Latest news with #RyanKlesko
The Herald Scotland
06-07-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Ex-MLB star Ryan Klesko has advice to maximize kids' sports potential
He was remarkably consistent, hitting .279 with a .500 slugging percentage over 1,736 games. His sustained success, he says today, was not a result of a singular approach. "Pull up hitting on TikTok and you're gonna see 50 clowns," says Klesko, 54, who now coaches his son, Hunter, at the 16U level in the Atlanta area. "There's a lot of good information, but there's a lot of disinformation out there. I call them clowns because these guys are trying to break down the swing, and they have all these weird drills and it worked for one guy. Listen, everybody trains a certain way. I don't train all my kids to be like Ryan Klesko." Klesko carried a collection of physical tools and intellectual and emotional insight he collected from coaches and teammates (and from his mom, Lorene) from the time he was a kid in Southern California Today, as he directs high school-aged kids, he seeks out snippets of knowledge, whether they come from Hall of Fame teammates Jones, Greg Maddux, John Smoltz and Tom Glavine, or something he finds online that might help a particular player. Everyone is different. "I've had some bad major league hitting coaches, and they're friends of mine," Klesko told USA TODAY Sports. "One of the guys, very successful player, he wasn't there long. He was trying to teach everybody to hit like he hit. And that was the only way. Chipper Jones doesn't hit like Fred McGriff." Klesko works as a special assistant to the ownership group of Perfect Game, a youth baseball and softball scouting service that runs showcases and tournaments. As he travels around his region and the country with his teams, he looks for partnerships and ways to maximize players' potential through clinics and instruction. He offered strategies for athletes and their parents: Find your comfort zone. There's not one right answer for everybody Lorene Klesko was a single mom who worked two jobs to support Ryan and his two sisters, who played softball. She had healthy, home-cooked food on the table and paid for every resource she could to ensure they were always around their favorite sports. She also caught their fastballs, including Ryan's, which reached 85 mph when he was a high school freshman. He went to 10 years of hitting and pitching lessons, where he gained counsel and watched pros stop by the small warehouse behind Anaheim Stadium where he trained. "I think it's important for kids to get good structure," Ryan Klesko says. "Find someone that's had experience under somebody that's reputable. They don't have to go to hitting/pitching schools, but you gotta find someone that can help them through mechanics. Just like any other sport. If you're going to be a gymnast, you can't just go jump on the bars. You gotta have instructions, like baseball or anything else." As a youth coach, he has learned at least a half-dozen ways to correct flaws in swings, and to approach each hitter with an open mind. "Barry Bonds, he was thinking swing down on the ball," Klesko says. "Mike Trout, swing down on the ball. Big Papi, swing down on the ball. Josh Donaldson, he thinks he's got to swing up on the ball. "Well, guess what? They're all good hitters. So I'm trying to find something that associates with that kid in his customized swing to make him better." 'Don't beat yourself up': Find confidence through failure Klesko was drafted by the Braves in the fifth round in 1989 as a pitcher. He transitioned in their system to first base and outfield. He continued to develop his hitting and rode through the minor leagues. He finished third in National League Rookie of the Year voting in 1994. He hit 17 homers in 92 games. But following a strike that canceled the '94 season early and delayed the start of 1995, Klesko was batting under .200 with no home runs through the first 18 games. "One of the pitchers had more homers than me," he says. He heard media speculation he would be sent to the minors. "It really hurt me. I think if the coaches came up to me and said, 'Hey, you're gonna be fine. We trusted you, don't listen to all this stuff,' it would have helped me a little bit more." Then he got a push from a teammate, who told him to stop worrying about negativity and do what he could in his next at-bat. Klesko went 4-for-5 and began to break out of his slump. He wound up hitting .310 with 23 homers in 107 games for a World-Series-winning team. High school hitters don't have spring training like major leaguers, and they can quickly fall into early-season slumps. It happened to a few of the best players in Klesko's organization, the Braves scout team, this year. Klesko took that small step his teammate once did. "Hey guys," he wrote to them in a note this past spring. "Just keep grinding. It's early. Don't beat yourself up. ... Just remember your training. Go with what works for you. Stay confident that your next at-bat or your next inning pitched is gonna be great. Put in the work, trust the process, stay strong mentally and kick some butt." 