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Welcome
Welcome to Midwest Baseball Academy, the world's largest network of baseball
and softball instructional camps. Our 2008 program included more
than 15,000 players and 105 locations. Long waiting lists and growing
interest from high schools and colleges nationwide has sparked an expansion in
2009 that will include as many as 120
locations and 18,000 players.
As we grow the national franchise, we maintain our original commitment to
quality instruction at an affordable price. Each location promises the same
proven itinerary of drills, a player-coach ratio of 6 to 1 or better, and a
teaching staff of top high school and college coaches from your local area.
At Midwest Baseball Academy's Spring Training 2009, players learn from some of
the area's top high school and college coaches. Hitting and catching sessions
are offered through grade 12, including special sessions for girls fastpitch
softball at some locations. Pitching sessions (baseball only) are offered for
grades 1 through 8.
This is not a lecture clinic. With a low player-coach ratio, each hitter and
pitcher gets individual attention in a small-group atmosphere for one hour per
week. An average hitting session includes about 30 players with six or seven
experienced and professionally trained coaches. Pitching and catching sessions
have smaller numbers and the same player-coach ratio. And with numerous
age-specific sessions, instruction is specially tailored for each ability
level. Overall, it's the type of intense, professional instruction that young
players don't normally have access to. And at $109 (additional sessions only
$99) for the whole six-week program, its value is unrivaled.
For six weeks, hitters rotate through a series of supervised stations, including
indoor batting cages, each designed to teach a different piece of hitting.
Players enjoy participating in hitting games and unique drills used by the
nation's top high school and college programs and developed by the Midwest
Baseball Academy advisory staff. The
program is designed to improve pitch and strike-zone recognition, timing,
balance, quickness, power, situational hitting, bunting and other aspects.
Young hitters build an invaluable foundation and a thorough understanding of
the swing, while experienced players cover advanced topics such as hitting
different pitches to different fields, hitting curveballs and changeups, and
more.
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Commonly asked questions
and answers
Q: Who does the coaching?
A: Midwest Baseball Academy hires and trains high school and/or college
coaches from your local area. That's the biggest advantage of the program.
While most local youth and travel team coaches have some knowledge of baseball,
this is a chance for young players to get six weeks of instruction by
professionally trained and experienced coaches who do this for a living. We
maintain quality control by providing each location with our weekly program and
the necessary equipment to run it, and training the staff.
Q: The $109 or $99 covers six weeks of sessions, one session per week. How long
is each session, and what do they do?
A: Each session lasts for one hour. Players are in small groups of 5 or
6 with others their age or ability level. During the hour, they work through a
concentrated circuit of drills that teach specific areas of hitting, pitching
or catching. Each station they go to has an instructor, and most also have an
assistant coach to help get them more repetitions. We don't have them sit and
listen to someone talk for 15 minutes. They're moving and active the whole
time. Sessions are cumulative, so that over the six-week period we cover all
aspects of hitting, pitching, and catching.
Q: We want both the hitting and pitching/catching. Can we do that?
A: Yes. Sessions are staggered by age group to allow players to hit and
pitch/catch in consecutive hours. They go right from one to the other. The cost
for both hitting and pitching/catching is $208, because you are getting
six hours of hitting instruction and six hours of pitching or
catching instruction.
Q: How do we find times and dates? How do we register, and how do we pay?
A: For a schedule and registration forms for all locations,
click here. Simply submit your information online to reserve your spot
and mail a check within 14 days.
More questions and answers, click here
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In our six-week pitching program, pitchers work under the supervision of coaches
who can help with all aspects of pitching, from fundamentals and mechanics to
more advanced concepts. Drills and repetition will improve a pitcher's speed
and control and allow him to begin the year in mid-season form. Please note
that each pitcher must bring his own catcher (parent, sibling, friend),
allowing for maximum throwing time and for coaches to work hands-on with each
pitcher.
Our six-week catcher's camp (grades 4-12) covers all aspects of being behind the
plate. Players will get instruction on stance, signs, receiving, framing,
blocking, throwing, fielding bunts, tags and the mental aspects of dealing with
pitchers. Catchers must bring a mask, shin guards and chest protector.
Parents are welcome to observe, and many youth coaches leave with a valuable
list of drills they can incorporate into their own practices. The timing of the
program is perfect for preparing young players for the season ahead.
So, forget about the weather. What better way to get a jump on the upcoming
season than a six-week Spring Training experience, featuring instruction from
some of the area's best coaches in a fantastic indoor facility? Many sessions
sell out months before they begin, so don't delay.
Register
About Us
Since its birth in 1988, Midwest Baseball Academy has brought top-quality
instruction at an affordable price to more than 60,000 young players in 25
states. The company is headed by founder Marc Hoffman, a member of numerous
state and national coaching associations. After dozens of successful camps
throughout the Midwest and East Coast, Midwest Baseball Academy developed and
launched a specialized hitting and pitching Spring Training program aimed at
serious players from elementary school to college. The six-week program was so
well received by players, parents and coaches that it became the cornerstone of
a regional and national expansion effort.
From about 300 players in its Spring Training 2001 pilot program, Midwest
Baseball Academy's Spring Training program has grown to become the world's
largest network of baseball instructional camps
Many sessions sell out months before they begin. In response to the overwhelming
demand and national attention, we are again adding additional sites at top
indoor facilities throughout the nation.
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Schedule/Sites/Fees
Midwest Baseball Academy's Spring Training 2009 program will be offered at
numerous sites throughout the United States. In order to ensure quality
instruction, registration is limited to about 30 in each hitting session and
between 10 and 20 in each pitching and catching session, depending on space at
each facility. The tuition covers all six weeks of the program. Each
session is one hour long. Many players participate in both the hitting and
pitching/catching, attending two or three hours each week. The cost for
one skill series (six weeks of hitting, pitching or catching) is $109.
Each additional skill series for the same player is just $99. Combine
hitting with pitching or catching for $208 or attend all three for $307.
To see dates and times in your area, check the accompanying schedule.
To register, simply click on the site you wish to attend, complete the on-line
registration form, and mail a check to our national office. If you have further
questions or encounter problems registering, call us at 866-MBA-HITS.
View the Spring Schedule
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