When it comes to any sport, every athlete knows the most important aspect of success comes with practice. Game days might be the big-time and the cheers of crowds definitely fuel the fire but to achieve your goals it all comes down to the time you put in when you weren’t on the field. That’s where Baseball Performance Center in South Jersey comes in.
How the Baseball Performance Center is transforming the way players train
The year-round facility offers an essential variety of training programs spanning from pitching, hitting and strength training. Priorities include mechanics, swing analysis and improving strength overall.
For co-owners Mike Adams and Ed Charlton, baseball is in their blood. Adams worked as an Associate Scout for the San Diego Padres and pitched for four years at the Division I program at Wagner College while Charlton was an Associate Scout for the Cincinnati Reds and also played Division I ball at NJIT — just to name a few accolades. The Center also employs strength coach AJ Holland who has his own colorfully successful baseball past including playing for the Atlanta Braves for four seasons.
“We have a vast majority of ages that we work with,” says Adams. “We evaluate each player when they start, attack their strengths and weaknesses, then create a plan to best help them move forward.”
“Right now the everyday training is for ages 13 and up,” adds Charlton. “We work with players from 8th grade all the way up to professional players and we also periodically offer youth clinics throughout the year for kids in the 7-12 age range. If you are a player who is really looking to take your game to the next level you would benefit from being at the Baseball Performance Center.”
The personalized program certainly has pumped out some success stories. From college signings to professional drafts to All-Star nominations, the Baseball Performance Center has seen it all. Both Adams and Charlton agree it comes from the seeds planted in their one-of-a-kind environment, which inevitably sets them apart from other training facilities.
“Everyone is constantly cheering and challenging each other. We have 15+ D1 commits in our facility at one time so they all feed off each other and push each other to the next level,” says Adams. “I [also] believe the style of our facility makes it very convenient for our athletes to train. We run it similar to a gym membership, so they have unlimited access during our hours and can come up to 5 days a week for multiple hours each day. We don’t have sessions or appointments, so they can come sporadically depending on their schedule. Our only goal is to help develop and grow each athlete in baseball and in life. Teaching them how to work, how to go about their business and the best ways to maximize their talents and expose themselves to colleges.”
The gym-styled membership allows more time with players, and with baseball being a sport built on skill, that time is paramount.
“Most baseball facilities just do individual lessons that can last from anywhere to a half-hour to an hour and can get pretty costly,” says Charlton. “Most people don’t have the money to spend on their kid to get a lesson 5 days a week. With us, you pay a one-time payment when you come in, and you’re all set for 30 days to come in whenever you want and stay as long as you want. This allows players to put in the necessary time that it takes to become a very good baseball player.”
Both Adams and Charlton urge any interested players to check out their social media pages (Instagram: @baseballperformancecenter_, Twitter: @the_BPCsj, Facebook: Baseball Performance Center) or even reach out— they always answer messages and any questions.
The Baseball Performance Center is also holding tryouts this weekend for their 2022, 13U, and 11U teams at their facility in Pleasantville (18 Devins Ln, Pleasantville, NJ) on Nov. 9 and 10.
“We believe it’s extremely important for kids this age to be around like-minded people and work with people who can relate to them,” adds Adams. “Baseball is changing and it’s important for them to adapt and understand how and what they should be doing.”
For more information visit thebpcsj.com
