Jackie Blakeney of Taylorsville was growing tired of teaching youngsters how to stand at the plate each summer.

As the father of boys ages 9 and 5, Blakeney has spent the last three years coaching T-Ball and coach-pitch.

&uot;I was tired of going out there and seeing kids stand the wrong way while they were batting when we first started out practicing and showing kids how to stand,&uot; he said.

So the toolmaker came up with an idea to help youngsters learn how to stand in the batter’s box. It’s an invention he calls, what else, the Batter’s Box.

&uot;This product helps them spread their legs right and keep their feet in the right position,&uot; Blakeney said. &uot;I’ve used this technique for the last two years and we’ve won the (Taylorsville) Farm (coach-pitch) League both years.&uot;

Blakeney sent a tape and sketch of his product to Invention Technologies, Inc, in Florida. The company, known as the &uot;launch pad for new ideas,&uot; has since made Blakeney’s idea available for licensing to manufacturers interested in new product development.

Because the product has not been picked up as of yet, Blakeney, who signed a non-disclosure deal with the Florida company, cannot go into details about his invention.

No photos, prototypes or graphic illustrations of the design can be made available until a licensing agreement and/or patent protection has been secured.

While that may limit Blakeney’s description of the product, it doesn’t quell his enthusiasm a bit.

&uot;I can tell you that it keeps the kids feet in position while they are taking batting practice,&uot; Blakeney said. &uot;This product puts you in the right stance. It helps the kids to open their hips, which allows them to hit with power. When the kid goes to pivot, it gets them to where it opens up their hips. And it can be used by a right-handed or left-handed batter.&uot;

And after so many uses with the invention, the stance and swing would become natural.

&uot;Coaches won’t have to worry about where the kids’ feet are once they get in the game,&uot; Blakeney said. &uot;By the time they get older and have used this product, they should know how to do it.&uot;

Blakeney is hoping manufacturers such as Rawlings, Louisville Slugger and TPX&160;show an interest in his invention.

&uot;If the right people get ahold of it, it’s something that can be used worldwide,&uot; Blakeney said. &uot;And it would be good for coaches and teams. After all, if you hit the ball at an early age, you score some runs.&uot;

Blakeney said he has been low key about the invention.

&uot;I really haven’t told anybody because I don’t want to get everybody’s hopes up and the product not make it,&uot; he said. &uot;And I haven’t really used it much because I didn’t want anybody to copy the concept before I got it out there.&uot;

And, of course, it would be icing on the cake if Blakeney made money off of it.

&uot;That’s what I’m hoping for,&uot; he said. &uot;I’m just afraid it won’t get into the right hands at the right time and it’s just going to be sitting on somebody’s desk.&uot;

Blakeney said he has no idea when of if the product will be picked up.

&uot;I was hoping to do something with it this year,&uot; he said. &uot;I have all the paperwork done. There’s still some time that people can work with it this year and then start out next year with it. I’m hoping something happens pretty soon.&uot;

Joey Martin is sports editor of The Democrat. He can be reached by calling 446-5172 ext. 232 or at joey.martin@natchezdemocrat.com.