Pirates partner with EL1 Sports to provide high-quality training resources to local youth baseball and softball players

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced a partnership with EL1 Sports (EL1), a leading national youth sports training company and the official youth baseball and softball training partner of Major League Baseball, to provide access to high-quality development tools and training resources for youth athletes in the Pittsburgh region with the goal of increasing local participation in baseball and softball and developing local talent.

To help further the efforts of this new partnership, EL1 and the Pirates will be opening the first-ever “Pirates Training Center” located in Canonsburg, PA. Bianco School of Baseball, powered by the Pirates, is a state-of-the-art facility that will offer first-class programs and instruction to athletes at all skill levels, enabling them to get better at the game and find a love for the sport. The facility also will have a team of professional instructors who will conduct camps, clinics and lessons throughout the region.

“Supporting and promoting youth baseball and softball athletes and programs has long been at the core of what we do,” said Travis Williams, Pirates President. “Together with EL1, we are focusing on supporting grassroots efforts and increasing accessibility to training in order to get more athletes involved in the game and help them to develop their talents. With Bianco School of Baseball as the first ‘Pirates Training Center’, we will be able to accelerate these efforts and immediately bring high-quality instruction and programs to these athletes.”

Bianco School of Baseball, powered by the Pirates, is equipped with turf, netting, performance enhancement equipment, configurable training stations and next-generation technology, like Diamond Kinetics, HitTrax, Rapsodo, as well as seating and viewing areas for families. Players will receive hands-on training from former professional coaches, scouts and players with an extensive backing in coaching youth baseball and softball players.

Through a combination of training and technology, the Pirates and EL1 aim to prepare the next generation of young athletes not only for baseball and softball, but life off the field too. From team exercises and seasonal camps to high-level tournaments and individual lessons, athletes from all backgrounds and corners of the community will build on their experience, level-up their skills and develop their character, while reaping the benefits and joys of the sport. The Pirates and EL1 will also offer free camps and clinics to area youth and offer free programming to Pirates RBI athletes through this partnership.

“Our organizations are united under a shared goal to grow the games of baseball and softball and instill a love of the game for the next generation,” said EL1 Co-Founder Aaron Trolia. “At EL1, we pride ourselves in creating world-class experiences for players from age three to eighteen, and supporting operators and former athletes with
tools and career paths to stay involved and share their knowledge. We’re honored to partner with the Pirates organization to create even more meaningful baseball and softball experiences right here in Pittsburgh.”

As founder of Bianco School of Baseball and one of the most notable hitters in W.P.I.A.L history, Matt Bianco is an exemplary source for raising the confidence and skillset of young athletes. Through this new partnership, EL1 and the Pirates support the operations of the facility, along with Matt Bianco and other Bianco staff members, to
offer the much-needed year-round training solution where athletes can receive professional instruction to improve their game.

“In my more than 30 years of working with kids in baseball and softball, one thing that has stayed consistent is the positive impact sports have for young athletes, especially in building confidence and opening the doors to new opportunities and pathways that they may not have thought existed,” said Matt Bianco, Bianco School of
Baseball founder. “These experiences create lifelong fans of the game. Now, through our work with the Pirates, every kid in the community will have the ability to access world-class baseball and softball programs and experience the magic of the game we all love, thanks to their hometown team."