For years youngsters in Brown County had to go out of town for private lessons in softball and baseball.  No more.  Amanda and David Sheffield are opening a business in Brownwood called “shef Field” for just that purpose.  The first day will be Monday, May 10, and the facility is located at 801 North Fisk (“come around to the back”), across the street from the Red Wagon Restaurant.

Both Sheffields are well known in Brown County.  Amanda grew up in Leander, played college softball and basketball initially at the University of Dallas, then transferred to Howard Payne, played both sports and graduated.  She has coached at several high schools in Central Texas, including Brownwood, Comanche, Santa Anna, and Early.

David, a Vice-President at Citizens National Bank, is a native of Bangs.  He also went to college at Howard Payne, and played baseball there.  Both Amanda and David coach youth softball (two teams in the Glory organization), and are very actively involved in the Brownwood Girls Softball Association (President and Treasurer) and the USA Softball District 12 (Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner).

The private lessons will be offered to boys and girls of all ages, T-Ball through Senior in high school.  They will teach pitching, batting, fielding, and catching.  “We both have a passion for the game,” said Amanda.  “We grew up around it, and we want to help kids who also have a passion for the game.”

The building has been decked out with a batting cage, pitching machine, weight-lifting equipment, and artificial turf throughout (in burnt orange, the Sheffields are avid University of Texas fans).

“It’s something we’ve needed for a while,” said Amanda.  “We have had lots of requests for private lessons.”  Indeed, the first week is already fully booked with 24 boys and girls, and some have booked lessons 6 to 7 weeks out.  In addition to individual lessons, they plan to form hitting clubs and pitching clubs (4-6 kids), to teach in a group setting.  The clubs will meet one night a week for six weeks.

Interested parties can book lessons at this web site:  sheffield.godaddysites.com.  You can also call Amanda at 325-642-2382, or via email at:  playerswithapassion@sheffield9.com.

The girl in these photos is Addison Atchley, 10-years old, a 4th-grader in Early.