Full Count Rhythm inaugural season set for 2021
Tennessee residents will soon have a new team to cheer for in 2021 as Full County Ministries is bringing the Ohio Valley Baseball League to Hendersonville.
The Full Count Rhythm, who will play their home games at Drakes Creek Park Field 3, will host 22 amateur baseball home games and create a family-friendly atmosphere for people to gather, fellowship, and cheer on their team.
The goal for Rhythm General Manager Josh Carman and Executive Director of Full Count Ministries Jacob Oldham is to disciple college baseball players while also fielding a team the community can be proud of.
“This has been a dream of Josh’s since he took over as Director of Baseball for Full Count,” Oldham said.
Full Count, up until now, has always been rooted in the high school game.
With an opportunity to reach college-level athletes, Carman says core values such as integrity, honor and good character will be what the team is in search of.
“We have cast a wide net on college campuses across the country to bring in the players we want,” Carman said. “We want to get to know them while diving into God’s word with them. We want all things to model what Godliness looks like. We think this is a perfect ministry opportunity for what we do.”
The Rhythm
The team will consist of a 35-man roster that will begin assembly August 1, 2020. The Rhythm’s head coach is still awaiting announcement.
“He sure likes the long ball,” Carman chuckled. “He would rather a player hit .250 with 15 home runs than a guy hitting .350 with five home runs. We want to be known as a power team. I think the players will love him and he will love the players. We are truly excited.”
Carman has already begun talks with several college coaches across the country who have agreed to assign players to the Rhythm. Players will report Memorial Day Weekend 2021 to their host families with the season to start the first week of June and run through the first two weeks of August.
The schedule will feature 22-25 home games to be played at Drakes Creek Park and 22-25 away games in Indiana and Kentucky.
The team’s title sponsors will be Dodge Chrysler, Jeep Ram and Rhythm Dodge. You can visit their website at fullcountrhythm.com for more details.
Training
Among the many amenities for Full Count, the Rhythm will have a state-of-the-art training facility in Hendersonville next to CrossFit for its players.
The 10,000 square foot training facility will feature up to nine batting cages, a turfed infield, the opportunity to train at CrossFit and Framework Athletics.
“We want these guys to be comfortable,” Carman said. “These guys play a lot of baseball over the summer and will be on the road 3-4 nights a week. They need a nice place to train. We want to have the best facilities, we want the best transportation, and overall we want the best of all things. I believe we have a lot to offer.”
Why the Rhythm?
With Nashville already fielding a professional baseball team in the Sounds, Carman and Oldham thought it would be good to stay with the theme of music while also incorporating their message.
“We live in Music City, and we already have a professional team in the Sounds, so we thought we would stay with the theme of music. Also, rhythm means more than that. In our ministry and discipleship, we want to create a rhythm with these players; we want to create rhythm in their spiritual life.”
Partnering with the City
If you ask anyone associated with Full County Rhythm, they will tell you their home field is easily one of the best fields in the entire league.
“You talk about hurdles, the City of Hendersonville and Andy Gilley broke down that wall for us,” Oldham said. “That was one potential hurdle for us, but they came in from the beginning and offered us to play there. They believe in what we are doing, and it has already been a phenomenal partnership.”
The team will pay a field rental fee and hope to have a partnership long enough to invest more in Field 3.
How to help
The Rhythm are still at the starting line in many ways and could use your help for a boost. The number one hurdle for anything to get off the ground is usually money. You can support the team by joining the Founders Group. Below is a breakdown of the three groups you can join.
“Come to the park and root these guys on,” Carman said. “What better feeling than being able to look up at the Founders Wall and see your name and knowing you helped make this dream a reality.”
GOLD – $5,000
Gold Name Plate on FC Rhythm Founders Group Plaque.
Lifetime Season Tickets – Reserved Seating (Family Pass – 4 tickets).
FC Rhythm Founding Member Bat.
FC Rhythm Founding Member Polo.
FC Rhythm Hat
SILVER – $2,500
Silver Nate Plate on FC Rhythm Founders Group Plaque.
2021 Season Tickets – Reserved Seating (Family Pass -4 tickets).
FC Rhythm Founding Member Polo.
FC Rhythm Hat.
BRONZE – $1,500
Bronze Nate Plate on FC Rhythm Founders Group Plaque.
2021 Season Tickets – General Admission (2 tickets)
FC Rhythm Founding Member Polo.
FC Rhythm Hat.
More than the almighty dollar, you can choose to help in other ways, such as serving on game days, becoming a player mentor, or a host family.
A room for the summer, a relationship for life
The team is looking for families that would like to be part of the Host Family program. Rhythm players will come from all around the country to play in the Ohio Valley League. As NCAA student-athletes, these players are not allowed to accept pay for play, so they will need a place to sleep for the summer.
Full Count is looking for 25-30 families to partner with us this season by providing for the players. Being a Host Family can be a tremendous experience for families with younger children and also empty nesters. For more information please visit Full Count’s website at fullcountrhythm.com
Ohio Valley League
Since its inception in 2010, the Ohio Valley League has become one of the premier wooden bat summer league where loyal hometown fans can enjoy high-level competitive baseball practically in their backyards.
Aspiring college athletes from all over the country continue their season play in the summer months playing for experienced coaches and faculty and continue to grow into professional athletes.
The Ohio Valley League will play by NCAA rules and guidelines on the field. Wooden bats will be used during the season.
For more information on the Ohio Valley League, visit ohiovalleyleague.com/about.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.