After years of dreaming and planning, Summers Sports has finally opened in Akron, Ohio. Summers Sports is an all purpose sports training facility that can accommodate many athletes. The large building is equipped with five MLB sized batting cages, and a complete infield for all ages. Parents are offered many different seating areas to watch their child practice and catch a professional sports game on TV. The seating area includes comfy chairs and a stocked vending machine. Accompanying the facility, parents can also go grocery shopping, out to eat, or clothes shopping in Chapel Hill.
Along with the area, the building comes with any equipment needed to have a successful practice. In every hitting cage there is a cart of balls for baseball and softball for all ages, tees, pitching mats, tennis balls, weighted balls, and many other items. All equipment is available for anyone renting out the facility.
“All you need is a bat and a glove because they have everything you will need right there for you.” Owen Garee ‘24, Summers Sports employee, said.
For baseball and softball, the facility is equipped with high end pitching machines that can reach speeds of 100 mph for baseball and 70 mph for softball. Along with baseball/softball equipment there are weighted medicine balls, speed ladders, cones, and different hurdles for anyone focusing on speed or agility.
The facility also allows athletes to rent out a Rapsodo machine for pitching and catching. A Rapsodo machine is a camera that allows athletes to check stats in many different areas. Players can hit off of the tee or hit front toss while checking the ball’s exit velocity, bat path, and launch angle. The device records athletes swings and provides a simulation of where the ball would go if hit on an actual field. Besides hitting, the machine can also check how fast a player is pitching, the spin rate of the ball, and the ball’s launch angle. The Rapsodo machine can be useful for athletes trying to get recruited because prospects can include pitching and hitting stats when talking to coaches.
Summers Sports is not only used as a baseball training facility; it is also rented for speed and agility classes, football training/try-outs, track and field, and wrestling practices. To utilize the building’s space, all nets can be pushed back which allows for a large open space to accommodate other sports. Recently, travel track teams have used the space to practice their running abilities and football teams have held camps for running backs and tight ends. Summers Sports offers football training classes with ex-NFL players Delone Carter (Indianapolis Colts) and Corey Brown (Carolina Panthers) to provide younger players with as much help as possible.
Many camps are offered for athletes in different sports. Summers Sports recently hosted Green Baseball Softball Foundation (GBSF) youth camps for young children to run through stations and learn different skills. The facility also offers speed classes with Delone Carter every Saturday at 11 a.m. For softball players, former Ohio State softball player Meg Otte offers lessons every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday for hitting and fielding.
Coming up, Summers Sports is offering a two day camp on March 2-3 with Lexi Handley, Ohio State Alumni: Justus Perry, Auburn Alumni; and Crystarlrae Slates, Spring Arbor Alumni. This softball camp will focus on pitching and catching skills for ages seven and up.
Many teams practice weekly at Summers Sports, including Green youth baseball, Slamforce travel softball, Wicked travel softball, Ellet baseball, USSSA Pride Blue travel softball and many more. Coupled with that, Summers Sports is home of the Akron Black Stockings Baseball Club and Class-A baseball.
Meet the Owner
Jake Summers has a storied history in baseball and business. Summers grew up in Green Ohio, played baseball for Green High School, and then moved on to play MLB International for Croatia’s National baseball team. It has been a dream of Summers to open a sports facility for years, so it was very exciting when his dreams came true.
“I love baseball and softball. I want the kids in the area to have a place to train all year round.” Summers said.
Summers works very intentionally with all athletes that come into his facility by providing help to anyone that needs it. He also works very well with children and creates a personal experience with each of the kids. Summers plays rock paper scissors with children to win candy, and throws footballs with siblings that are forced to wait with their parents. With a detailed history in sports, Jake Summers is a top-notch owner of Summers Sports.
Website- www.summerssports.net
Link-
Facebook- Jake Summers
X-@SportsSumm10359
Insta- @summerssports
