The school year is just around the corner, and Noozhawk’s ParentNooz After School Activities Guide is officially here and we made sure to make things easy when planning your child’s after school activities! Our 2021 After School Activities guide provides you and your child with all the necessary information when deciding on which after school program is the best fit.
To give parents the tools to help make informed decisions about after school programs for their kids in Santa Barbara, Noozhawk has conducted a series of interviews with representatives of local programs for this year’s After School Activities Guide.
In this interview, Noozhawk spoke with Spencer Erdman, Assistant Coach at UC Santa Barbara Youth Clinics, to learn more about their after school program here in Santa Barbara.
UC Santa Barbara Youth Clinics
Question: What is the name of your After School Activity/Program? What is its mission?
Answer: The UC Santa Barbara Youth Clinics provide a safe and fun environment for young baseball players to develop their skills with the help of our professional coaching staff. Our mission is to provide quality technical information that promotes skill development and a growing passion for the game of baseball. Furthermore, we strive to be role models for the players and connect with each family to ensure we develop the whole person, not just the baseball player.
Q: Describe the activities involved in your After School Activity/Program.
A: Hitting Clinics (Monday) will put players in a challenging environment that simulates a live baseball game. Our goal is to provide technical training, paired with a competitive environment that pushes each player outside their comfort zone. In this way, we best prepare the athlete for their next game.
Pitching and Catching Clinics (Thursday) begin with a lesson on arm-care and proper warm up routines essential to long term pitching development. During this time, catchers will receive foundational drill progressions for receiving, throwing, and blocking. Following the warm up routines and drill progressions, players will throw competitive bullpens monitored by our professional coaching staff.
Q: What are the hours of your after school activity or program?
A: 5-6 pm Monday, Tuesday, & Thursday.
Q: What is the age range for children to take part in your after school activity or program?
A: The age range is 7-14 years old. Players will be split up into groups based on age and the environment will be catered to the skill set of the individual groups. We ensure that players will be pushed outside of their comfort zone, but not to an extent that is detrimental to the player. We want the player to be excited for the challenge, not demoralized by their performance.
Q: When was your program started and what was the inspiration for creating it?
A: UCSB Fall Clinics are an integral part of the Gaucho program. We created the program to provide an affordable option for young players in our community to develop a passion for baseball and an appreciation for Gaucho Baseball! We hope to see families at all of our games in the spring, as well as at our Summer Youth Camps!
Q: Describe what makes your after school program unique and worthwhile.
A: Our training environment is monitored by an elite coaching staff that develops players for a highly competitive college baseball season. The track record for player development at UCSB is surpassed by our drive to make a positive impact on the community through strong relationships with each family. We strive to serve the community as role models and leaders through an affordable Youth Clinic.
Q: Following COVID-19 restrictions, what parts of your program have changed to comply with Santa Barbara County guidelines?
A: Our COVID-19 guidelines entail outdoor specific activities only and a coaching staff that is fully vaccinated. Participants 12 and older are encouraged to be fully vaccinated before participating in a UC Santa Barbara sports camp. Please note even one dose of the vaccine will provide protection from COVID-19, and anyone eligible is strongly encouraged to get vaccinated.
Q: What is the average program size or class size for your activity? Teacher to student ratio?
A: 6-10 players on average with a ratio of 3:1 up to 5:1 per session.
Q: In what ways is your program educational?
A: We teach foundational baseball techniques that can be performed on your own with little equipment and space. Furthermore, we teach players the value of adversity, work ethic, and positive leadership.
Q: What is the cost/tuition? Are scholarships available?
A: $20 per clinic. Bundle options offered on our website for a discounted price.
Click here for more information about UC Santa Barbara Youth Clinics and their after school programs!