ST. GEORGE – The BYU women’s softball team came to St. George on Saturday to teach, and hopefully inspire, local youth in the City of St. George’s Red Desert Classic Brigham Young Softball Clinic, hosted at the Canyons Softball Complex.
“It is just fun to work with all the young girls,” Cougars senior outfielder Carly Duckworth said. “You don’t really realize the impact that you have on the girls until they come and they’re around you and you can just tell that they really look up to you.”
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Videocast produced by John Teas, St. George News
During the clinic, the youth players ages 8-18 were able to meet and be mentored by the NCAA Division I female athletes. They helped teach softball fundamentals, but also confidence and pride in themselves.
At the opening of the clinic, BYU head coach Gordon Eakin asked the girls to speak loudly and tell their name, threatening to embarrass anyone who didn’t speak loud enough. He said it is important to be confident because we are all the same and we all make mistakes.
“I think when you teach youth anything about sports, it is teaching them about life as well and to really try to teach them to come out of their comfort zone and be confident,” he said. “(That’s) where it all starts.”
During the clinic, there was also a Q & A period where the athletes addressed questions the youth had.
The clinic culminated the Larry H. Miller Red Desert Classic Softball Tournament, which featured 12 Division I softball programs competing in a Round Robin format at St. George’s Canyons Softball Complex. Included in the tourney were regional favorites BYU, Southern Utah, Weber State and Utah Valley. Saturday’s clinic was hosted and sponsored by St. George City’s Recreation division.
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BYU Softball Head Coach Gordon Eakin , St. George, Utah, Feb. 8, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
BYU Softball Head Coach Gordon Eakin addressing the youth before the clinic, St. George, Utah, Feb. 8, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
BYU Softball Head Coach Gordon Eakin watching a dancing contest between youth and one of his players, St. George, Utah, Feb. 8, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
BYU Softball clinic, St. George, Utah, Feb. 8, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
Girl batting at the BYU Softball clinic, St. George, Utah, Feb. 8, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
Girl praticing batting at the BYU Softball clinic, St. George, Utah, Feb. 8, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
BYU Softball clinic, St. George, Utah, Feb. 8, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
Coach Gordon Eakin teaching a young girl batting at the BYU Softball clinic, St. George, Utah, Feb. 8, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
Related posts
- City of St. George offers Red Desert Clinic for youth softball with BYU head coach
- Senior softball players wanted; Southern Utah Senior Softball Association
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