Softball Camp featured Jennie Finch

— Several young softball players from Pea Ridge Youth Softball League recently participated in a Jennie Finch Softball Camp in Rogers.

Held the first weekend in April, the camp was open to girls from thirdgrade and older.

Freedom Laycox of Pea Ridge, and a member of The Diamond Dodgers, an 8-under team, attended. The Diamond Dodgers is coached by Damon and Tammy Laycox. Other girls from Pea Ridge attended as well.

It was a very busy weekend, packed with two full days of softball drills and instruction.

The camp is run by Jennie Finch, along with several of her Olympic and professional softball teammates. Members of the UA-Monticello softball team were also on hand to assist with running the drills.

In additional to the camp activities (held at Veteran’s Park in Rogers), many people attended a “Dinner of Champions” with Jennie and her teammates on Saturday night, which was held at the Church of the Nazarene in Bentonville.

“It was a thrill for some of our Pea Ridge girls to have the opportunity to actually meet and learn from an Olympic gold-medalist, and probably one of the most recognized and well-known softball players in the nation,” Tammy Laycox said.

Sports, Pages 11 on 04/20/2011