With the spring and summer months seemingly chock full of baseball camps, clinics, practices and games, one would think that come late July there would be a bit of burnout when it comes to the sport.
It’s precisely at this point that Legends Baseball has created something unique and refreshing for local youths interested in continuing to develop their skills in the sport. Bryan Lafata, Manchester-Essex Mariners coach and former Gloucester Legion coach, is working with Legends Baseball to host clinics this week at Sweeney Park in Manchester, and next week at Boudreau Field in Gloucester, July 26-30.
What this clinic offers that others may not are unique instructors. Former Red Sox player Steve Lomasney joins current Legends AAU coaches Lafata and Dave and Mike Constantino as the driving force behind the clinic. The North Shore Navigators — in a league that features professional prospects from Baylor, Boston College, Clemson and University of Florida — will also provide guest instructors.
“What you’re getting here are four guys who run the whole program, full-time baseball guys who have played at a high level in college baseball, or professional,” explains Lafata. “We’ve got Ipswich’s Matt Small, who pitches for the Braves but is on the DL right now, coming in. We have the North Shore Navigators out of Lynn, one of the better wooden-bat leagues in the country. These are good college baseball players who are probably getting drafted in the near future, who are instructors at a lot of these camps.”
Cost is $110 for ages 5-7, with the clinic running from 9 a.m. to noon, while cost is $150 for ages 7-12, with the clinic running from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information or to register, e-mail Bryan at bryan@legendsbaseball.net or call 978-767-9220.
