Creating their own 'field of dreams'

A local couple has created a field of dreams, Tiffin style. Alyssia Graber and her husband, Zach, purchased the old Maple Grove Elevator site on CR 31 in June of 2021, and have transformed it into a baseball/softball training facility. Graber said the idea began when their son became serious about baseball, and was using their home's garage to practice. It was clear we needed a better, safer option, she said, and the family began looking for a location that could fit their needs. Graber said her dad found the Maple Grove site, noticing the "for sale" sign, and suggested it might work for a practice space. With the couple's vision and hard work, what began as a quest for a family training space has resulted in an indoor training facility in the old fertilizer building at the site and an outdoor field nearing completion. Preparing the facility was an intense project, requiring extensive indoor/outdoor clean-up, renovation work, excavating, outdoor groundwork, and fitting the building with training equipment. When they purchased the Grove, she said, "it was a mess." The facility is designed for baseball and softball players from AAU level through high school, Graber said. She said Graber's Grove has four lanes for pitching and hitting practice, with pitching machines available. Currently, Graber said, the lane for hitting is limited to hitting off a tee until the proper netting is installed. The 4,000-square-foot facility also offers an area for strength and conditioning, including weighted balls, which have contributed to a noticeable improvement in the performance of players. "We've seen big gains in velocity," she said. Graber said the Grove opened for training in fall of 2022, and strength and conditioning programs took place during winter for players from all over northwest Ohio. Those programs, she said, were developed in partnership with Trey Ickes, who was a pitcher for Heidelberg University. "He was a good source to go to," Graber said. As the facility continues to become established in the community and the outdoor turf field is finished, Graber said, "We are planning on hosting clinics, strength and conditioning sessions, hitting/pitching lessons, practices and games." In addition, Graber said, the field could eventually host recreational events like wiffle ball and kickball tournaments. The Grove also partnered with R&R Identification to create an online shop for Graber Grove gear, Graber said. Shirts, hats and other items are available. For additional information, Graber Grove can be contacted directly through its Facebook page.