This week, Odessa High head baseball coach Jerrod Couch and his players have put on the annual Baseball Camp at Pressly Field.
The camp is for children in grades 2-9.
This week’s camp began on Monday and will conclude on Wednesday with two different sessions taking place each morning.
The first session goes from 8:30-10:30 a.m. with the 2-6th graders while the second session (grades 7-9) goes from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
“It’s been great,” Couch said. “We’ve had a great turnout so far. We’re just focused on the kids having fun so far. We’re getting as many reps as we can and have the kids interact with our players and have fun and enjoy this last little part of summer.”
This year, there are between 60-65 athletes attending the camp.
“It’s a little less than last year but it’s still a great turnout,” Couch said. “If you get that many kids, it’s a great turnout. It’s exciting for the future that you have this many kids that are coming out here to this baseball camp.”
During the camp, baseball players develop skills in fielding throwing and batting fundamentals all while having fun and staying hydrated.
“The first day was all defensive stuff, so we put them through drills that we do every day with my varsity and JV guys,” Couch said. “(Tuesday), we put them through 11 station rotations in the cages and hitting on the field. Then, Wednesday will be nothing but fun. It’s going to be water incorporated. We’ll have like 700 water balloons. We’ll have the slip n’ side set up. It’s going to be fun.”
With every day this week seeing triple-digit temperatures, Couch said it’s important for everyone to stay as hydrated as possible, especially as the morning progresses.
“With this first group, those kids are resilient,” Couch said. “They were great. It’s not as hot, but with the seventh through ninth graders, it starts to get hotter in the day. We do have water stations set up and water breaks so everyone gets as much water as they need so they can keep cool.”
However, it’s all a fun break from the usual grind of the regular season as Couch runs the camp with some of his high school players.
“It’s enjoyable,” Couch said. “It’s fun to be out here with these kids. I told my guys that are helping me that they’re really here for you all. I’m just here running it, but they want to see the high school players and interact with them.”
