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Sluggers and PowerStrength: A Partnership Driving Success
The partnership between Sluggers Sports Academy and PowerStrength Training Systems continues to flourish, shaping young athletes into stronger, faster, and more confident competitors.
As more Sluggers baseball and softball players commit to PowerStrength’s training regimen, the results on the field speak for themselves.
With an increasing number of tournament victories and standout performances, the training gains are translating into game-time success.
A YEAR OF VICTORIES AND GROWTH
Sluggers is becoming a staple in West Michigan’s travel baseball and softball community.
However, 2024 marked an especially successful year, as noted by Sluggers co-owner and lead instructor, Rob Hamly.
“We had a lot of tournament victories, a lot of Sunday showings. We have the hardware out in the lobby area, the kids love it, and the parents love it,” Hamly shared. “Our softball really grew as well and became even more competitive. That’s trending in the right direction. The same thing with our baseball; we have 8U through 18U, and it’s really exciting to see where it’s continuing to go.”
With continued expansion in both baseball and softball, Sluggers is reinforcing its emphasis on player development.
A significant part of that success stems from the partnership with PowerStrength, which has brought a new level of physical preparation and mental toughness to the program.
TRAINING THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE
Strength and conditioning are often the X-factors that separate good players from great ones.
Through the partnership, Sluggers players undergo a structured performance program at PowerStrength, focusing on strength, speed, agility, and explosiveness.
This commitment is not only producing physical transformations but is also building confidence.
“That’s been one of our big pushes ever since teaming up with PowerStrength,” Hamly said. “The player package gets you twice a week at PowerStrength from September through March. The excitement from our players when they see results, their exit velocity increasing, their pitch velocity improving—it’s been amazing.”
Director of Marketing and instructor Ben Coble echoes the sentiment, emphasizing how noticeable the difference is on the field.
“We see the numbers jump over here. It’s very consistent and very obvious with the guys that go to PowerStrength,” Coble said. “From a personal perspective, I saw it in my own career, starting in high school and into college. If you want success in baseball, it’s mandatory.”
Michael, a dedicated 18U Sluggers player, shared how the training has improved his confidence.
“Relative to my teammates who don’t do PowerStrength after school, I have definitely increased my speed more than they have, and I’m able to throw the ball harder than they can and hit the ball harder,” Michael said.
Joseph plays on the Sluggers 13U team and is another athlete who has benefitted from the program.
“The difference is you’ll see kids who go to PowerStrength take a bigger step up than the kids who don’t,” Joseph said. “Because those kids aren’t getting stronger, aren’t getting faster. But the kids who do are getting stronger. They’re throwing harder, they’re running faster and hitting the ball harder.”
TRANSLATING TRAINING INTO GAME-DAY PERFORMANCE
One of the most evident benefits of PowerStrength training is the enhanced athleticism displayed on the field. Hamly highlights the explosiveness, speed, and confidence that players bring to competition.
“You can just see in a young person that swagger, that moxie that carries onto the field when they know they can take care of their business in the weight room,” he said. “It also builds that leadership quality. The cream rises to the top—those who put in time and effort in the weight room carry that leadership with them to the ball field.”
Coble elaborated on how PowerStrength training directly impacts in-game performance.
“The main 2 things I would say are the speed and the athletic ability,” Coble said. “These guys already have a better grasp on how to move. It’s smoother, more under control, with good tempo. Then, it’s the power numbers—kids who are consistently squaring up the baseball and doing damage. The pitchers throwing scary hard are the ones getting after it in the weight room at PowerStrength.”
The players have noticed an improvement in their performance.
“It’s really helped me just become more explosive, more athletic, stronger, faster, and bigger,” Michael said. “And that’s really just translated super well to the field. I had my best season last year after going to PowerStrength all through the winter.”
“Not only am I stronger, hitting the ball harder, but I’ve also gained a lot of speed doing it,” Joseph added. “I wasn’t as fast in 11U and last season in 12U I was a lot faster. In the strength training, I got a lot stronger through that. I’m throwing the ball harder, I had a lot more strikeouts, got a lot more quick outs, and pitched a lot better.”
DEVELOPING YOUNGER ATHLETES
An integral part of Sluggers’ development model is incorporating strength training for younger athletes before they reach high school.
“We’ve opened it up to our junior high age and even some older elementary school kids,” Hamly said. “It’s a great marriage with baseball because when we ask an athlete to do certain biomechanics—swinging, throwing, fielding, catching—you’re seeing more balance, posture, form. Strength training allows us to develop players tenfold compared to just doing baseball-related movements alone.”
“It starts building habits for when you’re older,” Joseph added. “This is where you gain a lot more strength quickly, and you can have that as you get older. It just builds habits for when you’re older to work harder.”
Coble emphasized the importance of introducing young athletes to structured training early.
“Most of the stuff isn’t new when you get to a college weight room. If you’ve already built that strength foundation, it’s a seamless transition,” he explained. “The culture at PowerStrength pushes you to your maximum. So, when you walk into a college weight room, you already know how to get it done.”
THE MENTAL EDGE
Beyond physical gains, PowerStrength instills a sense of resilience in young athletes, preparing them for the demands of high-level competition.
“For all people, but especially young people, it’s a way to create adversity in a controlled environment,” Hamly said. “It really exposes young athletes to a culture of grit, fortitude, and resilience. They learn to push through fatigue and still show up and put in the effort.”
Coble agrees, emphasizing how PowerStrength training conditions athletes mentally for the pressures of competitive baseball and softball.
“When you go to PowerStrength, you know you’re going to get to work. They’re going to push you,” he said. “They hit the right buttons to make sure you reach your full potential.”
A PARTNERSHIP POISED FOR CONTINUED SUCCESS
As Sluggers continues to ascend in the travel baseball and softball world, its collaboration with PowerStrength remains a cornerstone of its success. The results on the field, from increased power and speed to heightened confidence and leadership, speak volumes about the impact of structured strength training.
“The jumps by me personally and my teammates, from the ones who are always at PowerStrength, you can see it,” Michael said. “On hit tracks, the numbers coming up are better, hitting the ball harder, throwing the ball harder, and generally just winning more.”
With a growing roster of athletes committed to training and an unwavering dedication to player development, the PowerStrength-Sluggers partnership is set to elevate West Michigan’s baseball and softball talent for years to come.
WANT TO SEE BIG RESULTS?
PowerStrength offers specific partnerships and team training options in all sports to get faster, stronger, and more confident.
4th-12th grade athletes of all sports and ability levels can sign-up at PowerStrength at any time throughout the year while spots remain. Multiple sessions are offered after school and into the evening, specific times are varied by location.
PowerStrength has 5 locations in West Michigan – Alpine, Kentwood, Jenison, Plainfield, and Holland
Visit https://powerstrengthpro.com/athlete/contact/ to learn more or click below to Get Started.
