An Iowa training facility is maximizing its space
Mitch Wylie
After pitching professionally for nine years, Mitch Wylie knew he wanted to open training facilities in his home state of Iowa.
He also knew that below-freezing winters and muddy springs would make a versatile indoor facility a critical piece of serving the greater Des Moines, Iowa, community.
He opened his first facility in Ankeny, Game Ready Training, and his second training facility, 515 Fieldhouse, in Grimes. He wanted to create the maximum flexibility for baseball, softball and soccer. Plus, athletes regularly receive private lessons.
At the 515 Fieldhouse location, netting encapsulates the entire area with individual panels, which he purchased through Practice Sports, a family-owned athletic equipment and installation company in Omaha, Nebraska.
"The netting setup is very unconventional, but intuitive," said Jake Shannon of Practice Sports. “It’s all single panels. It’s very versatile.”
“The placement of cables, nets and hooks takes attention to detail and thoughtful engineering,” Wylie said. “We did our own install, and if I had questions they were there.”
Wylie was also ready to invest in quality indoor pitching mounds that were portable and flexible. That’s why he chose Portolite Pitching Mounds, which are light enough that athletes can relocate them for practicing different pitching mechanics or drills.
“The quality was night-and-day difference from the mounds we used in the past,” Wylie said.
“Other practice mounds fell apart when used too frequently.” “At times,” Wylie said “a baseball would break other brands and Styrofoam would spill out.”
“Styrofoam would get all over the facility,” he said. “I finally made the switch because I was tired of sweeping up the Styrofoam. We invested in the Portolite mounds for that reason alone.”
Portolite’s fiberglass design means the balls bounce off. In addition, the company stands behind their construction with a 10-year warranty.
“The Portolite mounds have been an outstanding choice for us,” Wylie said. “I’ve been doing this for 22 years, and these mounds are the best quality.”
Portolite Pitching Mound’s 10-year limited warranty says it all. Portolite has set the standard in lightweight, durable and portable pitching mounds since 1992.