Chad Boone has been with the South Florida Breakers since the program got its start back in 2010. Now he has moved into the head position as the Program Director, after founder Ben Bizier recently moved on to coach at Broward College. A native of North Carolina, Boone has been a big part of the company’s growth and success, and he is dedicated to carrying on the company’s standards while keeping the exact framework in place. “I was always a little more behind the scenes before, but we had an idea that one day I would be the guy to take things over,” said Boone. “I feel lucky to have it. Last year was our biggest summer ever, and we’re taking it one step at a time. Everyday I am thinking what more can I do for the Breakers.” The Breakers are a travel showcase baseball program that specializes in player development and exposure. The organization provides top-line coaching and competition against many of the best teams from across the country. Every Breakers coach has college coaching experience, with each serving as a positional coach for the program while also serving as the head coach for any one of their teams. The sole purpose of the Breakers is to make their kids better ballplayers. What stands out about the Breakers program is the coaching the players receive and the amount of practice time that players have to work with these experienced coaches. Breakers teams practice as much as three times a week, where a player at any given position can enjoy working directly with that specific positional coach. Practices are not mandatory, but rather available for players to get as much as they want out of them. The series of drills that are offered differ from the norm, and coaches focus to avoid running routine and stale practices. “We don’t want our kids to just hit flyballs and groundballs,” said Boone. “The kids walk away saying that was something new that they tried. We have a great relationship with the kids and their parents. We welcome feedback from parents to make sure the kids are getting what they want out of it.” In the few years since the company was formed it has grown immensely. After providing one team initially, the program has grown to include seven high school teams and one collegiate squad. Boone says the goal is to add two more collegiate teams in the near future. Tryouts for summer teams are typically held in January, with each team having 16-18 players. Teams begin to come together near the end of the high school baseball season, and by the start of summer they are practicing regularly and competing in some of the most elite tournaments in the country. Having smaller teams is another staple that has proven successful. Players enjoy more one-on-one time with their coaches, and since most of them are away from their normal high school teammates they are able to make new friendships with over talented players across the area. Less total guys on the roster also means ample playing time for every member of the team. “The good thing about having these different teams is you have all these different personalities too,” said Boone. “We learn how different guys and different groups react to situations. We have such a short amount of time with them, so you can only influence so much in the time you have with them.” Boone cherishes the opportunities that he receives working with the Breakers, and there is no greater reward than when their efforts help lead to a member getting an opportunity to go on to play college baseball. Since their inception, the Breakers have enjoyed this thrill 42 times so far. Coach Boone can recall a specific instance when he had a member of one of his teams playing in front of a college scout during a fall tournament. They player missed the Friday opener because he was taking his SAT test, only to struggle after he arrived in time for the first game of a Saturday doubleheader. Heading into the second game the player worked with his coaches to scheme a plan to get him going with a drag bunt in his first at bat. After the drag bunt worked to perfection, the player settled in and responded with a shot that went for a double in his second at bat. A few days later he was given an offer from that college. “Words cannot describe how priceless it was to see that family’s reaction knowing he had been given an offer,” said Boone. “It’s just such a positive experience, and it shows that what we do is working.”