FIRST-EVER MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ELITE DEVELOPMENT INVITATIONAL TO BE HELD AT HISTORIC DODGERTOWN – VERO BEACH, FL FROM JULY 18-30
Vero Beach, Fla. – Historic Dodgertown – Vero Beach, Florida will host the first-ever Elite Development Invitational, operated by USA Baseball, and initiated by Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association on July 18-30. Approximately 150 youth, ages 13-16, will participate in the two-week program geared toward providing player development opportunities to top prospects from minority or underserved backgrounds.
Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) announced on July 13 a commitment of $30 million toward a new joint initiative that will focus on improving the caliber, effectiveness and availability of amateur baseball and softball programs across the United States and Canada.
The intense 12-day program will feature numerous former major league players conveying their knowledge of the game and experiences preparing campers for a potential career. In addition to on-field baseball activities, the curriculum will focus on overall character development, strength and conditioning, arm care, MLB scout and college recruiter interaction, NCAA compliance, umpire education/interaction and media training, all of which is designed to accelerate their maturation and readiness for the next step in their respective baseball careers.
“We are proud and excited that Historic Dodgertown was selected for this event,” said Historic Dodgertown Chairman Peter O’Malley. “Our staff has worked very hard in planning it and it will be a big success. We hope to have other MLB-sponsored events and I look forward to being in Vero Beach.”
Historic Dodgertown – Vero Beach was the first integrated Spring Training camp site in the South and its iconic history will serve as a key educational resource to youth participants. Hall of Fame players Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella were among the first African Americans to train at Historic Dodgertown, and events will be held in meeting rooms bearing their names throughout the program. Participants will also experience the environment of Dodgers Spring Training utilizing all of the on-site amenities including room accommodations, dining, locker rooms, conference rooms, recreation and athletic fields.
The Elite Development Invitational events taking place on the fields will be open to spectators, though participation is exclusive to invitees only. Daily itineraries of fundamentals, speed and conditioning training along with game play will vary from day to day.
For more information about Historic Dodgertown, visit www.historicdodgertown.com or call (866) 656-4900.
###
About Historic Dodgertown – Vero Beach, Florida
“A Florida Heritage Landmark”
World-famous Historic Dodgertown – Vero Beach, Florida is a multi-sport, 80-acre complex on Florida’s Treasure Coast managed by former Dodger owner Peter O’Malley in a partnership since 2012. O’Malley, whose family developed and expanded the site formerly known as “Dodgertown” for nearly 50 years, partnered with his sister Terry O’Malley Seidler and former Dodger star pitchers Chan Ho Park and Hideo Nomo.
On November 10, 2014, Historic Dodgertown was named a Florida Heritage Landmark for its unique historic significance extending beyond baseball, as the first completely integrated Spring Training site in the South. The “Baseball and Dodgertown” historical marker is located at the entrance to the conference center.
The home of Dodger Spring Trainings from 1948-2008, it was the starting place for six World Championships and 14 N.L. Pennant-winning teams. Numerous Baseball Hall of Fame players trained on these hallowed grounds, as well as 20 visits from professional teams in Asia.
The all-inclusive facility, owned by Indian River County, gives teams of all ages the unique opportunity to train, play, dine and stay together in on-site villas. Participants utilize one of 10 ½ playing fields (seven are Musco-lighted for night games), including a new cloverleaf of youth baseball/softball fields with concessions area and new multi-purpose field (110 by 130 yards) for football, soccer and lacrosse.
Other amenities include clubhouses, two full-sized weight rooms, dining room, Stadium Club lounge and a competition-size swimming pool. The home of 6,500-seat Holman Stadium, Historic Dodgertown – Vero Beach, Florida provides an all-encompassing experience for
guests and is the ideal setting to build a championship team. It’s the perfect location for tournaments, camps, schools, business conferences and seminars.
Continuing its tradition since 1983, the Los Angeles Dodgers Adult Baseball Camp returned to Historic Dodgertown in November, 2014. Visit historicdodgertown.com for more information.
