Academy Notebook: Texas Rangers Coaches’ Clinic; National Girls & Women in Sports Day; Black History Month Jamboree; Dairy Max Baseball & Softball Factory recap
Texas Rangers coaches clinic
The Texas Rangers coaches clinic is returning for the first time since 2020, this Sunday, Jan. 29, at the Rangers Youth Academy in West Dallas.
Participating in the coaches clinic will be Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, pitching coach Mike Maddux, assistant hitting coach Seth Connor, strength and conditioning coach José Vázquez, and former Rangers infielder Steve Buechele.
The free clinic is open to youth baseball and softball coaches across North Texas looking to gain valuable experience from the Rangers Major League coaching staff and alumni.
Bochy, one of five managers in MLB history to lead a team to three World Series titles in a five-year span, will give opening remarks to kick off the event.
Areas of focus will include pitching lessons led by Maddux, who has spent the last 20 seasons as a Major League pitching coach, hitting led by Connor, now entering his second season with the Rangers, fielding led by former Rangers infielder Buechele and weight training led by Certified and Registered (CSCS-R) Strength and Conditioning Specialist Vázquez.
Registration for the Texas Rangers coaches clinic will be open through Saturday, Jan. 28, while spots remain. To register for the free clinic, visit the events registration page at texasrangers.com/academy.
Lauren Chamberlain to visit Texas Rangers Youth Academy on National Girls & Women in Sports Day
As part of Major League Baseball’s National Girls & Women in Sports Day celebration, former professional softball player and University of Oklahoma star Lauren Chamberlain will visit the Texas Rangers Youth Academy.
Chamberlain will instruct nearly 150 softball and girls’ baseball players ages 7-18 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. on the Academy’s indoor Beltré Field.
The former Team USA gold medalist finished her collegiate career setting multiple NCAA, Big 12 and OU records and was named to the Women's College World Series All-Tournament team in both 2012 and 2013 where she led the Sooners to the 2013 National Championship before being selected #1 overall in the 2015 National Pro Fastpitch draft.
During the first portion of the event, athletes ages 7-12 will receive PLAY BALL bat and ball sets and participate in on-field drills with Chamberlain. Following the PLAY BALL event, Chamberlain will join Wednesday evening’s 18U winter programming session for high school-aged athletes to provide one-on-one instruction as they work on throwing, fielding and hitting drills.
At the conclusion of each portion of the event, Chamberlain will open the field for questions from the aspiring softball stars and their parents.
Black History Month Jamboree
Next Saturday, Feb. 4, the Texas Rangers Youth Academy will host the second Black History Month Jamboree, presented by Nike, after last year’s event was canceled due to inclement weather.
The annual event marks the beginning of the Dallas ISD baseball season and aims to highlight the next wave of history-makers, agents of change, and leaders on and off the field.
Events will begin at 9 a.m. with the Black History Month Baseball Camp for athletes 7-12 who will run drills and play games on the field and get the opportunity to learn about the significance of Black History Month.
Following the camp will be a double-header featuring a 1 p.m. match-up between W.H. Adamson High School and David. W. Carter High School, and a 3:30 p.m. match-up between Wilmer Hutchins High School and South Oak Cliff High School.
Former Texas Rangers infielders Mark McLemore and Curtis Wilkerson will toss a ceremonial first pitch before the 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. games, respectively.
Dairy Max Baseball & Softball Factory recap
The Texas Rangers Youth Academy hosted the Dairy Max Baseball & Softball Factory Showcase last Saturday, Jan. 21, for 86 of its top athletes.
The invitation-only showcase, designed to assist high school athletes in the college recruitment process, saw athletes perform various drills for Baseball & Softball Factory evaluators who observed and measured their performance.
“An event like this really provides our athletes with the tools needed to succeed in their recruitment process,” said Juan Leonel Gárciga, Senior Director of Youth Academy & Baseball Development. “Arming our staff and athletes with video and data points that can be shared with college coaches and professional scouts has proven to be helpful in finding a place for our top baseball and softball players to continue their journey in the sport they love.
“The level of play has arrived at the point where we had a couple professional scouts on hand to evaluate our top baseball performers. I truly believe we are not far away from hearing one of our athletes have their name called on MLB Draft Day.”
Following the completion of the event, participants had profiles created in the Baseball & Softball Factory player database for college coaches and scouts to view and received individualized highlight reels showcasing on-field performance.
To view photos from last weekend’s Dairy Max Baseball & Softball Factory showcase, visit the Texas Rangers Youth Academy Gallery at texasrangers.com/academy.
_Baseball & softball _
Winter training program 9U & 12U – Jan. 18, 2023 – Feb. 15, 2023
Athletes ages 8-12 will participate in free training sessions that expand on the principles of hitting, fielding, throwing, base-running and more. Register here.
Winter training program 18U – January 17, 2023 – February 17, 2023
Athletes ages 13-18 will participate in free training sessions that expand on the principles of hitting, fielding, throwing, base-running and more. Register here.
2023 Texas Rangers coaches’ clinic – January 29, 2023 – 9:45 a.m. - noon
Baseball and softball coaches at all levels can register for the free Texas Rangers Coaches’ Clinic, which will feature instruction from Rangers alumni and members of the Major League coaching staff. Areas of focus will include hitting, fielding, pitching and weight training. Register here.
Education & Buckner International programming
The Texas Rangers Youth Academy goes beyond baseball and softball programming to benefit our community. With help from our partner Buckner International, the Academy hosts free education courses for athletes and their families throughout the year. Register Here for all Youth Academy classes.
2023 College Readiness Workshop – Jan. 31, 2023 – 6:30 p.m.
The Texas Rangers Youth Academy’s 2023 College Readiness Workshop, presented by Comerica Bank, is open to all high school students and parents. Areas of focus include budgeting for college, credit, Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) and more. Register here.