MAGNOLIA, Ark. - Mulerider Athletics is proud to offer "Catching Clinic with a Cardinal" on Saturday, December 6. The camp will be held from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. inside Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field on the campus of Southern Arkansas University and is FREE to area youth ages 8-18. Pre-registration for the camp will begin on-site at 12:30 p.m. that afternoon.
 
The camp will feature special instruction by Jamie Pogue, assistant coach/bullpen coach and catching instructor for the St. Louis Cardinals along with several players from the Mulerider Baseball team.
  
Pogue, the Cardinals bullpen catcher/catching coach from 2012 to 2022 and an assistant coach/bullpen coach as of November 2022, has ties with SAU and the surrounding community having played baseball for the Muleriders in his senior season of 1999. In his lone year at Southern Arkansas, Pogue led the team in home runs (9), RBIs (61), slugging percentage (.643), runs scored (68), walks (39), and on-base percentage (.521). He was also second on the squad that year in batting average (.405), doubles (17), and hits (75) en route to being named All-Gulf South Conference First-Team and earning All-South Central Region accolades. Pogue later signed as an undrafted free agent with the Cardinals and was in their farm system until 2003. In his current role he has helped St. Louis claim the Central Division title five times and in 2013 he was instrumental in the Cardinals' run to the World Series.
 
Camp instruction will include:

• Correct "new school" knee down stance(s) that are best for you
• Pre-pitch load techniques that are essential for receiving
• Footwork from knee down stance(s)
• Blocking/paddling techniques
• Fielding bunts
• Tag and force plays at the plate
• Simple, repeatable drills to help all ages continue their growth as a catcher 

 
In addition to the baseball skills aspect of the camp, the camp will also be a platform for the instructors to provide motivational talks with the campers about the importance of education and physical wellness.