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Nike Baseball Camp Boise Hawks

Improve your game and have serious fun
at Nike Baseball Camps

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Join us this summer for an exciting Nike Baseball Camp at Memorial Stadium in Boise, ID … Home of The Boise Hawks! Camp will be directed by manager, Gary Van Tol. Coach Van Tol is in his third season at the helm of the Hawks and is excited to bring his vast knowledge of baseball to all campers who attend. With over 30 years of experience coaching at the college and professional level, Coach Van Tol has had the opportunity to develop over 90 MLB players and is confident he and his staff will provide an informative and fun session of camp.

Campers will learn how to approach the sport the right way as they fine-tune their fielding, hitting, base-running skills, and enhance their knowledge of the game, all while having an awesome time and making new friends.

Highlights Include

Free Entrance to Boise Hawks Game vs. Billing Mustangs at 7:05pm on August 8
Nike Baseball Camp T-Shirt, Cinch Sack, Wristband, Sticker, and potentially other prizes!
Professional Instruction from Hawks Players and Coaches
Excellent Training Facilities
Low Camper to Instructor Ratio
Daily Emphasis on Fundamental Development
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Director Gary Van Tol

Van Tol returns for his third season managing the Boise Hawks as an independent, his second stint after managing the Hawks in 2013 and 2014 as an affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Van Tol spent 10 years with the Chicago Cubs in player development as a minor league coach and was part of the organization's historic 2016 World Series Championship.
View Gary's Bio ⟩

In his first season managing the Boise Hawks as an independent, Van Tol led the Hawks to a Southern Division title when they beat the Ogden Raptors on the road in a 12-inning classic one game playoff. The Hawks advanced to face the Missoula PaddleHeads for the 2021 Pioneer League Championship. Missoula took Game 1 of the best of three games in Missoula. The Hawks responded to win game 2 in Boise but the PaddleHeads prevailed to win the title in game 3. The last time the Hawks clinched the playoffs was in 2014 when Van Tol was at the helm. It was the last season the Hawks were affiliated with the Chicago Cubs. They lost to the Hillsboro Hops (Diamondbacks) 2-0 in the South Division finals. In 2013, Van Tol led the Hawks to the Northwest League Championship Series, losing to the Vancouver Canadians (Blue Jays) 2 game to 1.

After coming within one game of winning the 2021 Pioneer League Championship, six of his players signed with major league organizations prior to the 2022 season. With only one returning starter in the field and two starting pitchers from the 2021 Souther Division Championship Team, Van Tol patiently rebuilt the roster while enduring a 30-67 overall record last season (2022). With 15 players returning for the 2023 season, Van Tol is excited to have a strong, experienced core back in the starting lineup to go along with high expectations of making it back to the Pioneer League Championship Series.

Prior to his return to the Hawks, Gary was hired as the head coach at Boise State University in 2017. His responsibility was the rebuild the program from scratch after a 40-year hiatus. In his first season, 2020, he led the Broncos to a 9-5 record before the college season was canceled in March due to COVID. The following July, the university eliminated the program which opened the door for the Boise Hawks to hire Gary as their first manager as an independent, since 1989.

Van Tol has over 30 years of coaching experience at the college and professional levels. During his coaching career he's had the opportunity to help develop over 90 players who have played in the major leagues. Besides his time with the Chicago Cubs, he spent 20 years at the college level with stints at Boise State University, Gonzaga University, University of Portland, Treasure Valley Community College and Centralia College.

Baseball has also taken Van Tol around the world, a native of Pincher Creek, Alberta, he started his playing career at Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario, Oregon, earning Region-18 Second Team honors and finished his college career at Gonzaga University where he was All Pac-10 First Team and Third-Team Academic All-America. Van Tol was a member of the Canadian National Team competing in the 1991 Pan American Games in Cuba, the 1990 Goodwill Games in Seattle, the World Championships in Edmonton, Alberta and the 1989 Presidential Cup in Taipei, Taiwan. He finished his playing career with Levis Neptunus in Rotterdam, Netherlands, the 1993 Dutch and European Cup Champions. He also worked for Major League Baseball as an envoy coach and assisted the Great Britain National Team in 1996.

Van Tol earned his bachelor and master of arts degrees from Gonzaga University. Gary and his wife Christina live in Boise and have four children; Gehrig, Amaia, Peyton, and Gibson.

Instruction will focus primarily on hitting, fielding, base-running, and game situations. You can expect high demand for these first come first serve camper spots, so please be sure to register early.

Please note: The following information may be subject to change.

2024 CAMP INFORMATION

Dates: August 5-8, 2024
Age Group: 7-13
Camp Type: Day Camp
Schedule: Monday 9:00am-2:00pm, Tuesday-Wednesday 9:00am-12:00pm, Thursday- GAME!
August 8: Boise Hawks Game vs. Billing Mustangs at 7:05pm (Camper Ticket Provided)
Check-In: Begins 30 minutes prior to the camp start time.
Meals: Lunch is provided Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE FEE?

