Omaha Burke High School has recently been selected as one forty-five sites nationally to host a prestigious TPX Top 96 Clinic for High School Players in 2009, according to Burke Assistant Coach Scott Hodges.  The two-day clinic will take place during the College World Series on June 22 and 23rd and is expected to draw high school players and college coaches from across the nation.

 

The clinic format features  workout/evaluation sessions and instructional clinic sessions conducted by college coaches on the first day followed by games on the second day, with each participant playing in a game.  

The Top 96 was founded in Boston in 1994 as a way of showcasing local area players to college coaches.  The event grew in size and reputation, attracting players from all over the country who wanted to attend colleges in New England.  In 2003 the organizers partnered with Louisville Slugger to expand the event outside of Massachusetts, and the event has grown rapidly across the nation.  The "Top 96" name refers to the number of players who were originally selected to participate in each event.  As the popularity of the program has grown, the number of participants at each clinic has been expanded to 150 -- with a maximum designated for each position.

After originally conducting the event as a "showcase" for several years, the organizers noticed that, although the athleticism of participants was improving, their fundamental baseball skills were declining.  The event has now adopted a "clinic" format with the emphasis on instruction conducted by college coaches. 

 

Coach Hodges' involvement with the event came about after meeting a Top 96 representative at an American Baseball Coaches Association convention a year ago.  The representative indicated that the organization had been interested in setting up a clinic in Omaha during the CWS for some time.  Hodges provided the kind of local contact that they needed to make the Omaha event a reality. 

 

"We're excited about having Top 96 here in town," stated Hodges.  "It's a great opportunity for Nebraska kids to get more exposure in a well-run and widely-respected event at a time when there are lots of college coaches in town."

 

Among the colleges that will represented by having coaches participating in the CWS Omaha clinic are:  Brigham Young University, Coe College (IA), Dallas Baptist University, Florida State University, North Carolina State University, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, University of Indianapolis, University of Iowa, University of Missouri, University of Nebraska, University of Pittsburg and University of Texas.  Coach Hodges also indicating that the organizers are also trying to get Clemson, Kentucky, Miami and Pepperdine.

 

Applications for the clinic may be submitted online at the Top 96 website:  www.top96.com.  The registration fee is $495, less a $100 discount that is available through the end of this month (Saturday).