Coach Mike Shildt is the original vision and energy behind the Baseball Skill Development Academy concept.  Raised in Charlotte, his mother worked for the local minor league baseball team and he literally grew up with baseball.  His after school child care was shagging fly balls at batting practice.  He learned early on that the skills that made Cal Ripken Jr. and Eddie Murray into Hall  of Famers came from commitment, dedication and hard work.

After a successful youth sports career, Coach Shildt starred in baseball at Olympic High School and won a scholarship to UNC-Asheville.  He played for four years and become an assistant  coach, going on to Head Coach at West Charlotte High School, where he  took the team to the North Carolina State Tournament.  He then became assistant coach at UNC Charlotte and helped  take the 1998 team to its second NCAA Regional appearance in school history.   That team also reset every offensive single season record in the history of the Charlotte Baseball program.

In 1999, Coach Shildt decided to enter the business of baseball training and created the On Deck organization.  His concept involved a combination of a year-round indoor facility, an outdoor facility, a dedicated and experienced staff, and a novel approach to training teenagers in baseball and life.  Since then the facility has overflowed with players and teams of all ages.  In 2001, he added summer day camps with an emphasis on the 6 to 12 age group.  As young players progressed, they began to look toward the Baseball Skill Development Academy teams and programs to get them better prepared for the next level of team play.  Making their High School Varsity Baseball Team quickly becomes the ultimate goal.

During the 2002 season, Coach Shildt led the 18U On Deck O’s team to an unprecedented 17th place finish in the largest tournament in the world, held in Jupiter, Florida.  During the following year, he served as the General Manager of the O’s teams and the Head Coach of the 15U O’s team.  It was during that season that Coach Shildt decided that given the right situation he would like to venture into the business of professional scouting.  The St. Louis Cardinals hired him in January of 2004.

In 2004, Mike Shildt turned over the business to a family he could trust with the futures of the young men for which he cares so much about—The Hill Family.  The Hill Family was already involved on many levels with the On Deck Program and possessed a strong connection and passion for the community and the betterment of baseball in Charlotte. 

The Hill Family brings an unrivaled ability and passion to the business of baseball training for young players through a family-style approach that is based on being consistent in one’s daily habits and routines, as well as the importance of balancing the academic, athletic, and social aspects of life.  The On Deck Baseball tradition will continue to grow with the help and involvement of those who see the impact it has had on the lives of the teenagers that will always be considered part of the On Deck family.