'Let me handle it': Kids can't advance when you distract them during games If you're a baseball parent, you know the anguish of a kid's slump. It can paralyze both of you. "I have several kids that if they start the tournament really good, they're going to tear up the tournament," Klesko says. "Teenagers (have) so much stuff going through the head, so that's why we got our guys in the dugout trying to help them. "You've got a lot of kids, their batting practice looks great, their cage work looks great, their bullpens look great. And when that game starts, they're a mess. And that's just working on the mental part. And if they start off by making an error, they're probably gonna be horrible the whole tournament. We're trying to get past all that stuff." Now imagine how your kid feels when they're pressing, and we shout instructions during the heat of the game. "Parents are yelling, 'You're dipping this, you're dipping that,'" Klesko says. "I don't want my parents yelling anything to 'em. Let me handle it. I want one positive swing thought, and then we'll work on all the mechanical stuff in the batting cage. We don't want a bunch of stuff running through their mind." Coach Steve: Think you're helping your kid excel at sports? Think again 'Release the energy': Find power in your hitting and pitching Klesko was an equally good hitter with the San Diego Padres in his 30s. He had an .872 OPS, two points above his career average, over 828 games. He spent time revamping his swing with his mentor, former major league manager Jim LeFebvre, who helped turn Sammy Sosa, Richie Sexson and Charles Johnson into All-Stars. While we want our own style, we can look for patterns of success. "We started watching videos of all the best players, looking at swings and seeing a lot of the same consistencies in all the major league hitters," Klesko says. "So that's what we teach now. We teach a lot of the basics of getting in a launch position." That is, being in the most powerful spot to be able to move your body efficiently and drive through the ball. Think of it as defending someone in basketball: Your feet are spread out, your backside is down and your legs are in a balanced position that allows you to explode at your point of aggression. "A lot of the younger guys, when the ball's coming, they're already out of their good launch position," Klesko says. "All these different major leaguers, some start with their hands high, some start with their hands low. All I care about is once the pitch is coming, and when that front foot lands, they can rotate and move to the baseball in the most powerful position." When kids are 18 or older, he says, you can teach them how to adjust with their body movements. "So Ronald Acuna has super fast hands," Klesko says. "And then other guys like to hit with their lower half, their core, then you start kind of fine-tuning what their specialty is. Do you have fast hands or do they need to create more power from their legs?" Find a weightlifting program, Klesko says, to move weight quickly to work your fast-twitch muscles. If you're a pitcher - and this is advice from Maddox, Smoltz and Glavine - look for training programs that value power and strength in your legs over having a whippy arm. "The analogy is, you've got a Ferrari engine, and you've got a Toyota break system," Klesko says. "Something's gonna break. That's gonna be the elbow or the shoulder. You have to learn to pitch with your core and your legs, like Tim Lincecum, Nolan Ryan. They're coming down off that mound so hard, you've gotta train the muscles to be able to protect the arm after they release the ball. "You can teach the arm, but you've got to be able to release the energy." Don't be D1 or bust: Go to a college team where you will play When you find a travel coach or a team where your kid is comfortable, Klesko says, stick with them. Don't jump to another just because you think it might be a little more competitive. Sometimes, what you get out of the experience is worth more. "Is it working for your kid?" Klesko says. "Find somebody that helps your kid get better." A number of players from the Braves scout team have committed to Division 1 programs. However, in the era of NIL and the transfer portal, college baseball coaches are leaning on older players. The average age of an NCAA baseball player is just under 22. If you aspire for college baseball, Klesko suggests to also aim for junior college, Division II or Division III, where you have a better chance to play. It's a route Tom Wisnauckas, a reader of my column from Worthington, Massachusetts, has advocated to me over the years. His daughter, Zyna, played lacrosse at Division III Smith College. "Most parents want their kid to get a D1 athletic scholarship but there are plenty of very good academic D3 schools that give a lot of aid," Tom Wisnaukas says. "So academics in high school (are) pretty important. Also for the most part, D3 kids, if they choose, are not married to their sport and can take part and enjoy other experiences in college. And most coaches understand the value of academics. "So let parents know not to poo-poo D3. Also remind them that playing a sport