The boys of summer

Suzie Harrison

The bottom line with these young boys is rounding the bases and

scoring a run.

Learning how to improve their game, these 10- to 13-year-old boys of summer got closer to their goal, sharpening their skills, as part

of the Laguna Beach Community Services baseball camp Tuesday.

David Dopf, a former assistant coach for the Laguna Beach High

School team for four years, along with three other coaches worked in

the morning fog, improving these athletes’ abilities, all of whom

were seasoned Little League players.

“Each camp is a week long, three hours in the morning from 9 a.m.

to 12 p.m.,” Dopf said. “They’re learning a lot of fundamentals --

fielding the ball, throwing mechanics, some hitting mechanics,

balanced stance and batting stance.”

Learning about sliding, pitching and some of the rules of the game

are also part of drill.

“I’m learning how to do infield stuff and outfield stuff, more

stuff like that and we’re doing hitting,” Stevie Contursi, 10, said.

“I’m on the Laguna Beach All-Star team and play catcher and pitcher.

I probably prefer playing catcher because I like throwing people out

at second [base] and stuff.”

Drake Dixon, 12, said the group was learning the basics of

baseball such as the proper way to throw the ball and the “crow hop,”

a trick to throwing the ball farther from the outfield.

“I’ve played a little bit of short stop, third base and have

pitched a couple of times,” said Dixon, who has been coming to the

camp for three years, every week that fits his age group, unless he’s

on vacation.

“The hardest thing is batting, there’s a lot of steps,” Dixon

said. “If you don’t get it perfect and something is not working with

your swing, you have to keep trying over and over until you get it

right.”

Starting each day, the ballplayers do some running and stretching

to get loose, as well as participate in other drills. Paired up

playing catch, the players moved farther apart during one exercise,

designed to help them learn to move to the ball and throw to a target

at different distances.

Alex Sasaki, 11, was in the dugout before starting hitting drills.

He said he enjoyed working on fielding grounders and pop flies, which

is apt for him being an outfielder for a Laguna team.

“With pop flies, we worked on where you turn, learning where the

ball is headed and learning to head that way, run to the ball and

catch it,” Sasaki said. “I’m really good at catching pop flies.”

Last year while playing outfield during a Little League game,

Sasaki said he made a crucial play -- with the bases loaded, he

caught a pop fly with his team down by one point, saving the game.

Cole Kennedy, 11, was rotating with some of the guys practicing

hitting with small Wiffle Balls.

“It helps us with hand eye coordination and helps us with

hitting,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy is a third-baseman and finds his position riveting.

“You get to run in for the bunts and it’s a really active

position,” Kennedy said. “My favorite part of playing baseball is

hitting and fielding, mostly hitting.”

Other perks of baseball camp is playing scrimmages and on the last

day they have a barbecue and get prizes.

“They get prizes for doing things the right way -- baseball cards,

and Jolly Ranchers work like a charm they really like them,” Dopf

said. “Each kid gets a Damon Berryhill baseball card. He’s the only

Laguna Beach High School alumni to play in the majors. They also get

camp T-shirts.”

In the field or on the mound, the consensus among the players was

that baseball camp was a lot of fun; it was a great way to be with

friends, and improve their skills.

The next baseball camp is for 7- to 13-years-old kids and runs

from July 7 to July 11 at Carrillo Field at Laguna Beach High School.

For more information, contact the community services department at

497-0716.