Facility offers training for young athletes

With the proliferation of youth sports leagues in South Montgomery County, young baseball and volleyball athletes looking to take the next step at the high school and college levels are working to gain a competitive advantage at The Edge.

The Edge has grown in popularity since opening in November 2010, managing partner Jimmy Godail said. The 68,000-square-foot facility has six full-sized volleyball courts and 13 oversized batting cages, which can retract so youth baseball teams can hold full practices.

Space is also provided during off hours for everything from boxing and martial arts tournaments to physical training, charity events and corporate outings.

"What I tell everybody since the day we opened is we want people glad that we're here," Godail said. "We don't do that by overcommitting. We do that by providing great value once they get in the facility."

Godail and business partner Gary Becker founded the business out of a need for athletic development for their own children.

"You could drive five miles in any direction and find batting cages," Godail said. "What was lacking, and what we didn't know, is the physical development that was needed in order for [young athletes] to progress onto high school and then collegiately. We wanted to put the pieces together to where the kids could come and develop their skill as well as their athletic side to improve performance."

Baseball is not the only focus of the sports complex, as Godail said their research showed there was a need for volleyball development in the community as well.

He said Becker's daughter played with The Woodlands Wave club team, which approached The Edge about a partnership and owns the volleyball portion of the building.

The Edge has 10 baseball instructors, two full-time softball instructors, 22 volleyball instructors and four physical trainers. He said the volleyball and baseball trainers all have experience in their sports, including five baseball trainers with professional experience.

They provide instruction to teams and individuals, Godail said, and many of the instructors coach youth baseball teams of their own. David Evans coaches one of the top youth teams in the area—the Houston Heat—while also working with pitchers from all over the state such as athletes from Rice, Texas Tech and LSU, and even a few major leaguers.

"He's got kids coming in from Giddings, Corpus Christi and even Ohio," operations manager Cy Pitts said.

Personal trainer Judy Replogle hosts Judy's Bootcamp in the mornings, focusing on cardiovascular exercise and weight training Mondays through Thursdays. Experienced Taekwondo instructor Bill Gibbs also has classes for nearly six hours a day on Mondays through Fridays.

The Edge has hosted the Astros CAREavan, which allows area youth baseball teams to meet and learn from Astros players and coaches, Godail said. The Edge even recently provided practice space at no charge for a Japanese baseball team whose high school was destroyed by the recent tsunami.

Godail said The Edge hopes to add additional summer camps and clinics in the coming year because the camps in 2012 were successful. They also hope to provide training for area seniors looking to improve their mobility.

"It would be very basic and very simple, because it isn't at the core of what we do, but if we can offer it from our trainers I think it becomes something that fills a community responsibility," Godail said.

Instruction at The Edge

• Baseball/Softball
• Basketball
• Volleyball
• Martial arts
• Cardiovascular exercise
• Summer camps
• Private instruction
• Skill sessions
• Batting cage rentals

Youth sports programs in South Montgomery County

• Oak Ridge Woodlands Area Little League
• The Woodlands Wave
• RUSH Soccer
• South Montgomery Girls Softball League
• South County Football League
• The Woodlands Swim Team
• The Woodlands Diving Academy
• The Woodlands Youth Rugby Club

The Edge, 2733 Rayford Road, Spring, 281-863-9400, www.mycompetitiveedge.com