Velocity Sports/ORMA to join forces in Oak Ridge

from www.nwobserver.com:

OAK RIDGE – Oak Ridge Military Academy recently received a site plan approval for a gymnasium and athletic training facility. Velocity Sports Performance, the largest sports performance training company in the nation, plans to construct a 33,369-sq.-ft. facility on the site, which it will own and operate via a land-lease arrangement with the academy. Athletic training will be provided to academy students, and plans are also in the works to make the facility available to the community on a fee basis.

The climate-controlled facility will include two basketball arenas, a volleyball court, and an indoor athletic turf field for football, soccer, and drill team practices. In the event of rain, it will even be large enough to hold indoor parades, a common activity for academy cadets.

“If you consider an opportunity to create a facility like this inside the academy, it creates a lot of excitement,” says Mike Mebane, chairman of the academy’s Board of Trustees.

Cuyler McKnight, who has served as the academy’s president since last November, says the facility will reflect a shared vision for the academy which has been renewed by staff and the Board of Trustees in the last year – that is to educate the “whole person” on the foundation of three pillars: leadership, academics and athletics.

“For a person to be successful, they have to bridge all those gaps,” says McKnight. “I am determined to make sure we have the best quality in all those areas, and that those three pillars are solid.”

McKnight believes the academy will be the first high school in the United States to have Velocity operating a facility on its campus. He’s excited about the opportunity that the facility will offer to students and the community, and that it will be made available without the academy outlaying any cash.

“The community has helped us in the last 12 months through donations, physical labor, and other shows of support,” says McKnight, referencing the community response when the academy’s financial and leadership struggles became widely known last year. “Our commitment is to make sure we have a facility that the community can use as well. We want a relationship that is fruitful and useful for the school and community together. Neither one can do without the other. This will be a chance for the community to come onto the campus and use those facilities.”

A meeting was scheduled for Sept. 8, in which more details were expected to be ironed out between Velocity and the academy as to the arrangements for facility usage, timeframe, etc.

To read all and read more go to www.nwobserver.com…..

14 thoughts on “Velocity Sports/ORMA to join forces in Oak Ridge

  1. It sounds like they are going to build an AAU/High School dynasty. They will have state of the art facilities for all sports. I imagine they will have a lot of AAU tournaments there. It just goes to show you what money can do for a program. I can only imagine what ORMA will look like in 5 years. It is amazing what they have accomplished in one year.

  2. Ouch…I wonder what impact this will have on Carmine’s business? I guess it will be good for Al but for Carmine…not so much. Will this create a batting center fued?

  3. Money Talks and Bull—- walks.
    It is amazing what you can accomplish when you get the money people involved.
    This was ORMA goal all along, they were willing to do whatever it took to survive and they have so far. What they could not accomplish at NG they will be able to do at ORMA.

  4. Wouldn’t expect to see any kind of Batting Center setup at Velocity…..

    Carmine will always do well….Very firmly established and he has proven that he can produce results……Strength and conditioning, I’d stick with Carmine…..

    Velocity probably good on speed training, but I am not sure about their work with strength training and I know from watching the baseball players that Carmine has worked with, he got results for those kids, many times over….

    If you are interested in endurance training then Greensborosports.com is the place for you…..Long distance training and we are on the road each and every day……Truck drivers, you are on your on, but over the road runners, call us…….We’ve got the eye of the Tiger, the cow, the deer, the squirrel, the geese, the dog, the cat, the duck, the bear, you name it and we’ve seen it…..

  5. What ORMA is doing could have been done with a partnership with the Guilford Co school system? However, as we are all unfortunately aware of by now, the Guilford Co school system does not have the “balls” to step outside of its normal routine and partner with enough organizations and businesses that are willing to take these financial risk and share the net benefits. ORMA has assembled coaches that can draw the best players and create the press needed to get the message out. Everytime something appears on this site about ORMA, there are a # of people dedicated to hitting the “Stan” button over and over. Stan, the other coaches and ORMA are just sitting back and laughing all the way to the bank. Those that are playing attention can clearly see that ORMA has figured out how to secure their niche in the world and the world is responding. Outside of some Guilford Co people that cannot get over whatever happened at Northern several years ago, nobody carries about the past. Everyone else has moved on and decided that the future must look different and things need to be operated within a new model.

    Great job OMRA ! What you are doing will benefit our community for years to come.

  6. Let me tell you something SEFAN whoever you are. You are just another one of those troublemakers on this sight that tries to ignite things while hiding behind a nickname. Me and Carmine have been together for over 6 years now and he has done nothing but help my business grow and if you ask him, he’ll say the same about my business helping Carolina Acceleration. AND THAT WON’T CHANGE!! Carmine over the years has become one of my best friends and I will always be loyal to him. I will continue to tell people that he is the best at what he does. The talent that has come thru The Greensboro Batting Center and Carolina Acceleration over the years speaks for itself. Just come in and look at my Wall Of Fame and see how many of those kids that went on to play college and pro baseball and got better at The Greensboro Batting Center, did The Carolina Acceleration program as well.
    I am the Baseball Coach at Oak Ridge Military Academy and I am going to build a successful program over the years and I guarantee that Carmine Pagano helps me do it!
    SEFAN thanks for giving me an opportunity to talk about my business and remind people that we have helped kids get better for almost 24 years!

  7. Alan,
    I am one of your supporters and customers so don’t go too New York on me pal. I was not trying to cause trouble but I certainly could have asked the question more intelligently. The fued part was pretty inflammatory and I apologize for that. The intent of my question really was would this center not be in conflict with Carmine’s business? It sounds like it is in competition with his business. As I read behind your answer I think there actually is a conflict but there is room for both to thrive in Greensboro and Carmine has a well established business that will not suffer. Your answer was a good one and I respect that. May all three grow and prosper!

  8. SEFAN- If you really are a customer and genuinely concerned about The Greensboro Batting Center and Carolina Acceleration, just tell me who you are and I’d be happy to discuss it with you in person or over the phone. I’ll even get Carmine involved too. Competition for both mine and Carmine’s business have come and gone over the years and none have ever effected us!

  9. I have apologized for stirring the pot. I understand your position. I’m sure the next time I am in the batting center which will not be long we can talk about more interesting subjects than this one. When I first heard you were coaching at Oak Ridge I thought it was great and said so on this board. I have nothing but love and respect for you and Carmine. I plan on being a customer for many years to come unless you throw me out.

    I just found it interesting to Oak Ridge is associated with a facility that may be in direct competition with Carmine’s business and that is all I am going to say about that.

  10. Carmine has done a great job with baseball players. And recently a few football players as well as some other sports but he cut his teeth with baseball players. If you have the money and the time he can really help baseball players. Velocity is not a threat to Carmine no matter where Velocity locates. So a few ORMA kids go to Velocity instead of somewhere else. No big loss. Carmine’s business track record has done well.

    I do agree with Sefan that I find it odd that Velocity hooked their star to ORMA. Could be a great move. Time will tell. Bottom line in all this is more resources are available for kids. Nothing wrong with that.

  11. To: Alan
    I have never met you nor used your business but I think you are going over board with your comments on this site. I learned a long time ago that sites such as this only get the high volume messages when someone drops the hammer on someone or something. This site is simply the opinions of people that may or may not have any idea about your business. If someone calls you out on this site, then they are just trying to bait you into the open just see if you will bite.

    Everything has its cycle. The football haters have another 45-60 days to go before the basketball haters start their 4-5 month run and then the baseball haters will kick in to end the merry go round. So, let the haters – haters and let everything run its course.

Comments are closed.