P360 Performance Sports Headed to the Gulf Coast
Jackson MS – P360 Performance Sports, based in Jackson, announced today a new expansion project on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
The company has partnered with Double D LLC of Ocean Springs to construct a new P360 Training Center, located next to the Ocean Springs Sports Complex. The training center will provide hitting, fielding, and pitching instruction for baseball and softball players, and will be the home of the SBG Sox youth and high school showcase programs, as well as the SSG Sox Softball Program. A performance training program for all athletes will be installed as well, and a portion of the building will be used to provide volleyball training. Additional property has been purchased for future expansion that would include synthetic turf fields for both practice and game play.
According to the Double D team, “this is something we have been wanting to be a part of for Ocean Springs for some time. We were looking for the best way to bring a quality baseball organization to the coastal community a few years ago and were put in touch with Chris Snopek and his management team about a year ago. We found the perfect location, and a top-notch organization in the Snopek Baseball Group. This brings together everything that we wanted to do for youth baseball in our community and are excited to see that it came together.”
Chris Snopek, an All-American infielder for Ole Miss from Cynthiana, KY, was drafted by the Chicago White Sox and played professional baseball for 10 seasons, including four seasons for the MLB team. Upon retirement to Madison, MS, he opened the first P360 facility in Flowood in 2001. Today, P360 owns facilities in Jackson/Ridgeland, Pearl, Hattiesburg and Auburn, AL, with a new headquarters under development on the Ross Barnett Reservoir. Snopek commented, “I have known Sean Steverson for several years going back to his playing days in Brandon and Belhaven. We have been blessed to get to know the Double D team over the last year and partner with them in Ocean Springs – a great location to serve the coast from Fairhope AL to Pass Christian and all the great baseball towns near the coast. We have a lot of players in our high school program from south Mississippi, so it was a natural fit for us to join the team and make this happen.”
Larry Knight, the south MS Director for SBG Sox Baseball, will oversee the opening of the program on the Gulf Coast. Knight retired from baseball at Sumrall with 10 State Championships in his career with Petal, Hattiesburg, and Sumrall. Sean Steverson will serve as the Director, leading the development of the SBG Sox Baseball Programs on the coast. Sean played baseball at Brandon High School and is a graduate of Belhaven University, where he played for Hall of Fame Coach Hill Denson. “Growing up in Brandon, I grew up with Sox Baseball and know firsthand the impact of the program on baseball players of all ages, said Steverson.” A lot of work has gone into putting a team together and getting the Snopek Group on the coast. It will change the landscape of baseball here and I am excited for all the players that have never had the opportunity to be a part of baseball like this.” Sean was the head coach at Terry High School for three years, and he was the pitching coach at Ocean Springs High School with 12 years of high school coaching and player development experience. He is now in an administrative position at Vancleave.
P360 owns and operate the SBG Sox Baseball Program and the SSG Sox Softball Program. In baseball, the youth program operates 40 teams from the ages of 7 to 14, and the high school showcase program features 28 teams made up of high school players. The SSG Softball Program operates 10 teams from 12U – 18U as it continues to grow in all locations. Facility driven; the programs provide quality coaches with daily training programs for all players. P360 also owns and operates the Southeast Collegiate League, a summer league for college players in Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Alabama. In 2022, there are 20 teams competing in the SECL.
While the Ocean Springs facility will take a year to complete the construction process, P360 has partnered with Steve Jordan of Pascagoula with a facility to be used as a base for teams until the new facility is completed. The air-conditioned facility includes hitting cages and pitching tunnels to serve as the base for Sox teams on the coast for at least the next year. According to Jordan, “Sean was looking for a way to get SBG here now as they were getting their new building going, and I have a facility that will work well for what they want to do. I was happy to jump in and help.” Upon completion of the new training center in Ocean Springs, the SBG Sox programs will transition to the new center, while maintaining some programs for local players in Pascagoula for continued training.
Tryouts for SBG Sox Youth teams will be held on Tuesday, July 12 in Ocean Springs. The tryouts are comprehensive, evaluating every player through a skills training process to form teams with players with similar skillsets to ensure growth through training and playing time at the appropriate level. SBG Sox teams play in the Fall, Spring and Summer and being in September 2022.
P360 Performance Sports is the home of the SBG and SSG Sox players. Facilities are in Jackson, Pearl, Hattiesburg, The Barnett Reservoir (under development), Ocean Springs (under development), Pascagoula and Auburn AL. The facilities are equipped for instruction in Pitching, Hitting, Fielding and Speed & Agility training for players of all ages. Daily Classes are held Monday-Thursday in all locations, providing group skills training for SBG and SSG Sox players, which is included in their membership.
Professional Instructors are on staff to provide individual private training for players. Several additional training programs are available to all members. In Pearl, Hattiesburg and Auburn, Performance Training for athletes is offered by professional staff trained in this discipline.
The youth program will begin the 16th season this Fall, providing teams practice and tournament baseball for players of all ages. Beginning with about 20 players in 2007, in 2022 over 400 players suited up for SBG Sox youth teams. Teams are coached by SBG Sox staff coaches, each with coaching and playing experience at a high level. In 2022, SBG Sox has 75 coaches on staff to provide coaching for the Youth, High School Showcase and SSG Sox teams.
The softball program enters its third season in 2022, playing in Hattiesburg, Auburn and beginning in 2022, the Jackson area. Teams are from tryouts in each area for the 10U - 18U age divisions. 16U and 18U play showcase schedules, with teams playing in Alabama and Mississippi. Teams are coached by SSG Sox staff, former players and coaches from High School and College ranks.
ABOUT SOUTHEAST COLLEGIATE LEAGUE
The Southeast Collegiate League provides a summer season for college players in the south. 2022 will be the third season for the League. Starting in 2020 with seven teams in central Mississippi, the League has grown to include divisions in central and south Mississippi, and divisions in Louisiana, Memphis/north Mississippi, Mobile AL and Birmingham AL. The league was expanded in 2021 with 3 former MLB players - Chris Snopek (White Sox), Ed Easley (Cardinals) and Jack Cressend (Twins) directing the divisions in Mississippi and Tennessee with the leadership of the Commissioner Cory Hough. In Alabama, Lee Gann and Adam Heisler head of the programs in Mobile and Birmingham, while Colton Caver directs the south Mississippi division.