By Rick Assad
Dalton Rushing is in his second season as a catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers and for the second straight year, the 25-year-old receiver who played baseball for the University of Louisville, held a baseball camp for boys and girls between the ages six and 13 years old.
The Dalton Rushing Youth Baseball Camp hosted about 200 youngsters at Ralph Foy Park at Schaefer Field last Monday.
The camp is organized and run by FlexWork Sports Management along with national partner Raising Cane’s and in conjunction with the Burbank Parks and Recreation Department.
Rushing is the backup catcher behind All-Star catcher Will Smith, who has been sidelined for two months with a neck stiffness and disc inflammation, but is slated to return to the team fairly soon.
Rushing has played in 72 games after being in 53 games in 2025, and has performed admirably behind home plate and in the batter’s box.
To date, Rushing has swatted 11 home runs and knocked in 33 runs while scoring 36 runs and is batting .257 for the Dodgers who own the best record in Major League Baseball with a mark of 68-40 and are 11.5 games ahead of the second-place Arizona Diamondbacks.
On what was a warm and toasty morning and afternoon, there were eight skill stations for the youngsters.
They included hitting wiffle balls, catching fly balls on the run, throwing balls, catching balls, fielding grounders, hitting into a net, bunting drills and Rushing throwing to catchers at home plate.
Anthony Harrison Jr. serves as camp general for FlexWork Sports while leading youth baseball and football camps throughout greater Los Angeles, across the country, and at events in Canada.
“Having the youth come out to learn from and hear instruction from Dalton Rushing, one of their favorite Dodgers, is incredibly important for building morale, strengthening belief, and boosting confidence,” he said. “Helping kids understand the importance of having a vision and setting goals is essential to their success, both on and off the field. If you can see it, you can be it.”
Having youth camps is vital to the community and the youngsters truly enjoy being around a professional athlete like Rushing, who was drafted by the Dodgers in the second round in 2022 and who made his big-league debut in 2025.
What do the campers gain by this camp setting?
“Campers receive instruction from some of the area’s top coaches while also having the unique opportunity to learn from one of the best catchers in Major League Baseball,” Harrison explained.
Everyone involved with the camp benefits from the four-hours working on the fundamentals of baseball.
“Giving back is essential to building a strong, healthy community,” Harrison said. “Our coaches and staff find great joy in watching each camper grow, develop new skills, and gain confidence.”
Mark Gutierrez is a lifelong Dodgers fan who grew up in Chino and is also camp general for FlexWork Sports Management and he was present and ready to help the youngsters get better at baseball.
Gutierrez, who has a social science degree from Chapman University and has a certificate from UCLA, addressed why these camps are important.
“Dalton Rushing is great with the youth and is all about giving back to the community,” he said, “so on behalf of FlexWork Sports, we are honored to provide this opportunity for these young campers, to meet, take pictures and do drills with one of their favorite athletes from the Los Angeles Dodgers.”
Getting hooked on baseball usually begins early and for these youngsters, they were having the time of their lives, enjoying the great game of baseball, meeting a professional baseball player and learning the skills that are necessary to play at even the lowest levels.
Gutierrez, who has coached for more than 25 years and has worked as a coach engagement for camps run by wide receiver Puka Nacua and running back Kyren Williams, both with the Los Angeles Rams.
“Each camper gets an exclusive camp, T-shirt, a team photo, and an opportunity to train with World Series champion Dalton Rushing,” he said. “Campers also gain inspiration, knowledge, and a vision of what is possible for them to achieve.”
Everyone on the field that day gains from this yearly effort by Rushing.
“For many of them, it’s a huge opportunity to work with one of the top players from the organization they were raised rooting for,” said Gutierrez, who has worked camps nationally and internationally.
