With the new baseball/softball complex nearing completion in Clarion, it is an exciting time to be a ball fan in this area! To get some of the youngest fans fired up, a fun new opportunity was unveiled earlier this year: the Kids Klub. According to its founder, Ryan Nail, the ‘klub’ is essentially a fan club to get youth involved in baseball and softball this summer, with lots of exciting perks included for its members.
Nail, who is the Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Head Baseball Coach, said the idea for such a club has been rolling around in his head for a while. “The idea started at my previous school, but because of Covid and other reasons, it never got started,” explained Nail. “I decided to send out some feelers after nearly a year of being back in Clarion and the idea took off like crazy.”
The overall goal of this program is to get as many youth baseball and softball players involved with home game nights as possible, said Nail. “You can look at it as a ‘fan club’ that you see at so many ballparks around the country. Our goal is to get groups of kids out at the ballpark on a nightly basis to be part of our pre-game schedule such as hanging out in the dugouts while we take the infield, being part of our player introductions and even giving some kids the opportunity to throw out some first pitches.”
The fun doesn’t even stop when the game is finished. “After games, we’ll give them an opportunity to run the bases or hang out with some of the players,” said Nail. “We will also be having some laid-back sessions on off-nights to have youth players come out and play some catch with either one of the high school players or a parent, uncle, grandparent or whoever they choose.”
Nail hopes the Kids Klub will give youth a good introduction into baseball and softball which will bear fruit down the road. “We hope the club is a way to make our youth feel like they are part of our program starting at a young age,” he said. “It may encourage someone to go out for baseball or softball who may not have before or push someone to stick it out when thinking about giving it up. We need numbers in our programs, and this is one way we hope to improve them. If things are going to start turning in the right direction for our programs, it needs to start with the youth of CGD.”
And so far, Nail is very excited about the enthusiasm the ‘klub’ is generating for ball in Clarion. “There is some real excitement in this community for the baseball and softball programs that hasn't seemed to have been here for a while,” he emphasized.
“Enthusiasm” may be putting it lightly, actually. The club already has over 115 members involved, Nail reported. The cost is $25 and is used as a fundraiser for the baseball/softball program. A free t-shirt is also included thanks to First Citizens Bank and Grand View Beef. Kids Klub members also have a chance to purchase replica jerseys of the new uniforms for both baseball and softball.
According to Nail, kids are always welcome to sign up. Forms were sent home a few months ago from school. People can visit CGD Baseball’s Facebook page for information. They also plan on having a table at most home games to allow kids to sign up. There will be announcements at games as a reminder as well.
Nail says they hope to see all kids out at the new ballpark this summer and will look to include them as much as possible on a nightly basis. He added, “The motto for the baseball team this year is ‘It Starts Here,’ and it truly does start here with our youth!”
