MANDEVILLE, Manchester — A recent three-day baseball clinic in Mandeville left a life lesson for more than 20 young boys.

Jamaican-born former professional baseball player, Devon White, who is based in the United States, told the aspiring baseball players gathered on the de Carteret College playground that a good education would help them to excel in sport.

“Education is first. You have to do well in school, that’s the first and foremost. It opens up a lot of doors; it doesn’t matter what sport you are in,” said White.

Respect and hard work, he said, were also necessary components in order to be successful.

White lived in the inner city community of Jones Town in Kingston prior to moving to the United States.

The baseball clinic ran from June 16-18 and White was invited by conceptualiser Edwin Rose and his team at B.E.S.T Baseball Academy, which operates out of Mandeville and Western Florida.

Rose also played baseball professionally in the United States and told the Jamaica Observer Central that he has been trying to build the sport in Jamaica for more than 20 years.

Mayor of Mandeville, Brenda Ramsay, praised the effort of the B.E.S.T Baseball team to get the sport recognised.

“It’s not something that is natural to us. We tend to be soccer persons, we tend to be cricket persons, track and field, as you well know…,” she said.

Ramsay lauded the organisers and volunteers for giving of their time and talent and noted that it will take a lot of commitment from the coaches and participants, but that baseball has the possibility for excellence in Jamaica.

“In the same way we have identified excellence in track and field and in other areas, I am sure that you will be scouting and finding lots of talent among our young people,” she said.

Sharon Rose, who is in charge of public relations and marketing for B.E.S.T Baseball Academy, said the aim was to sustain the baseball programme in Jamaica and increase the number of players through training of school coaches and formation of baseball clubs.