It's not every day you get to train with a New York Yankees star. Today the NZ U18 received a special one on one clinic with New York Yankees shortstop Sir Didi Grigorious who is in NZ for 13 days assisting coaches and players to help up-skill the growing sport of Baseball in NZ.
Didi Gregorius is an MLB star, and today he's sharing his pearls of wisdom with the boys.
Gregorius, New York Yankees says, “Me playing in the states with all the veteran guys, I picked their brains alot and asked them a lot of questions so in situations like this I can give back to the kids so they know what I ask over there so they can get their answers here too. So it's not for me but I got to pass it on.”
Tairea Thompson - Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Kuri says, “He's a very skilled and epic player and it's an honour to have him here today.”
It's Gregorius' first time to NZ. Today he held a training clinic with the NZ U18 team who are training in Auckland for the Oceania U18 Championships next week in Australia.
Gregorius says, “They told me that baseball wasn't big but we tried to make it grow, but team NZ and everybody in team NZ are doing a good job bringing baseball back and trying to get more people to play baseball and you know it's really good to do more sports.”
Tukuteihu Repia - Ngāpuhi, Te Arawa says, “He's been really good, helpful tips, he's been teaching everyone in the mid field first, second and third. He showed me a bit on third with the tagging, yeah it's been good.”
Gregorius says even though the sport may not be popular in NZ, it isn't short of talent or potential.
Gregorius says, “They know how to play, it's not like they're nobody. They know how to play like today these guys, they know what they're doing. I don't have to talk loud with them cause they knew a lot of stuff when I was asking them all these questions and stuff but it was great to be here and talk with them and give them a little bit of my knowledge.”
Gregorious has two more training clinics in the country before he departs for Caracao next week.