April 27, 2016
GETTING TO KNOW: DAN RAMSAY, NIKE BASEBALL CAMP DIRECTOR
Directing the NIKE Baseball Camp at Whitworth University is Dan Ramsay. In his seven years with the Whitworth Pirates Ramsay has coached a First Team All-American and a Third Team All-American, 18 All-Northwest Conference selections, eight ABCA All-West Region selections, one Academic All-American and three Academic All-District selections, one conference batting champion, one West Region Gold Glove Award winner, one Rawlings Gold Glove National Award winner. In 2015 Whitworth won the first-ever Northwest Conference post-season tournament, earning the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs. Ramsay works as a hitting and catching instructor at numerous camps throughout the region and serves as the hitting, catching, and infield coach at Whitworth while running the offense. He has directed Nike Baseball Camps through US Sports Camps for the past five summers. As a player, Ramsay was an Honorable Mention All-Northwest Conference catcher for the Pirates in 2008 and a Second Team All-NWC selection in 2007 during his two seasons playing for Whitworth. Prior to his time at Whitworth, Ramsay played 2 years of baseball at NCAA Division I Gonzaga University. Ramsay was the head coach in Cranbrook, B.C. for the Rocky Mountain Bandits in the summer of 2008 and coached as an assistant in Trail, B.C. for the Trail Jays in the summer of 2007. He spent the summer of 2005 playing for the Kamuela Paniolos in the Hawaiian Collegiate Baseball League and the summer of 2006 playing for the Everett Merchants of the Pacific International League. Nike Baseball Camps is excited to welcome back Coach Ramsay for this baseball camp in Washington.
GETTING TO KNOW OUR DIRECTORS.
First and Last Name: Dan Ramsay - Director of Nike Baseball Camp
Location(s) you direct: Whitworth University – Spokane, Wash.
How long have you been coaching baseball? 8 years at Whitworth (10th year overall)
How long have you been directing the Nike Baseball Camp? This upcoming summer will be my 7th year directing Nike Baseball Camps.
Why did you start coaching baseball? I have a passion for impacting the lives of my student-athletes both on and off the baseball diamond.
Favorite Camp Drill or Activity at Camp? My favorite activity at camp is the time we spend in the classroom talking about the life skills and character traits that are developed through competition and being a member of a baseball team.
What is the key to an incredible camp experience for you? It’s important that the campers maintain an open mind and positive attitude. Their daily approach and attitude have a major impact on the overall camp experience.
Your perfect camper on Day #1 arrives with what qualities? High energy, positive attitude, and willingness to give extra effort.
Which college or pro Coach do you admire and why? The two coaches I admire most are Mark Johnson (former head coach at Sam Houston and Texas A&M) and current Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin. Both men coach to develop the whole person and understand the game has a far greater impact beyond the playing field.
Which college or pro player do you make it a point to watch play? I enjoy watching Dustin Pedroia. He plays the game hard with maximum effort and loves to COMPETE.
What message would you like parents to understand prior to camp? I want campers to take something away from camp. Often times campers come to camp, work hard and skills and drills, then go home with nothing to show for it. I work to give them tools (drills, advice, etc.) that they can make a part of their game after they leave camp.
Coaching Tip
Baseball is a game of mistakes and failures. It is how we choose to handle those mistakes and failures that often times determines what type of players we are going to be. My biggest words of advice are to control the controllable. Don’t let things that are outside of your control determine how you approach the game. Maintain a high level of energy, a positive attitude, and work hard at your craft!
For more information on the camps this summer:
https://www.ussportscamps.com/baseball/nike/