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Welcome to the Salt River Fields Baseball Academy! Our baseball camps cater to kids at every level of play and are committed to providing a safe & fun experience for all! The Salt River Fields Baseball Academy focuses on creating a fun environment, providing quality instruction, encouragement, and teaching a few life skills along the way!
What You'll Learn
HITTING
Players will learn the basics of hitting including proper grip, stance/set up, routine, balance, stride/load, timing, swing path and finish. Hitters will rotate through a series of supervised stations, including batting cages, each designed to teach a different component of hitting.
FIELDING
Our program will help improve the skills of all infielders and outfielders by rotating through drills covering stance, positioning, pre-pitch movements, footwork, reaction, angles, ground balls, fly balls, backhands, double plays, communication and more!
THROWING
Players will have the opportunity to learn important skills like accuracy, arm strength, proper set-up, footwork and arm angle. They will rotate through a series of drills that each camper can perform at home!
PITCHING
Our drills are designed with emphasis on proper pitching mechanics and a solid throwing program to better each individual skill set. Players will learn the mechanics (windup/stretch), pitchers fielding practice, proper throwing progression, core/shoulder work, pick-offs, location, and the mental approach.
CATCHING
Our catching stations will cover all major aspects of being behind the plate. Players will learn stance, signs, receiving, framing, blocking, throwing, fielding, tags and more!
BASERUNNING
In the baserunning portion, players will learn running technique, acceleration, aggressiveness, anticipation, getting out of the box, and rounding bases. Players will learn from game-like situations that will simulate the speed of the game and the importance of taking the extra base.
Upcoming Camps & Clinics
December Hitting Clinic
December Hitting Clinic
Saturday, December 7 | 1 PM - 3 PM
Join us for an exciting two-hour hitting clinic, the December Hitting Clinic on Saturday, December 7th! Your child will receive expert instruction and practice drills to improve their hitting skills. They’ll learn from former MLB/Minor league players and coaches. The clinic will be held at the Colorado Rockies Batting Cages and adjacent field.
Ages: 5 – 14 YRS OLD
Cost: $85 per participant (Multiple Players: $75 each)
Winter Camps
Winter Camps
December 26-27 or 30-31 | 1 PM - 4 PM
Want to up your game before the spring season? Well, look no further than the SRF Baseball Academy’s Winter Baseball Camps! Join us on either December 26-27 or December 30-31 from 1 pm – 4 pm each day. You’ll get to train at the incredible Salt River Fields spring training facility and learn from former MLB/Minor league players and coaches. Don’t miss out on this awesome opportunity to improve your skills and get ready to crush it next season!
Ages: 5 – 14 YRS OLD
Cost: $150 per participant (Multiple Players: $130)
MLK DAY TUNE UP CLINIC
MLK DAY TUNE UP CLINIC
MONDAY, January 20 | 1 PM - 4 PM
Get pumped for the little league season by joining our awesome 3-hour tune up clinic! We’ve got all the bases covered with baserunning, hitting, fielding, throwing, and more! Plus, you’ll be learning from former MLB/Minor league players and coaches. They’ll teach you some super easy drills to up your game and get you all set for the upcoming season!
Ages: 5-14 years old
Cost: $90 per participant (Multiple Players: $80 each)
Quick Tips for Home
Jeff Rodin
Director of SRF Baseball Academy
Jeff is Director of the Salt River Fields Baseball Academy and is a consultant to several companies in advancing sports and business. Previously, Rodin was the Arizona Diamondbacks Director of Baseball Outreach & Development from 2000-2020. Jeff Rodin has been with Positive Coaching Alliance since 2013 and serves as a national trainer and Arizona chapter board member. He is currently working for the Office of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball. Jeff attended the University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC) on a baseball scholarship and earned bachelor’s degrees in both kinesiology and secondary education. He served as an assistant baseball coach at the high school, junior college and NCAA levels. Rodin worked for the Chicago White Sox Training Centers, where he ran baseball camps throughout the Midwest. He moved to Phoenix in 1998 and taught in both the Scottsdale and Peoria school district before joining the D-backs staff in 1999.
