Kansas City might seem like a long ways away, but the first step there might be just down the street.

The Baseball Academy, in conjunction with Aquafina, will be hosting a regional MLB (Major League Baseball) Pitch, Hit and Run competition for area youngsters on Saturday, May 12th.

Ultimately leading to a possible appearance at the MBL All-Star game in Kansas City later this summer, the local event is completely free of charge and is open to boys and girls aged seven to 14.

The competition will take place at the James Jerome Sports Complex (turf field) on Paris Street, from 3:00 until 6:00 p.m., with registrations being accepted beginning at 2:30 p.m.

This grassroots program is designed to provide youngsters with an opportunity to compete, free of charge, in a competition that recognizes individual excellence in core baseball/softball skills.

Local event organizer Jean-Gilles Larocque of the Baseball Academy suggests that because the skill sets are completely varied, and because winners will be named for each component (running, throwing and hitting), there is no reason that virtually anyone could not turn up simply to give it a shot.

"There might be kids who are not registered with Sudbury Minor ball or Valley East Minor ball, who might just want to come out and do this kind of stuff," said Larocque.

"The first thing, really, is to get out and be active. In Sudbury, everybody is kind of in the same boat. This will be an opportunity to see where they're at," he continued.

Competitors are divided into four age divisions (7/8, 9/10, 11/12, 13/14) and will have the chance to advance through four levels of competition, including the national finals at the 2012 MLB All-Star extravaganza.

With experience as an NCAA collegiate player from Virginia to California, Larocque believes firmly that anything that helps to showcase the sport in the region is a positive for baseball.

"I'm excited to see what it's going to bring," said the physical educator at Bishop A. Carter Catholic Secondary School. "I like to host these kinds of events in Northern Ontario because it seems that we are always doing the travelling, and the price of gas is not exactly going down."

All participants must bring a copy of their birth certificate and will be asked to fill out a registration/waiver form prior to the start of competition. For any questions concerning the event, kindly contact Jean-Gilles Larocque at "thebaseballacademy@gmail.com".