COVINGTON, La. – On Dec. 7, St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper, St. Tammany Corporation CEO Chris Masingill and D-Bat Sports owners Ryan Davis and Dr. Ruth Nichols celebrated the groundbreaking of D-Bat Northshore Batting Academy at 805 Windward Drive. The site will be home to a $1.5 million indoor training facility that will provide youth athletes with experiential learning and coaching in baseball and softball.
“We are excited to be able to bring D-BAT to St. Tammany Parish,” said Davis. “It has always been my goal to have my own baseball and softball facility. D-BAT has given me that opportunity. I look forward to meeting all the coaches, parents, and kids in this great community. Our facility will be state-of-the-art with machine and regular cages, bullpen, fully stocked pro shop, party room for birthdays, an area for meetings, instructional lessons, and up to 50 camps a year. I know this area loves youth sports and we cannot wait to open our doors to local youth to better their skills and get involved in this great community.”
D-Bat Northshore is expected to create five full-time jobs, with the potential to hire up to an additional 20 part-time coaches and support staff. “We see this as a wonderful opportunity for us, of course, but it is also an opportunity for the children and adults of St. Tammany Parish and surrounding areas to experience and enjoy the D-BAT way and its dedication to Beliefs, Attitudes and Traditions,”said Nichols. “We are so grateful to St. Tammany Corporation and so many other stakeholders across the parish who have become our friends and who have helped us to make it to this day. It will be these partnerships that will encourage our success!”
The 15,000-square-foot facility will offer 12 batting cages, a pitching mound, a pro shop and a viewing area for parents plus meeting spaces and a party room that can accommodate up to thirty people.
“I am excited to welcome D-Bat to the St. Tammany business community. Quality of life is deeply valued in St. Tammany and youth sports and recreational activities are great examples of how our area families engage in the community,” said Cooper. “D-Bat’s groundbreaking today celebrates the first step in providing an additional opportunity for young baseball and softball players in our region to enhance their skills while also connecting St. Tammany to D-Bat’s network of facilities across the country.”
Founded in 1998, D-Bat Sports is responsible for more than 100 indoor baseball and softball training centers nationwide. D-Bat began franchising operations in 2008.
“D-Bat’s groundbreaking today is a celebration of a new asset in our community that enhances both the quality of life and the vitality of our economy,” said Masingill. “Economic development includes supporting areas of our economy such as creative placemaking, sports and recreation, and tourism. Youth sports is a $45 billion industry nationwide according to industry research — with incredible projected growth over the next five years. St. Tammany is geographically located in a market that is actively engaged in youth sports and is well-positioned to attract additional visitors in this industry sector.”