JUNCTION CITY, KS - On Saturday, May 8, the KCAC held the KCAC Champions of Character Baseball Clinic at Rathert Stadium in Junction City, Kansas. The free event was sponsored by Papa Murphy's Pizza. There were approximately 25 youth baseball participants ranging in age from seven to twelve years old. The KCAC baseball coaches took time to teach the youth the five core values of Champions of Character (Integrity, Respect, Responsibility, Sportsmanship, and Servant Leadership) and run them through baseball drills that included advice on pitching, catching, throwing, fielding, and hitting.

The KCAC Champions of Character Clinic began with Ottawa University Head Baseball Coach Joe Reed talking to the participants about the core values of the NAIA Champions of Character. Coach Reed related all five of the values to baseball and how to play the game the right way. Respect for the game and your opponent were two of the most stressed points during the discussion. After the youth had a good grasp of the core values of Champions of Character, the KCAC baseball coaches split the youth into different groups and began working on drills.

In the batting cages at Rathert Stadium, the baseball players were walked through different stages of hitting by Kansas Wesleyan University Coach Mark Carvalho, Tabor College Head Coach Mark Standiford, and Bethany College Head Baseball Coach Jeremy Cantrell. Coach Carvalho worked on hand placement with the players, teaching them how to properly grip the bat. Once the players had learned the fundamentals of how to hold the bat, Coach Standiford taught the youth proper foot and leg work when swinging the bat. In the last stage, Coach Cantrell helped the kids put everything that they had previously learned into motion, running the youth through a soft toss drill.

On the field, the players worked on different aspects of defense with Sterling College Head Coach Jared Hamilton, University of Saint Mary Head Coach Rob Miller, and Ottawa University Head Coach Joe Reed. Coach Hamilton worked on pitching with the young players, teaching them the importance of balance and direction. With Coach Miller, the athletes worked on the fundamentals of catching fly balls and proper hand placement. In the last defensive station, the youth worked with Coach Reed on fielding groundballs and the proper footwork when getting in position to field the ball.

After the drills were done, the KCAC had an extra treat for the morning's participants. Papa Murphy's provided pizza for all the participants and their families while the KCAC provided each participant with a clinic t-shirt, a game program, and free admission to Sunday afternoon's championship game.

At the end of the day, the event was a success. The participants learned about the important core values of Champions of Character, were able to improve their baseball skills, went home with a full belly, and received a free t-shirt. The KCAC hopes to build this event next year, reaching more of Junction City's youth and spreading the word about the core values of the NAIA's Champions of Character.