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Jun. 17—More than 100 kids showed up to Pisgah's baseball camp last week, marking another successful year for the three-day event.
"We've had those kinds of numbers for the last four or five years, and honestly, it's really, really exciting. They're hungry for baseball, and they keep coming back," Pisgah Baseball Coach Harold Shepard said.
The camp welcomed kids of all ages and all backgrounds. Whether it was a youngster learning the basics or a middle schooler getting ready to make the transition into high school, everyone came out and played ball.
"It's overall just a great experience, because I feel like he's giving you the opportunity to come here and get better to eventually make it to this field," said 13-year-old Luke Franklin, who has been coming to the camp for five years. "It's always great every year."
Franklin was one of many returning kids.
"It's amazing. It's really fun. I like the drills that we do," said 11-year-old Clayton Nolan, in his third year of the camp.
There were plenty of returners among volunteers, as well. Pisgah graduate and current Western Carolina baseball player Walker Fox was there in his fifth year helping with the camp.
"I came to all these camps when I was little and had a blast. I think that's what helped develop my love of the game. I just feel so grateful to be able to come back and give back to these kids, because I know how it affected my life," Fox said.
Fox worked with some of the younger, elementary-aged kids, something he said he really enjoyed.
"It's awesome to get around the kids. If you can develop a love for the game at a young age, that's the most important part. It's making us feel a little bit old, starting to hit us a little bit, but it's the most important age. If you love the game, then that's gonna set you up for success going forward," Fox said.
Mentors on the field
Fox was one of several current and former Pisgah players helping run camp over the three days.
For their high school coach, seeing his guys working with the younger generation is the best part of the camp.
"I enjoy watching my guys take leadership roles," Shepard said. "I hear them saying crap that I say to them, and it's funny. They'll get on somebody, and it's the same stuff that I said to them back in the regular season about something they did. It's funny to hear my crap come out of somebody else's mouth, but I enjoy watching my guys teaching the younger guys. That makes me happy."
It's also something that is instilled in the players while they're in the program. Shepard puts an emphasis on players giving back to future generations of Bears.
"It's an expectation," Shepard said. "We push them to give back, and I don't mean monetarily. They're not at a spot where they can give money and contribute that way, but they can come in and give some time back to the next group of kids coming in and help them get better."
And for the youth players taking part in the camp, having those current and former Bears there makes the whole process a little bit easier.
"With the players, you have more of a connection, because they've gone through the same thing that you have. They've come up from middle school and then into high school ball," Franklin said.
Shepard's son, Matthew, had been a consistent attendee at camps, but as a sophomore, this was his first year helping out as a volunteer.
"I think he's more tired helping with camp than he ever was playing in camp. That herding cats is tough," Shepard said.
The coach began his career coaching at Canton Middle before coming up to the high school. He has experience working with the younger kids and knows what to expect.
It's also something he misses getting the opportunity to do.
"I miss those days of explaining and doing. It's a blank slate," Shepard said. "I miss that part of it sometimes, not so much to go back to it, because I would much rather have the speed and the competitiveness that goes along with the varsity guys. But this gives me that little bit of that fix, going over and breaking it down and explaining it to those young ones."
But most of all, the three-day camp allows the community to come together around the sport of baseball.
"That's building a stronger tie to the community," Shepard said. "It's about Canton, not just Pisgah, not just baseball, but bringing us all together."
Many of the players come in wearing former Pisgah uniform hats, something that shocks but excites Shepard every time.
"I never know where they come in with them from, but they're wearing it, and they're making sure that they've got it right. And you see those hats, and it brings back memories from things that team that had those hats, and that's pretty cool in and of itself," Shepard said.
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"We've had those kinds of numbers for the last four or five years, and honestly, it's really, really exciting. They're hungry for baseball, and they keep coming back," Pisgah Baseball Coach Harold Shepard said.
The camp welcomed kids of all ages and all backgrounds. Whether it was a youngster learning the basics or a middle schooler getting ready to make the transition into high school, everyone came out and played ball.
"It's overall just a great experience, because I feel like he's giving you the opportunity to come here and get better to eventually make it to this field," said 13-year-old Luke Franklin, who has been coming to the camp for five years. "It's always great every year."
Franklin was one of many returning kids.
"It's amazing. It's really fun. I like the drills that we do," said 11-year-old Clayton Nolan, in his third year of the camp.
There were plenty of returners among volunteers, as well. Pisgah graduate and current Western Carolina baseball player Walker Fox was there in his fifth year helping with the camp.
"I came to all these camps when I was little and had a blast. I think that's what helped develop my love of the game. I just feel so grateful to be able to come back and give back to these kids, because I know how it affected my life," Fox said.
Fox worked with some of the younger, elementary-aged kids, something he said he really enjoyed.
"It's awesome to get around the kids. If you can develop a love for the game at a young age, that's the most important part. It's making us feel a little bit old, starting to hit us a little bit, but it's the most important age. If you love the game, then that's gonna set you up for success going forward," Fox said.
Mentors on the field
Fox was one of several current and former Pisgah players helping run camp over the three days.
For their high school coach, seeing his guys working with the younger generation is the best part of the camp.
"I enjoy watching my guys take leadership roles," Shepard said. "I hear them saying crap that I say to them, and it's funny. They'll get on somebody, and it's the same stuff that I said to them back in the regular season about something they did. It's funny to hear my crap come out of somebody else's mouth, but I enjoy watching my guys teaching the younger guys. That makes me happy."
It's also something that is instilled in the players while they're in the program. Shepard puts an emphasis on players giving back to future generations of Bears.
"It's an expectation," Shepard said. "We push them to give back, and I don't mean monetarily. They're not at a spot where they can give money and contribute that way, but they can come in and give some time back to the next group of kids coming in and help them get better."
And for the youth players taking part in the camp, having those current and former Bears there makes the whole process a little bit easier.
"With the players, you have more of a connection, because they've gone through the same thing that you have. They've come up from middle school and then into high school ball," Franklin said.
Shepard's son, Matthew, had been a consistent attendee at camps, but as a sophomore, this was his first year helping out as a volunteer.
"I think he's more tired helping with camp than he ever was playing in camp. That herding cats is tough," Shepard said.
The coach began his career coaching at Canton Middle before coming up to the high school. He has experience working with the younger kids and knows what to expect.
It's also something he misses getting the opportunity to do.
"I miss those days of explaining and doing. It's a blank slate," Shepard said. "I miss that part of it sometimes, not so much to go back to it, because I would much rather have the speed and the competitiveness that goes along with the varsity guys. But this gives me that little bit of that fix, going over and breaking it down and explaining it to those young ones."
But most of all, the three-day camp allows the community to come together around the sport of baseball.
"That's building a stronger tie to the community," Shepard said. "It's about Canton, not just Pisgah, not just baseball, but bringing us all together."
Many of the players come in wearing former Pisgah uniform hats, something that shocks but excites Shepard every time.
"I never know where they come in with them from, but they're wearing it, and they're making sure that they've got it right. And you see those hats, and it brings back memories from things that team that had those hats, and that's pretty cool in and of itself," Shepard said.
Continue reading...
