Skip to main content

Community Baseball Camp at Cate Field: A Grand Success!

 

A profesional baseball player coaches three youth skills as a catcher on a baseball field.

On a hot day in July, the Cate Field buzzed with excitement as 30 enthusiastic baseball players, aged 14 to 17, got to meet and learn from professional players and coaches. The camp, a collaborative effort organized by SLCC Professors Hau Moy Kwan and Ali Carrillo along with Panas en Utah, featured seven distinguished coaches: Andrew Perez from the International Pro League, Eduardo Perez from the Dodgers, Jhonn Perez with D1 baseball experience, Jonathan Soto from the Chicago Cubs, Luis Basabe from the Chicago White Sox, and Eduardo El Asere from Little League Baseball.   

“The camp was a great experience for all the players who participated because the coaches, with their experience, showed them how professional baseball players play,” said co-organizer Ali Carrillo.   

Antonio Mejias, a player, expressed his agreement, saying that he had participated in other camps but found this one to be superior because the coaches brought a lot of experience to their coaching. He mentioned that not only did he learn to field more like a major league player, but also learned more about how to handle the mental toughness required to play at that level. 

High school aged male baseball player stretches out to catch a ball at his base.


Thanks to generous sponsors like UFirst Credit Union, SLCC HSI Initiatives, IU Insurance Utah, Morelza Boratzuk, and Rosiris Jor Jor Jordán Insurance, players like Antonio who may not have otherwise had the opportunity to interact with such high-caliber coaches, due to the high cost of baseball camps, received valuable training in skills such as batting, pitching, fielding, base running, team exercises, and a scrimmage game, all for free.  

Profesional baseball player coaches youth in catching in field balls.


Professors Hau Moy and Ali Carrillo are passionate about giving back to their community. As an immigrant to the United States Hau says, “This country opened its door to us as immigrants and we feel like it is our responsibility to pay that back with service to the community.”  

Before coming to the United States, Ali played baseball professionally in Venezuela. The idea of a baseball camp for economically disadvantaged youth was a natural fit for these sports-loving educators. Leveraging their connections to the college and to Panas en Utah, a media company directed especially to Venezuelans in Utah, they formed the idea of a free baseball camp for players. 

Always educationally minded Hau says that one of the broader goals of this event is “to demonstrate that Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) is not just a place for academic study but also a venue where the community can engage in both sports and academics simultaneously. We want to show that it is possible to balance athletics with educational pursuits.” 

Showcasing how to successfully blend sports and academics can ease the concerns of many parents and high school students as they make decisions about college. Mom Mayree Aparicio praised the program, saying, "The camp was excellent! The coaches taught the children how to train and play professionally. It was truly an activity that we enjoyed very much as a community."

Group shot of 30-40 baseball players and coaches posing on a baseball field in their yellow baseball camp t-shirts.

 

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Rev Up Your Future at SLCC Annuals Hop into College

SLCC West Valley Center will be opening its doors on Friday, August 2, from 6-9 pm for their annual lowrider event that celebrates the automotive culture and welcomes current, past, and future Bruins into the SLCC community. This unique event allows lowriders to showcase their vehicles and for spectators to witness the creativity, craftsmanship, and passion that goes into a lowrider car. From the sleek custom paint jobs to the impressive hydraulics showcased at the hop-off, attendees get immersed in the vibrant culture created by SLCC West Valley’s community. Beyond the car show, Hop into College provides prospective students and their families the opportunity to explore SLCC, engage with their future peers, staff and faculty and obtain valuable insight into the degrees and programs offered. Furthermore, the community is provided with countless beneficial resources not only as an SLCC student but as a community member. Whether interested in learning more about the lowrider community o...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Center for Prior Learning Receives an Honorable Mention

Today, SLCC's Credit for Prior Learning department received an Honorable Mention from the  Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL ) and the  Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education  for its intentional approach and for expanding student options to receive credit for prior learning.  Credit for Prior Learning (CPL)  allows students to obtain college credit for knowledge and skills acquired outside of the traditional academic environment. This is exceptionally beneficial for adult learners, who, according to CAEL, have a 17% higher chance of graduating compared to those adults who don’t earn credits through prior learning programs. The CPL department at SLCC was created in 2020 and since then the volume of students served has grown as the department continues to expand. To be eligible for CPL, students must be working towards a degree, certificate, or apprenticeship. Director of Credit for Prior Learning at SLCC, Andrea Tipton, mentioned fee...
Post a Comment
Read more

Board of Higher Ed names Gregory F. Peterson 9th SLCC President

The Utah Board of Higher Education unanimously selected Gregory F. Peterson, Ed.D., as the ninth president of Salt Lake Community College today, following an extensive national search. Peterson will assume the position on July 1, 2024, and succeeds Deneece G. Huftalin, who served as president from 2014-2024.   “I’m humbled by the opportunity to serve as Salt Lake Community College’s next president, and I look forward to reinforcing SLCC’s commitment to providing educational pathways for transfer and workforce that improve the lives of every member of our community,” Peterson said. “SLCC has an amazing future ahead, and I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of that journey.”   As part of its delegated duties and responsibilities, the SLCC Board of Trustees named an  11-member committee  in December 2023 to conduct a national search for the next president of SLCC. The committee is composed of representatives from the Utah Board of Higher Education and SLCC trustees, facul...
Post a Comment
Read more