History
A NOTE TO THE PARENTS
Our staff is full of coaches who believe that playing sports can be a foundation for some of life’s toughest life lessons. All of our staff has learned work ethic, commitment, success, defeat, and leadership from playing sports. Sport has impacted all of us in ways that cannot be put into words. It is something that has made all of us who we are today.
We strive to create a positive learning environment for your child, with coaches who are sincere and truly invested in your child’s development on and off the field/court. We believe that we can have a special impact on your child because we have experienced it first hand and can share those stories with your child.
JEN DOEHRING’S INFLUENTIAL EXPERIENCES
When I was in second grade I remember wanting to play softball in the summer, but in the small town of Nashville, IL the league for girls didn’t start until fifth grade. Boys began tee ball in second grade and I asked my dad to let me play with the boys. He asked but was told no that boys and girls were not allowed to play together. My dad is a solution seeker and refused to take no for an answer he got another parent to agree to coach a team. That year girls tee ball started with 2 teams, I was so excited!!!
We played 3 games that summer. We won the first two games, I played shortstop and another girl who could catch the ball played first, we were in position to win the third and final game. Before the last game my dad gave us the lineup, he had me in left field and my friend in right field. We lost the game and my competitiveness came out, I was mad we lost. I remember asking my dad why he moved everyone around the field because it made us lose the game. I will never forget his response, it is one the most influential learning experiences of my life he said, “Jenny the other girls deserved to know the feeling of winning, did you see the look on their faces when they scored their first run, and when they won the game?”
His compassion has stuck with me through the years, he taught me that everyone should know the feeling of winning and should be allowed to enjoy the game of softball, not just the ones who are naturally good at it. He created an environment that was enjoyable for the other team to learn and experience the game.
JEN DOEHRING’S VISION
When I set foot on campus at SIUC that a number of different resources became available allowing me to develop and compete at my highest potential as a student athlete. As a Saluki I had access to many different resources who helped me become a better athlete, and made me more successful in my career. Equipment Managers who made sure we had the proper attire and equipment needed to play at a high level (and it was a plus that they did your laundry for you!) Strength & Speed Coaches had the job of getting athletes of all sports physically fit, helping us understand injury prevention methods, and pushing us mentally to be a stronger athlete. Athletic Trainers had the task of dealing with any injuries that were not preventable, because of intense competition. They worked hand in hand with our Strength and Speed coaches to allow us to get back on the field as quickly as possible. Nutritionists were optional, but they concerned themselves with our health and nutrition. They spent extra time tutoring us on proper eating habits for athletes because of the number of games we played and the physical demands of traveling. They were a team of professions put together for the betterment of their student athletes. Our ability to stay in the game was due to their joint efforts.
When it came to softball we had a Hitting Coach, who focused their time on the fundamentals of the offensive game, reading pitches for the hitters advantage, and talking with the team about having an approach at the plate. We had a Defensive Coach who spent time on glove-work, foot-work, and game situations. Finally there was a Head Coach who brought everybody together and made everything mesh together. She was a coach whom I wanted to win for.
Everything came together at SIU and I had the experience of a lifetime. After graduation I began looking back on my collegiate experience, and I began asking myself “what if”. What if I had been able to train like this and have resources like the ones at SIUC as I was growing up? I truly felt that if I would have had those resources, I would have been better prepared for college. Since it was too late for me, I began dreaming up and drafting a business plan of a place where softball and baseball players could have those resources. A place where experienced baseball and softball instructors could teach hitting, pitching, catching; professional speed and strength coaches could teach proper lifting and running technique for injury prevention; certified nutritionists could teach proper eating habits, equipment that was custom fitted, and much more!
I had a dream of finding people who had similar positive playing and coaching experiences. People who could teach youth athletes how to do things THE RIGHT WAY. I wanted a place where the athletes and families felt like they belonged. An environment where they could feel safe and could ask hard questions and get an accurate sincere answer. I wanted a place where athletes of all levels could learn the game and get enjoyment out of it.
TURN 2
Turn 2 opened in October 2007. The name Turn 2 came from my experience of playing shortstop and turning double plays. To start out we had 16,000 square feet of training space that was dedicated to baseball and softball athletes and sporting goods store where athletes could get the equipment they needed to play the game they best they could. Our tagline and basic philosophy became Train Hard, Train Smart, and Train with a Purpose. As we added staff members to our team we continued to be blessed with people who had experiences and ideas that would continue to challenge and grow the resources that Turn 2 could provide for its athletes. We soon added speed and strength coaches to develop our baseball and softball athletes, and quickly realized that we were most passionate about not just baseball and softball athletes, but the overall athlete. We began to increase our interest in our kids who played other sports, and realized that it was important for their development. We wanted to know about their experiences and love of the game.
THE EVOLUTION – ATHLETIX FACTORY
The fact that our staff is passionate about all sports made us realized that we needed to evolve and grow our business plan. In order to do this we had to create a new name that better encompassed all sports, as well as include speed and strength, and a new athletic equipment and apparel store. It was through this growth that Turn 2 became Athletix Factory.
We are constantly looking to evolve and expand as a company. We look for coaches, mentors, and professionals from all fields who have a passion for athletics and have motivation to provide their knowledge to the youth athlete. I am thankful about our beginning as Turn 2 and our growth into Athletix Factory. I am excited about our continued passion to impact and develop athletes of all sports as we continue our journey.
TO BE CONTINUED……