LOVES PARK, Ill. (WTVO) — Elite Sports Center in Loves Park had the grand opening of its secondary location this week, marking the newest component of a growing regional initiative to establish the Stateline area as a hub for youth sports.
The calculated investment in regional youth athletics focuses on drawing teams and tournaments to major area venues, including the UW Health Sports Factory and Sportscore facilities. Local officials say the demand for superior training facilities is driven by the rapid expansion of travel-based sports and programs such as flag football.
Local athletes seeking to advance their skills are creating a demand for improved training sites. Zach Thompson, coach of Midwest Aftershock Softball, said players need high-quality resources to prepare for the high level of competition. “A lot of our players demand high-level,” Thompson said. “They want high level. They want the next level stuff and a lot of them have aspirations to go to college. Well, when you’re in college, this is the kind of facilities that you have and the kind of amenities that you have.”…