Twelve women attended the Cyclones’ fifth annual “Ladies’ Clinic” at Keyspan Park on Sunday, a tutorial run by Cyclones’ director of communications Dave Campanaro, and Brooklyn pitchers Scott Shaw and Chris Schwinden.
Clinic participant, Marion Roberto Bomhoff, 67, from Mill Basin, a Cyclones’ series ticket holder, has attended every year.
“They taught me to run straight at the scary, big high fly balls that are coming, and to get right under them and don’t be afraid,” she said. “They taught us to run like heck, and on grounders to use the alligator catch where you two-hand snap at the ball, like using an alligator’s mouth.”
Bomhoff appreciated the efforts of the Cyclone players.
“Scott [Shaw] and Chris [Schwinden] were so nice and patient with all of us.”
Amanda Bennent of Cobble Hill has attended two years in a row.
“Last year, we worked more on pitching, and this year we worked more on playing the outfield,” noted Bennent.
“This year was a little scary, especially trying to catch pop ups. That was impossible. We learned to be under the ball as it comes down rather than be running to meet it.”
Cynthia Jordan benefited most from hitting instruction from Campanaro.
“He showed me that every time I missed a pitch was because I let my back shoulder go down,” she said. “When I kept the back shoulder up, I did much better.”
Jordan did note an inconsistency in the players’ instruction.
“The players taught us to never say, ‘Sorry’ when we overthrow, but then they said ‘Sorry’ every time they did it. We kept making fun of them over it when they said ‘Sorry.’ They had said instead of saying ‘Sorry’ that we should say to the other player, ‘It’s your fault for not catching it.’ ”
Paulette Hodge from Sheepshead Bay has been to the clinic for three years, and she stood out as one of the better players.
She plays softball in the Big Apple Softball League on Sundays, but skipped her game this day to attend.
“The pitching is interesting, learning the overhand baseball pitch, and I’ll never get it down,” said Hodge, “But it’s fun.”
First-time participant Lisa Henderson of Crown Heights was having trouble with her swing, so Campanaro pitched to her from in front of the protective screen a few feet in front of the mound.
Campanaro moved closer, and was eventually soft-tossing from about 30 feet from the plate.
That’s just when Henderson finally started to grasp the mechanics of the swing — rocketing a ball straight at Campanaro’s head.
“Are you trying to kill me?!” he yelled, half in jest.
Henderson said, predictably, “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t say you’re sorry!” Campanaro said.
But he did move back to the mound — and Henderson hit two more line drives.
