Franklinton High School held its annual softball camp last week as children ages 5-14 learned different aspects of softball at Franklinton High School.

“The camp is a total skills camp,” Franklinton coach Leslie McGhee said. “We work on all kinds of fundamentals from pitching, catching to the basics of throwing a softball, hitting techniques and slapping (hitting). We go from basic to more advanced fundamentals.”

McGhee said the camp had 42 participants, and some came all of the way from Mississippi to attend.

Mother Nature threw a curveball at the clinic last Tuesday as the rains came. That forced the camp to be moved into the school’s gym.

McGhee said they didn’t lose any of the things they had planned by moving into the gym and said they just switched some times around.

The campers had fielding, hitting and bunting in the gym.

“I actually like the gym a little bit better for fielding because it made them break it down a little bit. We were in such a small space, and it’s easier for them to see what they’re doing wrong instead of beingout here (at the softball field) open. We did hitting and bunting skills in there,” McGhee said.

Helping McGhee with the camp were assistant coach Elecia Crain along with current and former players.

The FHS coach said it helps out having the former players back, especially when it comes to pitching.

“These little girls have come to our games, or they’ve talked to them. These girls know them, and they know they’ve been to college. It helps out the camp a lot as far as getting the girls here because they know, hey Bridgett (Goss) is coming or hey Reagan’s (Chauvin) coming back or Haley Sanford, who was a senior who had six home runs this year and was my leading slugger,” McGhee said.

Goss, who will be redshirt junior next season, pitched for Hinds Community College. The school is located just outside of Jackson, Miss.

This season, the 2012 Franklinton High graduate posted a 7-9 record with a 3.33 earned run average.

Goss appeared in 18 games, started 17 and recorded 11 complete games.

“It’s probably one of the highlights of summer, just coming back and seeing all of the girls. Especially with them growing up, from every year and seeing how much different, how much they’re growing, not only physically, but athletically in softball and everything. It’s a pleasure to get to come out here,” Goss said.

Goss said the best part for her is getting to teach them how to pitch.

“From being somebody who just came out and started young and ended up actually getting to go to college, I want to try and do all I can to help these girls at least learn the basics to where they can come and start pitching, hopefully in high school and possibly later on after that,” Goss said.