in college is very time consuming and students will need to get good at time management in a hurry." Meanwhile, if players are struggling at baseball in high school and reach out through Perfect Game for advice, Klesko tries to respond to them. He wants kids, on his team and elsewhere, to have the all-inclusive sports experience he once had. "If it wasn't for the help from the Little League coach or my high school coach, or the neighbor down the street giving my mom some money for gas to go to a tournament, we would never be able to do all that," he says. "I've seen that, and if it wasn't for the whole village around me, I would have never made it. So I'm trying to do that exact same thing for the kids." Coming next: Fulfilling professional dreams while enjoying the ride as fathers and sons to try and reach them. Steve Borelli, aka Coach Steve, has been an editor and writer with USA TODAY since 1999. He spent 10 years coaching his two sons' baseball and basketball teams. He and his wife, Colleen, are now sports parents for two high schoolers. His column is posted weekly. For his past columns, click here. Got a question for Coach Steve you want answered in a column? Email him at sborelli@
USA Today
30-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Don't fear failure: A World Series champion's keys to maximizing kids' sports potential
Seeking success in high school and college with Ryan Klesko, a former World Series champion who now helps kids reach baseball's elite amateur levels This is Part 2 of a three-part summer series visiting with three former major league All-Stars turned sports dads. They offer sports and life advice about how to make our kids better players, but also how to get the most out of athletic experiences with them. Read Part I:'You're not getting scouted at 12': Youth sports tips from a LLWS hero You may remember Ryan Klesko as a solid contributor to the Atlanta Braves' run of division titles in the 1990s. But have you ever looked closer at his numbers? He was remarkably consistent, hitting .279 with a .500 slugging percentage over 1,736 games. His sustained success, he says today, was not a result of a singular approach. "Pull up hitting on TikTok and you're gonna see 50 clowns,' says Klesko, 54, who now coaches his son, Hunter, at the 16U level in the Atlanta area. 'There's a lot of good information, but there's a lot of disinformation out there. I call them clowns because these guys are trying to break down the swing, and they have all these weird drills and it worked for one guy. Listen, everybody trains a certain way. I don't train all my kids to be like Ryan Klesko.' Klesko carried a collection of physical tools and intellectual and emotional insight he collected from coaches and teammates (and from his mom, Lorene) from the time he was a kid in Southern California Today, as he directs high school-aged kids, he seeks out snippets of knowledge, whether they come from Hall of Fame teammates Jones, Greg Maddux, John Smoltz and Tom Glavine, or something he finds online that might help a particular player. Everyone is different. 'I've had some bad major league hitting coaches, and they're friends of mine,' Klesko told USA TODAY Sports. 'One of the guys, very successful player, he wasn't there long. He was trying to teach everybody to hit like he hit. And that was the only way. Chipper Jones doesn't hit like Fred McGriff.' Klesko works as a special assistant to the ownership group of Perfect Game, a youth baseball and softball scouting service that runs showcases and tournaments. As he travels around his region and the country with his teams, he looks for partnerships and ways to maximize players' potential through clinics and instruction. He offered strategies for athletes and their parents: Find your comfort zone. There's not one right answer for everybody Lorene Klesko was a single mom who worked two jobs to support Ryan and his two sisters, who played softball. She had healthy, home-cooked food on the table and paid for every resource she could to ensure they were always around their favorite sports. She also caught their fastballs, including Ryan's, which reached 85 mph when he was a high school freshman. He went to 10 years of hitting and pitching lessons, where he gained counsel and watched pros stop by the small warehouse behind Anaheim Stadium where he trained. 'I think it's important for kids to get good structure,' Ryan Klesko says. 'Find someone that's had experience under somebody that's reputable. They don't have to go to hitting/pitching schools, but you gotta find someone that can help them through mechanics. Just like any other sport. If you're going to be a gymnast, you can't just go jump on the bars. You gotta have instructions, like baseball or anything else.' As a youth coach, he has learned at least a half-dozen ways to correct flaws in swings, and to approach each hitter with an open mind. 'Barry Bonds, he was thinking swing down on the ball,' Klesko says. "Mike Trout, swing down on the ball. Big Papi, swing down on the ball. Josh Donaldson, he thinks he's got to swing up on the ball. 