DETROIT (WWJ) – This summer the Detroit Tigers are holding their first-ever youth baseball camp, a full weeklong experience for kids to learn and play baseball, build relationships and even get a V.I.P. day at Comerica Park.
The day at the ballpark will include a meet-and-greet with a Tigers player, a tour of the dugout, a hitting session with Tigers assistant hitting coach Phil Clark and more.
Jim Rappé, Executive Director Detroit Tigers Baseball Camps, says the goal of the camp program is “to be a positive reinforcement environment where we help them get better on Friday than they are on Monday.”
“We swallow them in a Detroit Tigers experience that hopefully they will remember for the rest of their lives,” Rappé told WWJ.
The camps are new to the Tigers, but Rappé says the program is modeled after what several other MLB teams have been doing for years. He says the camp is designed for all kids – not just those who are really into baseball.
We’ll have kids who have received their first baseball glove last Christmas, and we’ll have kids who are preparing to make their high school team next year,” Rappé said. “The artistry is to find the way that you give both of those extremes exactly what they’re looking for.”
Campers will compete in a skills competition, with the top scorers earning a trip to Champions Day at Comerica Park at the end of the summer. Those kids will be honored at the ballpark next season.
Kids will receive a swing analysis after camp, comparing their swing to Miguel Cabrera's.
The camp costs $395 for the week, including the uniform, the V.I.P. day at Comerica Park and four tickets to a Tigers game. Rappé says discounts are given for families who sign up multiple kids for the camps.
Camp locations, registration and more information can be found on the Tigers website.