Bulls give back to community at inaugural Viterra Kids Camp

By Lethbridge Herald on July 12, 2023.

Herald photo by JUSTIN SEWaRD Zylan Balint hits the wiffle ball during the mini baseball game at the end of the Wetern Canadian Baseball League’s Viterra Kids Camp on Wednesday afternoon at Spitz Stadium.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

The Lethbridge Bulls hosted over 60 kids during their day on the inaugural Viterra Kids Camp circuit  on Wednesday at Spitz Stadium.

The Western Canadian Baseball League partnered with Viterra last month to launch the  inaugural Kids Camp across the league where each team hosted an event in their own ball park over the first couple weeks of July with the focus of getting kid interested in baseball.

“Yeah so far it’s been really good,” said Bulls head coach Chance Wheatley.

“There’s a lot of kids that came out. So it’s awesome to see and looks like they’re having fun and that’s kind of what it’s all about.”

Young ball players had the opportunity to have skills taught to them by Bulls players which included infield and outfield, running and pitching to name a few.

Players wrapped up the session with mini games of baseball which saw Bulls players throwing wiffle balls to them and running the bases if players hit it.

“Yeah we’re just trying to mix it up,” said Wheatley.

“The skill and age group of each group here is a little bit different. So, you know, with each group, younger guys are teaching them the basics and playing some games and having fun, and the older ones are trying to , you know, get into the skill a little bit more, but still having fun with everything.”

Wheatley thinks of giving back is what the Bulls get out of the event.

“It’s kind of what it’s all about,” he said.

“Everyone comes here and supports us really well, and you know just to give back to the community, and have these kids get a chance to learn from the players and interact with them is awesome. Everyone really enjoys it.”

The pitchers were teaching the kids how to be on time.

“A lot of kids struggle with, you know, having choppy mechanics,” said Bulls pitcher Cole Bormann.

“So we’re just trying to teach them a little bit of flow at a young age and hopefully it carries over.”

Bormann had noticed the strong arms the players have.

“I guess it’s if they keep it healthy or not,” he chuckled.

“But yeah they definitely have some arms on them. They’re out here ready to go.”

Kalem Haney said a lot of kids are young.

“So we’re just trying to teach them the basics and let them kind of grow,” said Haney.

“They look up to us, so they’re like listening to us. It’s been good, but yeah it’s kind of just the fundamentals and how we’re trying to teach them to play the game at the easiest level.”

Haney said they’re really important, when asked about kids camps in the summer.

“It gets the kids excited to come to the games after because they kind of build a personal connection with us at the Kids Camp. And it’s good for the kids too, (as) a lot of these kids seasons are over, so they’re now still able to play baseball later in the summer,” he said.