TEXAS TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- It's been a few years since an empty factory in Wayne County was reborn as an indoor sports facility. Now, the Sports Factory of NEPA plans to expand even more this year, and the community stands to benefit.
It's the first night to register kids for a brand-new Little League at the Sports Factory of NEPA. That league and so much more is possible thanks to the rate at which the facility and its programs are expanding.
Kaitlyn Price takes her cracks at the plate inside the Sports Factory of NEPA. The senior at Honesdale High is happy to have somewhere like this to hone her skills year-round.
"We needed it here and so helpful to students who want to get better at these sports. Didn't have it before, you could only get so good or else you had to travel. Now, it's in our backyards and we can just come whenever," Price said.
In just its first three years, this place has been offering baseball, softball, soccer, field hockey, lacrosse, gymnastics, and martial arts, and now is expanding to offer fitness classes for adults and a day care center.
"We wanted to give families in our community the same opportunities they would have in a larger area," said Steve Pinto, Sports Factory of NEPA.
Once we get through winter in White Mills, the Sports Factory of NEPA plans to make good on its promise to rebuild the fields along the Lackawaxen River. There are soccer and baseball fields, and new this year, Wayne Highlands Little League.
"The Sports Factory is breathing new life into that area, brought in soccer and lacrosse, now we're bringing Little League and maybe expand it to softball, a lot of possibilities, excited about it," said Matt Corse, Wayne Highlands Little League.
This spring, the fields will start to look like they once did years ago. This was where teams of all ages played ball and Jim Watson of nearby Watson Brothers is excited to see this area thriving once again.
"There was a lot of activity going on down there for years. They had in the 50s a semi-pro ball down there. We had men's softball, women's softball, Little League, nice to see it come back. It really is," Watson said.
The first baseball fields should be ready to play on this spring.
Registration for an entirely new Little League starts Monday night.