By BRANDON HUTCHINSON

Tribune Intern

IN an exciting collaboration between Learn, Develop Kaizen Performance (LDK) and The Batter’s Box, the first annual Baseball Summer Camp has kicked off in the Bahamas with a mission to elevate the standard of player development in the country at the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium.

Coaches Shawnte Curtis and Lyndon Wallace are leading the charge, introducing innovative concepts and emphasizing the importance of athleticism in baseball during the camp that will be held from July 16 to August 2 for local players between the ages of five and 18 years.

Curtis, founder of LDK, expressed that the camp’s goal is to tap into new skills and ideas while redefining the narrative around baseball development.

“To raise the standard for development in the country we think there are a lot of skills and ideas we don’t tap into generally as we are developing baseball and softball players in the country,” Curtis said. 

“I want to introduce new concepts, new ways of teaching skills, new ideas and letting baseball (players) learn a little bit more about the game and themselves.” 

Wallace, the founder of the Batter’s Box, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the significance of year-round baseball to harness the abundant talent in the Bahamas.

“Having baseball going on year-round, that is the goal because baseball is very seasonal in the Bahamas, and we have a lot of talent here and we don’t want that to go to waste by having kids only playing from January to June,” Wallace said. 

“We want to keep the momentum going with baseball in the country and we are going to try to do this as often as possible.”

The camp participants, including seven-year-old Kaleel Ramsay, have already begun reaping the benefits of this holistic approach to player development.

“The first thing we learned today was how to bunt properly,” Ramsey said. “We did a little drill where they pitched the ball to us, and we had to try and hit the cone. We also did some hitting in the batting cages and after that went on a break then did some outfield work.”

Ramsey also glorified Bahamas Major League Baseball player Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm of the Miami Marlins, listing him as his “favourite professional baseball player.”

Former professional MLB player Antoan Richardson shared his enthusiasm for giving back to the community and supporting youth development through initiatives like the Baseball Summer Camp.

“As I was on the plane coming back home, I was like ‘man I could really enjoy this All-Star break chilling somewhere’”, said Richardson, who is now a first base coach in the majors with the San Francisco Giants.

“Anytime you have an opportunity to give back to the community and be able to not just help the youth but also help the people that are trying to help the youth, it’s a really cool opportunity to be a part of that”

As the camp unfolds, the focus remains on nurturing talent, fostering a love for the game and providing valuable learning opportunities for young athletes. 

With plans for future camps and travel ball programmes in the works, the Baseball Summer Camp is poised to make a lasting impact on the baseball landscape in the Bahamas.

The collaboration between LDK and The Batter’s Box stands as a testament to the power of community, mentorship and a shared passion for baseball. 

Through their dedication and innovative approach to player development, Curtis, Wallace and Richardson are shaping the future of baseball in the Bahamas one player at a time.

Keep up the good work!