Indoor Baseball Facility Gets OK from Planning Board

A baseball training facility for professional players and local residents alike has the OK to come to town, as far as the Planning and Zoning Commission is concerned.

DBI – Developing Baseball International – wants to open the facility in a building at 179 Gallivan Lane.  The facility has been used by a variety of enterprises over the years. Now, a faded sign in front is for Connecticut Hospice.

Peter Kiefer, a Waterford resident, is the company's executive director and a certified agent. He says that DBI will put batting cages and bullpen mounds inside the building, so that players can practice year-round. Kiefer does the hitting instructions; Dennis Long, formerly with the Texas Rangers, does the pitching instruction.

DBI's website says that it represents baseball players from around the world, focusing on athletes "who demonstrate the ability and commitment necessary to achieve their dream of playing professional baseball."

Among DBI's clients are Scott Chiasson, who grew up in Uncasville and pitched with the Cubs before starting to play professionally in Mexico; Rajai Davis, who grew up in New London and plays for the Blue Jays; Eric Campbell, who grew up in Norwich and plays for the Mets.

Kiefer says that some of these professional ballplayers are likely to be using the facility and even helping on occasion when local players are using it. These players like to give back to the community, Kiefer says. They like to be involved.

Kiefer, who also teaches special education in Norwich, has played and coached in four leagues in Europe in the past 10 years, according to the DBI website. He also worked for Major League Baseball as envoy coordinator in Latin America, helping to promote and develop the game in Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica , Guatemala, Jamaica, Nicaragua and Puerto Rico.

Kiefer graduated from Xavier High in Middletown. He attended UConn at Avery Point, where he was named MVP as a pitcher-outfielder, according to the website. He is an inductee to the UConn-Avery Point Athletic Hall of Fame, and works for UConn at Avery Point as their strength coach.

DBI has a sister group, DFI – Developing Fitness International, which helps players develop the strength and agility they need to improve and sustain performance.

The planning and zoning commission agreed Tuesday night that since the use was allowed in the building, no special permits were needed.