Saturday’s Long County recreation department baseball and softball clinic in Ludowici got off and running — literally.
Former Long County High School baseball head coach Albert Lodge welcomed the more than 30 boys and girls, and then told them to run a lap. With the youngsters, who ranged in age from 8 to 14 years old, huffing and puffing after they rounded the field, Lodge warmed them up with some exercises and began to teach them some of his baseball and softball secrets.
The players went through drills that focused on improving their hitting, fielding, throwing and base-running.
The majority of the drills given were taught by Lodge, who in his career won three state titles and eight region championships. In addition to Lodge, several coaches from the recreation department, Director Michelle Rogers and Assistant Director Randy Simmons were on hand to help.  Several parents and grandparents on a nearby fence watched the clinic, while the Long County 4-H Club manned the concession stand providing snacks and drinks.  
But the real action was on the field, and Lodge was a good choice to direct that action, according to Rogers.
“Coach Lodge has so much knowledge, and I’m just glad that he is out here passing some of it on to these kids,” she said.
The diamond is a popular place during the summer in Ludowici. Rogers said that this year, there are 27 teams with more than 400 children participating in T-ball, softball or baseball in Long County.  
In addition to action on the diamond this summer, the gymnasium at Walker Middle School will be open in June for children 9 and older to play basketball.  
For more information on Long County Recreation Department activities, call 545-9112.