Berken baseball camp next month

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The 3rd annual Berken Baseball Camp is January 9 and 10, 2010.

The 2010 Berken Baseball Camp for children in grades 3 to 12 will be held Jan. 9 and 10 at the West De Pere High School field house, 665 Grant St., De Pere.

The camp will include eight hours of professional instruction from Berken and several other professional baseball players, including Orioles pitcher Rich Hill, as well as Orioles minor-league catching coordinator Don Werner, a former major-league player.

Dominic Viola, a scout for the Orioles, will be a special speaker at the camp.

The camp is designed to provide complete instruction on all facets of baseball.

Campers will be divided into two sessions each day: 8 a.m. to noon for those in grades 3 to 7, with lunch served from noon to 12:30 p.m.; and 1 to 5 p.m. for those in grades 8 to 12, with lunch served from 5 to 5:30 p.m.

Camp cost is $150 per person. Family specials also are available.

Camp registration includes the instruction, batting-cage use, a camp T-shirt, a Reebok backpack, a signed Jason Berken picture, the two meals and a chance to win various baseball memorabilia.

To register or for information, call (410) 707-9825, send e-mail to berkenbaseball@ gmail.com or go to www.berkenbaseball.com. (Source: Berken baseball camp Jan. 9 and 10 – GBPG)

This year Berken brings some Major League experience, having been called up by the Orioles this past May.

For the first time in the three years he’s put on the camp for area athletes — it will be held Jan 9-10 at the West De Pere High School Fieldhouse — the pitcher will conduct it as a major league player. The “hopeful” part no longer needs to be applied.”It’s a chance for me to give back to the community that supported me so much throughout this past year,” said Berken, who went 6-12 with a 6.54 earned-run average after being called up by the Baltimore Orioles in late May.

“I think it’s the best camp yet,” said Berken, who also will be in town that week as a guest speaker at the fourth annual Green Bay Bullfrogs Hot Stove event on Jan. 7. “It’s a great opportunity for the kids to come and get a chance to interact with guys who are in the big leagues or guys who are very close to the big leagues.

“You are going to learn the game from multiple guys at the professional level, and I don’t think you have that opportunity anywhere else in the area.”

Like last year, there will be pitching, outfield, infield, catching and hitting stations run by a professional player. In all, there will be three pitchers, two catchers, two infielders and four hitting instructors along with several area college coaches and players helping.

“For the older kids, it’s a good opportunity for them to get exposure,” Berken said. “We are going to have college coaches there, an Orioles scout there. With myself and other guys who have gone to Division I programs, it’s kind of an opportunity for them to ask these guys about camps or certain colleges.

“If one of us sees a guy that we think is a legitimate player, I know that they are going to go out of their way to help them out.” (Source: This year, Berken brings major league credentials home – GBPG)

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