Future Stars Baseball Academy: More Than Peanuts and Cracker Jacks

Last Friday, Americans celebrated the annual return of our favorite national pastime. And as families once again get into the groove of cheering on their favorite teams in front of the tube or at the ballpark, kids may once again feel the urge to someday become a professional baseball player.

For locals, that dream could become a reality, thanks to the convenience and credibility of Future Stars Baseball Academy in Mokena.

Co-owners Brian Forystek and Eric Welsh played baseball together at Carl Sandburg High School. They both went on to play in college and to study education. Afterward, both were drafted into the minor leagues, Forystek as a southpaw and Welsh as a first baseman/outfielder.

Welsh was a part-time instructor while he played in the minors for more than 10 years. After his minor league career ended, he wanted to take his instructing to the next level, so he ran a small academy in Mokena for four years.

“When I was a kid, I took a lot of hitting and pitching lessons, and it benefited me a great deal,” Welsh said. “That has made me a better instructor, to have been on the other side as a young kid, athletic, confused and eager.”

After Forystek finished his career, the two got together and opened the much larger Future Stars Baseball Academy in 2009.

“We had both been away from our families for so long and we didn’t want to travel anymore, so we opened this place close to home,” Forystek explained.

Forystek said that the academy sees about 700 kids come through the doors every year. Right now, Forystek, Welsh and Bill Musselman, a third instructor, work with around 100 kids each in private lessons.

“The rules are really strict on how much high school teams can practice, and if 20 kids are on a team, there’s just not enough time for them to get the repetition and individual notice they need,” Forystek explained.

Kids between the ages of eight and 18 can take lessons. The academy also offers softball lessons for females, with two female instructors that both played at Lincoln-Way East High School.

Forystek said that they teach anyone who wants to take lessons, and that they get kids driving in for lessons from all over the state.

“Our goal with younger kids is to have them make their freshman team in high school.” Forystek said. “Anything after that is like a bonus.”

Welsh said that the most satisfying moments as a teacher for him are when average or below average kids exceed everyone’s expectations.

“Kids that are born with an extreme amount of talent are going to be successful for the most part, but when the average or below average kids excel, those moments stand out more than anything,” Welsh said.

Lessons are priced individually, and Forystek said that each student’s needs vary. Whereas some kids go in every once in awhile, he said others take weekly lessons for 10 months out of the year.

Forystek also explained that he and Welsh both worked really hard to stay in the minor leagues, and they had successful careers, but they also experienced a lot of failures.

“We can relate to students and what they’re going through right now because we understand failure and success,” Forystek said. “Baseball is a competitive sport, and it’s important that students understand that.”

In case you were wondering, both Foyrstek and Welsh root for the Chicago White Sox.

For more information, visit Future Stars’ website.