The pings off the aluminum bats were welcome sounds to Scott Hannon and Lance Conn.
Two years ago, Conn first came up with the idea of creating an indoor hitting and pitching facility for baseball and softball players in the Greater Golden Triangle area. After finding a suitable location and tackling a host of construction projects to make the space fit their dreams, Hannon and Conn were able to stand back Tuesday and watch as family members and friends helped christen Elite Team Sports in front of the Malco Theater on Highway 45 North in Columbus.
“Lance put together a lot of information, had done a lot of research, and spent a lot of time putting it together,” Hannon said. “He found the space and we took it from there. We made a lot of changes along the way, but we both decided we wanted it to be a first-class facility. When somebody walked in, we wanted them to say, ‘This is a nice spot,’ and it is clean and make it a place where people want to come, and want to come back to. I think we have achieved that.”
The 6,000-square foot indoor facility features three tunnels with 18-foot high nets that allow baseball and softball players to practice hitting or pitching. One of the tunnels has an Iron Mike pitching machine, while a second has an ATEC pitching machine, which throws curveballs and sliders. A third tunnel also can be used for pitching or hitting. There also are caged areas for players to work with automated Wheeler Dealer soft-toss machines and another caged area that has a suspended ball that can be hit into netting.
“This is a perfect spot for it. I just don’t hope we outgrow it,” said Hannon, whose wife, Mandy, will help operate the facility. “There is a little bit of room for expansion. Our initial plan was to have six tunnels, but we only have three. That was by design to make sure the market supports it.”
Hannon’s son, Sam, will be a fifth-grader at Heritage Academy. His son and Lance’s son, Jackson, both have played baseball in the Columbus-Lowndes Recreation Authority’s leagues at Propst Park. They both feel their project will benefit all of the baseball and softball players who play there.
“For the serious baseball and softball players, it is going to be a great place for them to work out,” Hannon said. “The flip side is it is a great place for recreation. We had two guys come in last week and they spent 30 or 45 minutes having a great time and hitting baseballs. It creates a recreation opportunity, too, for all ages. It doesn’t matter if you are make or female or old or young. … You can spend time before or after going to the movies or on your way to or from somewhere or before or after a baseball tournament.”
The facility also includes a television and an area for parents or players to sit and relax. Bats, helmets, and balls are provided, and concessions are available. Individual and group rates are available, as are open or private parties, by appointment.
Hannon also said hitting lessons for baseball and softball also are available.
Conn, a general contractor with Conn Construction in Columbus, said his son started playing travel ball last year. His son served as a primary motivator for him to team with Hannon to make Elite Team Sports a reality. Four months after starting on the construction project at 2322 Highway 45 North, Conn was delighted to welcome family and friends into the facility Tuesday night. He hopes it will help fill a need in the area and give players a place they can hone their skills nearly every day, regardless of the weather.
“I just wanted to give my son somewhere he could get more advanced,” Conn said. “Scott has Sammy, and it can’t do anything but help them both.
“With the surrounding schools like New Hope, and I know West Lowndes has one of these facilities, and Caledonia or Heritage Academy or maybe the incoming teams could stop by here and we could put together a package where they have a pregame here, they hit, and then go to the field. We hope to get all of the schedules from all of the schools and academies and get something like that lined up.
“It has been long overdue. I have been working on it for two years and have been like, ‘I am ready, I am ready, I am ready.’ I thought we could add to it as we go, but I am kind of glad we waited. There are a couple off things we could add to it, but with funds coming in hopefully we can add another pitching machine or something like that down the road. It can’t do anything but help the kids in the Golden Triangle. Hopefully it will be a good mission, and that’s what we hope to accomplish.”
Elite Team Sports is open seven days a week. It is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, and from 1-6 p.m. Sunday. Hannon said the hours will change when school is back in session. He said the facility will be closed Mondays. It will be open from 2-8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, from 2-9 p.m. Friday, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, and from 1-6 p.m. Sunday.
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 44 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 44 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
