SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP – Though the weather is cooling, local children don’t have to pack away their baseball and softball equipment.
They can play ball all winter long at the JJS Sports Academy, which celebrated its grand-opening ceremony Wednesday, Oct. 18. Richland Area Chamber of Commerce president Jodie Perry threw out the first pitch.
Three local parents – Jerry Holden, Jason Kearns and Shawn Ramion – teamed earlier this year to open the approximately 5,000 square-foot indoor baseball and softball facility at 4154 Park Ave. West, located directly behind the Eldridge Company.
Each has at least one son playing baseball. All of them wanted a place for their children to practice and play in the winter.
“First off, we just wanted to do it for our kids, until we thought, well, what if people want to use it when we’re not using it?” said Holden, a former minor league pitcher and CEO of The Holden Agency.
The others have outside jobs, too. Kearns works in industrial sales at Fairborn Equipment in Lebanon, Ohio, and Ramion is the assistant principal at Clear Fork High School. All intend to keep their current jobs in addition to running the sports facility.
“This is our fun. Our goal is to pay the rent and make it sustainable so kids can use it for years,” Kearns said.
The facility includes indoor batting cages, pitching mounds, pitching machines and other equipment needed for both baseball and softball.
“Our vision for it, really, is to help kids reach their goals – that could be a goal to make a team or to play at a higher level,” Kearns said.
Currently, the JJS Sports Academy is offering “individual hitting memberships” and a “speed and agility” session taught by coach Mario Davison.
The facility will be open year-round, providing indoor space in case of rain during the summer.
An open house is scheduled from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21 for people who want to stop by and learn more about the facility.
Forms, prices and further information for the 2017-2018 season are posted at facebook.com/jjssportsacademy.
