Aug. 23, 2011

CHICAGO - The UIC head softball coach and former USA Olympic catcher, Michelle Venturella and assistant coach Amanda Scott are set to offer their fall camp series. The first camp focuses on the skills of the catching position, and is followed by a defensive camp; both sessions are open to players ages 8-18. The instructional camp begins Tuesday, Sept. 6, and continues each Tuesday evening in the Physical Education Building through Oct. 25, in Chicago.

"I am very pleased to offer these camps to the community," Venturella said. "The camp focuses on quality, allowing only a maximum of 10 campers in each class, in order to assure individualized instruction, while still learning from others. Participants are also allowed flexibility as they can sign up for one class, or all eight, depending on what works for each individual's schedule."

The campers receive professional instruction from head coach Venturella, who is an All-American catcher, Big Ten Player of the Year and graduate of Indiana. Upon concluding her career with the Hoosiers, she had a six-year career on the USA National Team, where she earned two gold medals in a two-year span. The first decoration came at the 1998 World Championship and the other at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

The catching camp begins each Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. (CT) and continues through 7:25 p.m. The campers receive instruction from Venturella as she teaches the fundamentals of catching, such as receiving, blocking, throwing, fielding a pop-up ball, as well as conveying an understanding of the strategy of the game.

The defensive camp immediately follows the catching camp, from 7:30 p.m., until 8:25 p.m., and educates players on fundamentals in the field.

The camp is $40 per session, and members of the clinic are asked to bring athletic shoes and a glove. Catchers also need to bring all catching gear.

Assistant coach Scott is also offering pitching clinics in the fall. Scott, a 2001 graduate of Fresno State was selected as a four-time (1997-2000) NCAA First Team All-American pitcher. In 1998, she led the Bulldogs to a National Championship, and was selected as the College World Series Most Valuable Player. For more information regarding her pitching clinics, contact her at amscott@uic.edu.

Register for the catcher's camp here

Register for the defensive camp here

--UIC--