The Farm 11U team listens to coaches Shawn Deloach , middle , and Ben Lancaster , right .
Photo by Connie Southwell
A busy evening at the Fundamental Factory could have a large number of its 250 members hitting baseballs and softballs , pitching , taking ground balls , learning to run bases or sitting in front of a white board learning more of their game ’ s finer points .
A busy evening at the Fundamental Factory could have a large number of its 250 members hitting baseballs and softballs , pitching , taking ground balls , learning to run bases or sitting in front of a white board learning more of their game ’ s finer points . Kirkland , a longtime high school baseball coach and Georgia Dugout Club Hall of Fame member , would likely be sitting behind a screen delivering pitch after pitch and offering encouragement to a young batter .
Tillery , former college catcher and also a baseball coach at Colquitt County High , would be giving a lesson to an attentive young athlete .
One of the batting cages is set up specifically for softball pitching machines for girls .
Others have the familiar JUGS pitching machines . There are seven stations where players can work off hitting tees .
Kirkland uses one versatile machine for his older youngsters . It can fire a 90 mph curve ball .
There is even a cage set up specifically for slow-pitch softball .
One area of the building allows players to work on defense , including rundowns and bunt coverages .
Another area is set aside for pitchers to get their work in .
The facility enables members to concentrate on speed and agility .
And the Fundamental Factory also has a classroom where coaches can take their players for further instruction .
Inside the door is a rack with bats , helmets and training balls .
If Tillery wondered five years ago if the Fundamental Factory was a viable operation , he does no more .
“ If you had been here on Tuesday ,” he said on a relatively slow Thursday afternoon , “ you would have been amazed . There was not a bit of space available , not a cage open . Everything was being utilized .
28 MoultrieScene MAY 2024