"Who was taught to put their elbow up in the air when batting?" asked Royals catcher John Buck.

At least 10 little hands in the group of 25 shot up.

"Who was taught that by their dads?" Buck asked, this time with a smile creeping across his face. The hands stayed up.

"Well, you can all tell your dad that he is sooooo wrong," laughed Buck, as the kids echoed his laugh and turned around to face their dads, moms and coaches standing behind them.

To the surprise of many crowded around home plate, Buck went on to explain why the "elbow-up" technique to batting is a bit outdated -- all just another lesson from a Major Leaguer during the Royals first youth instructional baseball clinic of the season.

On May 29, more than 100 youth from the Liberty (Mo.) Parks and Recreation leagues gathered on one of the nine fields at the Fountain Bluff Sports Complex in Liberty, Mo., to get some tips on hitting, fielding and pitching from the Royals. The free 90-minute clinic kicked off summer vacation for many of the youths, while also launching another season of instructional clinics around Greater Kansas City for the Royals. All in all, it's not the worst way to celebrate school being out for another year and Royals baseball taking over the summer.

Along with Buck, Royals infielder Esteban German and Royals coaches Fred Kendall and Luis Silverio took on roles of instructors for the youth clinic, which is part of the George Brett Youth Baseball and Softball Program and took place prior to the Royals 7:10 p.m. game against the Baltimore Orioles. Each Royals instructor manned one of four stations - batting, pitching, infield work and outfield work - around the baseball diamond, instructing kids who ranged from ages 5 to 12 on different fundamentals and techniques associated with the game. Each drill lasted 15 minutes before the groups of 25 or more kids shifted to the next station.

"It's just fun baseball," Coach Kendall said in-between signing autographs and posing for pictures. "We try to teach and give these kids a good time. I wish I had a chance to participate in something like this when I was young because I think it provides a neat opportunity for the kids in this area."

Kendall, who has served as a clinic instructor since joining the Royals at the end of the 2005 season, often emphasizes how important these clinics can be not just for the youth players, but also for the parents and coaches, who he invites to listen in on the demonstrations and ask questions as well.

"This is why we invite them (coaches and parents) into these clinics because they are the ones teaching these kids day in and day out," said Kendall, who taught the participants techniques such as how to grip a baseball by the seams. "We can only show so much before handing the instruction back over to their parents."

Liberty resident and mother of four, Janice Hinkley, couldn't agree more. Hinkley's youngest child and only daughter, 5-year-old Allie, participated in the youth clinic while her three older sons looked on. Janice followed her daughter from station to station, listening as the Royals instructors converted the techniques they used into easy-to-follow instructions that are adaptable to tee ball and softball.

"(Allie) wasn't quite sure what this was all about when we were driving here," Hinkley said. "She kept saying she already had a coach and I had to keep explaining that this is a new coach who will show us more things and that she has more to learn. It's turned out to be a great time for all of us."

It didn't take long for Allie, donning her team's red T-shirt uniform and hauling around a pink glove while mom held onto the matching pink Royals visor, to get into the drills regardless of the extra "coaching" she was getting. But, then again, taking grounders in the dirt from Esteban, attempting a pop-fly catch from Coach Silverio or learning how to hold a baseball bat from Buck will do that for any young, aspiring baseball player.

The Royals, who will schedule nearly 10 youth clinics around Kansas City this summer, will host the next youth instructional baseball clinic for Johnson County 3 & 2 on Wednesday, June 13 at the Johnson County 3 & 2 Rec Complex in Lenexa, Kan. Participants of the youth instructional baseball clinics are pre-selected by their youth league and should contact their youth league coordinator to register for upcoming clinics or check royals.com for information on upcoming clinics.