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Scout Day Spotlight: Bo Jackson Elite

COLUMBUS - The Bo Jackson Elite Sports training facility - an impressive 114,000 square feet structure featuring a full-size major league field, eight hitting cages, three pitching tunnels, a weight room, running track and more - gives the organization a leg up on most others when it comes to benefits for the players.

Now in its third year under the current umbrella, Bo Jackson Elite teams are among the best around with players earning scholarships to every Division I school in Ohio as well as colleges such as Arkansas, Kentucky, Purdue, Tennessee and Virginia.

“We want to develop young me on and off the field,” noted Neal Packanik, director of baseball operations with the organization. “They control how far they go, our development helps prepare them for what’s next. Our job from the youth age on is to get them ready for the next year.”

There are two divisions of teams, the Cangelosi Black Sox and the Bo Jackson Elite. This year a combined 18 teams will represent the organization, with 14 Black Sox teams ranging from 9U up to 18U and four Bo Jackson Elite teams from 15U to 18U.

“We don’t deem anybody elite until they get to the high-school level,” explained Packinak. “The elite teams are with players projecting D-I baseball. Most will play Division I or Division II. The Cangelosi Black Sox players, once they become high-school aged, are very good players looking to play Division II and III. The only difference is the type of events and type of exposure. We get them in the right lights.”

The number of teams has continued to increase.

“It starts with the education of the families of youth understanding the importance of development,” Packinak said. “We don’t shy away from the fact we have the best facility in Ohio and the coaching and resources to go with it.”

More growth is projected.

“We expected it to continue to grow with the Black Sox, but we won’t have multiple elite teams,” Packinak said. “That doesn’t live up to our standards.”

There is a large group of instructors that have aided Packinak in helping the organization grow and develop players.

“Brandon Szink has been here from the beginning,” Packinak said about the assistant director of baseball operations. “We worked together prior to being here. Chris Valentine has also been a big part. Chris transitioned from Ohio Elite and was instrumental in kick-starting what we’ve got. The same with Cory Valentine.

“We have a ton of great people in place here,,” Packinak continued. “Those were the guys that got on board and we built it from there.”

The facility is an obvious drawing point, but there is more to what stands out with the organization.

“The impressive thing with the dome is what it offers, but I didn’t take into account the draw of the instructors,” pointed out Packinak. “The people inside the dome and the training they’re delivering is what keeps people coming back.”

The philosophy is unlike most.

“It starts with that idea that we are a developing company,” Packinak explained. “When people hear for-profit there are often negative connotations in the travel world. What we are is a business that reflects back to the dome.”

Having the right type of teams and players representing the organization is essential.

“Although we are a business, we don’t buy into 1,000 teams,” Packinak said. “The product we put out there has to meet our standards. It’s not wins and losses, it’s development of the players and that they’re ready for the next level.”

Getting players in the right place is of utmost importance.

“We try to place them in the right events which allows them to be challenged and exposed to the right eyes, whether it’s elite regionals or national events,” Packinak noted. “The Black Sox play more local and regional events. We want players to be challenged and we want them to play in good venues. We draw on history to see what events do well and help the players.”

The upcoming PBR Scout Day on Feb. 17 is one such event that has proven beneficial.

“It’s something we believed in from the beginning,” Packinak said. “The dome offers a perfect environment for our training and PBR resonates that out and offers exposure for our players as a third-party source as a tool from a recruiting standpoint.”

The exposure has helped out, with 14 from the 2018 class moving on to compete at the D-I level while the 2019 class has more than 26 committed to D-I and D-II schools according to Packinak.

“We work together closely with PBR,” pointed out Packinak. “PBR has a really good reputation in Ohio and we’re happy they use our facility and to be a partner with them. It’s branding two groups together trying to help kids in Ohio get onto the next level.”

Packinak sees even a brighter future.

“In the short time we’ve been around, we’ve established ourselves as one of the best organizations in Ohio and there are a lot of good ones,” Packinak said. “Expanding to the midwest will help us continue to grow into a national brand and we’ll see colleges flooded with kids that came through our organization.

“We’ve accomplished a lot and I think the recognition from college coaches will only continue to expand.”