RIO GRANDE VALLEY – Cheers, laughs and words of encouragement rang through the Brownsville Pace baseball complex on Saturday as The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros baseball team welcomed 35 boys and girls ranging from 7 to 13 years of age for a free youth clinic. 
 
It was a long day for the 20 student-athletes, all pitchers, leading the clinic. They practiced from 9 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., completing throwing drills, bullpens and rehab before jumping on a bus to head to Brownsville. But that didn't stop them from bringing a ton of energy to the field and creating a fun environment for all in attendance. 
 
"It's always important for us to give back. We're looking to be down in Cameron County to give back to our community as much as we can. Our guys are loving it and the kids are having a lot of fun," UTRGV assistant coach Ryan Jackson said. "The energy is definitely here today. These guys were all at practice, they all went about their routines, so they've had a long day but they're still kicking. They have fun with it and any time they can give back to the community, they're going to do it." 
 
Attendees were split into groups by groups and started the clinic in the infield working on defensive drills. Then, they broke into larger groups and went to the outfield to take some swings at live pitches. UTRGV's pitchers tossed tennis and whiffle balls to batters and gave tips on swings, timing and defense for those shagging balls. 
 
The clinic ended with two groups each playing a game as the Vaqueros cheered them on and gave them pointers. The Vaqueros hung around taking pictures, high-fiving and signing autographs for their new young fans. 
 
"We worked backhands, balls at them, slow rollers, all things we do every day at our practices. Then we went into game segments. A lot of instruction for their age is not really necessary. Really, I want them to have fun with kids their age, run around, and our guys are also jumping in on the action," Jackson said. "It was a really good turnout and I hope to continue doing this in the near future." 

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