SOUTH-CENTRAL : Teens’ Batting Cage Idea Became a Hit

Two years ago, Ricardo Velasquez and his brother, Augustin, both Manual Arts High School students, were working summer jobs at a batting cage in San Jose when they were struck with an idea to open their own facility.

The brothers brought the scheme back to Los Angeles and, with the help of an entrepreneur training class at Manual Arts, they opened their own portable batting cage business last summer.

Charging $25 an hour for the use of their single pitching machine, the brothers have already made roughly $1,000 after landing jobs with little leagues and baseball camps across Los Angeles County.

Although Augustin, 17, is no longer active in the business, Ricardo Velasquez, 18, presses on. Last week he landed four jobs for the portable machine that also helps hone fielding skills as well as batting.

In recognition of his efforts, Velasquez on Wednesday received an award for achievement in entrepreneurship from a nationwide business training and job preparation agency that sponsors a program at Manual Arts.

The organization, Overcoming Obstacles, operates similar programs in seven other cities. The nonprofit agency was founded in 1992 by, among others, former federal Housing and Urban Development Secretary Jack Kemp.

At an awards banquet Wednesday, Velasquez joined two other students from Georgia and Indiana who were recognized for their accomplishments in the program. Also in attendance at the Beverly Hilton event were renowned sports figures, including Muhammad Ali and Steve Young, who also were lauded for their achievements.

Velasquez first heard about the entrepreneurship program two years ago from his brother, Augustin.

Through the program, Velasquez learned such things as proper speech, personal presentation techniques, goal-setting and career planning. The brothers first pitched the idea of a stationary batting cage business but counselors at Overcoming Obstacles said the start-up costs of at least $15,000 would be prohibitive. So the pair turned to the portable idea and coined the slogan “Bull Pen Pitching Services--Bringing the Batting Cage to You!”

Organizers at the entrepreneur center helped them come up with a business plan and gave them a $3,500 loan last spring.