'Well, guess what? They're all good hitters. So I'm trying to find something that associates with that kid in his customized swing to make him better.' 'Don't beat yourself up': Find confidence through failure Klesko was drafted by the Braves in the fifth round in 1989 as a pitcher. He transitioned in their system to first base and outfield. He continued to develop his hitting and rode through the minor leagues. He finished third in National League Rookie of the Year voting in 1994. He hit 17 homers in 92 games. But following a strike that canceled the '94 season early and delayed the start of 1995, Klesko was batting under .200 with no home runs through the first 18 games. 'One of the pitchers had more homers than me,' he says. He heard media speculation he would be sent to the minors. 'It really hurt me. I think if the coaches came up to me and said, 'Hey, you're gonna be fine. We trusted you, don't listen to all this stuff,' it would have helped me a little bit more.' Then he got a push from a teammate, who told him to stop worrying about negativity and do what he could in his next at-bat. Klesko went 4-for-5 and began to break out of his slump. He wound up hitting .310 with 23 homers in 107 games for a World-Series-winning team. High school hitters don't have spring training like major leaguers, and they can quickly fall into early-season slumps. It happened to a few of the best players in Klesko's organization, the Braves scout team, this year. Klesko took that small step his teammate once did. 'Hey guys,' he wrote to them in a note this past spring. 'Just keep grinding. It's early. Don't beat yourself up. … Just remember your training. Go with what works for you. Stay confident that your next at-bat or your next inning pitched is gonna be great. Put in the work, trust the process, stay strong mentally and kick some butt.' 'Let me handle it': Kids can't advance when you distract them during games If you're a baseball parent, you know the anguish of a kid's slump. It can paralyze both of you. 'I have several kids that if they start the tournament really good, they're going to tear up the tournament,' Klesko says. 'Teenagers (have) so much stuff going through the head, so that's why we got our guys in the dugout trying to help them. "You've got a lot of kids, their batting practice looks great, their cage work looks great, their bullpens look great. And when that game starts, they're a mess. And that's just working on the mental part. And if they start off by making an error, they're probably gonna be horrible the whole tournament. We're trying to get past all that stuff.' Now imagine how your kid feels when they're pressing, and we shout instructions during the heat of the game. 'Parents are yelling, 'You're dipping this, you're dipping that,'' Klesko says. 'I don't want my parents yelling anything to 'em. Let me handle it. I want one positive swing thought, and then we'll work on all the mechanical stuff in the batting cage. We don't want a bunch of stuff running through their mind.' Coach Steve: Think you're helping your kid excel at sports? Think again 'Release the energy': Find power in your hitting and pitching Klesko was an equally good hitter with the San Diego Padres in his 30s. He had an .872 OPS, two points above his career average, over 828 games. He spent time revamping his swing with his mentor, former major league manager Jim LeFebvre, who helped turn Sammy Sosa, Richie Sexson and Charles Johnson into All-Stars. While we want our own style, we can look for patterns of success. "We started watching videos of all the best players, looking at swings and seeing a lot of the same consistencies in all the major league hitters,' Klesko says. 'So that's what we teach now. We teach a lot of the basics of getting in a launch position.' That is, being in the most powerful spot to be able to move your body efficiently and drive through the ball. Think of it as defending someone in basketball: Your feet are spread out, your backside is down and your legs are in a balanced position that allows you to explode at your point of aggression. 'A lot of the younger guys, when the ball's coming, they're already out of their good launch position,' Klesko says. 'All these different major leaguers, some start with their hands high, some start with their hands low. All I care about is once the pitch is coming, and when that front foot lands, they can rotate and move to the baseball in the most powerful position.' When kids are 18 or older, he says, you can teach them how to adjust with their body movements. "So Ronald Acuña has super fast hands,' Klesko says. 'And then other guys like to hit with their lower half, their core, then you start kind of fine-tuning what their specialty is. Do you have fast hands or do they need to create more power from their legs?' Find a weightlifting program, Klesko says, to move weight quickly to work your fast-twitch muscles. If you're a pitcher – and this is advice from Maddox, Smoltz and Glavine – look for training programs that value power and strength in your legs over having a whippy arm. 'The analogy is, you've got a Ferrari engine, and you've got a Toyota break system,' Klesko says. 