All-Ages Baseball Facility Set to Open in Glendora

Opening a baseball training facility in a city that has developed high school and college baseball all-stars seemed like a natural choice for owners Deron Marquez and John Carranza.

The two La Verne residents are slated to open a Frozen Ropes training facility on Amelia Avenue and Route 66 in Glendora by the end of summer.

Marquez, a traveling professor for UCLA, Claremont and other universities, and Carranza, a graphic design artist, both have children in local baseball and softball leagues. Their daughters also play in the Glendora softball Lassie League.

“We couldn’t help notice that there were only a certain group of kids who were getting real baseball instruction and all the other kids were getting pushed to the side,” said Marquez. “We thought, what can we do for these kids who want to learn more? How can we find a place for them to learn and feel comfortable in their abilities to develop?”

The two discovered Frozen Ropes, a national training franchise with 23 other locations across the country. Each facility, open to all ages and levels, focuses on a specific training methodology for baseball and softball, including pitch recognition, visual and hitting mechanics and mental skills.

Athletes have the opportunity to sign up for private or group instruction with trained professionals and will have access to a variety of training equipment, including multiple batting cages, an indoor field and game rooms.

“One thing we don’t want people to assume is that we’re just another batting cage,” said Marquez. “This is an actual training facility with real instruction.”

With the closest Frozen Ropes facility in San Diego, Marquez and Carranza say their facility could be the only location offering a high level of training in the East San Gabriel Valley.

“There’s a definite demand for this type of facility,” said Carranza. “There are a lot of high school students going on to play for top universities and playing for the pros. There’s a huge talent pool just in this area alone.”

Marquez and Carranza both knew that they would start their new business venture in the East San Gabriel Valley, where baseball and softball are popular sports on the high school and little league levels.

Marquez and Carranza had originally planned to embark on their business in La Verne, but city officials seemed ambivalent to the idea, said Marquez. So the two wrote letters to surrounding cities, receiving two responses – one being Glendora.

“Glendora seemed like the best choice,” said Marquez. “We’re near a residential community, near a school and a shopping center. It’s a great visible location for kids.”

Although lesson and training rates have yet to be determined, Marquez estimates that each lesson could range between $25 to $35.

“We want kids to have the opportunities to excel in their sport, but most of all to enjoy what they’re doing,” said Marquez.

For more information, visit facebook.com/FrozenRopesGlendora or twitter.com/GlendoraFR.