Rockford-area training center for baseball, softball enthusiasts set to open
Baseball and softball enthusiasts will soon have another place in the Rockford area to raise the level of their training.
Athletes HQ is coming to the Rockford area, opening a facility in Machesney Park in "mid-May," according to owner and operator Joe Filiomeno. This will be the second Athletes HQ to open in Illinois, with more expecting to open, possibly later this year.
"This place is just going to be an incredible resource for any athlete around here, and any athlete who can get here," Filiomeno said. "And this will definitely be a good thing, not just for one school or one team or one player, but for the entire area. ... Baseball and softball should get better across the region."
This is not your ordinary baseball and softball training facility.
What's the focus of Athletes HQ?
Athletes HQ focuses on player development through one-on-one lessons or group training, or by joining a Player Development Program. As an organization, they are constantly educating their own staff to keep up with the times as well.
What's at the facility?
Inside the 6,000-square-foot building is two 70-foot batting cages, one mainly for pitching and one for hitting. There are two other 55-foot hitting and catching cages as well.
You can also pull all the nets back for one large training floor and there is a warm-up and cool-down area off to the side. They may eventually add weight training equipment.
The pitching machine is a Hack Attack brand, widely used at all levels. There is also a Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor, a high-tech camera system for hitting and pitching reads, available for certain training programs.
More about owner, operator
Filomeno played baseball his entire life, including at the college level at the University of Louisville where he was a part of three nationally ranked teams, two of which reached the College World Series (2013 and 2014). Filomeno was drafted in the 15th round of the 2014 MLB draft by the Texas Rangers.
He went on to play multiple years of affiliated baseball, reaching as high as Double-A. He then played independent baseball in 2018 and 2019 in the American Association and in the Australian Baseball League for the Brisbane Bandits that next season.
After retiring from baseball, Filomeno moved to Rockford in the summer of 2020 where he currently resides with his family. Since 2020, Joe has coached for Athletes HQ Elgin and now he's ready to bring his own brand of instructing to the Rockford area.
"There is so much talent here; so much," Filomeno said. "We just want to help it along."
Filomeno also has hitting coach for the Minnesota Twins Derek Shomon, as well as Jordan Dean, a former Detroit Tigers coach and player, on board to help with the coaching and instructing duties. They are co-owners of the Elgin location.
There are also other stars in baseball and softball available for virtual and digital training and instructing as well.
Where to find the newest Athletes HQ?
Where: 7864 Burden Road, Machesney Park
Web site: athleteshq.com
Phone number: 815-601-0355
Jay Taft is a Rockford Register Star sports reporter. Email him at jtaft@rrstar.com and follow him on Twitter at @JayTaft. Sign up for the Rockford High School newsletter at rrstar.com. Jay has covered a wide variety of sports, from the Chicago Bears to youth sports, since the turn of the century at the Register Star, and for over 30 years all together.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Athletes HQ opening new location in Machesney Park near Rockford
