On Dec. 2, Amador Valley High School’s baseball program hosted a one-day skill clinic for Pleasanton Little League players. Kids ages 7-12 came to the Amador Valley Baseball field to learn from experienced coaches and high school players.

Coaches split Pleasanton Little League players into six groups for six stations. Each station targets a specific skill in baseball. The goal is to have players learn at least six new skills to prepare for their upcoming tryouts and season.

“They’re learning a little bit about each position: outfield station, infield station, playing catch, and hitting. Then we sprinkled in a game just for fun and competitiveness. They get about 25-30 minutes at each station, as they rotate through,” said Varsity baseball coach and physical education teacher Lou Cesario.

Around 2-3 high school players and a coach are present at each station to organize activities and give instruction to Little League players as they learn the target skill.

“Today so far has been really fun. It hasn’t even finished so I’m really excited. [I learned that] when you play in the outfield the shoulders back you know when you’re trying to track the ball,” said 11 year old Pleasanton Little League player Clark Ford.

Learning the fundementals

Physical skills are not the only thing the Little League players learn. Part of training involves working on the mental aspect of baseball.

“We teach them the basics of how to catch a baseball, how to throw, and how to hit. But some of the skills that we also teach are how to be responsible and how to be a confident athlete,” said AV Varsity baseball player Evan Berry (‘24).

Little League players train in two sessions. Ages 10-12 play from 9 a.m. -12 p.m. and ages 7-9 play from 1-4 p.m.  The clinic has a long history in the community, stretching back for almost 20 years.

“2004 or 2005 is when the first Pleasanton Little League clinic started. We’ve been doing it for a long time—on and off for about 20 years,” said Cesario.

Training the next generation

The clinic provides significant benefits to the Amador Valley baseball program. The entrance fee of $60 acts as a fundraiser for the program and high school players can earn service hours while playing the sport they love.

“It was awesome being able to teach [kids] more about the game. I remember when I was an elementary schooler and looked up to the high school ball players. I want to provide the same experience for the kids and give back to the community,” said Berry.

The clinic is a bridge between baseball players of different ages, a way for the older players to pass their knowledge along. It establishes long-standing connections in the Pleasanton community.

“It’s great for our student athletes to do these types of activities with the community because we get caught up in our own lives. You kind of forget about what we can give back,” said Cesario. “We also get great feedback from the community on how well [the high-schoolers] do representing the school and the program. [It’s a] win-win for everybody.”

This story was originally published on Amador ValleyToday on December 6, 2023.