Ferrum baseball camp incorporates fun, fundamentals

Campers enjoying learning game as well as camp activities

FERRUM, Va. – Summer camps this time of year are as hot as the temperature. And at the Ferrum baseball camp, the campers were just as fiery.

"The most important thing is to have fun. You know, you got to have fun at camp and then we want to teach them baseball we want to teach them the right way to play, to be good kids, good sportsman, and just to help them play the game of baseball and try to instill the love of baseball," said Ferrum head baseball coach Ryan Brittle.

His daughter, Cooper, agreed.

"We've been doing a lot of fun stuff like hitting in the batting cage and catching ground balls," she said.

Franklin County product Braxton Wheeler is a rising senior pitcher for the Panthers and was teaching the kids how to bring the heat.

"Base running and throwing. Just working on fundamentals. Also they have movie time and swimming time," said Wheeler.

Swimming time was definitely a fan favorite. It was the best way to cool off, literally.

"It's freezing. It is absolutely freezing," said camper Brayden White.

The campers loved learning the game, but Brittle noticed they also had other interests.

"They have two favorite parts. One is getting as many drinks as they can out of the fountain machine in the same glass. And the other one is the pool."

A common theme when talking to the campers was a drink mixture they made at lunchtime. So Alyssa Rae had one of the camper show her how it's made.

"You have to have ice. You're definitely drinking this. First you add Coke, Sprite, lemon lime, Powerade, Flashing Fruit Punch and Mr. Pibb. Enjoy," said White.

Whether they were striving to make the perfect cafeteria concoction, or become a collegiate athlete, these campers were just warming up.