EL1 Sports, a national youth sports training company, is expanding its footprint with the acquisition of a baseball and softball facility in Warren, along with four other facilities in the Philadelphia metro area.
Diamond Jaxx Baseball Facility at 35954 S. Gratiot Ave. is now owned and operated by EL1. This will bring new resources to the facilities, enabling it to expand its current staff; add new camps, clinics, and lessons programming for individuals and teams from the Little League level on up through elite travel ball; introduce new instructional and administrative technologies; and open new opportunities for area athletes and members of underserved communities alike.
“We are thrilled to announce our expansion with the acquisition of five facilities that will reinforce strong existing youth sports communities in the Philadelphia and Detroit metro areas,” says Griff Long, CEO of EL1.
“EL1 is committed to growing the games of baseball and softball, and we’re excited to provide more opportunities for local kids to work with instructors, join a team, and take advantage of everything that our facilities have to offer.”
EL1’s multifaceted business model utilizes training facilities, mobile camps and clinics, and administrative support to help make youth sports run more efficiently, profitably, and equitably.
The company’s approach with training facilities is typically to partner with or acquire existing operations. This strategy enables EL1 to complement, rather than compete with, local sports ecosystems by working with existing teams and facilities to provide better back-end administrative and operational support, stable job opportunities for former professional players, instruction, and improved technology and training tools that define EL1’s programming.
The acquisitions support EL1’s mission to grow the games of baseball and softball by expanding access to high-quality instruction for players of all skill levels, ages and socioeconomic backgrounds, and marks yet another milestone in the company’s rapid growth over the last year.
Last winter, the company acquired a facility in Hawaii and rebranded it as a Dodgers Training Academy. In March, EL1 entered a partnership with Major League Baseball as its “youth baseball and softball training partner.”
The other facilities acquired by EL1 include Ambler Sports Academy in Ambler, Pa.; The Coliseum Sports Complex in Conshohocken, Pa.; Rake Baseball Academy in Feasterville, Pa.; and Pro Skills Baseball/South Jersey Mystics Softball Academy in Hainesport, N.J.
“For Ambler, the EL1 acquisition was a no-brainer.” says Frank Decembrino, previously co-owner of Ambler Sports Academy, and now director of business development at EL1 Sports. “There are a variety of functions in owning, operating, and coaching at a youth training facility. EL1 brings stability, support, professionalism, and a safety net to our business. We’re excited for what’s to come.”
