FUTURE STARS: Palmer American Legion team hosts baseball clinic for young players

PALMER — It was wet and cold Tuesday morning at the Palmer Senior Field. As about 20 youth baseball players worked through a series of drills in the far from ideal conditions during a clinic hosted by the Palmer Pioneers American Legion baseball program, Pioneers head coach Tim Rockey wondered if it was best to just call it a day.

But then Rockey would watch as a player 8 years old or 9, slide in the wet grass and fall to the ground, and immediately pop back up with a smile on their face. It wasn’t baseball weather, but it didn’t seem to deter the participants, ages 8 through 15.

“The kids were having fun. It was awesome,” Rockey said.

And Wednesday they were back at it to cap the three-day clinic with a scrimmage at the Palmer Senior Field. Teams were mixed with coaches and participants. Soft toss baseball, with all of the clinicians, Pioneers coaches and players, hitting from the opposite side of the plate.

“It was so much fun,” Rockey said.

Rockey said he wanted to provide a fun experience for those who participated, but big picture, he’s among a group of local baseball coaches with Palmer roots eager to help baseball prosper on their side of the Valley. The list includes Palmer High head coach Dave Combs and Colony High head coach Jordan Chadwell, each the leader of the programs at their respective alma mater.

“The goal at the Little League level is to start them early, drill those fundamentals into them. By the time they get to high school, they know the game, know how to be successful,” Rockey said.

Rockey is also a Palmer Little League coach. Combs is the president of Palmer Little League. Former PHS baseball players Adam Christiansen and Damion Bailey also help Rockey coach at the Little League level.

Rockey said the Pioneers also wanted to help fill a void in the local baseball community.

“Other than the (Mat-Su) Miners camp, it’s all they have,” Rockey said. “We wanted to put on a camp for the kids.”

Rockey, a Palmer High graduate, said the idea of hosting a clinic came from the idea from a colleague. Rockey discussed the prospect with Pioneers parents during a preseason meeting, and put together the clinic in short time. Rockey lauded Palmer Little League for its assistance, with promotion and the use of the field.

Rockey said Chadwell and Christiansen, helped during the camp, alongside a number of his current players on the Pioneers roster.

“It was so much fun, not only to give back to the baseball community of Palmer, but to see the (legion) players I coach fall in love with coaching,” Rockey said.

Rockey said the coaches also worked to make sure participants learned fundamentals they can use throughout their careers.

“Over those three days, ever single one of those kids learned something new they can take to the Palmer Little League fields either tonight, the next night or the rest of their season,” Rockey said.

The Pioneers charged $50 for the clinic, which included three days and 12 total hours of instruction. It’s a fundraiser for the American Legion team, but Rockey said the Pioneers also wanted to make it affordable for local families. The next goal, Rockey said, is to not just make it an annual event, but offer multiple clinics per year. Rockey said the Pioneers would like to host a youth clinic at an indoor facility during the offseason.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.