The new business inside the old Sears building at 1 E. Main St. called Off The Bench is a sports training facility, not a sporting goods store.
“We had to get ‘training facility’ painted out front, so many people had no idea what we are,” said Matt Betts, a baseball coach for the past 18 years and owner of Off the Bench.
When people step inside, “they’re shocked” because it wasn’t at all what they were expecting, Betts said.
Most of the facility has 2-inch turf covering the floor, recycled from a field in Washington, D.C., something “a team of family and friends” helped him install.
Along the left side, there’s three batting cages for both baseball and softball players, equipped with machines that mimic all sorts of pitches, from curves to sliders.
Beside those cages are hitting stations with soft toss machines, something Betts said is important because a bad toss equals a bad swing.
If you have a bad swing, fear not, because there’s a television where Betts can display a blown-up video of a swing to show a player how to correct it, where to make changes.
Betts’ nephew, an all-state player who will be teaching lessons at Off the Bench, used to go to Farmington two or three times a week to practice in a batting cage.
And in his role as president of Southwest Colorado Youth Baseball and Softball, in addition to being a coach for so long and a father to kids who play sports, Betts said he got inspired to open the facility.
“I saw the pitfalls of not having something like this,” said Betts. “And I want Cortez to have more state championships.”
The whole right side of the turfed space has workout equipment and a soccer net, too.
Walking to the back of the space, past toilets and what will soon be a concession stand, there’s a hardwood floored room with a volleyball net and basketball hoop.
Betts said that because so many kids in the area play more than one sport, he wanted to try and cater to everyone.
“Anyone can come in here and make themselves better,” Betts said.
He also said it’s a good space to try a new sport, since they have the gear and space for it. Plus, they’re building up an arsenal of used gear and starting a Play It Again Sports-like thrift store so kids can get gear at a discount.
And for those already in a sport, it’s a great space to come a month or so before the season starts and get a leg up on your opponents, Betts said.
“We hope to get them in great shape so when they step on the field, they showcase everything they’ve done right,’ said Betts. “A game showcases how hard you practice.”
Hardly anything that’s set up is permanently in place; it’s “malleable” to meet a player’s needs and to also host other events.
Betts said there’s a cornhole league happening now, and they had a haunted house during Halloween. Santa will be there sometime next month, and he plans to set up an Easter Egg hunt in April.
“We also want to be a place where you’re thinking what to do with your kids today, and the first thing you think of is here,” he said.
And it was named “Off the Bench” with the help of his son on their way to a game.
“It’s not just for the sport you play,” said Betts. “It’s the couch; it’s about getting up and being active and getting work done in something you’re passionate about.”
Drop-ins start at $20 an hour, and there’s a tiered membership with different levels of access to the space and one-on-one training sessions.
It’s open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. It’s closed on Mondays.
