Sox coaches leading clinics in Lisle
White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper and hitting coach Todd Steverson will participate in upcoming baseball clinics at the Bulls/Sox Academy in Lisle.
The clinics are Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 24 and 25, at the facility, 6200 River Bend Drive. Space is limited to 60 athletes per clinic.
Cooper and the professional academy staff will conduct a two-day pitching and catching clinic. Cooper will teach a variety of pitching mechanics including grip, balance, pitch selection and the mental aspect of pitching at a higher level.
Even if pitching is not in your plans, throwing correctly is critical to becoming a good player. Pitching with accuracy, velocity and minimal arm strain is not an accident. There is a process that should be followed from Little League to the Bigs.
Cooper also believes in the importance of great catching. For catchers, the clinic will cover stance, receiving, blocking, throwing and game management by learning the fundamentals and strategies that only the pros know.
The White Sox Pitching and Catching Clinic is open to players ages 10 to 14 and runs from 4 to 6 p.m. The cost is $125 and registration is open.
Cooper is in his 27th season in the White Sox organization and his 12th full season as pitching coach. He was named pitching coach during the 2002 season after serving as the organization's minor league pitching coordinator from 1997 to 2002. During his career on the mound, he pitched for Minnesota (1981-82), Toronto (1983) and the New York Yankees (1985) over four major-league seasons.
Steverson and the professional academy staff, meanwhile, will conduct a two-day hitting clinic that covers the basics of the swing and mental aspect of hitting. The first day will cover major league drills for hitting led by academy instructors and former White Sox slugger Dan Pasqua. On the second day, Steverson will observe and provide his insight as to how to succeed at every level of baseball and what it takes to hit like a big leaguer.
The White Sox Hitting Clinic is open to players ages 10 to 14 and will run from 6 to 8 p.m. The cost is $125 and registration is open.
Steverson just completed his first season as the White Sox hitting coach and was instrumental in helping Jose Abreu adjust to hitting at the Major League level on his way to winning the Rookie of the Year Award. Steverson played professionally for seven seasons and was drafted 25th overall by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992.
The Bulls/Sox Academy is owned and operated by the Chicago Bulls and Chicago White Sox. For details, visit BullsSoxAcademy.com or call (630) 324-8221.