COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — After countless hours of preparation and hard work, youth baseball players from all parts of the country experienced one of the first Pathway Baseball team camp experiences in recent days on the campus of Iowa Western Community College.
The unique event is the first-of-its-kind instructional and college exposure camp, run by college coaches. This week's team camp offered student-athletes a true feel for college baseball, including five nights stay at a campus dormitory room, tournament action, instruction, access to top-notch indoor facilities, transportation to off-site competition, three meals per day, and, last but not least, tickets to the College World Series finals.
"It's tough to get something new off the ground," said Pathway Baseball Event Director Brandon Hardy, "but luckily, I've been working with (Iowa Western) coach (Marc) Rardin for the last five or six years with youth camps, so we were able to get this going this year.
"It's a great experience for the kids to sleep in the dorms and get that college experience," Hardy added. "They also play here, use the weight room, the indoor facilities, eat on campus, and bus transportation to off-site games, and we'll go to the College World Series tonight."
Just a few of the perks Pathway Baseball will continue to provide youth baseball players for many years to come.
"This is unique. It's something out of the ordinary," Hardy said. "A lot of these kids play tournaments year round and it's pretty cut and dry. But here, they get the tournament but also the college experience. Everyone's just in awe right now of what this event has provided them. Everything here is nice. The kids are enjoying it right now."
Iowa Western coach Marc Rardin is a firm believer in Pathway Baseball and its vision.
"I'm proud to be able to represent Iowa Western and present this opportunity for these kids, Pathway Baseball, and Triple Crown," he said. "It's a win-win-win for everyone involved."
The sky's the limit for Pathway Baseball and its events, according to Rardin.
"Everybody's looking for what's best for the game, the kids, and what's going to make it better for the game and the kids," he said. "This is not just a tournament. It's instruction from college coaches, access to a college weight room, and we have a new indoor facility. On the developmental side, they're here to play, and enjoy the baseball experience. That's what they get here."
On Monday afternoon, the third of five days, the Session 2 campers, 17- and 18-year-olds, were exposed to a pro-style workout where, in conjunction with College Sports Evaluation and the Iowa Western baseball program, players were evaluated in multiple baseball drills with top-of-the-line technology that tracks timing, velocity, spin rate, and more.
"It really shows them their hard numbers," Hardy said. "The stats don't lie."
"It's nice to know how you're doing and what you need to improve on," said camper Jaydon Zamora of California. "The camp has been really nice. The whole evaluation has been super beneficial and the games have been very competitive. It's been fun and organized."
On the experience as a whole, camper Gavin Rmelhard said, "It's a new experience, for sure. They've got it set up nicely and it's really organized and the instructors know what they're doing. They're giving us great feedback and helping us."
Overall, nine college coaches across JUCO, Division II, and NAIA levels provided instruction during this particular session. Other college coaches swung by for recruiting purposes. The first ever Pathway Baseball event occurred June 14-24 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
"This is a truly unique event that I think will only continue to grow," Rardin said.
If interested in participating in future sessions, please contact event director Brandon Hardy at brandon@triplecrownsports.com or (970) 672-0568.
