Whether it’s perfecting a batter’s stance or learning how to hold a golf club properly, the instructors at Junior Diggins, 18404 S. 116th Ave., Orland Park, focus on helping young athletes practice their skills.

Partners Rommy Hasan and Ray Delcourt opened the facility to help youth improve their skills in sports including baseball, fast-pitch softball, basketball and golf.

“We are an integrated sports academy that was created to fill a gap in the marketplace between sports, learning and fun,” Delcourt says.

The facility caters to athletes of all ages, including male and female athletes. “We don’t just teach kids how to hit a ball, but we also focus on their academics and provide tutoring,” Hasan says.

The facility is currently expanding its Orland Park location. Bobby Wilson, former Chicago Bull, is a training consultant for the basketball camp.

Junior Diggins sponsors nonsports events like an academic Jeopardy tournament, which can be played by parents and students.

This summer Junior Diggins will offer camps, which will feature sports activities including baseball, golf and dodgeball. The facility features batting cages, instruction areas, a multimedia area with plasma TVs and a Nintendo Wii game system so athletes can practice when they are not with their instructors. Parents can use the Internet to check e-mail or view PowerPoint slide presentations.

“Parent involvement is key. We encourage parents to engage in activities with their kids,” Delcourt says. Junior Diggins follows a philosophy of the “four c’s of life,” Hasan says. Instructors work with students so they can achieve the “four c’s.”

They are:

Concentration: the ability to concentrate at the plate or at school.

Confidence: the confidence to pitch or shoot the ball or accomplish a task at school.

Communication: the ability to talk to teammates, parents or teachers.

Consistency: the ability to work with others in life, whether it’s classmates, teammates or coworkers on a consistent basis.

Along with instruction, the Party Zone at Junior Diggins has become a popular place to host team, birthday or other parties. It is also popular with faith-based organizations that sponsor dodgeball tournaments at the facility. “We like to work with not-for-profit groups,” Hasan says.

Junior Diggins offers memberships for people who want to keep their hitting and playing skills active throughout the season. One-time individual or continual instruction is available based upon individual needs. Walk-in athletes are welcome based upon availability.

A scheduling system for the batting cages is available online at juniordiggins.com. For information about camps or lessons, call Junior Diggins at 708-478-0097.