Youth Camp Serves its Purpose, Acosta: “I’m feeling good about myself.”

Chris Fernsler

Sports Editor

The scoreboard was

turned ou, and the players

were turned on.

Imagine that. The 8th An-

nual David Kelton Youth Baseball Camp is thriving and is hitting the bullseye. The camp had a good run this week at the Harris Base-

ball Complex in LaGrange.

It was all about the kids and the game, which they covet, from the dugout to the center field chainlink fence.

“I’m out here making

new friends. I'm hitting the ball, and I'm feeling good about myself," said baseball camper Hayden Acosta, the LaGrange nine year old.

He was getting defensive, too, over the game. Baseball is in his blood.

"I'm catching some popups," said Acosta.

Austin Hill, the Recre – ation League player from Hogansville, was also mak –

ing some plays and was hit – ting some long drives this week at the baseball camp.

"I like having fun, and I like doing the drills. I'm a good player, and I practice a lot," said Hill, who was wearing a White Sox jersey.

Outfielder Kaeleb Favors was diving in, head first, with fundamentals in mind at the youth camp as well. Favors is eight years old.

He calls LaGrange home, and baseball is his game of choice. Favors can play it better than most kids. He knows how to make some rock solid contact with ex –

tra spit.

Favors can knock the cov – er ou the ball. He did no less than that at the Kelton Base –

ball Camp.

"I hit the ball to the out – field. Baseball is my play time. I had my fun," said Favors.

He was one of the talent –

ed 60 players in the base – ball camp. Kids from seven to 12 years old hit the field with baseball abandon. They were into it.

That included Favors, Acosta and Austin Hill.

“We were working on a

lot of hand-eye coordina – tion," said camp director David Kelton, the LaGrange College head coach and the former second-round draft choice of the Chicago Cubs. "Baseball is a great game." And the youthful camp – ers were paying homage to the game by busting their rumps and spilling their guts on the practice field. David Kelton and the other coaches insisted with every three-hour workout.

And no whining was per – mitted on the premises. The players understood that, from the opening gate to the final circus catch from Jack –

son Caldwell.

He is fluid, fast and is ahead of schedule. Caldwell can fly, and he can catch any ball that is hit in the hot summer air.

Jackson Caldwell lives each day, one miraculous

catch at a time. He is a base- ball gamer. Caldwell loves to win, and he is dripping with baseball anticipation.

Life is like a box of choc – olates. Caldwell is always looking to sample a new flavor.

Jackson Caldwell got another full dose of baseball basics this week in the 8th annual David Kelton Youth Camp at the Harris Athletic Complex. Caldwell is the son of Halee Yates of LaGrange.

Kaeleb Favors admires his handiwork in the Annual David Kelton Youth Baseball Camp earlier this week in LaGrange. There were 60 players onboard and working hard in the camp.

Shortstop Jackson Caldwell comes up with another defensive gem on Wednesday morning at the David Kelton Youth Baseball Camp in LaGrange.