Pitt baseball reaches out to the community

The season-opener for the Pitt baseball team remains weeks away, but for some local,… The season-opener for the Pitt baseball team remains weeks away, but for some local, underprivileged children, the team already hit a grand slam.

Following a grueling pre-season 7 a.m. practice session Saturday, several Pitt players transformed their fatigue into enthusiasm while making way to the Trees Hall gym to participate in a sports clinic for local kids.

The facilitating program was Panther PAWS (Pitt Athletes Working with Students).

In its third year of collaboration with both the Pitt athletic department and the Community Leisure Learn program, PAWS provides more than 70 children from Pittsburgh’s Hill District and Oakland neighborhoods the opportunity to be exposed to a world of sports, academics and character lessons.

Each week, a different Pitt varsity team conducts a clinic, teaching participants those skills specific to its sport. The first week of February belonged to Pitt’s baseball team.

Head coach Joe Jordano visited the clinic and expressed praise for his ball club.

‘Outstanding,’ he said in reference to his team’s participation. ‘Being involved in the community is a very important aspect of our program.’

As participants dispersed into five groups spread across the gym, Jordano sat and observed.

‘Our country is so diverse,’ he said. ‘You look at the diversity in this room and they can all relate to [baseball]. It really is America’s pastime.’

While baseball is known as much for its ballpark franks, fitted hats and double plays, the competitive aspect is what makes the game a sport. Though it is not a traditional tactic for youth clinics, competition surfaced as the focus of the afternoon’s agenda.

In a drill designed to instruct participants in swing mechanics with a ball placed on a tee, sophomore infielder Philip Konieczny dared to place a wager with his group of kids.

He challenged the six kids to hit the ball above a marked line on a net in front of the tee. The winner earned the right to look down at the loser, who had to do 10 push-ups.

After the first batter crushed the ball high above the designated line, Konieczny’s confident look shriveled, as he was forced to do 10 push-ups before the group of thrilled kids.

It was all about putting smiles on faces for Konieczny.

‘I was just trying to get the kids to have fun,’ he said.

While fun remains a critical component with PAWS, emphasizing academics is just as important.

‘[In our recruiting process], we’re looking for the individual that not only can, but wants to excel both in the classroom and in the field,’ said Jordano.

He said he feels that watching student-athletes on a weekly basis helps the academic component resonate with children.

The educational topic this week was goal setting.

As kids gathered in a circle after various drills and a concluding relay race, the baseball team’s volunteer student-athletes spoke about the importance of planning both short and long-term goals.

At the end of the day, 31 children promised to adhere to all that they learned, and received autographs from all the players.

Pitt opens its season Feb. 20 against Bradley.