BEDFORD — Standing in centerfield surrounded by an energetic group of youngsters donned in baseball garb with gloves waving over their heads, Bedford North Lawrence baseball coach Jerry Chaney wrapped up the morning session of his summer with, “Remember, everybody looks up to someone, and someone looks up to you.”
It’s a mantra Chaney brought to the table the first year he took over the varsity program at BNL.
“Everyone is an example, whether it be good or whether it be bad,” he said. “We have to try to be good examples at all times, and hopefully the kids are going to pick it up.”
Chaney and his staff know this group of 3rd through 5th graders represent the future and keeping them involved and interested in the game is paramount.
“It is energizing to me and the coaching staff to see all these young kids wanting to play baseball,” Chaney said. “Especially watching the kids come in and hang their bat bags in the dugout. They’re so proud to be in the BNL dugout, and that’s one of the things I wanted to bring back to BNL baseball — the pride of being a BNL baseball player.
“You can see it in the little kids. They want to be on the field. They want to be a BNL Star someday and that’s energizing.”
The camp has two simple objectives set for the kids: Have fun and learn something.
“It’s the same approach we have with the freshmen on through the varsity,” Chaney said. “If you can’t have fun then why are you doing it? That’s why we play the game. We tell our varsity kids that all the time.”
A solid staff is on hand as well to help Chaney keep the order and teach the game, including Steve Underwood, Dennis Kissinger, Curt Alvey, Nick Gates and Jeff Callahan.
“Everyone of them could be head coaches,” Chaney said. “It’s still the same thing Mike Short and John Bush taught us back in the 80s. We’re still trying to teach the same thing to the kids in 2012.”
The camp continues through T-shirt and games day Friday.
Temperatures are expected to climb into triple digits by the end of the week and consideration for the extreme heat is being taken.
“I believe Friday we will move the schedule up,” Chaney said. “It’s supposed to 100 Friday, so I think we’ll move the schedule up and have the parents bring the kids in earlier.
“Maybe we have the first group come in a 7:45 a.m. instead if the 8:30 a.m. start and then start the second session earlier as well.”
Times-Mail Sports Editor Sean Duncan welcomes comments at 277-7283 or sean@tmnews.com.
Copyright: TMNews.com 2012