TORONTO- Day 1 of the Mizuno Elite Development Camp kicked-off at Rogers Centre in Toronto and gave the lucky 15 and 16 year olds in attendance a full day of knowledge that will surely turn them into not only better baseball players but will give them the tools necessary to succeed in life.
The day began bright and early as players were put through their paces and given top quality instruction from Toronto Blue Jays coaches Brian Butterfield and Bruce Walton, former Blue Jay Paul Quantrill, Junior National Team Head Coach and Director of National Teams for Baseball Canada, Greg Hamilton and a host of other top coaches from around the country.
“It was a lot of fun, I learned a lot of (new) things and it was amazing being on that field (Rogers Centre),” said camp participant Damion Smith (Windsor, ON).
After the workout was over and a break for lunch it was off to the classroom as players sat through Life Skill’s seminars on strength and conditioning and career financial planning.
The strength and conditioning seminar featured former Toronto Blue Jays Strength and Conditioning Coach, Jeff Krushell as the presenter. Krushell gave a spirited presentation that reinforced the importance of taking care of your body as well as a plethora of other useful information.
“The presentation had a lot of good information that I can start implementing into my game right away and stuff for the off-season,” noted camper Max Hollingworth (Coquitlam, BC).
Amongst the information that Krushell drove home were three key points that he wanted all participants to remember, being proper nutrition and staying hydrated, the importance of having good athletic posture and staying active and performing proper athletic movements.
The group then welcomed David Vander Voet a Senior Client Advisor from RBC’s Sports Professionals Program. Vander Voet and his team represent many professional athletes and specialize in career planning.
“I learned a lot of new things that I didn’t know before,” explained Smith. “I learnt about interest rates and how to be smart with your money. It was very educational for someone who is new to all this stuff.”
Vander Voet’s presentation covered many important topics including how professional athletes can foolishly spend their money if they are not careful and the importance budgeting according to what salary you make in the career path that you choose.
This Life Skill’s presentation also prepared the participants for everyday life in the future with information on credit cards and how important it is to build good credit, how the Canadian tax system works and the benefits of making smart investments.
The full day of activities was capped off with a dinner at the Renaissance Hotel followed by attending the Toronto Blue Jays game at Rogers Centre where participants were treated by watching Canadian Shawn Hill (Georgetown, ON) make his first start as a Blue Jay and first Major League appearance of 2010.
The Mizuno Elite Development Camp will have the same format on Day 2 and this time the Life Skill’s seminar will feature a presentation from the Blue Jays on talent assessment and the minor league system.
