Mizzou softball players host skills camp; continue to build culture
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Ever since Mizzou's super regional run, softball has been coursing through the veins of the Columbia community and, on Sunday, three MU players took it a step further by passing it down to the next generation.
Cayla Kessinger, Hatti Moore, and Kendyll Bailey hosted a skills camp which primarily focused on defense and hitting.
"Our whole goal is to get involved in the community more, whether it’s minicamps, like 10 to 15 girls, or something small like today— a couple hours once a week," Kessinger said.
Due to the newly passed name, image, and likeness legislation Kessinger, Moore, and Bailey all got to make a profit off of offering up their skills. It is only the second camp the group has held, however, they said they expect more in the future.
They held two sessions on Sunday. The first one was for anyone ages six to 12 and the second was for ages 13 and up. The players hosted the event at the Daniel Boone Little League fields and even provided the campers with free smoothies after a hot day on the fields.
"I hope they take away from this camp — one thing to help them grow their game," Bailey said.
All three of them added that it makes them emotional thinking about how much young girls look up to them.
"The reason I love doing these camps so much is because I want to camps when I was younger, but not this young," Moore said. "I remember how I felt going to camps when I was 12 and 13 and looking up - I'm from Texas, so going to UT camps or A&M camps where I'd look at these girls and I thought that they had hung the moon. I was just in complete awe of them because I was like, you know what, I want to be there."
