What do a dozen coaches, three dozen pitchers, and nearly 90 players ranging from the ages of 9 to 15 have to do with growth in Wake Forest? That is the attendee count for a recent free youth softball clinic, a collaboration between SixFour3, a premier girls fastpitch softball center arriving soon in Wake Forest, and the Town Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department.
SixFour3 was started by three fastpitch softball dads in 2016. Realizing most facilities were dominated by baseball, they very quickly realized that girls weren’t getting an equal opportunity at available facilities. “We wanted to build a home exclusively for them,” says Sean Sullivan, one of the founding partners of SixFour3. “We are proud to be dedicated exclusively to girls fastpitch softball.”
While SixFour3 originated in Northern Virginia, they have rapidly grown into new markets. Targeting the Triangle region of North Carolina for their third location, they made the determination that Wake Forest had all of the right components for the company’s growth. “It is a fantastic area with a large number of families – and we all know this area LOVES their sports,” says Sullivan. “We are excited to become a part of the local community to provide a much-needed resource for female athletes – specifically those that play fastpitch softball.”
With a fantastic partnership for operating space already established with Merritt Properties in Northern Virginia, it only made sense to continue the expansion with them in the Wake Forest market. Their Wake Forest facility will be in the newly developed Merritt Capital Business Park, located off Ligon Mill Road and connecting to the back of the existing South Forest Industrial Park at Unicon Drive Extension.
Before leasing the 13,000sqft. space, however, SixFour3 and Merritt Properties asked the Wake Forest Business & Industry Partnership (WFBIP) for assistance in amending the Town’s UDO (Uniform Development Ordinance) to allow recreational use in areas zoned for light industrial. “Merritt and SixFour3 were very convincing that girls fastpitch softball had been highly successful in the light industrial & flex space parks Merritt has constructed in other communities,” says Jason Cannon, President of the WFBIP. “I am grateful the Town and its Planning Department are willing to consider permitting unique uses within areas that may not appear compatible at first glance.” In the months that followed, the Town worked collaboratively with WFBIP and Merritt Properties to accommodate the need and the change was ultimately approved by the Town’s Board of Commissioners. With that change, SixFour3 was able to finalize its lease with Merritt Properties.
With the new location secure, the Wake Forest Business and Industry Partnership did what it does best: built a relationship with the new business and the Town. Cannon put the leaders of SixFour3 in touch with Ed Austin and KP Kilpatrick with the Wake Forest Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Department. From there, a fantastic partnership was formed. A conversation about the origins of SixFour3, what their business goals are, and input from Town Parks and Rec helped formulate the idea of hosting a free softball clinic. “Girls' softball, fastpitch in particular – if you don’t have a pitcher, there’s no game. I see the need to develop pitchers, and Sean and Matt said that’s where they come in,” says Ed Austin, Athletics & Aquatics Superintendent for the Town of Wake Forest. “Our role in youth sports is to develop the young athlete, teach them the game, and develop the skills to be successful.” This free softball clinic not only helps the Town’s interested youth in experiencing the game but also provides a warm welcome for SixFour3 to the Wake Forest community.
“Community has and always will be a big part of every SixFour3 location. It is a big part of what makes SixFour3 unique and successful,” says Sullivan. “We figured there was no better way to introduce ourselves into the local community than to offer a series of free camps and clinics to kick-off the local spring season.” Both Sullivan and Austin say the clinic, held on March 26 at Heritage High School Park, was incredibly well-received. Even on a cold and windy day, the turnout was impeccable and really brought the community together – specifically those involved in softball. Given the clinic’s success, Austin sees a collaboration if not every year, then twice a year. “It’s something that helps us help our players, while we help SixFour3 find the right athletes.”
Finding the right people in the thriving town of Wake Forest has not been difficult for SixFour3. “Everyone in the Wake Forest community has been so welcoming,” says Sullivan. “We have been told over and over again that we are providing an incredibly valuable resource that has been missing in the local area.”
Each SixFour3 training facility is dedicated exclusively to girls fastpitch softball. Opening in the summer of 2022, SixFour3 Wake Forest will be a 13,000 square foot, temperature-controlled facility with 24-hour access. It will consist of 10 large multi-purpose lanes that can all be used to hit, pitch, catch, and the like. One additional large flex space will be used for strength and conditioning, and speed and agility work. The combination of expert instruction and innovative self-service features will provide players with everything they need to develop and grow in the sport they love. In addition, SixFour3 will also have multiple hack-attack pitching machines as well as a HitTrax for advanced analytics and entertainment.
Sullivan says, “We can't wait to get more and more entrenched into the local community. We are all about empowering the female athlete in a comfortable and friendly environment built exclusively for them. We would welcome the opportunity to talk with anyone that wants to learn more about SixFour3 and our Wake Forest location.”
Discover more at www.sixfour3.com or complete an interest form at www.sixfour3.com/wake-forest-signup.
