OVERVIEW
AND HISTORY
Rain,
Snow or Shine Academy of Proplayers operates All Year
Round !
Dear
Academy of Proplayers Baseball Prospect;
Your Prompt Reply
Ensures Your Reserved Spot In Our Line Up!
WHY
SHOULD I ATTEND THE ACADEMY OF PROPLAYERS
WANT
TO LEARN LIKE THE PROS?
Are you a boy or girl from the ages of 7 to 18, love baseball
or softball and want to be ready for this coming season? Then
let Proplayers prepare you with our programs that will instruct
you on hitting, fielding, running, and throwing. Our professional
staff will enhance your skills and knowledge of the game .
Proplayers teaches at all skill levels. One bit of information,
one different translation of a fundamental, or one innovative
instruction may just smooth out your entire approach to the
game.
ACADEMY
OF PROPLAYERS & THE GILLIGAN'S HISTORY
A Family Affair
Since 1988 the family has been providing the New Jersey & New York area with professional baseball instruction. In 1994 brothers Lar and Joe Gilligan formed Academy of Proplayers which originally opened as a winter baseball camp. Staffed with former and active professional players, Proplayers moved their camp from Upper Bergen County to Southern Bergen County.
Academy of Proplayers has grown into a year round business which provides our students with a:
* Winter Baseball School (November through March)
* Summer Baseball Camps (July through August)
* Private lessons (all year round )
Other
Recent Highlights:
1988
*
Camp begins in Englewood
1989
*
Camp moves to Waldwick
1994
*
June 1994: Brothers Lar and Joe Gilligan form Proplayers and
expand on Joe Sr.’s “Pro Scout School of Baseball”.
*
June 1994: Private lessons begin.
*
October 1994: Move operations to an expansive facility in
Moonachie
*
November 1994: Bob Frassa joins the Proplayers as an Instructor
*
December 1994: Instructor Mike Carlsen and assistant Instructor
Dan Gilligan are only staff signed on from “Pro Scout
School.”
1995
*
January 1995: Proplayers Winter Camp officially opened to
the public
* July 1995: Proplayers first summer baseball camp
1996
*
April 1996: April Indoor Camps is added to January through
March Line up
*
June 1996: The new trademark logo is created
*
August 1996: Database Administration and Finance is computerized
* October 1996: Introduction of new "specialty" clinics
in infield, pitching and catching are added.
*
December 1996: Classes added to winter line up
1997
*
January 1997: Academy of Proplayers Softball School is started
*
June 1997: Academy of Proplayers goes "online" with
their first ISP
*
June 1997: Academy of Proplayers creates Akadema Baseball
Products; a nationally recognized baseball product brand.
*
November 1997: new invoice system is created.
*
December 1997: in addition to Moonachie facility the Lyndhurst
facility is added.
1998
*
April 1998: Proplayers launches their award winning web site
and becomes the first baseball school in Northern NJ on the
web.
*
August 1998: Akadema Baseball Products are introduced to the
public
*
November 1998: Dan Gilligan is promoted to Instructor
*
December 1998: "Hit Like a Pro Video" is released
which is considered one of the best video by some of nations
largest instructional video catalogs and web sites.
1999
*
September 1999: Proplayers consolidates their two winter facilities
and relocates to Garfield, NJ
*
October 1999: Proplayers announces indoor November classes
for the first time
*
November 1999: Bob Frassa is announced as company's VP of
Instruction
*
December 1999: Dan Gilligan is announced as company's VP of
Operations.
2000
*
February 2000: Akadema Professional is split from Academy
of Proplayers.
*
May 2000: First indoor May and June clinics held. Chicago
White Sox owner selects Proplayers to run his summer clinic
in Cooperstown
*
August 2000: Academy of Proplayers becomes the first baseball
school in the nation to add real player to their web site.
The Real Player shows clips from their interview with Time
Warner Cable News.
*
September 2000: www.academypro.com
becomes the official site of
Academy of Proplayers
2001
*
July 2001: Proplayers runs their most successful summer baseball
camps to date.
*
November 2001: Kris "Legend" Totten is promoted
to Managing Instructor.
2002
*
January 2002: Coach Lawrence passes torch to Coach Dan &
Coach Bob as Co Head Instructor.
*
May 2002: ProPlayers becomes workout facility for Mo Vauhn
on his off days.
*
June 2002: Cafeteria, Proshop & Snack Stand remodeled.
*
July 2002: Summer camp attendence is up 40%. Fastest growing
segment of ProPlayers.
2003
*
January 2003: Paco Martin, former seven year Major League
Players joins
Proplayers staff.
2004
* March 2004: Derek Hurley, Damon Ponce Deleon and Mike Basset join Academy of Proplayers
2005
* October 2005: Keith Stamler joins staff full time as Manager.
* January 2005: Dan Gilligan becomes a scout for the Cleveland Indians.
* January 2005: Kris Totten is promoted to VP of sales for Akadema Baseball Products.
* September 2005: Steve Spitilari named Director of Academy of Proplayers
2006
* January: JJ Rodriquez, Timo Perez (both of the St. Louis Carinals) make Proplayers their NJ
winter training facility.
* December: Private instruction is fastest growth segment for the year.
2007
* January: Saturday private instruction is provided in addition to weekday times.
* August: Proplayers announces 2007-2008 camp year will be last at the Garfield, NJ factility.
* September: Proplayers inks a ten year lease with BO-TY Inc, a real estate company owned by Lawrence and Joe Gilligan. Proplayers will move with it's sister company, Akadema, to Hawthorne, NJ in April, 2008.
2008
* Feburary: Marcos Agramonte, former Rangers organization player joins Proplayers.
* March: Dan GIlligan, named President . Keith Stamler named General Manager.
* April: Proplayers moves to their new home in Hawthorne, NJ
Proplayers has been around for a long time.
Which camp location did you go to?
1988 Englewood, NJ
1989-1994Waldwick, NJ
1994-1999 Moonachie, NJ
1996-1999 Monachie, NJ & Lyndhurst, NJ
1999-2008 Garfield, NJ
2008 & beyond, Hawthrone, NJ
