Baseball academy begins a New EraPosted By BERND FRANKE , TRIBUNE STAFF
If clothes make the man, two teams with players as young as 11 will look like major leaguers when they step on the diamond to play baseball this year.
Under 16 and under 12 squads at the Bullett Proof Baseball Academy in Welland will be outfitted "from head to toe" by New Era, the official hat supplier to Major League Baseball.
Former National Leaguer Scott Bullett, who owns the baseball development program and serves as its chief instructor, said two teams will take the field as Team New Era Welland when they compete at tournaments in the United States this summer.
"They will be playing for Welland as a Welland team," he said yesterday in unveiling the partnership with New Era Cap Canada.
Bullett, who played professionally in Mexico, Japan and Taiwan as well as with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs in an 18-year career, said he is pleased to have one of the few programs recognized by New Era under the sponsorship program.
"It's great to be recognized like this, and it feels good just to get the opportunity to develop these young players," said Bullett, who for the past 15 years has taught players as old as 18 in a lineup that now features five teams.
A New Era representative said the "partnership" is well deserved and that the company was glad to include the Welland-based academy in its New Era Parks program.
"It's all about getting back to the grassroots of baseball and being associated with a top-of-the-line academy," said New Era Caps Canada marketing manager Pam Litt, who is based out of Mississauga.
Like the older teams in the Bullett Proof lineup, the under 16 and under 12 squads will play four weekend tournaments in the United States this summer. While playing winning baseball is important, the No. 1 priority is development.
"It's all about development, it's all about taking the game to the next level for these boys," said Bullett, whose program operates year-round out of an indoor facility at the Niagara Regional Exhibition grounds on Niagara St.
"The kids are being taught the proper way to play as far as hitting, fielding and pitching -the whole nine yards."
Catcher Drake Nadeau is looking forward to his third year training at the academy. A Notre Dame student who wants to attend university on a baseball scholarship, the 15-year-old said preparing to face top competition at U.S. tournaments has improved his game.
"You're pushed more and you work harder because you're going against the top teams," he said.
It also offers players north of the border a yardstick on what they need to do to improve.
"It gives you a better outlook on your future in baseball."
