Coaches and players had the opportunity to learn from Canada's best last weekend in Gibsons.
The Gibsons Minor Ball Association (GMBA) played host to Marty Lehn and a modified version of his highly successful Big League Experience Baseball Camp.
The weekend started on Friday evening with Lehn hosting a hitting demonstration and video presentation showcasing Canada's national baseball program. About 50 parents and players came to Elphinstone Secondary School for the presentation.
Bright and early Saturday morning, players and coaches hit the fields at Brothers Park for a full day of hitting, fielding and catching. Saturday's events were repeated again on Sunday.
"This is the fourth year Marty has come up, and it's enjoyable every time," said Bill Campbell with the GMBA. "We think it's very important that kids at the beginning of the season get off to a good start learning the proper mechanics of the game. They then can continue that through the year under the guidance of the coaches. It serves as a refresher for us on what they might have learned last year, and it's also a good start for any new players as well."
Campbell said it's also important to get coaches involved in the training sessions.
"We get parents coaching at the younger levels who may have played 10 or 15 years ago. Baseball has changed. Here is an opportunity to teach them the leading edge of what is going on from very knowledgeable people," Campbell said.Knowledgeable is just one way to describe Lehn's impressive resume.Lehn has been part of the Canadian National Team since 1991 and Team B.C. since 1989. Recently he has been named the head coach to lead Team B.C. in the upcoming 2005 Canada Games. He was also part of the coaching staff for Canada's entry in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, where Canada finished fourth.
Lehn was joined on the weekend by Gary Blouin, pitching coach for Team B.C.; Dave Harriman, a former member of the Oakland Athletics organization; Mike Wilson, a former player with the University of British Columbia, who now does a lot of strength and conditioning work with minor and pro players; and Pat Phelan, who just relocated from Ottawa to the West Coast. He's done a lot of camps with Baseball Canada and is a former all-state catcher out of Yakima Valley Community College in Washington state.
"We always enjoy coming up to Gibsons," Lehn said. "It's the start of the season for most of these players, so we feel it's important to go over the mechanics of throwing and hitting. We also make sure to have a lot of fun in the process."Lehn echoed Campbell's comments on getting coaches involved.
"Working with coaches is the foundation of development," Lehn said. "When you work with one child, you work with one child. When you can work with a coach and give them some pretty good information, that coach can take it back to their team, which is 12 children."
Lehn said he's impressed with the GMBA and the enthusiasm that was shown during the weekend.
"We've dealt with a number of kids through the years and seen some great progression," Lehn said. "Bill Campbell and all the volunteers here in Gibsons do a great job. It's nice to see the involvement and the passion for baseball."
Lehn has a busy year planned. He has camps continuing for the next few weeks around the province and into Alberta and Saskatchewan. He has commitments with Team B.C. at the Summer Games and, starting in late August, he will be back with the national team.
"With Team Canada, we qualified for the World Championships set for September in Holland," Lehn said. "In November we head to El Salvador for a pre-Olympic qualifier. We're busy on all fronts developing players throughout Canada with an eye towards the national team. It's what I love. I have a passion for the game and this time of year is baseball - it's what it's all about. If you can't get excited about camps like this and working with kids, you're in the wrong profession."
