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Nurturing Tomorrow’s Stars at Summer Softball Clinics

Ex-Park, WLU star takes part in Magnolia camp

Photo by Rick Thorp / Kasey Barker, 10, a fifth grader at Short Line Elementary School, listens to Angela Johnson’s instructions on bunting this week during a softball clinic offered by Magnolia High School in conjunction with New Martinsville Parks and Recreation. Johnson is the former Wheeling Park High School all-state selection and West Liberty University all-WVC performer.

NEW MARTINSVILLE — Who says all young people sit around all day playing with their iPads and Xboxes?

No electronic devices were in sight Tuesday morning as the Magnolia High School softball team and New Martinsville Parks and Recreation Department continued the first of two summer softball clinics at Hydro Field.

The events, targeted at players entering grades 2-8, feature Angela Johnson as their top clinician. Johnson earned All-OVAC and All-West Virginia accolades at Wheeling Park High School before garnering All-West Virginia Conference honors at West Liberty University.

For her, having an opportunity to pass along knowledge to the next generation of softball stars is empowering.

”I just wanted to give back to the girls,” said Johnson, an aspiring coach preparing to enter her second year as a math teacher at Magnolia High School. ”We want to start them young. So when they get older, they have more knowledge of the game.”

This week’s clinic, taking place for three hours in the morning, is focusing on fielding and hitting. Next week’s clinic, slated for July 5-7 from 6-7 p.m. each day, will target pitching, Johnson’s specialty. Cost is $15 per player for the pitching clinic and participants are asked to bring their own catcher.

”Pitching is one of those things you have to work year round at,” said Danny Anderson, a longtime Magnolia softball assistant and coordinator of the two clinics. ”Having Angela here is invaluable. It all goes back to fundamentals. If you haven’t played at a high level, you don’t know all the details that go into softball and baseball.”

The 20 or so girls participating in Tuesday morning’s clinic were involved in numerous drills aimed at improving a variety of skills.

One had Johnson working with the girls on bunting. Another had Johnson helping the clinicgoers learn the proper way to slide. Did each girl perform each drill perfectly? No. But Johnson was always there with a kind word, making sure they knew what they did wrong and how to improve.

”I’m happy when they have that ‘light bulb’ moment and really get into the groove of something; just when they start grasping the concept and how excited they get.”

And there were plenty of smiles around the Hydro Field complex, from both the players and teachers.

”I just like giving back to the community,” Johnson said.

For Anderson, the camp isn’t just for kids in New Martinsville. It’s for any youngster who loves softball and wants to make it their passion. For him, any successful softball player translates into another.

”You always want softball to get better,” said Anderson, who has three youngsters involved in the sport. ”Because when everyone gets better, you have to rise up and meet the challenge.

”If other teams are getting better, it helps you just as much. I’ve always said that we don’t coach for wins and losses. We coach because we want to see kids do things correctly and get better at things. And if it happens to be a River girl or a John Marshall girl or a Valley girl, as long as they’re working hard we’ll work hard with them.”

For more information about next week’s pitching clinic, contact Anderson at 304-771-8820.

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