Jets moving indoors after successful yet unconventional fall

The Vauxhall Academy of Baseball Jets have moved indoors for winter training as part of their usual schedule of baseball events.

Despite a challenging, protocol-filled fall season, the Jets coaching staff and players were able to still hit the field to get some games in under irregular pandemic restrictions.

“When I look at it, it was as good as it could have been as far as making the best of the opportunities. I thought overall, our players and our team handled it well. They came with the right approach and they got as much out of it as we possibly expected,” explained Jets head coach Les McTavish.

While the team wrapped up their outdoor baseball activities in late October with their annual 100 inning game, they have yet to enter the Vauxhall Community Hall. So far, Jets players have been training within Vauxhall High School and the coaching staff is focusing on getting the players in top physical condition in preparation for the spring season.

“Our primary purpose is getting stronger. Overall, the whole group is getting stronger and if you are beat up or had some injuries you want to get healthy and strong. That’s our objective from now until Christmas and we’ll certainly start making some small strides on the baseball skillset side, meaning throwing and hitting. Our focus right now is to try and get strong and add as much mobility, strength and explosiveness as we can, physically, so when we push forward from the baseball perspective, we can reap those benefits,” continued McTavish.

Utilizing both the VHS gym, weight facility and hall, the Jets had been exploring constructing their own facility near Jets Stadium.

Understandably, those plans have been put on hold for the time being.

“I wish we had a great update, but I don’t. Obviously, due to a few main reasons right now, we’ve put it on the back burner. We do have some goals we want to do this winter. We want an online event of some sort — a live auction, a silent auction — as well as some sort of awards banquet and those may be virtual. The Kitagawas and Yukio is still doing his Clicks for Fieldhouse. We still ultimately have that goal but we’ve pushed the pause button a bit to focus on things we need to stay a viable program.”

While moving indoors may seem like a potential challenge for the program, training sessions from prior winters don’t really change for VAB.