#IAMchange

New Foundation is swinging for the fences… 
- February 8, 2023 -

WORDS: Sheri Roca
PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen

Coach Logan Wells is more than simply a coach. He has made it his mission to give young athletes a chance to play baseball or even go on to college when they may not otherwise have the means to do so. During his five years as a coach of a Florida Travel Baseball team, three of those years have been at the high school level. During that time, 25 players have gone on to play college ball. Seven kids received college scholarships who may not otherwise have had the resources to make that happen.  

In the past five years, while coaching travel baseball, it became evident to Coach Logan that many talented kids didn’t have the opportunities offered by travel ball because they didn’t have the finances needed. Since then, he has tried to help as many kids as possible who wanted to play travel ball in any way he could, including paying many out-of-pocket expenses. Now, Logan has established the Coach Logan Wells Foundation. Through the Foundation, he will be able to offer even more gifted players opportunities that could change their lives. 

Logan appreciates just how blessed he is to have the support of other local heroes. “Without Darrell King, the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County, and NEXTGEN Magazine, I am not sure the Foundation would be possible,” says Logan. “Words can’t speak highly enough of Darrell and his family. He makes it all extremely easy, and really helped us get off the ground.” 

According to Darrell: “Logan’s mission to give all children in Manatee County an opportunity to enjoy baseball and maybe even go on to be successful is something the ELC is delighted to support. His events also allow us to share information with families about our services and programs, distribute books, and let our communities know that ELC is here to help. We are proud to support Logan’s foundation and many similar local organizations with children’s best interests at heart.” 

A native to the area, Logan played ball for Hillsborough Community College. Still, his baseball career really began at Palmetto High School, where he earned all-area, all-county, and all-state honorable mentions until he graduated in 2005. While he has been coaching travel baseball and is the founder of FTB Pros, a division of FTB (Florida Travel Baseball), he joined the coaching team at Eckerd College in the fall of 2021. Off the field, Logan is the owner of Linked Junction, a nationally known social media management and marketing company. 

Travel baseball offers many advantages to young players and is typically viewed as a transition between Little League and high school or college baseball. Generally, travel ball is much more competitive, while Little League teams are considered recreational baseball. One of the most significant benefits of youth travel baseball is the possibility of exposure. Getting yourself in front of the right people has the potential to give a child’s baseball career a big boost and can offer many long-term advantages. 

Travel team coaches, like Coach Logan, are typically more skilled and experienced than coaches in the recreational leagues and may have strong network connections in baseball. A coach with connections to athletes and teams can build a player’s skills and connect the player to other teams and opportunities. Because Logan is also coaching at Eckerd College, his travel team is able to practice on the college campus, which is another fantastic opportunity to be seen and make the kind of connections that can make dreams come true. 

However, playing on a travel team requires a substantial monetary and time commitment and is not attainable for many families of talented young players. The typical range of cost for participating in travel baseball is between $1500 and $3000 per year, and you can certainly spend much more than that when you add in the costs of equipment and the cost of travel itself. These kids do a lot of fundraising to circumvent some expenses, but this is where the Coach Logan Wells Foundation can make such a difference. Through charitable donations and sponsorships, the Foundation can now make it possible for even more talented young athletes to have the same opportunities as travel team players. 

“The Foundation’s slogan is, ‘I am change.’ But the ‘I’ is not just referring to me,” Logan explains. “It is me and all that I come into contact with. We all collectively become part of the change in the community, sports, and life in general.” 

Coach Logan, along with his team of coaches, Reggie Simmons, Adam Levins, a former player for Wells, Frank Ose, Cody Gelwick, and Brandon Grigsby, are working on teaching players not just baseball skills but the character skills necessary to be better teammates. Skills that will serve them through life as mentors and leaders in the community. 

They are currently coaching 16U and 18U teams, but as of January 1st, 2023, he will also be offering the same opportunities at the 9U level through FTB Pro Futures, sponsored by NEXTGEN Magazine. Coach Logan is very excited about the new prospects, stating: “Now, not only can we impact older groups, but we can help the younger kids too.” 

Coach Logan and his team are always looking for talent. “I want to work with good kids, good characters, who are hard-working and want to be here,” says Wells. “I don’t turn any kids away, but you must show me dedication and have some skin in the game. If you don’t have the heart and don’t want to work hard, it probably won’t work out,” he elaborates. 

The Coach Logan Wells Foundation, in partnership with NEXTGEN Magazine and the ELC of Manatee County, hosted a free Kids Baseball Camp in November at Buffalo Creek fields. It was an incredible opportunity for Manatee County kids to learn and develop their skills with the help of some of the local greats in baseball, including several former MLB and NCAA players, coaches, and high school coaches.  

These included Scooter Gennett, Andy LaRoche, Joe Ayrault, Tyler Cox, Billy Bullock, Victor Martinez, Jacob Green, Mason Page, Kevin Leon, and Casey Lockwood. A number of professional players also donated items for the raffle. All proceeds from raffles and other fundraising went to local Little League teams. The camp was such a huge success with a big turn-out, that Coach Logan hopes to host many events like this in the future. He said: “It showed me how many kids want to come out. There was no cost for them, and it’s something we want to do more of.” 

Logan is not blind to the fact that it has greatly helped his mission to have a name recognized in Manatee County, forged by the hard work and dedication of the Wells family over the years. In fact, you may recognize the name Wells. His father, Charlie Wells, was the former Sheriff of Manatee County for 22 years, while his mom Leslie Wells is a successful Realtor and owns Leslie Wells Realty. His brother Ricky Wells is the current Sheriff of Manatee County. 

“As they say, it’s not just what you know, but whom you know. I know that I could not have been as successful if not for the support of my family and the recognition of my family name,” observes Logan. He emphasizes a special “thank you” for his entire family’s love and support over the years, especially his wife, Ashley, and two young children, Gavin and Sienna. 

With the Foundation now up and running, Coach Logan’s latest venture is a new batting and practice facility – named The Spot – that he has just opened in the Colonial Center on US 301 in Palmetto. He will be able to offer private lessons, group lessons, host community events and run free Foundation camps from this new venue. 

*For more information on the Foundation and The Spot call (941)-304-9696 

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