TESTIMONIALS
EquipmenT
Each participant will need to bring his/her own equipment (there will not be sharing of bats or gloves or water bottles). Here is what to bring/wear:
- Baseball Glove
- Baseball Bat
- Baseball helmet (highly suggested)
- Filled Water Bottle
- Wear baseball cleats. If you are wearing cleats to an outdoor location, please bring gym shoes in case the camp moves indoors due to inclement weather. NO METAL SPIKES.
- Wear baseball pants or sweat pants and protective gear
Please have your child’s gear labeled so it is not misplaced or taken accidentally by another child.
Safety First
While children at camp are separated by age, not all players of the same age have equal ability. For safety reasons and because it facilitates the best learning environment, players are grouped by age and ability. These “teams” stay together throughout the week with the same coach. There is crossover with instructors but we have found the bonds created between teammates and their primary coach is one of the truly special dynamics at camp.
At our instructors’ discretion, tennis balls, whiffle balls and safety balls are used liberally at camp. We also use regulation baseballs and softballs, however fear-free confidence is a critical foundation for fun and learning on the diamond.
Drop-off and Pick-up Procedures
You will receive an email the week prior to your child’s camp that will indicate which large flying banner he/she should head out to when you arrive at the drop-off location. There will be multiple coaches assisting in the drop-off and pick-up process.
For dropping off your child, please plan on pulling up and letting your child out, help him/her grab their gear, then one of our coaches will check him/her in and provide more direction.
For pick-up, when you pull into the parking lot, please let our coach know who you are picking up so we can have him/her come to your car. There will be hand sanitizer for them to use on their way out of camp.
Special Guests, Incentives & more!
Your child won’t just get a great baseball learning experience, they’ll also receive special discounts, experiences, guest appearances and more! These incentives aren’t offered to the general public and are limited based on availability!
Our Gallery
SALT RIVER FIELDS AT TALKING STICK
480-270-5000
7555 N. PIMA RD. | SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85258
FAQ'S
How many kids will be there at a time?
While our programs can attract around 200 players at some locations, that is spread over a four and a half or five-hour period. We take a maximum of about 30 players per hour for the hitting camps and between 12 and 14 pitchers per hour, depending on the size of the facility. The important thing to remember is that we provide a low player-coach ratio. If we add players, we add coaches. We have had waiting lists as long as 100 at a particular location. We will not overbook and compromise our instruction.
How do we register and how do we pay?
Registration forms for each location are on the web site. Enter your information online and submit it to reserve your spot. Your spot will be held up to three weeks. All payments can be made immediately or by returning to your account at any time while your registration is being held. A small upcharge/tax applies for credit card payments.
Your website says players need to bring their own bat. Will you have bats for them to use, or can they borrow one from another player in camp?
We want each player to bring a bat because there are times when everyone in a group will be performing a drill at the same time, so it’s not ideal to borrow a bat from someone else in the camp. Also, due to COVID-19, it’s not recommended to share any type of equipment with other campers.
How should players dress?
Campers are encouraged to have baseball pants, t-shirt, cleats and/or tennis shoes for each camp. Also, please dress depending on the weather.
Where do you hold your camps?
All camps will be held at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. They will either be on the backfields, batting cages, bullpens and/or main stadium. We will inform you where each camp will take place.
Can I watch my athlete during camp?
You can stay to watch your child participate in the camp. Due to COVID-19, it is encouraged that masks be worn by all and social distancing is practiced. If you can not comply with these rules you will be asked to leave.
Refund Policy
There is no refund if cancellation is made within 2 days of their scheduled camp session. No refund will be made for a camper who withdraws at any time after arriving at camp. There is no reduction or refund of fees for late arrival or early departure. If a camper is a no-show for a registered session, no refund will be issued. Finally, we reserve the right to dismiss, without refund, any camper whose conduct is detrimental to the camp or to other campers.
For questions, please reach out to [email protected].