Valley Ridge Academy (full quarter)
Valley Ridge Academy (full quarter)
Our after-school clinic with Valley Ridge Academy will be on Thursdays from 3:00 - 4:30 pm!
Hello Valley Ridge Academy! My name is Nathan Fudala and I am so excited to offer you our “After School Clinic”, operating on Thursdays from 3:00 - 4:30 pm located on the school’s outdoor multipurpose field. All students are welcome to register for an entire quarter (8 weeks) for $225 or for individual days for $32. We aim to teach fundamental Baseball/Softball skills in a safe, fun, and inclusive atmosphere. The “catch” is that instead of using hard baseball/softball bats/balls, we use plastic Wiffle balls and bats. This greatly reduces the chance of injury while attendees learn proper fielding, hitting, and throwing techniques. Whether you are a seasoned ballplayer or a newbie, what we offer is challenging, engaging, and most of all, FUN!
3rd Quarter Dates:
1/11, 1/18, 1/25, 2/1, 2/8, 2/15, 2/22, 2/29
4th Quarter Dates:
3/21, 3/28, (THERE IS NO CLASS ON 4/4) , 4/11, 4/18, 4/25, 5/2, 5/9, 5/16
About Backyard Rule: We are a start-up sports entertainment service based in St. Augustine, FL. We specialize in “pop-up” Wiffle ball events. Since 2015 we have hosted tournaments, fundraisers, summer camps, birthday parties, and more for thousands of participants. Our mission is to build teamwork and spread sportsmanship. All we need is an open grass field and a few ballplayers!
About me, your coach: My name is Nathan Fudala and I graduated from Flagler College in 2012. As a former college Baseball player and high school coach, it hurts me to see so many kids driven away from the game by hard-nosed, win-at-all-cost coaching styles where yelling at players, parents, and umpires is a regular occurrence. I prefer to take a lighter approach and focus on providing a well-rounded experience for all, not just the winners. Please do not get this philosophy confused with “everyone gets a trophy”, as I am firmly against the practice. Rather, I try to teach a healthy way to compete and especially focus on how to deal with losing. After a tough loss, rather than complaining, get ready for the next game. Rather than blaming others, recognize what you could have done better and make the adjustment. The winners are crowned champions, high-fived, and congratulated, but I believe the greater lesson learned is how to deal with failure (something I wish I was better at during my playing days).
How the after-school program will work:
The clinic will last for 1.5 hours, beginning at 3:15 and ending at 4:45 pm on Thursdays. There will be 8 available clinics per quarter, beginning August 24th. You can register for an individual day for $32 per day, or for a full quarter for $225. Participants do not need to bring any bats, gloves, helmets, cleats, or balls. All playing materials are provided. Most any attire is ok, but wearing gym shoes is a must. Ideal clothes would be athletic shorts/pants and a tee shirt or sweatshirt (whatever the weather deems necessary).
The clinic begins with a quick “pow-wow”, encouraging fair play and best efforts while discouraging sore losers. We then begin a group stretch and some cardio to get the blood moving and the lungs breathing. We then transition into 15-20 minutes of drills, targeting skills related to hitting, throwing, and catching, maximizing repetitions, and minimizing standing around. After drills, we set teams for a formal game(s) of Wiffle ball between teams of 4-5 players each. When 4:30 pm rolls around you can expect to have to drag your kiddos off the field, but not to worry as we will be there next week as well. A 15-minute (late) grace period is granted to all parents free of charge who are running late, but please notify us via email if you can.
In the unlikely event of a cancellation, you will be refunded a pro-rated amount. If the weather is bad, we will move inside to the gymnasium or to a classroom setting and host a modified clinic. Refunds are not granted for participants who fail to attend.
Thank you all so much for considering signing up for our after-school program. I am so excited about the opportunity to work with the Valley Ridge Academy community. If there is one guarantee I will make it is that I will put forward my best effort to provide a one-of-a-kind learning experience for all participants. If you have any questions feel free to email me anytime!
NATE@BACKYARDRULE.COM
Testimonials
“Backyard rule keeps our son engaged for the entirety of the camp. Fun and friendship are easily found at this well organized, fun, energetic and kindly competitive camp. Hustle and effort are rewarded with wiffle ball victories that will keep you coming back year after year! Definitely our son’s favorite summer camp.”
“Wanted to let you know my daughter Th***n is having a great time and learning so much. This might have been the best camp for her. She is going to try softball this year and I have her signed up for softball night camp in July. Your camp was the perfect start for her. Just wanted to say thank you and your camp is amazing! ”
“Nate Fudala and Backyard Rule is second to none. Nate has been handling our Bat4Ben Fundraiser for the last six years, and he makes it so easy. If you have ever planned a fundraising event on your own, you know what a huge undertaking it is. Nate takes it all off of your hands, and you literally just show up. Extremely professional, organized, and seamless, and the players look forward to coming back year after year. It’s a top-notch event and fun for all!
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“We enjoy this camp every year and always look forward to it! Thank you for all the work and for creating all the fun and memories for them! We look forward to the next few summers with Backyard Rule!”
“This is our third year participating in this camp (I think) and I love everything about it. My kid has come back from camp excited for the old friends, but talking about the new friends he met. I love that they have different group, play “old school” games and he comes home excited to play those games with his brothers! His papa has even put in a kickball field and we all kicked off summer with it. This camp builds skills that will last them a lifetime and crosses to multiple sports. I love that he is learning healthy habits in a fun way!”
“We have used Backyard Rule for 3 years in a row for Hobe Sound Lightning travel baseball. Our annual Backyard Rule Wiffle Ball tournament is our biggest fundraiser of the year. Tons of people in our community come out to play and it has become one of our favorite days of the year. Nate makes organizing teams and brackets so easy and stress free. He sets up all of the fields and makes sure the games are running smoothly and fairly. The team names and costumes are one of the best parts, once you get it going it will become an awesome annual event!”
This event is hosted by Backyard Rule, LLC. For additional information on participating or to see how you can host your own special event please email:
nate@backyardrule.com