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Growing up in North Beach and playing on the same cement diamonds as Joe DiMaggio, Mike Aicardi ’04 had a vision. He wanted to bring baseball back to the City. With the help of fellow SHC graduate Joe Della Cella ’98, the San Francisco Baseball Academy is now the premier San Francisco baseball school. Learn more about the burgeoning baseball coaches and how they are making a difference in the community.
How did the San Francisco Baseball Academy come to fruition?
Aicardi: When I was 12 or 13 and playing baseball at Salesian Boys & Girls Club, I had a rare stroke of ingenuity and thought it would be great to have a baseball academy in the city. When I was a senior in college playing baseball at St. Johns in New York, I saw indoor batting cages for the first time. It gave me a vision for my dream. I started with six wiffle balls, one batting tee, and one client in 2010. We have grown leaps and bounds, with hundreds of students, world-class indoor baseball training facilities and three full-time coaches.
Della Cella: Prior to coming on board, I had played varsity baseball at SHC, won a CCS title and went on to play at College of Marin. My big break was being able to coach catchers at USF and eventually becoming the Director of Baseball Operations. I met Mike through mutual friends who told me that we’d make a great team because of our love of baseball. I am proud to say that we have been working together since January of 2013.
What makes the San Francisco Baseball Academy unique?
Aicardi: What makes us different is that everything we do is human-to human interaction. There is no automation besides our video breakdown of a hitter’s swing analysis. It really is the perfect place to learn from coaches who have done it before and are able to shed some light on the process of becoming a good player. When you rent a batting cage from the San Francisco Baseball Academy someone will always throw batting practice. We are a baseball barbershop. All skills and ages can come together and enjoy the game.
Della Cella: Mike does a great job with the kids. They get instant gratification when they hit a rocket after struggling at first. We offer birthday parties, swing and pitching lessons, infield catching lessons, batting cage rentals and corporate parties. We really do cater to a wide range of clientele and everyone is welcome. We invite the SHC community to come to our Potrero Hill location and take part in the exciting opportunities we have to offer.
The San Francisco Baseball Academy will move to a new location in 2015. Formerly the Bridge Theater (3010 Geary Boulevard), the academy’s new location will expand its community base through its central location. Aicardi and Della Cella will honor the former theater by hosting movie nights, Giant’s game viewing celebrations, and a café with wireless internet.
Della Cella shares, "I know I am excited to see how we will grow and expand the academy in years to come. We really are just a couple of guys from SHC coming together and doing it right. We hope others feel the same way."
The San Francisco Baseball Academy offers internship opportunities to promising young athletes ages 14 and older. If interested, please send your resume and a recommendation from a teacher or coach to info@sfbaseballacademy.com
San Francisco Baseball Academy, 1661 Tennessee Street Unit 2W, San Francisco, CA 94107, 415.648.7322.