Joe Rowell Park was swarming with action last Thursday evening, as over 50 local youths were put through drills and later scrimmaged to conclude The 406 Project’s summer baseball camp, which was held on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout July.
The 406 Project, created by Doug LaMunyon to enhance the youth sport experience, has put on clinics in the past, but this was the first of its kind.
LaMunyon spearheaded the project, but he had help from over 20 volunteers. One of them, Dede Conrad, helped bring the camp to Dolores.
Facing issues with the scheduling of baseball fields in Cortez, Conrad reached out to the City of Dolores, which allowed the group to use the fields at Joe Rowell Park free of charge.
LaMunyon was initially skeptical about the number of campers that would attend the camp. But he was excited to see that there were 54 kids that registered and came out to the ballpark.
“I didn’t think we would get that many driving to Dolores,” he said. “But it just shows that the community wants this. They want the opportunity.”
With the Cortez Little League season ending in June for players not selected to all-star teams, the camp gave those not chosen a chance to continue playing baseball and to learn new skills.
“More opportunities for kids to play baseball are always better,” said Cortez Little League president Nic McDonald, who volunteered at the camp.
“The more time they can get swinging a bat or throwing a ball the better off they’re going to be in the long run,” he continued. “A lot of these kids that wouldn’t have had the opportunity to continue playing after the season are going to learn more skills and take them into next year with a better advantage.”
LaMunyon and other volunteers led the campers in different drills, breaking down baseball concepts into their simplest forms to build a solid understanding of the fundamentals.
But it wasn’t just about the X’s and O’s, said LaMunyon. The camp was also a great time for kids to make new friends, build confidence and focus on sportsmanship.
LaMunyon even uses the name of the non-profit under the Onward! umbrella, “The 406 Project,” to inspire.
The name is in homage to Hall of Famer Ted Williams, who was the last major league player to hit over .400, finishing the 1941 season with a .406 batting average. It’s a feat that most feel will never be toppled, but LaMunyon uses it as motivation.
“I use that number as kind of a challenge, as a goal,” he explained. “Don’t let people tell you that you can’t do something. He did it – so why can’t we? We want to give these kids confidence so that they know they can try for big things.”
The camp was also beneficial for parents, who could learn different techniques and drills to work on with their children on their own time.
“Sometimes moms and dads that want to get into coaching don’t have the tools,” said LaMunyon. “So one of my goals is to give parents watching the drills we’ve done throughout this month something that they can take home.”
“I can work with a dozen to 15 kids and have an impact on them,” he continued. “But if we can work with other parents who want to coach then it just grows exponentially.”
After the overwhelmingly positive response to the camp, there are plans for a second go-round next summer. But the next thing on the agenda for The 406 Project is fielding players for the Cortez Mud Cats Baseball Club.
The club offers 10U, 12U and 14U age divisions and will play the Farmington Fall Baseball League in September and October.
To register for the fall season or to learn more about The 406 Project and its events, visit: The406Project.com.