LAWRENCE, Wis. – Jason Berken says he wants to help kids in the Green Bay area reach their full potential on and off the diamond.
The West De Pere High School grad and former big league pitcher has been teaching baseball to kids for a few years now through Impact Sports Academy. On June 8, his business reached a new level when Berken opened his brand new training facility in Lawrence to the public.
He says is his way of giving back to his community and the sport that gave him so much.
“It’s provided me so many opportunities aside from the game,” Berken said. “It allowed me to have this platform to be able to pass on knowledge to kids, but it also taught me about discipline, about working hard, setting goals, reaching for those goals.”
Those lessons helped the hurler play baseball at Clemson University before getting drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 2006. He played in the bigs during several stints with the Orioles and Chicago Cubs between 2009 and 2012. He learned what it takes to get noticed, go to a big school, and get drafted into professional baseball.
Mark Kirst says that experience is why his son trains at ISA.
“You know the talent that we have around the area isn’t always recognized and that’s what Jason’s really brining to the kids,” Kirst said.
His son, Boone, is a sophomore catcher/3rd baseman at Ashwaubenon High School. Kirst says what Berken’s team of former pros who instruct at ISA bring to the table beyond how to play baseball is hard to match.
“Not just being baseball oriented guys and managing a team, they’re also very talented with understanding the development of kids,” Kirst said.
He also played pro ball after the Brewers drafted Kirst in the 17th round of the 1997 draft as a pitcher. Now he gets to watch his son grow into a ball player.
Boone Kirst says there’s something about baseball that makes growing up special.
“I just like that it’s built around failure and I think it just teaches you so much,” Boone said.