Ahwatukee dads open indoor batting cages

Sourced By: Ahwatukee Foothills News 

Ray Ng has always thought of ways to provide the best possible experience for young baseball players in Ahwatukee. 

He did so when he served as the president of Ahwatukee Little League and continues to do so now after his term has ended. The league had success with him at the helm, but Ahwatukee Park — the home field of the league — was missing something: Proper batting cages. 

So, Ng thought of where he could open a space that could be used year-round for hitters and pitchers in both baseball and softball. He found it in the old Ace Hardware on the northwest corner of 48th Street and Warner. 

It was divided into two with a wall. On one side, a swim school went in. The other, the three men introduced the community to Full Count. 

“We’ve known for a few years there’s nothing like this anywhere in Ahwatukee,” Ng said. So if I wanted to go hit at night and there’s no lights, I would have to drive 20 to 25 minutes to the nearest batting cage. 

“When we saw this space open, and with Ahwatukee Little League being so close, it just made sense.”

Ng’s vision first began three years ago. He thought of the concept but had no clear path of bringing it to fruition. That is, until he recruited Doug Larimer and Dave Austin to join him. 

They didn’t hesitate. 

The three men, who all have close ties to Ahwatukee Little League and youth baseball in the city, began planning what the space would look like. Ng said once they acquired half of the old Ace Hardware, he drew up what he envisioned Full Count to look like on a piece of paper. 

Austin and Larimer were all in with the concept. Now, a year-and-a-half later, the inside looks similar to what Ng drew up. 

“Ray’s been talking about this for years and every time he did, I said, ‘This would be really cool,’” Larimer said. “A month and a half ago this was a big concrete space. We walked in and thought it was impossible. A week and a half ago the turf came in then the nets got anchored down. 

“We walked in, and I couldn’t believe it was the same space. We went from an empty concrete room to something that is going to be great for the community and great for the kids.”

The space features multiple cages with heavy duty nets all around. Each one has its own pitch machine. There are also tees to hit balls. 

There are different sized cages to cater to kids of all ages, from Little League up to high school and college, as has been the case with South Mountain Community College players utilizing the space alongside the youth and players from the three high schools in the community – Mountain Pointe, Desert Vista and Horizon Honors. 

It is also equipped with HitTrax technology to give instant feedback on swings and pitches. Ng said it is similar to the technology used at TopGolf to measure the distance of a drive in real time. 

They left no stone unturned when designing the layout and features of Full Count. Their main goal was to provide the best possible experience that can be utilized year-round. 

“The feedback has been awesome,” Austin said. “They can get out of the heat. The big thing is this community needed a baseball anchor in the neighborhood. Whether you’re at one of the big guys or at the smaller schools, there’s something for you here.”

Along with co-partner of Full Count, Austin is also the head coach of the Horizon Honors middle school baseball team. He said his players will reap the benefits of the space because the small charter school doesn’t have the same type of facilities as Desert Vista and Mountain Pointe. 

Larimer has been involved with Ahwatukee Little League for several years. He was an assistant coach for numerous teams his two kids have been on. His youngest also plays for the Ahwatukee Devils, a club program. 

All three men said it’s been an overwhelming experience to see their vision come to life with Full Count. 

“It means a lot,” Ng said. “I still have (the first drawing of Full Count) posted on my wall in my office. The most rewarding part of this is watching the kids smile. You see them smiling when they walk in and you see them smiling when they walk out drenched in sweat because they know they got a good workout in.”