'Something's gonna break. That's gonna be the elbow or the shoulder. You have to learn to pitch with your core and your legs, like Tim Lincecum, Nolan Ryan. They're coming down off that mound so hard, you've gotta train the muscles to be able to protect the arm after they release the ball. "You can teach the arm, but you've got to be able to release the energy.' Don't be D1 or bust: Go to a college team where you will play When you find a travel coach or a team where your kid is comfortable, Klesko says, stick with them. Don't jump to another just because you think it might be a little more competitive. Sometimes, what you get out of the experience is worth more. "Is it working for your kid?' Klesko says. "Find somebody that helps your kid get better.' A number of players from the Braves scout team have committed to Division 1 programs. However, in the era of NIL and the transfer portal, college baseball coaches are leaning on older players. The average age of an NCAA baseball player is just under 22. If you aspire for college baseball, Klesko suggests to also aim for junior college, Division II or Division III, where you have a better chance to play. It's a route Tom Wisnauckas, a reader of my column from Worthington, Massachusetts, has advocated to me over the years. His daughter, Zyna, played lacrosse at Division III Smith College. 'Most parents want their kid to get a D1 athletic scholarship but there are plenty of very good academic D3 schools that give a lot of aid,' Tom Wisnaukas says. 'So academics in high school (are) pretty important. Also for the most part, D3 kids, if they choose, are not married to their sport and can take part and enjoy other experiences in college. And most coaches understand the value of academics. 'So let parents know not to poo-poo D3. Also remind them that playing a sport in college is very time consuming and students will need to get good at time management in a hurry.' Meanwhile, if players are struggling at baseball in high school and reach out through Perfect Game for advice, Klesko tries to respond to them. He wants kids, on his team and elsewhere, to have the all-inclusive sports experience he once had. 'If it wasn't for the help from the Little League coach or my high school coach, or the neighbor down the street giving my mom some money for gas to go to a tournament, we would never be able to do all that,' he says. 'I've seen that, and if it wasn't for the whole village around me, I would have never made it. So I'm trying to do that exact same thing for the kids.' Coming next: Fulfilling professional dreams while enjoying the ride as fathers and sons to try and reach them. Steve Borelli, aka Coach Steve, has been an editor and writer with USA TODAY since 1999. He spent 10 years coaching his two sons' baseball and basketball teams. He and his wife, Colleen, are now sports parents for two high schoolers. His column is posted weekly. For his past columns, click here. Got a question for Coach Steve you want answered in a column? Email him at sborelli@
Fox News
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Trevor Hoffman, Ryan Klesko to manage top high school baseball talent at Perfect Game All-American Classic
Print Close By Ryan Canfield Published June 24, 2025 EXCLUSIVE: The Dick's Perfect Game All-American Classic will not just have star power on the field this year, but star power in the dugouts as well. Baseball Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman and former San Diego Padres All-Star Ryan Klesko will serve as managers for the game, Fox News Digital exclusively learned Tuesday. Perfect Game's All-American Classic features the top 60 high school baseball players across North America and provides them a platform to showcase their talents on a national stage. This year, the nation's top high school players will compete at Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres, on Aug. 17. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON The All-American Classic debuted in 2003, and since its inception, the game has seen some of the biggest names in Major League Baseball play in the event. Bryce Harper, Gunnar Henderson, Bobby Witt. Jr, Gerrit Cole and Francisco Lindor are among the star players who have played in the game over the years. Of the 1,126 players who have participated in the event over the last 22 years, 850 were drafted, and 293 players went in the first round. Hoffman, who has the second most saves in MLB history (601), has been involved with the event for over a decade and has served as the game's honorary chairman. The Padres great said he is excited to be in the dugout and interact with the nation's top high school players. "I think that's the biggest opportunity I have. It's one thing to walk around with a PG t-shirt or a polo and then kids try to figure out who you are. But you have a uniform on, you are in the dugout, and you are actually interacting with them. Whether it's in batting practice or during the game, it's just going to have a different feel," Hoffman told Fox News Digital. "When you're out with the kids and getting an opportunity to share your insights and giving them the