Red Raiders to host inaugural youth clinic

Young ballplayers in the North Quabbin region will have the opportunity to learn every aspect of baseball on a personal level with experienced coaching at a five-day clinic later this month.  

Athol varsity baseball coach Josh Talbot and junior varsity coach Matt Talbot will run the first ever Red Raider Baseball School at James H. Salevan Field in Athol from July 22 through July 26.

 ​​​​The clinic will start at 10 a.m. each day and and run for three hours. 

“We’ve talked about it in the past,” Matt Talbot said. “We want to ensure there is a good baseball future here in town. So we will really push this effort and pull out as many stops as we can.”

Price for the clinic is $85 for players aged 7-13. Athletes can register at the Athol Area YMCA or at www.ymcaathol.org with a YMCA account.

“We are going to have an entire curriculum of everything,” Talbot said. “It could be as simple as throwing and catching. There will be fielding technique, pitching and catching technique. All worked on.”

Aside from the core baseball skills there will be a focus on taking staying in shape, staying sharp in the offseason and injury prevention.

Mark Ferrari and Nick Bousquet of the Athol baseball team will attend and provide more teaching to the young players.

“We are trying to get as many of those players to give back to the community,” Talbot said. 

Athol native Matt Fisher, 2005 draft pick of the Tampa Bay Rays, will assist with pitching on July 26th. 

“The focal point will be to watch them naturally playing the game and critique them on the finer points of pitching,” Fisher said. “The ultimate goal is to maintain better control on their fastball.”

Space is limited at the clinic, players are encouraged to register as early as possible.