Softball players took a week out of their schedule this summer to learn different skills associated with the sport at the Total Skills Camp that took place June 12-16 at Franklinton High School.

“It’s a total skills camp and we’re learning basic skills and then some advanced skills like slapping (slap hitting) different pitches,” Franklinton coach Leslie McGhee said. “If we have some pitchers out here, we’re teaching them some new pitches if they want to learn that. Different catching things. We have a lot of hitting going on and we’re teaching those fundamentals.

“Just pretty much everything you can think of that goes on in a softball game, we’re teaching those basic skills.”

The clinic had 30 children.

Helping out at the camp were all of the Franklinton Lady Demons softball players, including the seniors that graduated in May along with everybody that will be playing next year.

Also, Bogalusa softball coach Rachael Galloway, who has Galloway’s Nothing But Ks, working with pitching. Former Bowling Green softball coach Hollie Breland, who gives catching lessons and helped Galloway at Bogalusa this year, also worked at the clinic.

McGhee said her players having to teach the skills really helps them out.
“They really have to think about what they’re doing and what they’re teaching and it improves their skill level too and fundamentals,” McGhee said.

McGhee said she enjoys showing the kids and making sure they’re doing the correct fundamentals and getting the skill levels where they are supposed to be.

“Sometimes, you can be taught the wrong way and then you get all the way to me at a high school and then you’re having to reteach that and it’s hard to change somebody’s habit,” McGhee said.