Ex Coastal athlete takes big swing with new training center near North Myrtle Beach
A Coastal Carolina University baseball alum is taking a big swing on the north end of the Grand Strand with a new indoor training facility.
Alex Buccilli, who was an All-Big South player for the Chanticleers in 2012 and played pro ball with the Washington Wild Things in 2013, is the force behind the Big Game Performance Indoor Baseball and Softball Facility.
Big Game Performance will offer 15,000 square feet of playing space with 10 batting cages, four pitching bullpens, a full gym for strength training, as well as a turf outdoor infield.
Buccilli said it will be staffed by about 10 coaches, with additional travel team coaches helping youth build skills in pitching, hitting, fielding and strength training.
“I guess our main objective is getting these kids in the area and youth in the area a chance to succeed under quality coaching and being taught by ex-college players, ex-professional players who want to give back to the game.”
The location of the new facility at 5317 Highway 90 was important to Buccilli for proximity to the recently expanded North Myrtle Beach Sports Complex.
The sports complex hosts more than 40 baseball and softball tournaments a year on its 12 youth fields. Hundreds of teams and thousands of players journey to North Myrtle Beach to test their skills against some of the best players in the country.
“I definitely wanted as close to the North Myrtle Beach park as possible,” Buccilli said. “It’s going to be more of a baseball mecca for the biggest tournaments.”
Buccilli said he hopes teams coming to play here will visit his facility to get out of the weather and get some practice in before their games.
He said what really gets him excited is helping area youth develop their skills. “That’s really why I’m still doing this after almost 15 years,” he said. “Seeing the results, and getting kids to college and getting kids to the next level is really what we’re about.”
Big Game Performance will offer day passes at $25 and team rentals for $20 per youth coming to practice. There will be two tiers of membership. A standard membership gives unlimited access to the main facility for $100 per month. The VIP access package at $200 per month provides key fob access seven days a week to both the main facility as well as a second “VIP Facility” that has a full gym, a lounge and more private hitting and pitching bays.
While the outdoor turf field is still under construction, Buccilli expects to have the rest of the facility open by the end of June 2026.