The chance to share knowledge firsthand with former major league baseball players and learn the same drills that helped them achieve their goals on the ball diamond is priceless.
But it will not be pricey, thanks the generosity of a few local individuals and city businesses who have stepped to the plate as sponsors of the Toronto Blue Jays Honda Super Camp next week at Volunteer Field.
The three-day camp is now full, with 125 kids registered, and sponsorships have made it possible for 21 underprivileged ball players to attend.
"The [$150] cost of the camp is pretty reasonable, compared to an NHL hockey camp, but we knew it would be out of reach for a lot of families," said Lori Wolfe, the Prince George Honda Super Camp co-ordinator.
"We're not identifying the kids, so when they show up at camp, nobody will know that their spot was donated. Registration was capped at 125 and as far as we know, nobody was turned away."
Former Blue Jays Duane Ward, Lloyd Moseby, Rance Mulliniks and Mark Eichhorn will join forces with local coaches to run the skill sessions at the camp, Monday to Wednesday from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. each day.
"They are bringing five coaches with them and we will provide some local coaches," Wolfe said. "They are going to do practice drills on all the different skills, like pitching, sliding, and fielding, and there will be some leadership stuff and how to be team players. They will have fun for three days learning all the baseball fundamentals, and having these former Blue Jays there just takes it up that notch around motivation and focus."
On board as Honda Super Camp sponsors are the Nechako Rotary Club, Enbridge, the Coast Inn of the North, Prince George Youth Baseball, the World Baseball Challenge and Superstore . They will be providing hotel rooms, food for the kids, new baseballs, and safety screens on the field. The Nechako Rotary Club has raised $2,500 for the camp and will provide volunteers to help as coaches.
"The Nechako Rotary club has been outstanding, they truly recognize the value this has to the community, and they are a major part of this being a big-league experience for kids here," said Shawn Rice, co-chair and marketing director for the World Baseball Challenge. "The leadership of Ken Pendergast and his team saw the value of the outstanding camp that was held in conjunction with the 2009 tournament, using first-rate accredited instructors, and jumped on board right away to support the Blue Jays camp and ensure that no child who wants to participate is left behind."
Prince George is the second stop and smallest city on the 10-city Honda Super Camp cross-Canada tour that started this week in Vancouver. Wolfe said the work of the WBC committee organizing the six-team international tournament, July 8-17, and the efforts to bring the 2012 Baseball Canada Senior National Championship to Citizen Field was instrumental bringing the Honda Super Camp to P.G.
n Ward will be signing autographs today at Pine Centre Mall from 3 to 5 p.m.
