A Coach's Perspective

For many living in the Florida Panhandle, youth sports are a way of life. Getting up on the weekends to play tournaments is what teams work toward. Spending weeknights practicing is just as natural as going to school or church. And countless hours are spent on the field building friendships and making memories. At the forefront of the experience are coaches, who dedicate their efforts to making sure kids learn not only the skills of the game, but skills of life as well.                                                     

Here in Panama City, one of the premier recreational leagues with a focus on youth sports is Southport Youth Baseball. Alemga Sports' owner Marie Walker conducted some on site interviews at Southport Baseball Park to understand more of what and why coaches do what they do.

Park co-director Jamie Pettis coaches the Southport Red Sox and 12U Allstars. He's a long time coach with intimate knowledge of the game and its values. Coach Pettis made a quick explanation of what has helped the park really succeed in recent years, and how quickly registration has grown. He closes the interview saying, "We just love being around kids and teaching them life and ball." Click the video to see the full interview.

Marie also interviewed park director Brock Poe who coaches the Southport Spartans and 8U Allstars. Also a seasoned coach, he knows how to succeed both on and off the field.
When asked what it takes to run a ballpark, he responded with, "Commitment. It takes a ton of commitment and a lot of good parents... We cant do what we do if we didn't have parents that were right here pushing us."
Coach Poe went on to explain how all coaches at the Southport park are nationally certified, and his program brings in some of  the best in the area.

Marie asked Coach Poe his take on people saying his job was a 'thankless one'. Coach Poe laughed lightly before saying, "It's a relentless job," but at the end of the day as a coach, kids leave you saying, "Wow. And I just want to be a part of that."
Marie also wanted the coach's view on one saying of the park- 'We're not raising boys, we're raising men.' Coach Poe grinned, "That's just what we do."

Even with all of this, we really wanted to know the answer to one question in particular; what motivates someone to not only be a coach, but to direct a program centered around helping kids become great at something. The coach didn't disappoint with his answer, "Seeing kids develop. It's a lot of fun to see and know that you had a part of something that could later on materialize into something great." Click the video below to watch the full interview.







Southport youth baseball is a phenomenal example of what youth sports mean to so many people. If you would like to register for the fast approaching fall season, just follow this link to their website! You can also check out their Facebook page here!

We've got you covered! | 2497 Highway 77, Panama City, Florida 32405 |850.215.5151 | Facebook.com/AlmegaSports

Ordering Your Team Uniforms

Uniform orders can very quickly become a coach's worst nightmare. This blog is going to be dedicated to helping you  understand what to look for when ordering uniforms. Coach Mike took time to create a  check list of what to look for in your uniforms...

The things to consider are:

1. Brand
2. Quality
3. Ability to size the team from top to bottom
4. Initial availability
5. Player add on availability
6. Price
7. Overall uniqueness of design

1. Brand

First is brand. Gone are the days of only having a few basic brands like Russell, Champion, and Nike to pick from. With options like Teamwork, Alleson Athletic, Augusta, A4 and High Five, There are many brands and options to compete with.

2. Quality

This can result in a drive for companies to have superior quality while not sacrificing a great price. When you take the U A logo or the Swoosh off of the uniform and get down to what really matters, the are endless options.

3. Ability to Size 

What size do you wear?  This is a great question. With Uniform specific companies such as Augusta Sportswear, Badger Sportswear, or Teamwork Athletic, it can be very easy to order a sizing kit to make sure you get it right the first time. Most all of these companies ship same day as order. With larger companies such as Adidas, Nike, or Under Armour, they may take up to 3 to 4 days to ship an order costing you valuable time in the ordering process.

4. Initial Availability

Another thing to consider is Initial availability. Many of the larger companies will intentionally sell out of product in a relatively quick manner. They have no desire to have any inventory left on the shelves after the start of a season.

5. Add on Players

The Add on player....With larger brand names such as Nike, Under Armour and Adidas, their primary focus is to sell a jersey that will in turn help sell there larger brand concept. it is not uncommon for these guys to discontinue a jersey line after one season. This leaves a coach or athletic director with the challenge of trying to find a similar product when it comes to adding a jersey. When you utilize uniform specific companies such as Augusta Sportswear, Badger Sportswear, or Teamwork Athletic, they have lines that will be available for 2 to 3 years at minimum. All they do is sell uniforms!

