Diamond Sports Promotions Youth Division was formed in September of 2010 by Mike Vanhorn. The youth division is a part of Diamond Sports Promotions, Inc., a high school team exposure company which is in its 5th year of existence. The Bourbonnais Park District approached us about the possibility of leasing the facility which was known as the Lumber Yard after their purchase was completed. Our staff carefully deliberated and decided we felt that there was a NEED for the younger players to be identified and evaluated while playing the game at an earlier age IN a fun relaxed atmosphere.

A 3 year lease has been agreed upon beginning with play in the spring of 2010. The complex will be known as The Diamond Sports Complex and is located at Diamond Point Park on Area Career Center Road in Bourbonnais, Illinois. The six field complex will be the weekend home of travel tourneys put on by the DSP staff from April 16th through the first of August. An 8 week Fall program will begin the 3rd week in August. Instructional camps are being planned by our staff for the facility.

Why Choose DIAMOND SPORTS PROMOTIONS EVENTS?

Diamond Sports Promotions has been in business the past 4 years by aiding high school players to be been seen by college and professional baseball scouts. We have served as a SCOUTING BUREAU for the colleges and universities by reporting on a weekly basis of the top players in our events. Our staff consists of current or former college and high school baseball coaches who have spent over 100 years as head coaches in high school and college baseball coaching.

We at Diamond Sports Promotions feel it is vital to every young players dream to play at the next level to be identified by the right people at an early age. The kids need to play the game and ENJOY their experience prior to the age of specializing in one sport. What is that age? There is not a given age but it is ADVISED TO attempt to get the kids in an environment which can only HELP THEM expand their future in the game.

Due to this philosophy and the colleges watching kids at an earlier age due to the crunch of recruiting--We have developed the Youth Division of DSP to serve as a "Minor League" to the DSP HIGH SCHOOL AGED PROGRAM. WE are attempting to make this a very good and organized program for your teams to compete in and as the PLAYER CONTINUES TO GROW AND DEVELOP-- we have our eyes and constant contact with that player. The player continues to grow with our program as we have now over 550 teams in our high school program in 31 events from the orginal 24 when it was formed 4 years ago. The High School program is available to ALL TEAMS regardless of their credentials. We believe all kids should have an equal opportunity to play the game in GOOD ENVIRONMENTS.

WE HAVE DEVELOPED this program for ALL TEAMS TO BE ABLE TO PLAY HERE...BEGINNING TEAMS AND THE STRONGER TEAMS. We will eventually be able to know all of the stronger travel programs and will put them in separate brackets from the beginning teams.... Help from the current coaches entering our tourneys this season will enable us to produce the best competitive games possible.

THE STAFF

Mike Vanhorn- The program is owned and led by Mike Vanhorn a former head baseball coach at Kankakee High School and asst. coach at John Logan College in Carterville, Illinois. Vanhorn is now currently an associate scout with the Atlanta Braves and you will see him observing the talent at the complex quite often.

Tim Brownlee- Vice President of BAseball Operations --Tim runs the high school division of Diamond Sports and will be seen periodically at the Diamond Sports Complex. Tim will be the tourney director at events in April and May prior to hitting the college tour for the high school players in June. Tim served as the asst. baseball coach at the University of Evansville and Illinois State University for over 15 years. He has evaluated over 25,000 players in that time span and has coached and recruited several former and current professional players. His college coaches contacts are invaluable to the players dreams of playing at the next level.

Jim Brownlee-Director of Marketing and Tourney Director--Jim was the former head coach at the University of Evansville before taking the same position at his alma mater--Illinois State University. Brownlee just retired last May after completing over 30 years as a head baseball coach at a Divsion I University. He has over 50 years of baseball coaching experience under his belt and is great with the kids. His knowledge of the game and his contacts will help every young player. Jim will serve as Tourney Director at the Complex as well as be on the road for the High School portion of DSP tourneys.

Andrew Bartman-Tournament Director for DSP and evaluator- Andrew is currently the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Lincoln College in Lincoln Illinois after serving in that capacity at a Division I JUCO the past three years in Southern Illinois. His constant work in Div I college baseball camps has led him to numerous contacts in the college baseball world .

Other staff members that will be used at the Diamond Sports Complex in Bourbonnais will be former high school coaches Bill Wendling(also Associate scout for Atlanta Braves), Dan Merten, Darren Dayhoff, Eric Love and present asst coach at University of Wisconsin-Parkside--Jeff Ithal. These staff members all have great baseball knowledge and will be observing the players and turning in reports to the DSP HOME office on the top players of the tourney. The staff will constantly be changing shifts to enable us to get a more accurate evaluation on several players participating in our events.

DIAMOND SPORTS PROMOTIONS CONTACT LIST
OUR contacts are invaluable! We contact over 250 colleges and 104 professional scouts every week to advise hem of our activities. We remain in contact with these people regardless of whether they attend our events or not--- OUR WEBSITE will have your rosters and information which is available to all colleges nationwide...allowing your players to get offers to attend camps and clinics they otherwise wouldn't receive. WORD OF MOUTH is the best advertising...and that is exactly what WE DO FOR A LIVING...talk about present and future players--to the decision makers.

There are several companies out there who offer EXPOSURE events which are merely workouts in front of coaches...Although it helps..most coaches want to see THE PLAYER...in game situations. pay once to play on a good travel team and put them in an ENVIRONMENT WITH DECISION MAKERS with excellent coaching background who can help the players develop into top notch baseball players in the future ..not just another tourney...

Diamond Sports is MORE THEN A TOURNAMENT COMPANY...our job is never over just because the final out is made in the events in which you participate in.. WE HELP YOU get your players identified...REGARDLESS OF THEIR AGE or their CURRENT LEVEL OF PLAY... Beginning Teams are JUST IMPORTANT TO US as the strong TRAVEL PROGRAMS...THIS COMPLEX IS FOR ALL KIDS..NOT JUST THE PERCEIVED STRONG PROGRAMS... All kids who play the game can develop into future all stars with the aid of the right system...We feel our system is strong enough to aid the coaches of the kids to do just that.