SPRINGFIELD – The Springfield Drifters roster is made up of players from all over the country wearing many different hats: Collegiate ballplayer. House guest. Community leader. Baseball ambassador.
And this year, especially, Instructor.
Young fans hoping to grow into Drifters some day have been attending the team’s own “baseball academy” – a series of instructional camps for little sluggers.
The youngsters are not only taught how to get better on the field, but also in their outlook.
“We’re really trying to get kids to understand that baseball is just like life,” Drifters head coach Jeff Lyle said. “It’s so parallel, in life you’re going to fail, negative things are going to happen, but how do you punch back? How do you respond? Baseball is all about the response, not necessarily what happened.”
This mindset isn’t something Lyle is just telling the kids either, as it’s been his philosophy for the team ever since he stepped into his role as head coach. Before the season, after wins and especially after losses, Lyle and the whole Drifters staff are all about the process over the results.
To help with this message, the team preaches the “Three Ps”: be Positive, be Present, and trust the Process. The Drifters coaching and front office staff hammer home the idea that if you do those three things, the results you want will follow.
While teaching mentality is a big part of these camps, the team is also teaching kids skills on the field. Whether it’s hitting, pitching or fielding, young players will have the opportunity to learn from Drifters coaches and players how to up their game.
For Springfield pitching coach Dean Stiles, who previously worked for the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers in the MLB, it’s all about helping the kids understand.
“My focus is to give them a little taste of what it’s like at the next level, and then, of course, stream it down a little bit for their understanding, and then they can take it with them,” Stiles said. “(I’m) trying to teach the kids some real basic things, but things that you know they might not necessarily hear, you know, just in an everyday Little League, or Babe Ruth practice.”
So far, the camps have been a home run for both kids and parents. So much so that some families are considering taking baseball further.
“It’s been amazing because after every camp we get kids that can’t wait to come back. We’re getting emails from parents that are really excited and enthused about what we’re doing,” Lyle said. “And I think we’re getting a lot of people and kids and families who maybe weren’t 100% sold on baseball. They were doing other things, but now maybe they’re willing to add it.”
While the camps are special for the kids, the coaches and players take a certain amount of pride in being able to put events like this on for kids in their community.
“I’m a Eugene native, and Dean (Stiles) and Jeff (Lyle) have also been around this community for a long time,” Drifters assistant coach Matt Hubbs said. “It’s really cool to give back to the kids and find ways to better baseball in communities that we grew up in.”
The team has held two camps this season, with kids still having the opportunity for one more. Saturday and Sunday, July 12-13, youth aged 8-14 will have the opportunity to participate in the Drifters’ “All Skills Camp” for $90. Young players will have the opportunity to gain all the knowledge the team has to offer and to play with Drifters players.
While this is the final Drifters camp this summer, team officials said plans are to continue them in seasons to come.
“We’ll continue to develop this and we’ll add more as we develop as a staff, we’ll add more of these dates,” Stiles said. “We’re talking about expanding to maybe a fall, even an offseason type situation, where we have an academy, where kids can come and learn and continue the skill set, especially in the fall, when the weather’s nice.”
DRIFTERS DATA CENTER
RESULTS
Thursday, June 19
Drifters 15, Bend 7
Friday, June 20
Cowlitz 7, Drifters 5
Sunday, June 22
Cowlitz 4, Drifters 3
Sunday, June 22
Drifters 2, Cowlitz 0
SCHEDULE
Thursday, June 26
Drifters at Ridgefield, 6:35 p.m.
Friday, June 27
Drifters at Marion, 6:35 p.m.
Saturday, June 28
Drifters at Marion, 6:35 p.m.
Sunday, June 29
Drifters at Marion, 4:05 p.m.
Tuesday, July 1
Drifters vs Ridgefield, 6:35 p.m.
Wednesday, July 2
Drifters vs Ridgefield, 6:35 p.m.
Thursday, July 3
Drifters vs Ridgefield, 6:35 p.m.
Other upcoming area sports camps
CHALLENGERS
■ The Challengers open the Eugene Challengers Baseball Camp June 25-27. It will be 9:30 a.m-noon for ages 6-14. Registration is on niles108.com/
SPRINGFIELD DRIFTERS
■ The Drifters are hosting another summer camp this year on July 12-13 for ages 8-14. The All Skills Camp cost is $50 per camper and will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. with a 9:30 a.m. check-in. This camp session will be focused on hitting and fielding.
COTTAGE GROVE HS
■ The volleyball team will be hosting its annual summer camp July 23-25 from 8-11 a.m. Boys and girls from 3rd to 9th grade are invited and the cost is $35. Get registered at the team’s website, cghsvolleyball.com/
CRESWELL HS
■ The volleyball team hosts a camp July 7-9. It will be separated into two divisions. The “Kids Camp” is 9 a.m.-noon for incoming 4th, 5th, and 6th graders. The “Junior Camp” is for the incoming 7th, 8th, and 9th graders from 1:30-4:30 p.m.
