Learning to play the game
Published 9:31 am Monday, June 16, 2014
Children ages 4-14 took part in Franklinton’s softball camp to help improve their game and learn new things along the way.
The 54 campers were taught bunting, fielding techniques and hitting fundamentals, pitching and catching, slapping and baserunning techniques and outfield.
McGhee had her entire team out there helping her out, which she said is a requirement for them.
“This is one of their biggest fundraisers, so they come and they work the camp,” Franklinton High School coach Leslie McGhee said.
McGhee said if she didn’t have her team helping, she couldn’t do this by herself.
“They come and do everything that we’ve taught them over the year. They come and relay those same fundamentals to the girls,” McGhee said.
The coach said the team having to teach the skills should help them in their play.
“Being a teacher, when I teach somebody something, it makes me think more about it,” McGhee said. “Them having to teach it to the little girls from what I’ve taught them, they really have to think through the process and they get to kind of brush up on their skills as well because they’re having to teach it.”
The camp also featured a pair of Franklinton softball players in 2013 FHS graduates Regan Chauvin and Alex Williams.
“I asked them to come and they just wanted to come and help the kids,” McGhee said. “Alex even took off of work to come. Alex is probably one of the best bunters I’ve had. She went to a camp in Texas her junior year. She came back and could lay a bunt down. She wasn’t the fastest, but she placed a bunt just right. She was pretty much safe everytime I asked her to do that. Regan was one of my best hitters when she was here.”
Franklinton had a pretty good season this year, going 14-13. The Lady Demons reached the Class 4A state playoffs as the 26th seeded team, but lost in the bi-district round to seventh seeded Benton 11-0. Benton reached the quarterfinals, but lost to 15th seeded North DeSoto 19-1.
Franklinton’s softball team had no seniors this year.