PORT BYRON - By most standards it might be a little early still for spring training, but not for Port Byron varsity baseball coach Felix Mucedola, who has spent the Christmas break helping some of Port Byron's up-and-coming young ballplayers get in shape for the coming season.
When Mucedola, who took over as head coach of the Panthers last spring, had a disappointing first season, but it was one that got Mucedola thinking about the roots of the Port Byron baseball program with its youth leagues.
Mucedola said that he spent a lot of time over the spring and summer attending youth league games and watching the young players.
“The numbers have been really good,” Mucedola said. “We had a team that even went undefeated until they got into the playoffs. I was really happy with what I saw, but it immediately got me thinking about what I could do to help give our youth programs a solid foundation.”
After thinking it over for a while Mucedola decided that one of the best ways he could contribute to Port Byron's youth baseball was to hold a winter clinic for kids from fourth to eighth grade.
“You always hear kids say they are bored and there is nothing to do during winter break,” Mucedola said. “So I thought this would be the perfect time to put something together and help the kids learn a little bit and help build up youth baseball.”
This clinic was eagerly anticipated with more than 25 young ballplayers signing up to attend the clinic held at the Port Byron Middle School gymnasium.
“I think this is really nice,” Caleb Green, 13, said. “It is nice to be able to get out and play some ball in the winter. I think it will be a really good clinic with a really good coach and that we are going to be able to learn a lot from being here.”
Mucedola is a strong believer in the fundamentals, without these even the most talented player can't succeed.
“This is all about building up those fundamentals of the game,” Mucedola said. “Hitting, fielding, making plays - these are all important aspects that have to be learned to get a player where they need to be.”
Throughout the course of the clinic, Mucedola stressed drills designed to help create a confident approach to any situation that may arise in the field.
“There are coaches who will tell you to attack the ball,” Mucedola said. “I don't like this term, it makes it sound like you aren't in control. I like my players to be in control, I tell players to glide to the ball and to stay in control.”
Mucedola also took the kids through drills designed to create muscle memory, to make the reactions to almost any situation reflexive.
“Muscles have memory too,” Mucedola said. “They have to learn through repetition and they have to get used to doing things a certain way, so that when something happens you don't have to spend too much time thinking about the play. Things like having a good stance and using two hands to make the play, these are all things that you build with muscle memory.”
Many of the young players who worked with Mucedola said that his lessons on fielding have been invaluable.
“I think we are going to be ready and know what to do no matter what,” Matt Teabo, 12, said. “Especially all the things we are learning about fielding. I think that with what I've learned here I'm going to know what to do and how to handle the ball no matter what situation comes up.”
It is this reaction, this confidence that Mucedola hoped to instill in the kids.
“I think they are really getting something out of this,” Mucedola said. “That is my goal, is to help give them a solid foundation of fundamentals and to help build up baseball here, starting right here with the youth players.”
Before they know it, it will be spring and these players will be hitting the field, armed with a little more knowledge of the game.
This is just the first of many steps Mucedola plans to take to help build up the opportunities to play ball in Port Byron.
“I hope to be able to do more of these clinics,” Mucedola said. “I'm also planning on getting more summer baseball going this year, like an American Legion team for the older kids, 15 to 19. I just want to do everything I can to help build up baseball here.”
Mucedola said that he spent a lot of time over the spring and summer attending youth league games and watching the young players.
“The numbers have been really good,” Mucedola said. “We had a team that even went undefeated until they got into the playoffs. I was really happy with what I saw, but it immediately got me thinking about what I could do to help give our youth programs a solid foundation.”
After thinking it over for a while Mucedola decided that one of the best ways he could contribute to Port Byron's youth baseball was to hold a winter clinic for kids from fourth to eighth grade.
“You always hear kids say they are bored and there is nothing to do during winter break,” Mucedola said. “So I thought this would be the perfect time to put something together and help the kids learn a little bit and help build up youth baseball.”
This clinic was eagerly anticipated with more than 25 young ballplayers signing up to attend the clinic held at the Port Byron Middle School gymnasium.
“I think this is really nice,” Caleb Green, 13, said. “It is nice to be able to get out and play some ball in the winter. I think it will be a really good clinic with a really good coach and that we are going to be able to learn a lot from being here.”
Mucedola is a strong believer in the fundamentals, without these even the most talented player can't succeed.
“This is all about building up those fundamentals of the game,” Mucedola said. “Hitting, fielding, making plays - these are all important aspects that have to be learned to get a player where they need to be.”
Throughout the course of the clinic, Mucedola stressed drills designed to help create a confident approach to any situation that may arise in the field.
“There are coaches who will tell you to attack the ball,” Mucedola said. “I don't like this term, it makes it sound like you aren't in control. I like my players to be in control, I tell players to glide to the ball and to stay in control.”
Mucedola also took the kids through drills designed to create muscle memory, to make the reactions to almost any situation reflexive.
“Muscles have memory too,” Mucedola said. “They have to learn through repetition and they have to get used to doing things a certain way, so that when something happens you don't have to spend too much time thinking about the play. Things like having a good stance and using two hands to make the play, these are all things that you build with muscle memory.”
Many of the young players who worked with Mucedola said that his lessons on fielding have been invaluable.
“I think we are going to be ready and know what to do no matter what,” Matt Teabo, 12, said. “Especially all the things we are learning about fielding. I think that with what I've learned here I'm going to know what to do and how to handle the ball no matter what situation comes up.”
It is this reaction, this confidence that Mucedola hoped to instill in the kids.
“I think they are really getting something out of this,” Mucedola said. “That is my goal, is to help give them a solid foundation of fundamentals and to help build up baseball here, starting right here with the youth players.”
Before they know it, it will be spring and these players will be hitting the field, armed with a little more knowledge of the game.
This is just the first of many steps Mucedola plans to take to help build up the opportunities to play ball in Port Byron.
“I hope to be able to do more of these clinics,” Mucedola said. “I'm also planning on getting more summer baseball going this year, like an American Legion team for the older kids, 15 to 19. I just want to do everything I can to help build up baseball here.”
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