SPORTS

Petoskey holds annual youth baseball camp at Bates Park

The Petoskey News-Review

Petoskey coach Mike Loper (left) and former Northmen player Kolton Horn (right) work with players on hitting during the annual Petoskey Youth Baseball Camp at Bates Park.

PETOSKEY — The annual Petoskey Youth Baseball Camp always comes as a full-circle experience.

Many future Northmen baseball players grew up attending the camp, learning the skills needed at the plate, in the field and around the base paths to compete at each level of the program.

A camper receives a pitch during a drill at Bates Park.

Earlier this week at Bates Park in Petoskey, the annual camp took place, with Petoskey coaches and player volunteers helping usher in the next generation of area baseball players.

The camp featured over 100 participant, with basic skills learned through a portion of the camp, before scrimmage play took over.

Petoskey baseball head coach Shawn Racignol as well as coaches Mike Loper and Dave Elliott helped run the camp, while volunteers included: Kolton Horn, Nolan Spadafore, Peyton Harmon, Jordan Troxel, Christopher Kavanaugh, Dave Elliott, Mike Loper, Grant Slater, Tripp McGuiness, Rowan Dohm, Tate Dohm, Tyler Dohm, Haden Janes, Jack Golding, James Holt, Liz Racignol and Nora Racignol.

Petoskey's Jordan Troxel (right) works with some players during the camp at Bates Park.

Racignol also took the time to thank Kendall Klingelsmith, Ed Smith and the rest of the Petoskey Parks and Rec. department for having the fields ready to go and the Petoskey Little League for the use of equipment.

Older players huddle around to get some direction from coaches and players helping run the camp.

Petoskey's Kolton Horn (front, left) pitches to a player working on a bunt drill.

Youth players break it down at the end of the camp together after a couple days of learning baseball skills.