About Bears Baseball
Mission
To empower aspiring collegiate baseball players by providing resources, guidance, and opportunities for growth, designed to prepare players for direct collegiate evaluations.
Vision
We provide aspiring athletes a direct approach to reaching the next level.
Values & Beliefs
Jesus First
Heart for People
Spirit of Excellence
Leadership Through Service
Program Overview
Good News Bears Baseball, led by Tim Cole (Co-Founder of Battle Ax Sports and Head Coach at Heritage Academy), is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that exists to serve players by providing quality training and opportunities to get evaluated directly by collegiate coaches. Our Christ centered approach allows us to focus on athletes wholistically, achieving personal growth mentally, physically, and spiritually.
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The program’s home field is Goretti Field on Oak Ridge Dr, Hagerstown, MD.
Bears Baseball Offers
Daily On-Field Practices
4+ Days Per Week | Preparing Players for Prospect Camps & Improving Their Metrics
State-of-the-art Technologies
Pitching Machine Hitting | Pocket Radar (Smart Coach) | Trackman Metrics​
Special Guest Visits
Professional / Collegiate Player & Coach Visits to Share Their Expertise & Insights
Opportunities to Attend College Prospect Camps
We directly place players in collegiate prospect camps at participating universities to be evaluated by college coaches and recruiters at these camps.
Transparent Pricing
As a non-profit, our pricing is designed to cover costs such as field fees, insurance, equipment, camp fees, etc., maintaining transparency so players know exactly what they're paying for!
Bears Baseball Benefits
Direct College Exposure
Players are guaranteed the opportunity to perform and be evaluated by college coaches, increasing their chances for recruitment.
College-Ready Training
Our training program is designed with the sole focus of preparing players for the next level of competition, so they're ready to showcase their skills at college prospect camps.
Christ-First Approach
We lead with Jesus first, building both athletic ability and strong character on a firm foundation.
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Good News Bears Origins
A Story with Good News!
In 2024, the seed for the Good News Bears Baseball Program was planted, not in a boardroom or a sports complex, but in the hearts of one man and one woman with a shared passion for more than just baseball. Tim and Ashley Cole, co-founders of Battle Ax Sports, recognized that youth sports were missing something—something beyond physical skill development. They saw that many young athletes, though talented, were being shaped mostly by the world stage of performance metrics, without the foundational strength of mind and spirit that truly prepares them for life's challenges.
And so, the vision for Good News Bears Baseball was born — a program that would mold athletes not just for success on the field, but for life itself. With this vision, the program would focus on the whole athlete: mind, body, and spirit. They wanted to create a space where young athletes could grow in their relationship with Christ while also becoming better baseball players. It was here, with Jesus at the center, that the idea of Good News Bears would truly take root.​​
Bears Love Paw
The Good News Bears logo — a bear paw print, with a heart woven into its design to spell the word "LOVE" — captures the very essence of the program’s mission. The paw print is a symbol of strength, endurance, and courage, all qualities that athletes and coaches are encouraged to embody. But it’s the heart within the paw that holds the true meaning of Good News Bears.
In 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, it is written, “Love bears all things.” This scripture guides the core of the program. The "love" that the logo represents is not just the affection we feel for our friends or family — it is the perfect, unconditional love that comes from God.
The Bible tells us in 1 John 4:7-21 that "God is love," and that love is made perfect when we love one another as He has loved us. The Good News Bears are not just players on a team; they are the bearers of God's love. This love is patient, kind, and humble; it does not envy, boast, or seek to harm others, but instead rejoices in truth, stands firm in hope, always protects and always perseveres.​​
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Love never fails!
In The End
In the end, the Good News Bears Baseball Program is not just about becoming the best baseball player. It’s about becoming the best version of yourself — rooted in God’s love, empowered by faith, and prepared to bear all things for the glory of God.
And this is just the beginning!
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I'm interested in joining the Bears,
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost to be on the team?
There is no set price right now. There are several variables that will determine cost such as how many players participate and which/how many camps the team attends. The price structure will be set for the players to divide the cost equally to cover the following expenses: Field costs, team insurance, baseballs/gear, and camp/tournament entry fees. Entry fees can vary. Travel and hotel expenses will be the responsibility of each player. There will be transparency on the cost.
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Can players fundraise to offset cost?
We would like to do fundraisers to offset costs for the players. This is a discussion that can occur with the team/parents for outside of the box ideas!
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Do you guarantee an offer to play college baseball?
No, there is no guarantee that every player will make it to the next level. We believe that there is an opportunity at the next level for most players, but there are many challenges in the college baseball recruiting world. Portal transfers and reduced roster sizes make it harder for high school recruits. College recruiting isn’t as simplistic as looking at talent. Coaches look at how each player will fit into their program, does the player fill a program need, does the player have the grades and character that will add value to the program. Players should apply much effort and have an open mind when pursuing collegiate programs. Players need to consider what is a good fit to meet their academic goals, and what is the best fit for them to get an opportunity on the field to grow and better themselves.
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How is this different from travel-ball?
The Bears program will not focus on preparation for tournaments or “showcases”. The Bears will train to attend college prospect camps. Prospect camps are camps put on by a host school with the intention of evaluating and recruiting players that attend. Host schools sometimes also allow other college coaches (from lower divisions) to attend and recruit from the prospect camps as well.
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Why focus on college prospect camps instead of playing in travel baseball tournaments/games?
This is a choice that each player will have to make. There are pros and cons to both. The Bears baseball program places a high priority on value to the player. When players go to tournaments and showcases, they are going with the intent to get better, get more gameplay, and get noticed by a college scout. The Bears are very similar in that regard, except our players won’t have to hope that college scouts are there to watch and evaluate them. That is one guarantee that we can make to our players; you will be able to perform in front of college coaches/recruiters and be evaluated by them directly. Attending prospect camps shows the college coaches that you are interested in their program. You will be able to interact with the coaches and some active players on the team. Most camps also include live gameplay so the coaches will evaluate our players beyond the metrics drills.
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What age group can play with the Bears?
Since we are prioritizing college prospect camps, we will accept the same age groups that are eligible to attend the camps which are rising 8th grader to high school seniors. Rising 8th graders are players who will be high school freshmen in the 2025-2026 school year.
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How much travel will be required?
It depends on the camps that we choose. We want to collaborate with players/parents to get an understanding of what camps we want to pursue.
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Thanks for the FAQs!
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