opportunity to show their stuff, you are just right there. Easy opportunity to encourage and get to know them, so I'm really looking forward to the game and being around the kids." GIANTS PITCHER SEAN HJELLE SPEAKS OUT AFTER WIFE'S EXPLOSIVE ABUSE ALLEGATIONS Klesko said if he had not had events like the All-American Classic growing up, he might not have ever made it to the big leagues. "If we didn't have the help growing up and have events like this to be able to attend and showcase ourselves, fortunate (growing up) in California, and we had a little bit of that going on, not as much as it is now, but it wasn't for events like this and coaches helping us and getting some instruction, I know never would have made it," Klesko told Fox News Digital. The 16-year MLB veteran said he is "excited" to be part of the journey for the young athletes in this year's game. "A lot of these guys, like it's so overwhelming, and they got so much advice coming in from so many different areas," Klesko said. "I think for us, it's not necessarily telling them what to do, but just giving them advice kind of on what we've been through in the past and just to help them navigate. It's not about us, it's about their next steps and I think we're all excited to be part of that journey for these young athletes." DODGER STADIUM ROCKED BY ANTI-ICE PROTESTERS DURING ONGOING LOS ANGELES UNREST Hoffman and Klesko also each have coaching staffs littered with former MLB stars for the game. Their coaching staff is composed of Padres All-Stars Phil Nevin and Mark Loretta, World Series-winning manager Charlie Manuel, 20-game winner Scott Erickson, 1995 AL MVP Mo Vaughn, 7-time All-Star Alfonso Soriano, 3-time All-Star Tom "Flash" Gordon, World Series champion Jose Contreras, and MLB veterans Todd Coffey and Jason Phillips. Hoffman said for the coaches, they jumped at the opportunity to help the next generation of stars through the process. "I think it was an opportunity really that they wanted to be around the kids," Hoffman said. "It's about the kids, and it's about the kids and the game at all levels. So when you get an opportunity to talk to some people that have been through the process, like Ryan (Klesko) said, and to have great people that are mentoring kids in other places, what a great situation you are putting together." RAYS PITCHER HUNTER BIGGE RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL AFTER BEING STRUCK IN FACE BY 105 MPH FOUL BALL Daron Sutton, whose extensive MLB on-air experience has ranged from pregame and postgame host to play-by-play announcer since 1998, has announced the All-American Classic since 2009 and will be announcing it again this year. Sutton told Fox News Digital that while the event has evolved over the years, the event has always had elite talent. "I'd like to tell you the talent has evolved, but the talent's been there from the very beginning. My second game, a 16-year-old Bryce Harper played in it, so there was always talent. Right after that, (Francisco) Lindor and Javy Baez were in the game. There has always been elite talent." Sutton said his favorite part of the game are the "single moments" that occur. "All-star games are fun and unique because it's all about the individual. There are not strategic decisions being made, there is no intentional walks that are doled out, no pitch outs or anything, that's a different kind of broadcast," Sutton told Fox News Digital. "We're all baseball fans, we know what that is, so it's the single moment. An opportunity for an athlete to have a moment and then seeing them deliver." ASTROS PITCHER CONFRONTS ANGELS SHORTSTOP AFTER HITTING HIM WITH PITCH, SPARKING BENCH-CLEARING SCENE "Like any great Home Run Derby or All-Star game, it's that one unforgettable moment, we have dozens of them." For Brad Clement, Perfect Game's executive vice president and general manager, his favorite part of the event is the philanthropic aspect of it. "The event itself is incredible, all of the different baseball activities, the swag they get. But almost to a player, the most impactful thing when we've been in San Diego has been seeing those kids that have dealt with or are dealing with pediatric cancer at the hospital because we do that visit. Really, that's what it's all about," Clement told Fox News Digital. "We're thrilled again to be (donors) of Rady's children's hospital, one of the elite hospitals in the world. Their outreach is incredible and this event itself has raised over a million dollars over the years. Now that includes the players and families who are encouraged to raise money through their resources in their communities and almost all do, and our partners. Overall, I know we're north of 1.5 million in the total philanthropic give for just this event in the various cities it's been in since its inception over 20 plus years ago." Hoffman echoed Clement and said his favorite part of the event is when the athletes go to Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego. CAL RALEIGH HITS MLB-HIGH 30TH HOME RUN, AS MARINERS LOSE 10-7 TO CUBS "The kids get a chance to go and visit Rady's children's hospital, see some of the kids who are younger