Baseball arrived in Indonesia as Hit Factory hopes to take the game to another level.
Think baseball and Southeast Asia and chances are most people will think of the Philippines as the bastion of the sport oh-so-American. And they would probably be right; American interregnum as colonial master certainly left his mark with jugs and mounds on the archipelago.
Baseball has made its mark in Indonesia, although to a much lesser extent than its northeastern neighbor. The weekends see the desire to practice in Senayan while the nation has made waves on the international scene with a silver medal and two bronze medals at regional games in South Asia between 2005 and 2011.
the Hit Factory is a baseball academy based in Singapore which is set to open its doors in Jakarta in June. They estimate 30,000 people play the game and they see an opportunity to make their mark in the country and tap into this interest. It will not be an easy task. A number of football academies linked to major European clubs name, found Indonesia a tough nut to crack, but Anthony Bennett, head coach in Jakarta, is confident the Hit Factory has it must.
"Through our research and understanding of the demographics in the community baseball and softball in Indonesia market, we are aware that there are many expats in search of baseball and softball opportunities competition, especially in Jakarta, "he said." Our plant in Singapore, which has been operating since August 2013, the US players, Canada, Japan, Australia, China, Malaysia, Korea and the Philippines. "
With the Academy to be launched early June, Bennett feels the Hit Factory has enough to offer everyone from beginners wishing to serious hitter. "Our programs meet the beginners, boys and girls intermediate and advanced, from the age of 5 years," says Bennett.
Despite being a new configuration, a lot of time and effort has been devoted to creating a positive environment where players can hone their skills with an indoor facility state-of-the-art, professional coaches with collegiate and Major League Baseball (MLB) experience and training equipment such as pitching machines, batting cages, pitching mounds and video analysis.
In addition, Bennett says,
"We wanted to build a facility for families, teams and individuals who wanted to experience the enjoyment and appreciation of baseball and softball while improving their skills. We want to be the place where players go when they get home from school or work where they go in the off-season to stay in shape. "
Coaches play an important role in the success or failure of the academies and the Hit Factory are convinced they have attracted good race to develop a love and passion for the game and coaches reflect the eclectic appeal of the game throughout Asia.
Bennett himself has spent the better part of two decades coaching the game he loves internationally in nearly 10 countries. a native of California, he spent time in organizing the Milwaukee Brewers and has starred in several independent leagues in the United States before wanderlust and embark on a baseball career abroad. in addition to its role as Vietnam coach, Bennett established a physical education program at the Academy Hanoi.
Natsuki Maeda from Japan. Nicknamed CJ, he took the game while studying in the United States, playing high school and college in the Los Angeles area. The left-hander also has its own academy in Japan and worked as a coordinator for hitting one side in the League Boys Japan.
Supervise operations is Owen Reid, a pro one time played the game in Europe and Australia. Since hanging up his glove, Reid worked as director of player development and strength and conditioning coordinator for Perth Heat in the Australian Baseball League as well as the strength and conditioning coach for the Baltimore Orioles to States United.
In the future, the Hit Factory plans to send teams to participate in competitions across Asia, the Middle East, the US and Europe.
success course, no one is suggesting will quickly and easily to the operation of Jakarta but for now, it is still early and Bennett said he is looking forward to welcoming many players, young and old hand or a beginner in the installation of the academy.
"Our property is conveniently located in the area Permata Hijau, where our stand-alone, indoor facility of 20,000 square feet offers programs seven days a week and throughout the calendar year," said Bennett.
So there you have it. There can be no Bull Durham, but perhaps hidden somewhere out there in gangs and kampungs Jakarta is a Bull Tebet waiting to be discovered, waiting to slip a stick of gum in his mouth, chewing and threatening glare before sending in a sweeping curve under the lights.
Contact
- https://www.facebook.com/thehitfactorysg