In
2013 Mike Froemke and Brad Fienfrock set out to create a way for kids
living in Southeast Asia and many other places throughout the world
to learn and play the game of baseball in an organized fashion. With
Americans working and living overseas in American communities,
finding ways for their kids to play the game of baseball was a hard
task. Then, The Hit Factory was founded.
The
Hit Factory is an organization in Singapore that gives these kids an
opportunity to improve their skills and have the chance to play
baseball. From beginners to elite talent, The Hit Factory is a place
where athletes come to learn the game or sharpen their tools as they
grow and look for more exposure in the baseball world.
Over
the course of the 2015 summer the Hit Factory Sox’s, one of the
teams from Singapore, has come over to the United States to play in
various tournaments. Connecting with Perfect Game, the Hit Factory
Sox’s participated in the Sunshine West Showcase in San Diego this
past weekend. In addition, they will play another 35 games in five
different tournaments across the United States.
While
traveling the world this summer, the team will be looking to improve
their game and gain more publicity for The Hit Factory itself.
“We
are looking to grow and gain more exposure,” founder Mike Froemke
said. “With very talented players and expansion in China and
Southeast Asia, we hope The Hit Factory takes another step forward
this summer.”
With
seven total teams, The Hit Factory has become a place where kids from
all across the world can pursue their passion of playing baseball, as
the factory has hired former professional and collegiate players to
coach their teams. This has increased the abilities of the kids and
they have grown tremendously since they began in 2013.
As
The Hit Factory Sox travel the world each summer, many of their
players and coaches have seen the game of baseball played in very
different cultures. From tournaments in Dubai to Australia and the
Philippines, baseball has become an ever-changing sport that The Hit
Factory athletes have witnessed firsthand.
“(Our
players have) gained a worldwide perspective of the game and seen
baseball played in unique ways,” Froemke said of the opportunities
his players receive.
With
such an array of young talent, the true ideals of The Hit Factory
have been to spread baseball worldwide. With kids joining from China,
many parts of Southeast Asia, the Philippines and even Malaysia, you
can see how The Hit Factory has become a sanctuary for kids who want
to improve their baseball skills in a place that gives them much more
of an opportunity than they otherwise would have received.
The
Hit Factory has begun to compete at higher levels year in and year
out thanks to a new facility up and running in Singapore and a
quality colleciton of coaches. Along with these improvements has also
come the connection with Perfect Game.
Since
The Hit Factory Sox have come to the United States to play in Perfect
Game events and other tournaments, the players have got to compete
against top U.S. talent and travel the country to see how baseball is
played here in America.
With
tournaments spanning from Texas to Oregon, Froemke believes the
experience in the United States will, “bring new perspectives to
light,” as his kids get to compete against premiere talent and see
baseball from a different view.
As
The Hit Factory continues to grow, Froemke hopes it will continue to
partner with Perfect Game for more events. With baseball growing in
popularity all across the world, and the first generation of The Hit
Factory kids now in high school, Froemke is excited to work with
Perfect Game more in the future. With high school talent that is now
eligible for showcases and major Perfect Game events, The Hit Factory
is looking to put players on new heights.
And
as The Hit Factory continues to grow, we will continue to see
baseball rise in popularity in Southeast Asia, and many other parts
of the world. With founders like Mike Froemke and Brad Finefrock at
the helm, it is only a matter of time before kids from countries all
across the world will begin to enjoy the game of baseball in a way
they never thought possible.