How a Town Turned a Baseball Facility into a Growth Factory
One man's vision isn't just working. It's inspiring.
A few years ago, High Point University branded itself the “premier life skills university.” The idea was simple but ambitious: pair theory with resilience, adaptability, and communication. Education wouldn’t just live in books — it would show up in daily life.
In Horseheads, New York, President Jim Russ and the Finger Lakes Falcons built the baseball version of that vision.
Passion. Purpose. Development.
For players as young as nine.
In a Jerry Maguire moment, Jim said, “I’m doing it.” And the fish came with him.
In less than two months, a small nonprofit in a town of 18,500 paired big ideas with world-class instruction. With planning support from Nate Trosky, baseball — and the power of “penny decisions” — began to level up fast.
The approach was clear:
Give players structured progressions.
Make small daily choices matter.
Work Meets World-Class Training
Once a department store on Chambers Road, the Falcons’ facility is now a fully immersive, visually guided growth environment — part classroom, part practice lab, part IKEA walkthrough for development.
Mental primers line the walls
Step-by-step breathing cues center players before work
Warm-up progressions hang where players loosen up
Quotes from the game’s best reinforce standards and mindset
Nothing is random.
The Falcons don’t guess.
They see the plan, commit to it, and do the work.
“Out of the gate, my son had more purpose. He does his L-shuffle, center-secure work, and posture checks at home. It gives him a reason to keep working.”
— Jeremy, 11U Parent
Layered Learning
What lives on the walls doesn’t stop there — it flows directly into the 365 App, reinforcing habits in three key ways:
Daily
Players log reps, drills, and reflections through 365.
With more than 1,000 reels and drills, players build concentration, clarity, and consistency — one rep at a time.
Journaling prompts support both baseball and academic growth. Bonus: they spark great dinner-table conversations.
“We use the app every day — the whole thing, top to bottom.”
— Kevin Doane, parent of a high school player
Weekly
More than 50 unique Tuesday-night classes (live and recorded) cover everything from elite field training to the recruiting landscape. Players, coaches, and parents learn together — and stay aligned.
Facility Integration
In-person group training and detailed practice plans rival the structure of college programs. Coaches get better as they learn, and practices improve as a result.
“We’re building the most comprehensive training system.”
— Jim Russ, President
Players and Coaches Say It Best
“As a coach, it gives me a chance to focus on fundamentals. I’m learning 4-5 days a week — ‘center-center’, being on time, being gritty. Then, I can help the kids focus on their fundamentals.”
— Coach Pirozollo, 12U Falcons
“Now that I’ve shortened my arm stroke, I make the play every time. It’s also helped me get more flexible.”
— Ely, 12U Falcons
“Every day I look at the daily starter. I use the baseball skills and body reps to help me get stronger. I love the release point versatility program and 36 plays to follow.”
— Beckett Doane, high school player
“Coach Russ and the Falcons are the model. Whole person growth for the academic and baseball journey — I haven’t seen this in 30 years observing amateur baseball.”
— Matt French, Trosky EdTech Cofounder & CTO
The players win. Period.
Trosky Trained
This isn’t quite a Christmas miracle — but it’s close.
A few “heroes down the street” put a gift under the tree that 12-year-old Ely has opened every day since November.
His review?
“I just love it.”
Development is work. Research shows that people who work just 10% more can earn 40% more over time. In Horseheads, baseball has become a thoughtfully designed vehicle for everyday improvement.
If you want to follow the Falcons’ model, Trosky Trained is just a paint job and posters away.
Coach Trosky’s Message
Functional strength has nothing to do with lifting weights — and everything to do with repeating a specific task, daily.
A guitarist develops strong fingers by playing.
A tennis player builds strong legs by moving.
A quarterback builds an arm by throwing.
Here’s Lyam and his friends jumping rope on rocks — yes, rocks.
Why are their feet so strong?
Because every day after school, they play barefoot: walking, running, jumping on the reef.
Action to take:
Identify what you want to be strong at — and do it every day.
That’s functional strength at its best.
#BetterEveryday
6TN🌎GYMR
— Coach Nate Trosky
From the Field
365 Live Recording
Coach Trosky and Head of Strength Kyle Harris broke down small-space training and off-season power development in a 50-minute session — with plenty of Coach Hammer humor along the way.
🎄 Reminder: No meeting tonight —
For daily instruction snippets, follow Trosky Academy’s Instagram.
For full training programs, explore the Trosky 365 App.
Happy New Year from all of us!
We hope you enjoy this season with family and friends.
On the adventure,
— Greg Moore
greg@troskyedtech.com
TroskyBaseball.com
Our Team
At Trosky EdTech Inc., we’re transforming education and amateur sports through whole-person training and technology. Our mission is simple: impact a generation.
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Together, we elevate a generation. 💪