Pitchers Prepare to Mount the Mound in Jakarta
Baseball arrives in Indonesia as the Hit Factory hopes to take the game to another level.
Think of baseball as well as Southeast Asia as well as the chances are most people will suggest the Philippines as the true bastion of This particular oh-so American sport. as well as they would certainly probably be right; the US interregnum as colonial master certainly left its mark with pitchers as well as mounds on the archipelago.
Baseball has made its mark in Indonesia although to a much lesser degree than its north-eastern neighbour. Weekends see the keen practicing in Senayan while the nation has made ripples on the international stage having a silver as well as two bronze medals at the regional Southeast Asian Games between 2005 as well as 2011.
The Hit Factory will be a Singapore-based baseball academy that will will be set to open its doors in Jakarta in June. They estimate 30,000 people play the game as well as they see an opportunity to bring their brand to the country as well as tap into that will interest. that will will be no easy task. quite a few football academies, linked to big name European clubs, have found Indonesia a tough nut to crack yet Anthony Bennett, head coach in Jakarta, will be confident the Hit Factory has what that will takes.
“Through our market research as well as understanding of the demographics inside the baseball as well as softball community in Indonesia, we are aware that will there are a lot of expatriates looking for competitive baseball as well as softball opportunities, especially in Jakarta,” he says. “Our Singapore facility, which has been open since August 2013, has players by the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, China, Malaysia, Korea as well as the Philippines.”
With the academy to be launched early June, Bennett feels The Hit Factory has enough to offer everyone by keen beginner to the serious hitter. “Our programs cater to beginner, intermediate as well as advanced boys as well as girls, starting by the age of 5,” says Bennett.
Despite being a brand-new setup, a lot of time as well as effort has been spent creating a positive environment where players can hone their skills having a state-of-the-art indoor facility, professional coaches with collegiate as well as Major League Baseball (MLB) experience as well as training equipment such as pitching machines, batting cages, pitching mounds as well as video analysis.
In addition, Bennett explains,
“We wanted to build a facility for families, teams as well as individuals who wanted to experience the enjoyment as well as appreciation of baseball as well as softball while enhancing their skills. We want to be the place where players go when they get home by school or work or where they go inside the off-season to keep in shape.”
Coaches play an important role inside the success or failure of academies as well as the Hit Factory are convinced they have attracted the right breed to develop a love as well as passion for the game as well as the coaches reflect the eclectic appeal of the game throughout Asia.
Bennett himself has spent the best part of two decades coaching the game he loves internationally in nearly 10 different countries. Originally hailing by California, he spent time inside the Milwaukee Brewers organization as well as played in multiple independent leagues inside the US before getting itchy feet as well as embarking on a baseball career overseas. In addition to his coaching role in Vietnam, Bennett established a physical education curriculum at the Hanoi Academy.
Natsuki Maeda comes by Japan. Nicknamed CJ, he picked up the game while studying inside the US, playing high school as well as college inside the Los Angeles area. The left-handed pitcher also has his own academy in Japan as well as worked as hitting coordinator for a side inside the Japan Boys League.
Overseeing operations will be Owen Reid, a one-time pro who played the game in Europe as well as Australia. Since hanging up his glove, Reid has worked as Player Development Manager as well as Strength as well as Conditioning Coordinator for Perth Heat inside the Australian Baseball League as well as strength as well as conditioning coach for the Baltimore Orioles inside the US.
Going forward, the Hit Factory will be planning to send teams to compete in competitions across Asia, the Middle East, the US as well as Europe.
Of course no one will be suggesting success will come quickly as well as easily to the Jakarta operation yet for today that will will be early days as well as Bennett says he will be looking forward to welcoming many players, young as well as old, old hand or newbie to the academy’s facility.
“Our facility will be conveniently located inside the Permata Hijau area, where our stand-alone, 20,000-square foot indoor facility features programmes seven days a week as well as throughout the entire calendar year,” Bennett says.
So there you have that will. There may be no Bull Durham, yet perhaps lurking somewhere out there inside the gangs as well as kampungs of Jakarta will be a Bull Tebet waiting to be discovered, waiting to slip a stick of gum in his mouth, chew as well as glare menacingly before sending in a sweeping curve under the lights.
Contact info
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/thehitfactorysg
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Pitchers Prepare to Mount the Mound in Jakarta
Pitchers Prepare to Mount the Mound in Jakarta