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.