For the past 11 years, Free State High baseball coach Mike Hill spent the fall months as an assistant football coach. Call this autumn a nice change of pace.

Hill has organized a baseball instructional camp called the Five-Tool School.

He will work with Lawrence High coach David Petry, Baker University coach Phil Hannon, former Lawrence Raiders coach Lee Ice and former Kansas University coach Bobby Randall to instruct area baseball players for nine weekends starting Saturday at Free State’s diamond.

“It’s something several of us have talked about for a long time, but with other commitments, we never had the time to do it,” Hill said. “What we wanted to do was put a professional staff out there, that is, people whose profession is coaching, and help the area kids become better ballplayers.”

About 60 youths have signed on, and not just from Lawrence. Hill has received applications from Topeka, McLouth, Eudora and Baldwin, ranging from first graders to high school players. He hopes to have another 20 to 30 sign up before September.

Baseball camps are plentiful, but Hill notes that few have as many high-level coaches as the Five-Tool School.

Randall coached the Jayhawks and Iowa State for 18 years, and was in the Dodgers’ minor-league system for seven years. Ice played for KU and spent time in the Royals organization, while Hannon played in the Chicago Cubs’ minor-league system, and also coached for the Cubs organization.

Hannon, in his third year at Baker, was more than happy to help out.

“He’s a Baker grad, I’m a Baker grad. Anytime you get a chance to help out a fellow grad, you do,” Hannon said.

Costs vary depending on age. Scholarships are available. Ultimately, Hill said, if someone wants to learn, they’ll find a way to include them.

“It’s important for us to not turn anybody away, so we’re trying to make it so that every kid that wants to be a part of this, can,” Hill said.