Teaching a love of baseball

Learning the tools and fundamentals of the great game of baseball requires someone who is dedicated, knowledgeable and has a passion for the game. The man for this task is Jeff Hipps, who founded the baseball camp Starting Line Up in 1994 when only 19.

In a black fleece, dark blue shorts with the letter S on them, black cleats and glasses, the 34-year-old Burlingame resident is ready to get started for another day.

The camp provides year-round instruction in the fundamentals of baseball including pitching, hitting, fielding mechanics, outfield play and base-running. Each afternoon, campers play scrimmages to develop their new skills.

"I love the game of baseball and wanted to share the love with the kids,” said Hipps.

The base of the camp is backyard baseball creating situations for kids to succeed like hitting the game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth or making that hustle play like hitting a single and turning it into a double when the outfielder may be careless.

"Running this camp requires a lot of patience and hard work,” said Chris Blanton, current camp staffer and Burlingame resident.

Hipps wants the kids to gain a positive experience at the camp by getting their uniform dirty, learning the fundamentals of the game and just having some intense fun. Starting Line Up has become a local tradition with past campers now staffing the program during the summers off from college. The camp is for young people ages 6-12, has six sessions in Burlingame, and also expanded to Half Moon Bay. Last year, Hipps implemented a T-ball session into the camp for 4 to 5 year olds.

One of those former campers is 19-year-old Dominic MaHeucci, current camp staffer and Burlingame resident.

"I went to the camp when I was younger and the camp is really organized. Hipps is great boss and kids keep coming back,” he said.

When Hipps is not coaching baseball, you can find him as a part-time scout for the Colorado Rockies where he covers the Peninsula and South Bay for local Bay Area talent. He never thought he would venture to the pro side but found has found his way there since 2004.

"The Rockies have been great to me,” Hipps said.

He had the good fortune to see current Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki when he coached at Long Beach State University and passed on his opinion so the brass could see his talent. He also has scouted four ballplayers currently in the Minor Leagues. In 2007, the Rockies completed an amazing run to the World Series where they were swept by the Boston Red Sox. However, the Rockies sent him and his wife Sharon to Boston to attend the first two games of the series. Even in defeat, Hipps was awarded a National League Championship ring for his hard work and dedication.

Hipps has coached for Long Beach State, Santa Clara University and Burlingame High School. He holds a master’s degree in sports management from Long Beach State University and received his bachelor’s degree from University of San Francisco where he was a member of the baseball team. But his reason for starting the camp is simple.

"I have been fortunate enough to have been around great baseball people who have taught me the game and I just want to give my passion out to the kids,” Hipps said.

For more information on Starting Line Up go to www.startinglineupbaseball.com.