Impact Sports Academy: SBA 504 Loan Advocates
Green Bay, Wisconsin – Jason Berken is a retired MLB pitcher from Green Bay, Wisconsin. Berken attended Clemson University on a baseball scholarship and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business management. After pitching 11 seasons in professional baseball, including four in the major leagues with the Baltimore Orioles and the Chicago Cubs, he decided to retire and move his family to Northeast Wisconsin.
From here he had a vision – to create an institution that will provide baseball and softball camps, programs, one on one training, etc. for youths (ages 8-18). This is when Impact Sports Academy (ISA) was created.
Unlike other competitors, located in Milwaukee and Madison, ISA’s business philosophy focuses on all athletes regardless of ability. Here they structure the teams so that athletes play with those with similar skill levels. Berken and his team focus on the total athlete, not just physical ability but non-tangible qualities like leadership skills, confidence, etc. that can impact them both on and off the field.
Berken leased out a space for ISA in 2017, but soon realized that he would need to expand for the amount of youths wanting to build their future careers. Enlisting Emily, his wife, for day to day management, they decided to take on this larger project.
Noticing they would need guidance, the Berkens partnered with RCEDC and Fox Communities Credit Union to support the loan to build and expand. The loan provided to them by the RCEDC was the SBA 504 loan which gave them an opportunity to buy land, build a facility with a full size infield, batting cages, and a foot performance center.
SBA 504 Loans are partnerships, where the company provides 10% equity, the company’s lender (Fox Communities Credit Union) provides 50%, and 40% comes from the SBA 504 program.
The ISA building is the center of a 100+ acre plot that will eventually include around 12 turf fields, making it a tournament destination for the Midwest. As a result of this expansion, ISA will create 2 full-time positions as well as 5 part-time jobs.
To learn more about SBA 504 loans and eligibility see below.