WELCOME — A local family’s dream of bringing the area’s largest indoor sports training facility to Davidson County is just days away from becoming a reality.
Candy Martin, her son, Payton Martin, and his dad, James Sink, will open Payton Martin Performance in Welcome, just about a mile from their restaurant, Jimmy’s Smoke House, on Feb. 15. The facility, which will be mostly dedicated to baseball and softball training and skills, has been years in the making.
Payton Martin is a West Forsyth High graduate who went in the 17th round of the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft and worked his way up to a Top 10 prospect in the LA Dodgers organization. He and his mom vividly remember wishing Martin had access to an indoor training facility like the one they are building when he was a young baseball player growing up in Forsyth County. They now live in Midway.
“This has always been something we wanted to do,” Payton Martin said. “This is another way to do what we love.”
Martin will spend as much time as possible at the training facility during the off-season. But later this February, he is heading to spring training in Arizona.
Payton Martin Performance isn’t just about training for baseball, Candy Martin said. Other athletes, or just your average Joe, can buy a membership or pay per visit to use the weight training and conditioning equipment. The facility will also be available for rental for parties, and they plan to begin a travel baseball team, as well.
Besides the pitching and batting cages, there is a turf field where teams or individuals and small groups can practice skills. The facility will also host baseball and softball camps. TVs will be installed so those working out can keep up with whatever games are being played.
“Baseball training will be by appointment only,” she said. “We will also offer softball training and training for others sports. You can come in and pay per visit or buy a membership to use the batting and pitching cages or the weight training area.”
Candy Martin’s daughter, Skye, quickly announced the facility would be a great place to hold sleepovers, so Martin decided they could also rent out the facility for parties.
She said she wants Payton Martin Performance to be where athletes come to receive needed training and support in their sport. The facility is 15,000 square feet.
“We want athletes to have the resources they need to get better,” she said. “Payton and I remember seeing some baseball players when he was younger who had talent, but they didn’t get the looks they deserved because they either didn’t have the money for training or travel ball teams or there were no resources like this nearby. We drove to some far off places to get in skills training. There is nothing like this here. We live here now and wanted to put this here.”
If construction is completed on time, the grand opening is planned to begin at 10 a.m. Feb. 15, and include food and merchandise. For more information about Payton Martin performance, call (336) 828-2174.
