Observations From Dodgers Nation Workout on Sunday
Since their inception four years ago, Dodgers Nation has gradually morphed into one of the top organizations on Long Island culminating in a Number 15 ranking for the Mid-Atlantic by Perfect Game at the 17u level.
Christian Byrnes, the founder of the organization, is very pleased with their progress.
“We’re going to be very good at most of our age groups this year,” said Byrnes. Aside from their 17u team coached by Sean Burns, he is also expecting a very strong 14u team coached by Al Marazzo as well as 9u and 10u. He stated that the 9u team is coming off a great season in which they won the LI Hot Stove League and the 10u team got some new talented players into the program this winter…
Brendan McCann (Kellenberg 2022) pic.twitter.com/1lx3NUja4h
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) January 18, 2021
LONG ISLAND DODGERS NATION
The Long Island Dodgers Nation Baseball Travel Program began in the fall of 2017. The program has grown rapidly from its early beginnings and now includes 20+ baseball teams heading into the 2020 season. Age ranges for the baseball players cover 8U through 17U.
The Long Island Dodgers Nation Travel Baseball Program combines individualized instruction with a qualified and dedicated coaching staff to develop foundational elements required for long term baseball player and team success. Practices, drills and instruction are designed, organized and planned to deliver maximum development for each player. Players on each team will benefit from having very well qualified coaches that care about their players. The coaches work to develop a work ethic, passion and dogged determination that will help and guide young men in their baseball and academic life.
CHRISTIAN BYRNES
Christian Byrnes has traveled all over the world playing, teaching and coaching the game of baseball. At Bethpage H.S. in 1986 he led Long Island in batting at .544, breaking hitting and stolen base records and was 4 year Gold Glove Winner for his play at Shortstop. He also was voted All County and MVP of the All Star Game. He accepted a scholarship to Concordia College where he played Shortstop all 4 years. Concordia was ranked as high as 8th in the Country during his playing career. For his career, his batting average was .339 , stealing 51 bases and was named Captain his Senior Year. He had the honor of Coaching Diamond Pros Team USA to Championship in Australia, 2nd place finish in China, teaching in Finland, as well as all over USA both as a player and coach.
In 2016 he was chosen by Topps Baseball Company to Coach first base for the Durham Bulls (Tampa Rays AAA Club) for the weekend. In the last 15 years he has traveled to Florida and Arizona for MLB spring training to learn from Coaches, all MLB drills and practice routines, which he implements here at LI Dodgers Nation. He worked for many years with Diamond Pros under travel baseball pioneer, Lou Santos, and learned from many hitting greats including former Yankee Roy White. Christian has run baseball instructional camps over the years and his experience as a Varsity Baseball Coach at Bethpage High School for the past 15 years has guided many of his former players on to the collegiate level.