Daily Baseball Instruction
Supervision: Campers are supervised by staff during camp hours
Nike Baseball Camp T-Shirt, Cinch Sack, Wristband, Sticker, and potentially other prizes!
August 8: Boise Hawks Game vs. Billing Mustangs at 7:05pm (Camper Ticket Provided)

INSTRUCTION & FACILITY

Ratio: 1:10 staff to camper ratio
Groupings: Campers are initially grouped by age and moved around accordingly based on skill level.
Facility: Outdoor Fields. No Indoor Facility.

Emphasis of Training:

Hitting: Understanding and building your swing through drills, repetition and progressions. Identifying your strength and weaknesses and how to put yourself in the best position to have a quality at bat. The importance of having a plan and how to execute that plan. The ability to understand what it takes to generate runs, execute game situations, pitch recognition, 2 strike adjustments and the short game.
Defense: Learn the responsibilities and skills needed to defend at each position on the field. The importance of being on time, understanding your internal clock, the speed of the game, field conditions, hitters tendencies, the sun and where to throw the baseball before it is hit to you. Individual drills to help your footwork, securing the catch and playing catch with different arm slots, flips and long hops. Team fundamentals will also be discussed to learn fly ball priorities and communication, cuts and relays, picks and run downs, 1B and 3B defense and bunt defense.
Pitching: Identifying your natural arm slot and drills to help you maintain athleticism and efficiency in your delivery. The importance of your legs and core. The ability to throw strikes, maximize your velocity, control the running game and defending your position. You will also learn different types of pitches and grips along with the importance of having a routine, throwing program, long toss, bullpen work and arm care.
Baserunning: The score of the game will determine how aggressive your are on the bases. Learn how to run the bases efficiently and under control. Respect 90, 1B to 3B, 2B to home, home to 2B, primary leads, secondary leads, dirt ball reads, stealing bases, proper touches and running with your head up, making your own decisions and learning how to slide.

PREPARE FOR CAMP: COMPLETE YOUR PRE-CAMP CHECKLIST

To view your customer account, complete your mandatory forms, pay balance dues, and review important camp information, visit Pre-Camp Checklist.

All necessary camp information is on this page. If there are any imperative changes prior to camp start, registered campers will be notified via email and this webpage will be updated!

CHECKLIST OF THINGS TO BRING:

Below is a suggested list of clothes, equipment and personal items. US Sports Camps is NOT responsible for lost or stolen articles or money.

Small gym bag/backpack
Athletic clothing: t-shirt, shorts, baseball pants (recommended)
Warm-up jacket
Hat
Cleats & sneakers
Baseball glove
Baseball bat
Helmet
Catchers gear (if applicable)
Sunscreen
Water bottle
Packed lunch and snacks

MEDICAL PROTOCOL

Most camps have an athletic trainer on-site to help with illness or injury. In case of an emergency, campers will be transported to the nearest hospital.

TRAVEL

Nike Baseball Camps does not provide transportation from airports, train stations or bus depots. If you have a child flying to camp, please arrange a shuttle or taxi service.

TEAM/GROUP DISCOUNT

If you have a group of campers registering for the same camp, each camper is eligible for a discount. Please have someone contact the US Sports Camps office at 1-800-645-3226 with the names of each camper in the group and we will create a unique discount code for your group. Campers may then register individually through the website at their convenience and apply the offer code during checkout. *Discount amount varies by program. Please call for details.

COMPANY POLICIES

For information regarding our cancellation policy and all other company policies, please visit USSC Policies.

NIKE BASEBALL CAMP FAQ

For general questions about our baseball camps please see our FAQ page.

Director's Note to Campers

“Please join Boise Hawks manager, Gary Van Tol, his coaching staff and players at Hawks Memorial Stadium for this unique opportunity to learn the game of baseball at the professional level. Come learn the basic fundamentals and skills needed to play at YOUR next level through drills, repetition and game situations. You’ll also learn the importance of establishing an in-season and off-season routine, building a plan that fits your goals and aspirations and how to execute your plan through proper evaluation and understanding your player profile based on your current skill set and future projection. You will also learn the importance of vision training, visualization, proper breathing techniques, strength training, building a throwing program, arm care, injury prevention and recovery."

SECURE YOUR SPOT – CAMPS SELL OUT!

Last year over 650 Sports Camps sold out, leaving 7,000+ campers on the waitlist. Due to high demand, early registration for our first-come-first-serve camps is strongly recommended.

Programs: General Skills

Age Group: 7 - 13

Gender: Co-Ed

August 5; 9:00m-2:00pm August 6-7; 9:00am-12:00pm August 8; Boise Hawks Game Time TBD

Day $325.00 USD

Availability: Yes

* Pricing is subject to change based on availability. Enroll today to secure current rates.

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Nike Baseball Camp Boise Hawks

Improve your game and have serious fun
at Nike Baseball Camps

Highlights Include

Camp Coaches

Director Gary Van Tol