About Big League Camp

PURPOSE: The purpose of this camp is to provide a combination of outdoor activities with sport specific training. This is done through team interaction, team competition, and team building.

IDEA: The idea for this camp is to bring in teams to train and compete in a combination of sport specific play and outdoor challenges. The overnight camp will last one week. During that week, teams will train with college and professional coaches in their sport while also competing in outdoor team challenges. Each team will earn points throughout the week by competing in those outdoor challenges and live game action. The quest is to be crowned the overall champion. Every day for the first 3 days, there will be two practice sessions (Offense and Defense) accompanied with outdoor team challenges. The 4^th day will be Game Day. Teams will play each other for the final points. Day 5 is awards day luncheon with a guest speaker and get-a-way day.

OWNERS

Donnie Suttles, Manager

Stacy Crisp

Jeff Bryant

Dennis Whitson

Donnie Suttles, Manager

Donnie Suttles enters his 10th season in professional baseball and his 5th full season with the San Francisco Giants. Currently he is serving as east coast scout covering North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. Donnie was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in 1998 out of Western Carolina University. He spent five years with the Indians as a right handed pitcher. After an injury forced him to retire from playing Donnie went on to coach high school baseball at TC Roberson. After 4 years at TC he moved on to become a college coach. He spent time at Gardner Webb and Tennessee Tech Universities as a pitching coach and recruiting coordinator. As a coach Suttles has helped 21 of his players move on to play professional baseball. After leaving the college ranks Suttles spent time coaching in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization before moving over to work for the Giants. Born and raised in the mountains of North Carolina he is married to his wife Amy of 18 years. They have a son named J.T. who is 17 years old and a Daughter named Maris who is 11.

Stacy Crisp

Stacy Crisp is a native to Marion, North Carolina. He graduated from McDowell High in 1988 and became an entrepreneur in 1999. He created A/C Heating and Air, a locally incorporated HVAC company. He has successfully ran A/C Heating and Air and created several friendships and contacts with contractors throughout the state. Stacy married Karen Crisp is 1990 and has been married for 28 years. Stacy and Karen have two daughters together, Kathryn Crisp Wheeler who recently married Skyler Wheeler and Emily Crisp who is 14 years old. Stacy is very active in youth sports and also coaching softball teams in the community. He is currently the president of youth activities at Marion Elementary and helping promote youth activates throughout this new adventure.

Jeff Bryant

Jeff Bryant is an executive in the construction equipment industry who loves God, family and the game of baseball. When he’s not working, you can find Jeff traveling with his wife of 29 years, pretending to be a professional bass fisherman or working in the yard.

His love for the game came as a kid as both a player and a fan of the Baltimore Orioles. The movie “Sand Lot” is his favorite since it truly replicates his own sand lot days growing up. Thus, Jeff’s favorite T-Shirt has “Your Killing Me Smalls!” printed across the front.

Being left handed Jeff had the opportunity to play at the high school and college level. His senior year at Carson-Newman University, he led the conference in hitting, was selected as an “All Conference” player and received the “Frosty Holt” award honoring the most dedicated player as voted by the team.

When it was time for Jeff’s kids to hit the field, he found himself back on the field coaching. Ten years later he joined Coach Suttles, assisting him at the high school level. Some of the fondest words he still loves to hear today are “Hey Coach!”

Today, what started as an idea and a belief has become an opportunity which Jeff, Donnie, Stacy and Dennis hope you take advantage of and enjoy. When you couple the great outdoors of Western North Carolina, with being on the ball field, receiving valuable instruction, strengthening team, developing self and creating great memories… how could it get any better! They are looking forward to seeing you soon.

Dennis Whitson

Dennis J. Whitson is a native of Marion, NC. He has been married to another Marion native, Jennifer Kanipe Whitson for 25 years. He is father to three wonderful sons Landon 22, Jacob 19, and Zachary 14. He is a graduate of McDowell High, UNC Charlotte BS in Business Administration/Marketing, and a Graduate of Realtor Institute (GRI). Dennis is the Owner/Broker at Whitson Realty, and is a second generation Realtor. He sold his first house before graduating high school. He is the past president of McDowell Board of Realtors, Vice Chairman of McDowell County Planning Board, board member of McDowell Economic Development Association, board member of Marion Rotary Club and Deacon at Story Memorial Presbyterian Church. He is a long-term youth and travel baseball coach, long-term youth basketball coach and youth soccer coach. He enjoys being an avid outdoorsman, hunter, and fisherman.