Sluggers big and small come out for Coach Murphy’s camp

RIO RANCHO (Oct. 10, 2024) — It was a nice, warm day at the Rio Rancho Sports Complex, with a slight breeze, as Coach Ron Murphy kicked off his annual youth baseball camp for Zia Sports Academy.

The two-day camp, which ran Oct. 10 and 11, had 100 kids show up to train with the legendary Rio Rancho baseball coach who had stations set up on two separate fields, a game going on a third field, and a full batting cage (thanks to Sunset Little League who owns the cages and donated their use for the camp.)

“It might be 101 [kids participating], I’m not sure. I got a call a little while ago,” Coach Murphy laughed as the camp kicked off.

The camp saw ballplayers of all shapes and sizes from 15-year-old David Armendariz, standing at 6’4”, to Brynnlee Martinez, at an adorable 32”. Martinez is the youngest of four Murphy grandkids who attended the camp.

Each field had one age group at a time practicing (older, middle and youngest) with at least four different stations. Groups rotated stations every 10-12 minutes.

“When I was at [Rio Rancho] high school, my main purpose in starting the camp was to build the program,” said Murphy. “And I wanted kids to be excited about baseball.”

Money was a factor as well. Murphy said one of the main reasons he started the camp was to give every child a chance to play the game.

“You look at a lot of these baseball camps, and they’re $200-$500 a camper,” he said. “I wasn’t looking to make money. I was looking to make relationships; to have fun with the kids; to give the kids a place to play. A lot of people can’t afford $200-$500 for a four- or five-hour camp.”

The cost of this youth camp was $35, but local businesses stepped in to sponsor admission for any kids in need. Murphy said five local businesses were able to sponsor the camp for 20 local kids. Dairy Queen was the largest sponsor.

Murphy was the first baseball coach at Rio Rancho High School, where he led the Rams squad for 26 years before retiring in 2023. So, it wasn’t a surprise that the camp was coached and assisted by his former players. In fact, most of the kids in the camp were children and grandchildren of kids Murphy once coached.

One of those coaches was Justin Esquibel, a local first responder who played catcher for Coach Murphy at RRHS and coached with him for a year.

“Coach Murphy is a great guy, a great coach, a great mentor in the community and any opportunity I can get to help him out, I jump at it,” Esquibel said.

Esquibel said the other coaches at the clinic had similar stories, and they are all there for Coach Murphy, because he has been there for them.

“Not only in sports, but in my personal life,” said Esquibel. “Coach Murphy has always been there. He was at my wedding. When my kids were born, he was there.”

Murphy said the relationships and the family he builds through the camp are the best part of the experience for him.

“That’s the most exciting thing, to see the alumni come back. I’ve known these kids forever. I love Rio Rancho.”