Former Hall of Fame second baseball Roberto Alomar teaches kids how to take a ground ball at Norbrock Stadium on Tuesday (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

BLUE JAYS CAMP

Kamloops ballplayers soaking up unique experience learning from Blue Jays alumni

Jul 16, 2019 | 3:51 PM

KAMLOOPS — A group of Toronto Blue Jays alum, including 12-time MLB All-Star and Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar, is in Kamloops the next couple days.

It’s part of a national tour where a select number of former Jays are teaching minor baseball kids some of the tricks of the trade. Kamloops is one of two B.C. stops for the Blue Jays camp, and the only one in the Interior.

Alomar is naturally teaching the infield and turning double plays. Former Jays second baseman Homer Bush is leading the hitting clinic, teaching the kids technique. Orlando Hudson is manning another hitting station in the outfield. Retired centre fielder Lloyd Moseby is throwing up pop flies in the outfield.

“It’s really fun getting to do ground balls, pop flies with some of the retired Blue Jays,” said one participant.

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Another player noted, “I like the infielding with Roberto Alomar. It’s fun to be with an All-Star.”

Alomar is the big hit at the two-day Blue Jays camp. The 10-time Gold Glove winner and two-time World Series champion with Toronto is trying to pass on his knowledge of the game onto these kids.

Former Blue Jay Roberto Alomar is one of the instructors at the two-day baseball camp in Kamloops (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

“Just seeing the kids’ faces, trying to let them know that at once we were kids and we had a lot of dreams and expectations to become baseball players,” said Alomar, who’s living in Tampa Bay and a special advisor with the Blue Jays. “We just want to be here, have fun with them.”

Beyond the game, Alomar is hoping to teach the kids, aged nine to 16, the value of a strong work ethic in whatever they ended up doing.

“Let them know that in life, if you want to do something you have to work hard, and hopefully help them to be good human beings,” he said.

Adam Ducharme is taking part in the camp all the way from the Netherlands. His family planned a vacation around the Kamloops session.

“It’s nice. I love baseball. I want to play college, so it’s good getting summer experience playing here in Canada,” said Ducharme. “I know they’ve played baseball all their lives. They know what they’re talking about, so just hearing from them, I know what they’re telling me is going to help me.”

Ducharme’s parents are Canadian and visit their cottage in Vernon every summer. The trip is also a chance for Adam to check out Norbrock Stadium, where he may play soon with the TRU WolfPack. Right now, he plays ball on his high school team back in Holland.

“It’s awesome in Holland. We get to travel all across Europe. We just won our tournament in Paris. We travel to London, Germany, Egypt sometimes.”

The camp continues into Wednesday, another chance for the kids to soak up everything baseball.