Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 7, 1990 TAG: 9006070059
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV6 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: JEFF MOTLEY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
Radford baseball coach Scott Gines, one of the camp's directors, is disappointed at the low number of in-state applicants for the camp, which runs July 6-11.
"So far we have about 30 who have sent in forms saying they were coming, but only two are from the state of Virginia," Gines said.
Gines was counting on a concentration of Southwest Virginia athletes.
The "Best of the East" camp in Norfolk and the "Prospect Camp" in Charlottesville usually attract players from Hampton Roads, central and Northern Virginia.
Gines said that for those players who wish to play collegiately or professionally should consider the camp.
"There is a lot of talent in the Roanoke and Southwestern Virginia area, but it is not highly recruited," Gines said.
"The players really need the exposure and through this they will get it. They are evaluated like crazy.
"And for those players who sit back and wait on having a good senior season, those days are ending. Most people don't know it, but next year baseball will have an early-signing period in the fall.
"Most coaches will try to get most of the recruiting over so they don't have to worry about it in the spring."
Also, Gines said, graduated seniors are not eligible for the camp because there attendance constitutes an NCAA infraction.
For those eager to be seen, the camp is loaded with college and pro baseball people. Among them:
Virginia Tech assistant Mike Nicholson.
VMI coach Tony Guzzo.
Campbell University coach Mike Caldwell, a former major-leaguer.
New York Yankees minor league coordinator Mark Newman.
St. John's coach Bill Russo, who coached Frank Viola and John Franco.
"It's not just the top-notch instruction you get here that makes the camp so good," Gines said.
"When you leave here, you leave a little better player and you know exactly what you have to do to make it as a baseball player."
The idea for the first-year camp came from the "Best of the East," which started five years ago and the Best in the South camp which is held annually at Boardwalk and Baseball in Florida.
"I signed three kids last year out of the Best in the East," Gines said.
There have been three No. 1 draft picks that have participated in one of the camps, either Best in the South or Best in the East."
by CNB