Cochrane-area kids are getting a unique opportunity to train at the beginner level with the Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Academy next week.
The training academy is coming to Cochrane for a four-hour, one-day only instructional clinic on July 12, in partnership with Cochrane Minor Ball.
“With the Toronto Blue Jays being the only Canadian team in the MLB, many, many kids are fans of the Blue Jays and so just to be a part of that in itself is exciting,” said Cochrane Minor Ball operations and administration coordinator Michelle O’How. “To be offering this to kids at this age … it’s just an age where somebody within an organization can make a difference in their lives.”
The clinic is open to all kids from ages eight to 13, not just those within the minor ball program.
Registered participants will rotate through drills that cover various skills including infield, outfield, hitting, throwing, agility and base running led by Blue Jays Baseball Academy instructors. They’ll also participate in a baseball athletic training station which serves as an introduction to fundamental athletic movement.
“It’s really incredible that we get this opportunity and that we get to share it with everyone in the community,” said O’How. “I hope people tell their friends, their family, and tell everyone about it so that we can all reap the rewards of being a part of something really special.”
The training academy is led by instructors who are National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) registered. They are experienced coaches who have been trained in the Blue Jays’ way of teaching baseball to youth.
O’How said it was the training academy that first reached out to them to determine if there was interest in putting the clinic on locally. They will also be making stops in Okotoks, Calgary, and Chestermere this year.
“Of course we couldn’t turn this down,” she said. “We’re super excited to have them in our community.”
The training clinic arrives at the end of one of Cochrane Minor Baseball’s spring season. This year, they saw more players registered for the sport than ever before.
“We had an incredible season and we actually had to turn some players away just due to diamond availability,” said O’How. “But we were also able to allow over 700 participants to get out, which is huge.”
The league’s Baseball Alberta program and little league summer all-star team will continue to play games until August, with local teams on the hunt for a provincial banner.
Spots for the Blue Jays Baseball academy instructional clinic will be limited to approximately 100 players and all participants will receive a hat from the MLB team, a T-shirt, and a digital baseball skills manual.
The clinic will take place at the Cochrane Rodeo Grounds south diamond from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
To learn more or sign up, visit mlb.com/bluejays/community/baseball-academy.
