First Tee: First Pitch!

The Greater Pensacola Chamber’s LeaP Class of 2020 has partnered with First Tee of NW Florida Pensacola to complete a project called First Pitch!

 

First Pitch will restore and update pitching machines and provide helmets, bats, and balls for children to use at the historic 1958 Goofy Golf facility in Warrington. LeaP 2020 will renovate and re-open four baseball and softball batting cages and First Tee has committed to setting prices at a level as close to break-even (to cover maintenance and labor) so that our communities’ youth sports teams can use them for skill development. This will include team rentals where all four cages can be rented on an hourly basis at an even lower cost.

 

Despite relatively high participation in baseball and softball by many within our local community, there are no low-cost / no-cost batting cages in the area. For-profit / private battling cages in central Pensacola can cost as much as $5 to hit 20 balls or offer limited access to their facilities. The infrastructure of such cages is extremely expensive to construct and very hard to make profitable.

 

Baseball and softball are the #1 crossover sport for high school athletes looking to continue their athletics and studies. First Tee receives calls weekly, if not daily, regarding the re-opening of these batting cages from individuals, groups, and teams within the community. While First Tee’s mission is focused on developing life skills through the exposure to golf skills for youth ages 5-18 regardless of ability to pay, their status as a nonprofit gives them a unique advantage to ensure availability as an ongoing community resource.

 

We are confident these cages will have high utilization for youth sports teams for a very long time in the future. LeaP 2020 is excited to partner with First Tee to re-open this wonderful community resource!

 

For more info also visit: The First Tee of NW Florida - https://www.thefirstteenwflorida.org/