By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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MACHESNEY PARK — A new indoor training complex along Burden Road is designed to help local baseball and softball players develop their pitching, hitting and fielding skills without interference from Mother Nature.
Athletes HQ, which is at 7864 Burden Road north of Pig Minds Brewing Co., plans to open its 6,000-square-foot facility in mid-May. It’s the company’s second location in Illinois, with the first in Elgin.
“If I can help, even a little bit, make the Stateline area baseball talent improve: That’s my ultimate goal,” said Joe Filomeno, a former professional relief pitcher who owns the Rockford franchise.
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The facility will have four cages available for rent for pitching, hitting and fielding that can be pulled back for team defensive training or live hitting. Players can also receive coaching from Athletes HQ instructors, and the company plans to have competitive travel baseball and softball teams for various ages.
Filomeno, who pitched for the University of Louisville before he was drafted by the Texas Rangers in 2014, said indoor training facilities can help level the playing field for athletes in northern Illinois who can’t play outside year-round.
“It’s extremely important to have an indoor space to develop these Midwest athletes to hopefully compete with the warmer climate athletes all over the country,” he said.
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Filomeno was born in Joliet and raised in Cicero. He came to the Rockford area, where his girlfriend was living, about three years ago.
“Our main concern is the development of Stateline-area athletes,” he said. “We’re looking to put the athletes from this area into the best possible position for them to play competitively at the current level and also do our best to get them ready to play at the next level if that’s their aspiration.”
Contact | Athletes HQ
Location: 7864 Burden Road, Machesney Park
Phone: 815-601-0355
Email: Rockford@athleteshq.com
On the web: athleteshq.com
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas