Diesel Sports Complex seeking to improve youth sports culture 1 step at a time
Matt Diesel opened his sports performance facility off Route 19 in Cranberry Township to try and fix something he believed had gone sideways in youth sports.
He said in recent years, he’s seen a culture shift that prioritizes games and tournaments more than the training and development he deems are necessary for young athletes.
“We’re living in a culture where people want to play 80% of the time and train 20% of the time,” said Diesel, a Hampton native and former collegiate baseball player at Duquesne University. “It’s backward. At the Division I level or higher, it’s actually the opposite. You train about 75% to 80% of the time and play 20% to 25% of the time. So much of that balance has flipped.”
His business, Diesel Sports Complex, now serves as a multi-purpose facility that bends to athletes’ schedules and focuses on some of the more forgotten aspects of sports.
After several years of land-development wrapped up in 2023, the complex offers batting cages, pitching tunnels, turf rentals, sports performance training, adult fitness classes and a growing slate of multisport instruction.
It’s also open around-the-clock. Each cage is equipped with pitching machines, auto feeders and facial-recognition entry is tied to a 24/7 membership system.
“Parents are running all over the place,” Diesel said. “We wanted a one-stop shop. Somewhere you can train, get lessons, do sports performance, maybe even get a workout in yourself while your kid is busy.”
The complex includes indoor baseball and softball-focused space, but its outdoor turf has allowed Diesel to expand his offerings.
He recently partnered with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds for soccer training, added strength and conditioning programs for athletes in multiple sports and waded into football instruction with former Pittsburgh Steelers punter Josh Miller, who will hold kicking and punting sessions, along with mental coaching work.
Diesel employs roughly five to 10 instructors, many under contracted roles, and continues to accommodate young athletes and their parents.
“We want to make sure the athlete is first,” Diesel said. “And we want to narrow that gap between parents, coaches and kids. So many athletes burn out because their identity gets wrapped up in sports.”
Diesel said he knows families can go anywhere for training, but appreciates residents staying local to support one of his lifelong dreams.
“I think youth sports can pull families in so many directions,” he said. “If we can give people a place five minutes away where they can get quality training and maybe get some of that family time back, that really matters.”
Diesel also sees a broader purpose. Sports, he said, end for everyone at some point. What remains is the person and not a scoreboard.
“We want to build the individual first,” Diesel said. “Their character, their identity. Sports are a platform, but they’re not who we are. If we can teach kids that early, they’ll carry it long after they’re done playing.”
