On Monday, June 15th, through Thursday, June 18th, Safe At Home is hosting its summer baseball/softball camp at the Levelland High School Baseball Field.
Started by Eric Ochoa three years ago, Safe At Home is a free, faith-based workout program hosted 11 months a year on Sundays at Big Three Pump Service. Each year, the program also hosts a summer camp to help players develop skills, build confidence, and have fun.
For children between the ages of 5 and 8, the camp costs $30 and is held from 9 am to 11 am during the third week of June. For children between the ages of 9 and 14, the camp costs $40 and is held from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm during that same week.
You can pick up registration forms for the camp at Big Three Pump Service, 806 Barbershop, Hibbett Sports, or the Hockley County Credit Union. To receive a shirt for camp, remember to register before June 7th.
Ochoa, who is an assistant coach at Lubbock Christian High, describes both the year-round program and the summer camp as a form of religious outreach. “We work out about an hour and a half and talk to them afterwards. We try to tie in life experiences with baseball and softball, which are both games of failure,” says Ochoa. “We teach them to pray and do the Lord’s Prayer during every workout. We do little devolutions and talks.”
When asked what inspired him to start the Safe At Home program, Ochoa says it was because he had been around the game his whole life and watched the game “become more about the clout.”
“It became more than just a game. It became about what you have and what you can do, and it became a business. One thing I noticed is the kids. I coach high school baseball and noticed a change in kids and parents. What I did was take it back to the basic fundamentals of the game and of life,” Ochoa says.
He adds that he also wanted to “do something for the community and kids that can’t afford private lessons and travel ball.” “Kids wanna play regular baseball and softball and be good at it,” he says. “This program is for any talent level. We don’t care if you just started playing or have been doing it your whole life. I want these boys and girls to realize this is just a game, and it doesn’t define who they are.”
The program and summer camp teach the basics of baseball and softball through workouts that focus on hitting off the tee, working on the field, and throwing. There are no teams, simply workouts meant to help students improve their skills. However, life fundamentals, which Ochoa describes as things like learning to appreciate parents, respect teammates, take care of your belongings, and above all, learning about God, are emphasized just as much.
“The thing I’m most proud of is that, once a month, we do a family night out.” Ochoa explains that each month, he gives four kids (two boys and two girls) $50 dollars a piece to take their parents out to eat.
“It's a way to say thank you to the parents, but it also teaches them that things cost a lot of money. That has to be the biggest thing we’ve done so far because these kids learn to appreciate their parents. We teach kids to tell their parents ‘thank you’ and ‘I love you’, because parents take out the time and money for their kids. We teach gratitude.”
Ochoa says that ultimately, the program has gone really well. “At first it was kind of different, and parents weren’t used to it. They’re not practices; it’s just a time to work on your game. They’re essentially private lessons every week for free. It's been a huge deal in my life.”
Kids from ages 5 all the way to college age are welcome at the year-round program, and in fact, Ochoa often pairs players of different age groups together. “I like putting a five-year-old with a 16-year-old because I’ve been told that the older kids remember why they started playing the game. I tell seniors in high school to talk to freshmen, asking, ‘What would you tell yourself three years ago?’ The older kids help the younger ones out.”
Ochoa says that, ultimately, he is trying to help kids “not just to get better at a game”, but to “become better people.” Safe at Home’s summer camp and workout program are Ochoa’s way of giving back to the community by having a positive influence on young people and teaching them about character, respect, and faith.
For more information on the summer camp and the Safe at Home workout program, you can find Safe at Home on Facebook or contact Eric Ochoa.