Rich Poythress watched as area baseball coaches posed for a photo Tuesday and took stock of the group's pedigree.
Some of the most well-known baseball names in Georgia came together for a baseball and softball clinic at Riverside Park, with all proceeds going to the Sissy Barnes Foundation. Poythress, the University of Georgia first baseman and former Greenbrier standout home for Christmas break, was impressed with the turnout.
"It's awesome," Poythress said. "I can't imagine how many collective wins are over there."
Westside coach Gerald Barnes accounted for more than 500 alone. Barnes' wife, Sissy, has been in and out of hospitals since suffering a stroke in 2005. The foundation bearing her name was set up in 2006 by some of Barnes' former players.
All proceeds from Tuesday's event will be presented to the foundation from Pitch Rite, a baseball instructional system patented last year by former Swainsboro coach Hank Aldridge.
Aldridge and many of the same coaches who showed up were in Twin City, Ga., on Monday holding a similar clinic to benefit Bill Bonds, a coach and assistant principal at Emanuel County Institute who suffers from a rare form of cancer called adenoid cystic carcinoma. Bonds' wife, Lori, was Aldridge's first bat girl at Swainsboro.
"Even though we're teaching baseball and softball, this is a ministry," Aldridge said.
On hand for the clinic were Aldridge, University of Georgia coach Dave Perno, Jimmie Lewis, Terry Holder, Rodney Holder, Chris Wilkins, Garrett Black and Mike Leverett, among others.
Perno was there at the request of his friend Lewis, Harlem's longtime baseball coach. Perno knows Barnes and has recruited several area players, including Poythress and Westside graduate Matt Childers, who was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies Tuesday.
Former Greenbrier baseball coach and newly named Grovetown football coach Rodney Holder handled much of the organization for the clinic.
"Everybody jumped on board," he said. "Not one person we called said they couldn't do it. Everything was 'What you need me to do?' and 'How much can I help?' "
Reach Stephen Fastenau at (706) 863-6165, ext. 116 or stephen.fastenau@augustachronicle.com.
EARLY ACCOLADES
Georgia's Rich Poythress, a Greenbrier High graduate, has been named to the 2009 Louisville Slugger Preseason All-American second team. The junior first baseman hit .374 last season with 15 home runs and 75 RBI.
He was named to the SEC All-Defensive team and earned a Rawlings Gold Glove.
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