Local Business
D-BAT opens new location in American Fork
Brynn Carnesecca | Lehi Free Press
A new kind of batting cage is open in the heart of American Fork. The new D-BAT location opened on Monday, June 22, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside the American Fork Chamber of Commerce.
The facility has been in the works for about two and a half years. After searching for the perfect Utah County location, American Fork D-BAT owner Ryan Hobbs finally found the right space in American Fork. D-BAT stands for Developing Beliefs, Attitudes and Traditions. D-BAT’s hands-on approach focuses on growing skills and helping athletes of all ages grow through baseball and softball.
The facility offers various tiered memberships or one-off batting pricing. Depending on the tier, batters can hit various amounts of balls and have coaching from D-BAT’s trained staff.
“We don’t tie ourselves to any specific ball teams. We are for everybody, so they always tell us we’re like Switzerland,” Hobbs laughed. “We do a bit of everything.”
D-BAT offers lessons, classes and clinics for youth, camps, cage rentals, machine cages, memberships, athletic training and an on-site pro-shop. Classes and clinics are taught both in groups and in private lessons. All the instructors have played at the highest level and are ready to share their skills. However people choose to get involved, the D-BAT team wants each visitor to feel safe and valued.
“We want to be a family environment and a place where mom can not worry about dropping kids off for the day,” Hobbs explained.
The new location has deep roots for Hobbs. For all of his life, Hobbs has had a love of baseball and softball instilled by his father. After his father passed a year and a half ago, Hobbs has continued building on the legacy and passion his dad instilled in him.
“He always believed that I could do it. I love mentoring kids. I don’t have kids of my own, so being able to mentor kids and coach them… I love it,” Hobbs said. “Being able to come and see the kids, fist-bump them as they’re going into the cages and everything like that, has been amazing. We’ve only been open for a week and it’s cool to see your dream come true. It still feels surreal that it’s happening, but it’s awesome.”
The facility represents a longtime dream for Hobbs.
“I’ve wanted to open a facility for 20 years. Then I found D-BAT and went down and heard what they were about. They aligned with my morals and with what I wanted to do,” Hobbs said. “It’s affordable, and it’s for everybody.”
Through his time coaching and mentoring, Hobbs has found his spark.
“It’s everything,” Hobbs said. “It’s why I do what I do. It gets me up in the morning. It gets me out of bed knowing that I get to go and do something that I love. They say, ‘Do something you love, and you never work a day in your life.’ That is 100% true for me.”
Hobbs hopes D-BAT can be a place where everyone feels welcome to come and grow their skills with professionals.
D-BAT is located at 752 E. State St. in Suite A3 and A4 in American Fork. For more information, visit the D-BAT website at dbatamericanfork.com.
