A Leland sports facility has a new owner, new name and a new slate of summer camps on tap.
 
Prime Time Sports, formerly Batter Up, is now owned and managed by Chris Coughlin, a former baseball player at University of North Carolina Wilmington and with the Kansas City Royals organization, according to Lydia Chandler, a manager at Prime Time Sports.
 
While Coughlin purchased the business several months ago, the N.C. Secretary of State’s office did not confirm his permission to use the Prime Time Sports name until last Friday, Chandler said.
 
“We took our time to find name that seemed to fit,” she said. “We played around with it for a while and finally knew it was the right one.”
 
Prime Time Sports is 14,000 square feet of indoor baseball and softball training located at 147 Old Fayetteville Road in Leland, according to a release from the company.
 
“We have pitching machines, pitching lanes, tees and a 50-foot by 70-foot turfed field for throwing, hitting, batting practice, running drills and overall training,” the release stated. “Prime Time Sports trainers include former college and professional athletes.”
 
Chandler added that, while the business has a very serious focus on baseball and softball, Coughlin wanted a name that would be inclusive of other sports.
 
“A soccer team could be rained out of an outdoor game, and come in here to use our big field,” she said. “We want to be open to the use of our facility by others.”
 
Coughlin, an Oak Island native, had returned to the coast after his professional baseball career ended, and was the general manager and a pitching coach for Batter Up. When the owners were ready to move on, they arranged to sell him the business, Chandler said.
 
Prime Time Sports has two one-week summer camps planned for baseball players of all ages, including drills and techniques necessary to excel in the sport of baseball, the news release stated. The camp is directed by Daniel Rabon; activities will be supervised and coached by high school and college athletes.
 
Dates are July 7-11 and July 21-25, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Participants’ ages can range from early elementary through early high school, Chandler said. And while most camp enrollees are already playing the game and want to improve their skills, there is room for the beginning player who wants to give the sport a try, she added. 
 
Information about Prime Time Sports and the camp programs is available by calling 769-2303.