Fun First, Wins Follow. The Jr. Growlers Academy is a youth travel baseball program (8U-18U) affiliated with the Kalamazoo Growlers of the Northwoods League.
Twelve coaches/managers with experience in pro/college/NWL provide instruction & mentorship.
05/01/2026
Thought this would be a great time to post! Way too many coaches kill the passion for the game for many kids for their own egos! This morning I saw a great post from a former players dad that just finished his college career. He said his son said something that stuck with him over the past couple years. Trust the process not the outcome! Made me smile. He has stuck with our motto throughout the past 4 years! Posts like that make all the hours worth it!
04/27/2026
Our training facility (155 Elliot Rd) got the Kalamazoo Growlers logo installed above the main entrance door 🙂
Tom & Ian from the Growlers came by this afternoon and installed it for us.
Our 5,000 sq. ft. training facility has come a long way since opening in November.
We have 2-70ft cages, 3 new hitting mats, 4 new plyo walls and a new med ball wall installed.
So cool to see young athletes take advantage of this training facility. 🙌
Raising athletes is great, but raising a disciplined young man is the real goal 🙌
04/13/2026
Congrats Dubby! Aiden played on our original team and was part of the organization for 2 years before moving on to play at KVCC where he helped lead the Cougars to the most wins in school history his freshman year. He now is a staple in the lineup for Davenport University!
04/07/2026
We're looking for a few players to fill our 12U, 13U, 14U & 15U teams ahead of the 2026 season 🙂
Jr Growlers athletes wear the same official uniforms as the Kalamazoo Growlers, have access to year-round training facilities, receive college recruiting assistance, among other unique discounts & perks.
Parents have special fundraising opportunities, like volunteering at Western Michigan Football games, to offset the cost.
Learn more about the Jr Growlers and how to get involved by visiting jrgrowlers.com or by messaging us directly. 🙌
04/03/2026
Big shoutout to Kayla Chisholm! 💙⚾️
Kayla has been putting in the work with our Executive Director, Steve Bennecke, and we love seeing all of that hard work continue to shine.
She was recently featured by Line Drive Media as an Eastern Illinois-bound standout, and it’s easy to see why.
Kayla is a Vicksburg standout and a 2026 IF/UT with Turnin2 National-Robeson/Long who keeps raising the bar on and off the field.
We’re proud of you, Kayla, and even more excited for what’s ahead.
Club News: The Final Pitch (March 24, 2026): Spotlighting Eastern Illinois-Bound Kayla Chisholm, News, Commits & ‘Can’t C Me’ Club News: The Final Pitch (March 24, 2026): Spotlighting Eastern Illinois-Bound Kayla Chisholm, News, Commits & ‘Can’t C Me’ By Carlos Arias March 24, 2026 Club News: The Fin…
A win at 8U or 9U is not more important than their long baseball career, arm health or more valuable than a life lesson.
Yes, everybody wants to win and of course we want to win.
But it's fun first and wins follow. Let's have a good spring season.
"I love to be coached." 🏀
Sometimes the most intense moments on the sideline are the ones filled with the most belief. During this past weekend’s D1 NCAA Tournament game, Maryland Head Coach Brenda Frese was caught in a viral moment with freshman Oluchi Okananwa.
While it looks intense, Coach Frese was delivering a clear message: "I believe in you, but you’ve got to want this moment."
She understands that when a coach is "on you," it’s because they see a level in you that you haven't reached yet.
That’s what we call "hard coaching." It’s built on a foundation of trust. The result? A 17-8 run to start the 3rd quarter.
Though #5 Maryland ultimately fell to #4 North Carolina, this lesson in regrouping and responding is exactly what we strive for at the Jr. Growlers.
They grow up so fast but they will always be little kids in our eyes 💙
Going all the way to the pros would be a dream.
But raising boys to be a good teammate, be consistent in character and limit distractions will help their confidence.
Baseball is the engine that makes all of this work. Excited that the season is around the corner.
Go Jr Growlers! 🐻
It's the truth. Decision making starts before you get in the batters box!
03/03/2026
Huge news for the Jr Growlers program: former Detroit Tiger, Cecil Fielder, is coming to Kalamazoo 🙌
The boys met Brandon Inge last summer when he came to the Growlers game.
Inge talked to the boys about work ethic, his path to and through professional baseball and the importance of being student-athletes.
Cecil Fielder will come to Kalamazoo on Friday, July 31 and will take time out of his day to meet the Jr Growlers.
More information about tickets and the Jr Growlers experience will be announced as the date gets closer.
Read the full release by the Growlers: https://northwoodsleague.com/kalamazoo-growlers/cecil-fielder-signs-1-day-coaching-contract-with-kalamazoo-growlers/