6. Price

One of the most important aspects of the uniform experience is PRICE. Quite simply, when you loose the swoosh or the UA then for some strange reason the price mysteriously lowers by 15% to 25%.

 

7. Uniqueness of Design

One of the last aspects to consider is uniqueness of the design. All to often I see teams that utilize uniforms from the BIG 3 Nike, Under Armour, and Adidas.. Often times other than a slight color variation it quickly becomes obvious that they are wearing the exact same designs. With smaller uniform specific companies, they are constantly competing for your business so a unique stock design is the best way to make that happen.

Bottom line is this, if you are interested in getting the most out of your uniform dollars then consider moving away from the shoe companies styles to the direction of the guys that make uniforms exclusively for a living. This will give you increased value and quality, as well as fewer headaches.
- Coach Mike

For catalogs featuring all of these brands, check out our Coaches Corner Page!


We've got you covered!  |  2497 Highway 77, Panama City, Florida 32405  |850.215.5151  |  Facebook.com/AlmegaSports

Why Stay Local?

When playing team sports it’s important that everyone involved know how to work as a team to achieve the same goal. That’s what Almega Sports is all about- helping players, coaches, teams, and their families succeed on the field. More than 5 years ago Almega Sports began with Coach Mike Walker as the realization of a dream- owning his own business. Today, Almega Sports is the only locally owned and operated sporting goods store in Bay County. With local owners and local faces, you’ll always know who you’re talking to and our staff is always happy to help and answer any questions. Our retail store carries a HUGE selection that beats the big stores box prices every time, including…

• Mizuno
• Easton
• Worth
• Rawlings
• Diamond                                                                       
• Nike
• Used Golf Merchandise
• Used Equipment

And Much More!

 

When it comes to making sure your players look their best on the field Almega Sports’ team sales have got you covered! We’ll come to you for fittings to make sure you are ordering the correct fit- and no worries if you have to add on players, we can have them outfitted as they come. We also offer fan shirts and team packs so family and friends can match the players. Our production team ensures superior turn-around time on all your orders- here is just some of what we do!  

• Custom Uniforms
• Trophies
• Embroidery                       
• Custom Hats                                              
• Team Hats
• Custom Shirts
• Event Shirts

And More!

 

Mike and Marie’s children play sports right here in Panama City, so they understand the time and money you put into making sure your kids enjoy their experience on the field. Our local experience and knowledge along with our friendly staff make all the difference in your sports’ season. So come to Almega Sports for all your sport’s needs! We’ve got you covered!

|  2497 Highway 77, Panama City, Florida 32405  |  850.215.5151  |  Facebook.com/AlmegaSports  |

The Lady Warriors- #2 Team in the Country

Almega Sports has the opportunity to work with many incredible teams creating their custom uniforms and will soon have the honor of working with one of the top 11U fast-pitch teams in the country.

It’s really amazing to see what a group of young softball players are capable of when they play the game with everything they have. The Lady Warriors team from Callahan, Florida has played in numerous USSSA  tournaments in the North Florida area. This team brings passion to the field that makes the game even more exciting to watch.

The Warriors won several USSSA tournaments in their age group and even played in the 13u age group in the fall. The coaches are very involved with player development while keeping it fun for the girls. The players and coaches are serious about the game and worked hard for their title. Almega Sports is looking forward to working with these young ladies as they continue to make strides in the game.

The team with Coach Kevin Fagan from Central Florida State College. Where they finished 3rd in a 13u USSSA College Showcase Tournament!

Here are just some of their accomplishments from last season!

11U Tournaments

9/13         1st place in Fall Brawl Tournament

 13u Tournaments

10/11       1st place in Play For The Cure Tournament

10/25       2nd place in River City Spooktacular Tournament

11/2         4th place in the USSSA State Championship

11/15       3rd place in the Future Stars Showcase          

12/6         2nd place in Toys For Tots Tournament