and maybe a little less fortunate, and they are going through some hardships, and they get to really appreciate what their opportunities are. There is a charitable arm that they get to participate with and allow their hometown communities to support them and make a donation to Rady's, which is fantastic," Hoffman said. Perfect Game's All-American Classic is not just for the players to showcase their talent, but their families as well. Clement said that Perfect Game hosts a parent symposium to highlight what will be coming for their kids over the next year. "We think it's important off the field to share with them what the next year is going to be like, so we have a parents' symposium to help them learn what this is going to be like right now and for last year's (class) going into it because the high school season is over, and the draft is upon us. There are a lot of heady things that go into that, whether they go to college or sign a contract, whatever it is. So we try to help the parents out," Clement said. Klesko said he is most looking forward to helping not just kids, but their families through the process. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "I think just helping them go through the process. I know a lot of kids, a lot of families, it's just all new to them. There is so much stuff being thrown at them," Klesko said. "If Trevor and I and some of the other major leaguers can sort of help them navigate through the process of going pro, going to school, whether it would be nutrition or training. There are so many different questions out there that are going through these kids' minds." Hoffman said it's been "special" to see the event grow over the years. "(The kids') talents are off the charts, the competition is real, and it's just great to provide a platform that they can do those sort of things," Hoffman said. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter. Print Close URL
Forbes
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Ryan Klesko Among Ex-MLB Players Involved In Birmingham Youth Clinic
Former Atlanta Braves player Ryan Klesko reacts after hitting the ball in the 1995 World Series ... More Champions vs. Braves Legends softball game before a baseball game between the Braves and the Miami Marlins, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Todd Kirkland) Ryan Klesko last played in Major League Baseball in 2007. Eighteen years later, he remains heavily involved in the game. Klesko runs the Atlanta Braves' scout teams, which primarily consists of high school-aged players. Klesko made his major-league debut with Atlanta in 1992 and spent the first eight seasons of his 16-year career as an outfielder/first baseman with the Braves. And Klesko also joined Perfect Game last year as a special assistant to ownership. Perfect Game, based in Sanford, Fla., is the world's largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service. Klesko enjoys coaching and instructing young players as much he did playing in the major leagues, where he hit 278 home runs in 1,726 games with the Braves, San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants. 'I would have never made it (to the major leagues) if I wouldn't been from the help from my Little League coach, or the first camp that I went to my mom and my high school coach,' said Klesko, a native of Westminster, Calif. 'We didn't grow up with a lot of money and we're always scraping funds together to play travel ball. I would have never made it without those people doing it and this is my way of paying it forward.' Giving it back will be the theme on May 19 when Perfect Game, in conjunction with The Sports Facilities Companies, will hold a Kids Camp at the Hoover Met Plex in Hoover, Ala., a suburb of Birmingham. The event will be held a day before the Southeastern Conference Tournament will begin in Hoover. Klesko is one of five former big-league players scheduled to attend with Wes Helms, Brett Myers, Tom 'Flash' Gordon and Jason Phillips. Nearly 500 students from Birmingham City Schools and Hoover City Schools will attend and rotate through various on-field activities featuring athletic games, skill instruction and competitive challenges. Every participant receives a Rawlings baseball glove, Perfect Game baseball and an event T-shirt. Perfect Game vice president of scouting operations Jered Goodwin will oversee the camp. The camp is especially meaningful for Goodwin, who spent the first 13 years of his baseball career as a high school coach after playing collegiately at Birmingham Southern. 'I come from an education background, and the travel team I started with, the emphasis was on underprivileged and minority kids and so when I got into Perfect Game, it was kind of a natural fit,' Goodwin said. (Perfect Game) has been doing philanthropy around our All-American Game for 20 years but I've moved into kind of the underprivileged kids' camp. So, it was a natural fit that I wanted to be involved with stuff like this. 'We're thrilled to bring together MLB veterans, talented youth and our scouting team for a day that celebrates the game of baseball and gives back to the local community.'
