Community Baseball Camp at Cate Field: A Grand Success!

 

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. 

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.  

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."