Paul attending baseball camp

Patterson resident Samarick Paul’s dream is to play baseball beyond his high school days, and in the coming days, the multi-sport standout at Central Catholic will get the opportunity to work on his skills to hopefully one day do so as he will attend Under Armour’s Baseball Factory Christmas Camp and Tournament in Florida.
Paul, who leaves for the event Friday, said he was selected for Under Armour’s Baseball Factory National Team after a tryout in Chalmette.
He will spend Saturday through Tuesday at Pirate City, the Southern Home of Baseball Factory, in Bradenton, Florida.
There, he will hone his skills and receive instruction while also competing in tournament play.
According to Baseball Factory, last year, more than 275 players from 37 states attended the camp and tournament.
Among the coaches at these events are former and current professional players as well as college coaches and scouts.
Paul said the experience will be like that of a Major Leaguer, noting they will have lengthy workouts along with games.
He characterized attending the event as “humbling.”
“It’s very humbling, actually, because not everybody gets the opportunity, but the Lord has blessed me with the chance to go and do it and that’s my dream so I have to go out and pursue it,” he said.
In his preparations to attend the event, the Paul family has turned to a private tutor, Gayle Robinson, to help Samarick Paul improve some areas of his game that were pointed out to him.
While Paul calls these areas flaws, Robinson disagrees.
“He doesn’t have flaws,” Robinson said. “He calls them flaws, but it’s just things we’re fine tuning.”
Robinson, who has worked off and on with Paul for about four years, said he was happy to be a part of preparing Paul when he was asked to help about a month ago by Paul’s father, Carmichael Paul.
“I was just super excited to have the opportunity to be a part of this because he is representing all student athletes in this parish. He’s representing all the kids who want to play baseball (but) don’t have the abilities that he has. He’s representing his teammates at Central Catholic High School and all the area schools,” said Robinson, a former Morgan City High School head baseball coach.
Robinson said he is not aware of anyone else in the area who has been given the opportunity Paul will receive.
For Paul, a right-handed pitcher who expects to pitch and play right field at the event, it’s an opportunity to improve and work towards his dream of a post-high school baseball career.
“Some people see it as just a game, but I see it as a lifestyle, and it’s just what I love to do,” Paul said.
Paul’s mother, Chasity Paul, wished to thank those who have made her son’s trip possible.