Concordia complex to host clinic

Published 12:02 am Tuesday, December 3, 2013

VIDALIA — Professional baseball players and several LSU softball coaches will be in town Dec. 14 to give local youth a chance to improve their baseball and softball skills.

The Concordia Recreation District 3 complex will host LSU softball coach Beth Torina and assistant coaches Lindsay Leftwich and Sharonda McDonald, who will put on a softball clinic for girls ranging from 9 years old to seniors in high school.

A baseball clinic, meanwhile, will be available for boys the same age. Vidalia native Jarret Hoffpauir will be on-hand to teach the clinic, and former LSU baseball players Mason Katz, Austin Nola, Mike Fontenot and Micah Gibbs will also be on hand. Fran Andermann, hitting coach for the Louisiana Tech baseball team, will be teaching as well.

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“I’m excited about it,” Parks and Recreation Director Johnny Lee Hoffpauir said. “It’s a good opportunity for kids around here, because both boys and girls can learn some skills from and show some skills to the best.”

The chance to have college coaches on hand is especially huge, Hoffpauir said, because of the combined experience each coach has at the next level.

“LSU is coming because they heard we have good facilities to do it,” Hoffpauir said. “They don’t have to do this. All of these are either college coaches or former or current professional baseball players. It doesn’t get much better than that.”

The camp is hosted by Extra Innings Academy and will last from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the complex, and lunch will be available for purchase. The cost to register is $75 pre-registration only, and spots in the clinic are limited. To register, go to extrainningsbaseball.com or see Chip Sturdivant at Sports Center.

Hoffpauir said he’s hoping the clinic can act as another chance to show off the complex and help attract events such as this.

“We just have to get our product out there,” Hoffpauir said. “It’s a sales job. If we can get people to come see it, they’re coming back.”