By Craig Beilfuss
LocalSportsJournal.com

NORTON SHORES—Weekly sports camps will be returning to the Maranatha Bible and Missionary Conference grounds beginning the week of June 27-July 1.

Maranatha is located in Norton Shores. The first camp scheduled is for baseball players.

Kids ages 7-16 can enjoy Maranatha’s sports camps offered Monday – Friday during select weeks of the summer.

All camps are led by trained Christian professionals. Kids are sure to have an experience of a lifetime.

Registration is required for all sports camps and should be completed as early as possible. Space is limited. All camps run from 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. daily.

Returning to oversee the baseball camp is the popular group of former major league baseball players from Unlimited Potential headed up by Brian Hommel, who played professionally in the Milwaukee Brewers organization for 5 years.

Hommel a left-handed pitcher, and Unlimited Potential have been heading up the baseball camp for a number of years.

We believe that following Jesus initiates a new life full of unlimited potential, and so we seek to help professional baseball players become disciples of Jesus” said Hommel.

Many Christians tend to think of discipleship as a program or a curriculum that you go through and then take others through once you’ve completed it. However, we believe that discipleship is not a program or a curriculum, but rather a new way of life that we are learning for the rest of our lives.

It is not our desire to create a neatly packaged program for players to follow and “finish” (however you might define “finish”). We simply desire to come alongside of players, to walk with players, to enter into a relationship with players and to lead players as we grow together in our discipleship to Jesus,” Hommel said. 

Also returning from 2021 are Terry Evans who played professionally (OF) with the St.Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Angels, San Francisco Giants, Kansas City Royals (11-years total); Pitcher Tyler Keele, who played professionally in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization (3 years); Catcher Nick Hundley who played professionally with the San Diego Padres, Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies, San Francisco Giants and Oakland A’s (13 years MLB); former national league all-star pitcher Russ Ortiz who played professionally with the Giants, Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks, Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers (12 years) and rounding out the field is outfielder/pitcher Bill Curtis who played professionally with the Los Angeles Angels (5 years).

Other weekly camps include Tennis Camp (July 4-8), Soccer Camp (July 11-15), Pickleball Camp (July 18-22, new this year), Football Camp (July 25-29), Volleyball Camp (July 25-29) and Basketball Camp (August 8-12).

Weekly camps cost $45 if you register before June 1 and $60 if you register after June 1. To register or if you have any questions contact Ann Ledsworth at [email protected].