Beginning April 1st, 2024, the Blizzard Baseball Academy will now be on the road ... permanently.
Blizzard - On the Road - era has begun.
Adam Barta, Owner, has decided that creating a mobile-only facility is the best way to go to be able to service players all around Minnesota, the Midwest and even Canada and Mexico. With the purchase of two 18-wheelers and some creative welding, the Blizzard Academy will literally be on the road with the ability to do both hitting and pitching lessons in the back of a modified semi truck and trailer system that will allow for baseball training. As more side by side trailers are acquired, there will be a future space for infield work.
"It just made sense," Barta said. "Who doesn't like driving with their buddies, listening to music, talking baseball and show up and do some baseball training? The truck is all inclusive with the ability to pull up, show up and show out. Better yet, we are able to take the parking brake off after doing a lesson in Shakopee, drive up to Fargo and do a lesson that night. We have some bunks in the back so we can shack up in the truck before we head back home the next morning."
Barta indicated that getting the coaches Class C licenses before they hit the road has provided the biggest obstacle other than actually outfitting the semis for baseball activities.
"The coaches will figure it out," Barta indicated. "Some of them have been resistant to getting their license because most of them barely passed their first driver's test, but we all have to acclimate to new things and they're all troopers. We'll get there."
The semi trucks, which was the most interesting part of the transition, was designed to be able both drive and work along side of each other. Both the inside walls of the semis were taken off and then welded back together to create one large trailer to be able to both hit and pitch. Fully equipped with nets, turf, lighting, pitching machines and L-screens, the ability to run small groups or even team training is in the wheelhouse of what the 'new' Academy will be able to provide.
"We are on the move," Barta said. "We are on the move all the time to Iowa, Kansas City, Wisconsin for all of these tournaments. The semi trailers will even be able to take teams to their away tournaments while also giving kids the ability to both hit and throw bullpens on the move. And I mean literally on the move."
"With our lease coming to an end," Barta said. "this gives us an opportunity to travel to the players and families and not the other way around. We hope gas prices go down, but that is just the cost of doing business."
Blizzard - On the Road will eventually have monthly memberships and the ability for players to rent a semi for a day, but this is considered a Phase 2 of the Academy. That Phase 2 also includes an entire fleet of Blizzard - On the Road semis.
"We foresee ourselves as the Turo of baseball," Barta said. "Rent a semi, hit on your way to a tournament, pull up and park and hit before and after your games, leave and hit on the way home. We feel like we will be the most efficient Academy in the industry."
"We may look a little funny going through a drive thru at Wendy's," Barta said. "But those who knock down doors first typically do. We aren't afraid of change."
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