DIAMOND ADVICE FOR COACHES BASEBALL EXPERTS PITCH POINTERS AT HART PONY LEAGUE CLINIC.Byline: Amy Raisin Darvish Staff Writer VALENCIA - At a clinic for Hart Pony League The Pennsylvania-Ontario-New York League, also known as the PONY League, was a Class D minor league baseball circuit that played from 1939 through 1956. The forerunner of the modern Class A New York - Penn League, the PONY served as the first professional baseball address of coaches and managers, retired Major Leaguer and one-time Dodgers catcher Chad Kreuter Chadden Michael Kreuter (born August 26 1964 in Greenbrae, California) is a former catcher in Major League Baseball and the current head coach of the USC Trojans baseball team. offered tips on hitting and fielding techniques Saturday. But perhaps his most powerful advice was for the adults, not the kids. ``You've got to let another coach coach your kid,'' Kreuter told about 100 people assembled at the Hart Pony League complex. ``I know it's hard, but it's important. There's always a little rift that develops when your dad's teaching you.'' At the invitation of the William S. Hart Pony Baseball and Softball PONY Baseball and Softball is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping young people grow into healthier and happier adults, primarily through the organization of baseball and softball leagues. League board of directors, Kreuter spent three hours sharing his baseball expertise with men who spend hours after work and most Saturdays teaching the game to young boys and girls boys and girls mercurialisannua. . Casey Burrill, now the head baseball coach at West Ranch High School West Ranch High School is a public high school in the community of Stevenson Ranch, Los Angeles County, California. Mr. Bob Vincent has been the school's principal ever since it opened in 2004. after four years in the same role at Saugus High, helped Kreuter run the free clinic. Burrill said it was great to see a clinic for coaches in addition to the usual clinics aimed at the young players. ``When I volunteered to coach (my children's) soccer team, I didn't know anything about the game,'' Burrill said. ``I wish there had been something like this, a clinic that really helped me understand the techniques of the game so I could better help the kids.'' Despite strong winds, many of the estimated 100 coaches who attended the clinic took notes as Kreuter broke down the fundamentals of a good swing, as well as a bad one. Now a volunteer coach at the University of Southern California The U.S. News & World Report ranked USC 27th among all universities in the United States in its 2008 ranking of "America's Best Colleges", also designating it as one of the "most selective universities" for admitting 8,634 of the almost 34,000 who applied for freshman admission , Kreuter played college ball at Pepperdine University Pepperdine University is a private institution of higher learning affiliated with the Church of Christ in unincorporated Los Angeles County, California, United States. The university's location overlooks the Pacific Ocean and is adjacent to the city limits of Malibu. before embarking on a 14-year baseball career on teams including the Texas Rangers Texas Rangers, mounted fighting force organized (1835) during the Texas Revolution. During the republic they became established as the guardians of the Texas frontier, particularly against Native Americans. , Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers "Dodgers" and "Brooklyn Dodgers" redirect here. For the American football team, see Brooklyn Dodgers (football). For the Eastern Basketball Association team, see Brooklyn Dodgers (basketball). . Don Long has been coaching Hart Pony League teams for 10 years and said he appreciated the opportunity to learn from Kreuter's decades in the game. ``He had some good tips on how to get kids throwing in a straight line,'' Long said. ``And it was good to hear them say what I've been saying for years. You shouldn't be letting kids throw curve balls at this level.'' For Kreuter, the clinic was an opportunity to give back to a game that gave him a career. ``I've got some many wonderful experiences from 14 years in the big leagues,'' he said. ``It's great to be able to pass some of that on.'' Amy Raisin Darvish, (661) 257-5254 amy.raisin(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- 2 -- color) Former L.A. Dodger Chad Kreuter, above left, and pitching instructor Jim Wagner speak during a clinic for Hart Pony League coaches and managers on Saturday. Below, attendees listen to advice about the expectations that coaches have on young players. John McCoy/Staff Photographer |
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