Omaha youth baseball training facilities expand as demand rises

OMAHA, Neb. —

The College World Series has returned to Omaha, and with it, a growing demand for private baseball training among young athletes in the area.

At 7:30 on a Wednesday morning, kids are already training, skipping sleep-ins to work on their skills. Former minor league pitcher Kyle Kubat, who owns K-Train Pitching in Elkhorn, said, “We do everything from hitting, pitching, infield stuff.” Kubat noted that more athletes are training year-round, prompting him to expand his facility. “It’s definitely grown, there are facilities popping up everywhere,” he said.

Former pro player and coach Tyler Goodro explained the shift, saying, “We’re seeing way too many games and not enough practices.” He added, “Coaches are in the ‘win now’ mentalities, that’s why instructors are around, why facilities are around.”

These training centers provide a space free from competitive pressures. “Here there are no stats, no lineups, no outside pressure or politics at play,” Goodro said. “We’re trying to do our best to get them back to learning and loving the game as much as we can.”

Kubat emphasized the importance of training to prevent burnout. “Learn how to pitch, be smart, recover, be a kid, take time off, prevent surgery a little bit, and as they get to 11, 12, 13, small increments in velocity will do them better in the long run,” he said.

Goodro echoed the sentiment, saying, “We’re trying to spark that passion again and again and again.” He also pointed out that Omaha’s lack of outdoor baseball complexes contributes to the rise in training facilities. “We host the quintessential, the Mecca of baseball here, and I think it’s time to start putting more back into our town and state so we can elevate even more,” he said.

As demand continues to grow, Goodro quoted the famous phrase, “If you build it, they will come.”