Dodgers Offer Tips at Baseball Clinic

More than 230 kids showed up at the Hansen Dam Sports Complex on Thursday to get tips from Dodger pros and to vie for the chance to hit a baseball at Dodger Stadium.

The free baseball clinic and “Power Hitter Competition” was hosted by the L.A. Kids Sports Academy and co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and the Dodgers.

The two-hour event featured lessons from Dodger pinch-hitting legend Manny Mota, hitting coach Rick Down and catcher Paul LoDuca. The lessons were followed by a batting competition, Dodger Dogs and games.

“I do this because I love kids,” Mota said. “They are the future, they are the pride and they are the hope of the country.” The event began with a talk by the athletes.

“I was fortunate to stay in school, stay away from drugs, stay away from alcohol and stay away from the wrong crowd,” LoDuca told the children.

More than 160 children were from the L.A. Kids Sports Academy’s summer program, held at Hansen Dam since 1997. The academy organizes free athletic instruction for children at 100 Los Angeles parks that have been identified as serving low-income populations.

Kids are bused to the site from their recreation centers, where they learn about baseball, softball and soccer. Participants receive a uniform and lunch each day and fight the heat with an occasional dip in the Hansen Dam Lake.

Ashley Williams wants to be in the WNBA when she grows up, but she likes baseball, said the 10-year-old.

“It’s good to learn from them because they already know most of the techniques,” she said.

Councilman Alex Padilla agreed.

“It’s important for the city to invest in young people and provide positive opportunities,” he said. “I grew up playing baseball, so I know what a difference it makes in the life of a child.”

The three hitting contest winners will travel to Dodger Stadium on Aug. 17 to compete with other “Power Hitter” finalists.

Most attendees, however, were content to leave with free goody bags, said Sports Academy director Eric Calhoun.

“The kids were just so happy to have had a chance to meet the Dodgers and participate in the competition,” he said. “Once we got on the bus, every kid had their hats on and their towels around their neck.”