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Helena head baseball coach P.J. Guy helps a camper square around for a bunt at the HHS youth summer baseball camp. (Reporter Photo/Keith McCoy)

By GRAHAM BROOKS / Staff Writer

HELENA–To build a championship program, one must first master the fundamentals of the game, and the week of July 24, dozens of campers got the chance to learn several basic skills about the game of baseball at Helena High School.

Led by Helena head coach P.J. Guy and several assistant coaches and varsity players, a record 65 youth baseball players between the ages of 6-12 came out to HHS for three days of instruction and teaching at the youth summer baseball camp.

The Helena High School baseball team is just a few months removed from winning its first 6A state championship and the primary focus of the camp was on fundamental and skill instruction with an emphasis on stressing the importance of academics, character, teamwork and sportsmanship.

With the large amount of campers, both the HHS baseball and softball fields were used, as well as the batting cages as players learned the different fundamentals of baseball at several different stations.

These stations included how to bunt, how to hit off a tee, hitting at home plate, a base running station, front toss, tee station work, scrimmages and more.

Coaches and varsity baseball players led each station and provided one-on-one instruction to the campers who were divided up into groups.

“Be sure to square up and if he pitches you a ball you don’t like you can pull the bat back,” Guy said to a camper while giving instructions at the bunting station. “You want to try and bunt away from the pitcher and down either line.”

At the end of the second day, campers split up into teams and played actual games against each other. Instructions were given to campers at the plate and in the field.

Third grader Tayor Hester was one of the players who attended the camp and described some of the things he liked about the camp.

“One thing I learned was to get my glove out in front of me further when catching a ball,” Hester said. “I really liked the station on how to field a ground ball.”

On the final day of the camp, numerous competitions were completed and ended with learning how to slide on a tarp, as campers were soaked with water to cool off in the hot July temperatures.

To view or purchase pictures of the summer baseball camp, visit Shelbycountyphotos.com.

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