· Player development: 2009 will mark the 25th year of this player development organization. Over 200 former participants have been drafted by Major League organizations, and more than a thousand have played in College. Playing at the next level will only come if your skills are good enough to get you there. No one can help you develop those skills better than the professional coaching staff of the Highlander.
· Training Facility: The Highlander training facility (Athletes Performance Academy APA) is among the top training facilities in the nation. All most 40-thousand square feet of training space, a full clear span infield, 15 batting cages and a four thousand square foot state-of-the-art weight room.
· Discounts on Camps and Clinics: Throughout the year the Highlanders will be able attend some of the top camps in the country conducted by the Baseball Academy at discounted prices. Participation in these events will help develop the skills needed to play at the next level, together with exposing some of the older Highlanders to college recruiters.
· Discounts on SPARQ training: The Tom Shaw SPARQ performance program is internationally known as the premier training program for athletes of all sports and ages. There are only two Tom Shaw facilities in the Nation. One is at Disney’s Wild World of Sports where Tom trains approximately one third of the NFL as well as many other professional athletes, and the other is our own APA facility in South Jordan.
· Discounts on Equipment: Universal Athletics Service is one of the best team sporting goods dealers in the West, with over a dozen stores in five states. One is located inside the Highlander practice facility.
The Mountainwest Highlander Baseball organization is a division of The Baseball Academy. Founded in 1997 this branch of the Baseball Academy is recognized as operating competitive baseball clubs in five age groups.
In 1997 there were two Highlander Baseball Clubs, a 13 year old club and a 14 year old club. The 13 year club primarily made up of players that could not find a team to play on and lost there 1st game twenty two to nothing to the San Diego Stars. Five years later every single player that stayed with the program went on to play in college on a baseball scholarship. In 2000 the Highlanders grew to 5 teams and then was cut back to 1 team three years later when the Academy started the Mountainwest Baseball Association (140 teams in 2006) and began construction on the new facility.
Today we offer competitive teams for players 11, 12, 13 and 14. We do not advertise our teams. We find players through clinics, lessons and any other events we conduct. Players are not replaced if a better player comes along. There is loyalty towards players and parents throughout this organization.
Below are several reasons that make this organization successful:
- We all understand the mental/physical development process of training. We have one of the top training facilities in the country with access to several fields.
- The coaching staff consists of coaches that have competed or coached at the major league, minor league and college levels.
- Our philosophy - We do not play the opponent or the score, WE PLAY THE GAME!
- As the Academy endeavors to help each player, coaches, players and parents all must realize that improvement is a process and not a single event. The goal is a persistent honest effort over time.
- The Highlander program is much more than just baseball development. For us it’s developing young boys into student athletes through the teaching of accountability and respect for the games as well as teammates, coach’s opponents and family.
