Annual Whitfield Baseball Clinic Is January 10 In Goldsboro

GOLDSBORO– The baseball clinic run by North Carolina High School Athletic Association Hall of Famer George Whitfield is set for its 37th annual renewal.

The clinic is scheduled for Goldsboro High School on Saturday, January 10. 2009, and features another tremendous lineup. Registration is scheduled from 7:30 to 9:15 a.m, and then the clinic will run until 6 p.m.

The clinic is open to all players from Little League through high school, and all coaches at any level are welcome.

Bobby Richardson, former New York Yankee great, will be the kickoff speaker at 9:20, followed by NCHSAA assistant executive director Mark Dreibelbis, who will discuss the 2009 baseball rule changes.

Here are some of the other outstanding baseball people and topics that will be covered at this annual event:

• “What College Coaches and Scouts Are Looking for in Today’s Players” will be discussed by Vanderbilt assistant coach Erik Bakich, Campbell head coach Greg Goff, Virginia director of strength and conditioning Ed Nordenschild, Mount Olive College assistant Rob Watt and East Carolina assistant athletic trainer Zach Womack;

•”Practice Organization for the High School Coach” will include Charleston Southern head coach Stuart Lake and Virginia assistant Kevin McMullan;

• “Indoor and On-Field Drills To Become a Better High School Player” will be discussed by Atlanta Braves area supervisor Billy Best, former major league manager Dave Bristol, and East Carolina head coach Billy Godwin;

• Pitching will be covered by High Point head coach Craig Cozart, North Carolina assistant coach Scott Forbes, East Carolina assistant Bill Jarman, minor league pitcher Sam Narron with the Milwaukee Brewers at the AAA level, Virginia Commonwealth assistant Shawn Stiffler;

•Catching will feature Toronto Blue Jays minor league manager Clayton McCullough, Louisburg assistant Tony Guzzo, North Carolina assistant Matt McCay, Wingate head coach Allen Osborne, and Coastal Carolina assistant Kevin Schnall;

• Infield play instructors will be retired Central Florida head coach Jay Bergman, North Carolina State assistant Chris Hart, North Hall (Ga) High School head coach Trent Mongero, Myrtle Beach Pelican manager Rocket Wheeler and UNC-Wilmington head coach Mark Scalf;

• Outfield play will be covered by Duke assistant Jonathan Anderson, Atlanta Braves major league crosschecker Paul Faulk, Boston College assistant coach Joe Hastings, Mount Olive head coach Carl Lancaster, East Carolina assistant Ben Sanderson;

• Hitting will be discussed by Central Florida assistant coach Cliff Godwin, former major league player Tim Hyers, East Carolina assistant Link Jarrett, Alabama-Birmingham assistant Ron Polk, and N.C. State assistant Brian Ward;

• Baserunning will include East Carolina director of baseball operations Brian Cavanaugh, Coastal Carolina head coach Gary Gilmore, Baltimore Orioles bench coach Dave Jauss, Liberty assistant coach Nick Schnabel, and South Florida assistant coach Bryant Ward.

Coach Whitfield will mail information to schools across the state right before Thanksgiving. Questions about the clinic, including cost and other information, may be directed to George at (919) 778-6013 or write him at 216 Hardingwood Drive, Goldsboro, NC 27534.