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Clinic
The Woodstock Academy's baseball coach, Brian Murphy, directs Little League players to their stations to work out with members of the Woodstock Academy baseball team. Courtesy photo.
The baseball season became more of a reality for high school and Little League athletes alike March 24.
Despite the fact that snow still covered much of the ground outside The Woodstock Academy South Campus gymnasium, inside spirits were running pretty high as Centaurs baseball coach Brian Murphy, his coaching staff and several volunteers along with members of The Academy baseball program helped Little League players and coaches get ready for the upcoming season.
“It’s a lot of fun,” Murphy said. “The (Little Leaguers) came in early and got to see the high school kids working out. It’s the opportunity for us, here at The Academy, to give back to the community. Baseball, 20-30 years ago, was big in this area. This is part of the process to educate the Little Leagues on correct practice principles, the right drills to do and the better instructed they are, the more successful they will be.”
More than 30 Little League-aged athletes took part in the Woodstock Academy Baseball Clinic which was open to all local Little Leagues in Eastern Connecticut.
“It’s a nice turnout. We have a lot of coaches and a lot of players here,” Murphy said.
The Centaurs coaching staff went over the basics of instruction in hitting, throwing mechanics and practice routine, catching, fielding, pitching and how to conduct a practice.
“The first part we demonstrate and then we get the kids involved in different stations,” Murphy said. “It’s three hours. It gets the kids out. The weather is starting to break. It’s baseball season.”
Murphy said his varsity, junior varsity and freshmen baseball players were eager to lend a helping hand, according to Murphy.
“I like doing this type of stuff for the kids,” said junior pitcher and shortstop Luke Mathewson.
“When I was a little kid, I looked up to the high school varsity team. Now. These kids get to look up to me and my teammates and we get to show them how to do drills. Doing this kind of stuff makes me happy.”
Mathewson said it wasn’t all that long ago when he was just starting out.
“Watching people showing me how to throw was always great for me,” Mathewson said.
It apparently paid off, too.
Mathewson will be Murphy’s top pitcher this season.
“I’ve been looking forward to baseball season for a long time,” said Mathewson who was a starting forward on the Centaurs boys’ basketball team this past winter.
“It’s my No. 1 sport, my favorite sport and I just want to play some baseball.”
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director