GMC camps to help mission trip
June 6, 2013 GMC camps to help mission trip Steven Cary The Union-Recorder The Union-Recorder Thu Jun 06, 2013, 08:00 AM EDT MILLEDGEVILLE 鈥� In an effort to raise funds for the upcoming Fellowship of Christian Athletes mission trip to the Dominican Republic, the Georgia Military Prep School baseball and softball teams are gearing up to host fundamentals and advanced hitting camps. The camps will take place Monday, June 10 through Thursday, June 13 at the GMC baseball and softball complex. Held as two separate camps, the fundamentals camp will be for rising first through eighth grade students and will take place from 8 to 11 a.m., while the advanced hitting camp will be geared toward rising eighth through 12th-graders and will be in the evenings from 6 to 8 p.m. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a great thing. It鈥檚 opening the opportunity to learn the sports of baseball and softball,鈥� Allen Simmons, GMC Prep baseball coach, said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not sure if there鈥檚 ever been a baseball and softball camp at GMC.鈥� The fundamental camp will stress basic aspects of softball and baseball, and will implement exercises to help young players throughout the community master the skills necessary for the games. 鈥淭he fundamentals camp is just a time when it is what it is. It鈥檚 exactly the kind of thing I teach my kids, and what I was taught when I was at the University of Georgia,鈥� Julie Brooker, GMC Prep softball coach, said. 鈥淲e play a lot of fun games and try to get good interaction with the high schoolers and middle schoolers in the fundamental camps. We鈥檙e just trying to make it a positive experience and we鈥檙e trying to open up our camp to the community.鈥� According to Brooker, there will also be a 鈥渢eam鈥� aspect to the camp. 鈥淥bviously, the focus is going to be on softball and baseball, but we also try to teach teamwork and team bonding,鈥� she said. GMC Prep鈥檚 advanced hitting camp will also incorporate a sense of team unity in order to promote softball and baseball among all of the high schools in the community. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no reason why we can鈥檛 work together,鈥� Brooker said. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 typically see camps for high schoolers, but that鈥檚 kind of what we鈥檙e doing.鈥� Advanced hitting campers will work on different aspects of hitting, with individual video swing analysis to pin-point areas for improvement in every player. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be an intense two hours,鈥� Brooker said. 鈥淚 think everyone will improve, and that鈥檚 why we do it.鈥� Varsity players from both the GMC Prep baseball and softball teams will assist at the camps to help young players work on their craft. 鈥淲e both have a great group of varsity players that are going to help,鈥� Simmons said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e more than willing to be there.鈥� While both camps offer local players the chance to play baseball and softball over the summer, Simmons and Brooker also see an opportunity talk to young players about the FCA mission trip in July. 鈥淚 think its going to be great,鈥� Simmons said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a great opportunity to talk to the younger kids, and talk with them about how special it鈥檚 going to be.鈥� The GMC Prep coaches are pleased with the direction of the softball and baseball programs after their first seasons at the helm. 鈥淭he proceeds will benefit the mission trip. So I just feel like it鈥檚 an all-around good cause,鈥� Brooker said. 鈥淲e get to go out and play the game we love, but we鈥檒l also be putting on softball and baseball clinics on in the Dominican Republic. I鈥檓 just really excited about the direction GMC softball is headed.鈥� The cost of the fundamentals camp is $100 per camper and $75 for GMC students, while the advanced hitting camp is $75 per camper and $50 for GMC students. Players can register on the first day of camp from 7:30-8 a.m. For more information and for a camp registration form, please contact Simmons at dsimmons@gmc.cc.ga.us or Brooker at jbrooker@gmc.cc.ga.us.
