluated personally using video analysis software, and professional instructors provide feedback and recommend drills to improve swing and pitching mechanics.

In October alone, ABC offered 35 baseball camps nationwide in 16 different states: Maine, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, West Virginia, Virginia, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Arkansas, Missouri, Alabama, Georgia; and in the west: California. The camps cost anywhere from $40 – $295 for individual players and $1125 for a team (URI Team Camp only).  Most fall showcases, prospect clinics and seminars lasted for 1-3 days but there were also several off-season hitting and pitching schools that covered 4-6 sessions, once a week over the course of the month.

This coming month is an even bigger month for off-season practice; there are more than 100 baseball camps scheduled in November.  There is a new Thanksgiving camp in San Diego this year as well as a new location for ABC’s President’s Day weekend camp in Phoenix, Arizona.  The 2014 San Diego Thanksgiving Camp will be November 28-30 for youth athletes, ages 7-18, for $295.  The day after Christmas, in Phoenix, athletes ages 8-19 can take part in the 2014 Arizona Holiday Hitting Camp for $89 followed by a choice of three baseball Camps: 24th Annual Arizona Pro Holiday Baseball Camp, Arizona Pro Baseball Camps by ABC, and 2014 San Diego Holiday Baseball Camp, from December 27-30, for $535-$839.  This year the Presidents Day Winter Baseball Camp will be in Chandler, Arizona at Snedigar Sportsplex from Feburay 14-16, 2015 for athletes ages 9-18.  Registration is $349 for the three day weekend.

ABC is returning to Phoenix, Arizona for its holiday baseball camps for its 24^th year now.  Of ABC’s most popular camp, Oakland Hitting Coordinator, Greg Sparks described it: “It’s a professional type atmosphere…It’s run more like major league spring training—the quality of the staff and the just kids from all over the country and out of the country.”  These camps attract players from all over the country as well as Canada, Mexico, Netherlands and Japan.   Andre David, Royals Hitting Coordinator, said, “That’s what we do in our system, in the minor leagues as well, is teach from the ground up.  The basic fundamentals, that’s what these kids are getting here and they are definitely ahead of the game.”  It’s designed for all levels of play as well as for individuals, groups, teams and organizations.  Time is split between skills development and game experience.  Players work hard but have fun too!

There are day camp options as well as overnight staying with parents where hotel fees are not included or staying with other players where the hotel room is included in camp fees.  For those coming in from out of town, ABC has airport and pick up at the Phoenix International Airport.  While in Phoenix, you can check out Arizona State University.  There are a couple of water parks: Big Surf Fun and Golfland – Sunsplash.  For parents and kids alike, there is the Musical Instrument Museum, Desert Botanical Garden and the Phoenix Zoo.

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Author: Melanie Carbine

Melanie Carbine currently writes for several education blogs, vlogs about her travels, and teaches middle school in the DC Metro Area.