This baseball academy has been in business for 47 years teaching countless kids the game of baseball with lessons of sportsmanship as well. It has produced fundamentally sound players, as well as many a professional in the Major and Minor leagues. That is not to mention all the kids playing in college and currently in the pipeline on JV & HS baseball teams. This place has been an oasis in south Florida, and the type of place you wish were in your own hometown.
It is run by a man who is old school, and puts principles above all else. He has also instilled values into his ballplayers over the years with daily speeches about being good, getting good grades, being respectful, teamwork, sportsmanship, etc.
Kids are taught to work hard to improve their games, not just to rely on God given talent to get by. Awards are earned, not given to every participant. However some awards are earned by virtue of teamwork, hustle, and effort, even if the kid does not stand out as an individual.
Having said all that, it is with regret I announce that Red Berry's Baseball World will be locking it's turnstiles for the last time this year.
Here is a Miami Herald article written earlier this year about the closing;
http://www.miamiherald.com/201...-miami-baseball.html
Personally I am going to miss the fact that Red's is closing, even though it has been many years since my son attended. He started at the age of 3 and went until he was 11. He played in his age group and up in division most of the latter years, which is both a blessing that he was good enough to play against older kids, and a curse because it meant being there five days a week instead of three. That of course is not including the Red Dogs travel ball team Red has.
Still I would not trade the memories for anything. Sure my son is playing in college now in no small part due to his instruction from Red, as well as a love of the game that was instilled. However even if my son never played beyond middle school, it was all well worth it.
While other programs might have been cheaper, they also had parent coached teams with dubious instructional value. Red's was a place you could drop off your son and know both his body and mind were safe and well taken care of.
Furthermore he had current and former professional players instructing your kids. So in the off season many a current pro would be hired by Red on a part time basis to compliment his regular staff. No one instructed who didn't at least play college ball or have a strong coaching resume. Red was tough on his staff and ran a tight ship, but the kids benefited from his oversight, as well as personal instruction. So this institution will be missed by those who experienced it, and those who would like to find such a place to send their sons.
http://www.redberry.net/index.html
So this is to say thanks for everything Red Berry did the last half century for our kids.
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