Camp #2.5 (TEEN): June 9 - 12

St. Augustine, FL @SJA Softball 1:00 - 3:00 pm (ages 12 - 14)

Camp #3.5 (teen): June 16 - 19

St. Augustine, FL @SJA Softball 1:00 - 3:00 pm (ages 12 - 14)

Camp #4.5 (teen): June 23 - 26

St. Augustine, FL @SJA Softball 1:00 - 3:00 pm (ages 12 - 14)

To register click “purchase” on the registration icon and input the required information into the registration form. Please increase your purchase quantity to reflect the appropriate number of campers and desired weeks of camp. The TEEN Camp will be hosted from 1:00 - 3:00 pm on the Softball field at St. Joseph Academy High School (1081 South Whitney Street St. Augustine, FL 32084). Our camp objective is to teach the fundamental skills for Baseball and Softball in a safe, fun, and inclusive environment!

Hello parents! It has been our absolute pleasure to witness so many of your sons and daughters grow from their young childhood days to their early teen years. As we all know, it’s a tough transition going from a carefree and innocent youth to a more complex and socially mature early adulthood. Something I have noticed in our 11 years of camp is that around age 12, there is an personality change in the kids as they learn what it means to be cool. It is no longer cool to croak like a frog when we do our frog jump portion of warm ups. It is definitely no longer cool to act free and silly during our games and drills, and some of us are even too cool for the slip n’ slide!

We are so excited to now offer this “teen” camp for boys and girls ages 12 - 14. Myself (Coach Nate Fudala) and our other coaches not only accept the responsibility of running a safe, fun, and successful camp, but also navigating the tricky task of educating these maturing minds, and reminding them that it is perfectly ok to be yourself. Too often do we try to resemble someone or something that we idolize, rather than remaining true to our own heart and instincts that makes each of us unique.

The teen camp will have a more age appropriate format and overall tone than our youth camp. We will of course continue emphasizing our core beliefs of teamwork, sportsmanship, and fair play. Something I know these older and more able bodied campers will love is that instead of the first half of camp being filled with instructional drills, we will jump straight into drafting teams and playing the games of Wiffle ball! Something I anticipate being a hurtle for campers is they will endure a more strict correction from their coaches when arguing, tantrums, and other negative emotions arise. A little tough love is good for this age-group and everything we do intends to positively impact our campers. We wish only to build up their confidence and resiliency in preparation to become young men and women. Believe it or not, working out your disagreements with opponents and overcoming failures while playing a game does just that!

If you have siblings who’s ages do not align well with this format you can reach out to Coach Nate to work something out. Any campers who are too old to participate may be able to attend as a camp counselor! For additional information about camp please email: NATE@BACKYARDRULE.COM

Meet your coach!

Hello! my name is Coach Nathan Fudala. I graduated from Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL in 2012 where I played 4 years of Baseball. When my playing days ended I launched Backyard Rule with the goal of sharing my love for the game and inspiring others to play.

We specialize in “pop-up” Wiffle ball tournaments, fundraisers, camps, after-school clinics, and more. Summer Camp is by far my favorite part of the year. The opportunity to develop a kid’s love for the game of Baseball/Softball is not something I take lightly. I believe the greatest lesson the game teaches us is how to overcome failure. There is no other sport where you are considered great if you fail 7/10 times. Building the mental strength to overcome this obstacle is something that benefits us the rest of our life, regardless of how long our playing days last. Besides overcoming failure, I do my best to instill a “fair-play” attitude, encourage hustle, and to create an atmosphere that builds teamwork and confidence. You do not have to be a seasoned Baseball/Softball player to enjoy this camp. Come out, have fun, and play outside! All of the games and drills we do can be taken home and played with relatives or friends.

A bit more about camp… Campers do not need bats, balls, helmets, or gloves. All playing equipment is provided. Campers should bring a refillable water bottle, a snack, and a small bag for their belongings. Campers should wear a t-shirt, shorts, gym shoes, and a hat (sunscreen and sunglasses are also recommended). Each day begins with campers checking in. Once everyone is accounted for our coaches address the group with a quick sportsmanship “pow-wow”. We then break off into our teams for the day and begin playing!

Thank you again for your interest in camp. If you have any questions please email me at nate@backyardrule.com