Baseball/softball academy in Barre will feature Major Leaguer and one of Yankees’ owners
Mike Outten, pastor of North Point Chapel in Albion, is bringing a baseball and softball academy to the community next month that will include instruction from retired Major League Baseball pitcher Chris Hammond.
BARRE — An Albion church is bringing a retired major League Baseball pitcher and one of the New York Yankees owners to the community next month for a baseball and softball academy.
North Point Chapel has previously held basketball camps and a baseball clinic. This is the first time a former professional athlete will lead one of the programs for North Point.
The academy will be from July 15-19 and is open to boys and girls, ages 8 to 18, in Orleans County and other nearby communities outside Orleans. The program will be at the Barre Town Park from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The cost is $50 per children if signed up by June 24. Then the cost increases to $65. The maximum cost will be $100 per family if more than one child signs up for the camp. The price includes lunch.
“It’s an outreach to the community, and the kids will become better ballplayers,” said Mike Outten, pastor of North Point Chapel.
Chris Hammond will lead drills each day with instructors from NextLVL Sports Institute in Georgia. Hammond pitched 14 seasons in the big leagues with the Reds, Marlins, Red Sox, Braves, Yankees, A’s and Padres. He had his best season in 2002 with a 0.95 ERA with the Braves. He is only the third pitcher in the history of the Major Leagues to maintain an ERA under 1.00 for a full season.
Chris Hammond
Grant Cagle, a partner with the Yankees, will be at the camp on Thursday. He is friends with Hammond.
“You’re not going to get an owner of the New York Yankees in our area very often,” Outten said.
NextLVL wants to expand its camps and wants to see a big number of kids for the program at the Barre park. The players will be taught hitting, agility and footwork, as well as strength training, diamond work and the fundamentals of the game. Each player should bring a bat, hat and glove.
In addition to the camp, Hammond will lead a father/child seminar on Wednesday evening that week. Friday night there will be a cook-out and concert.
A registration form is available on the North Point Chapel Facebook page. For more information, contact Outten at 716-622-0628.
