n 1994, Sal Lombardo founded and managed an amateur baseball Travel team, that he named the Orlando Scorpions. Beginning with the 10 year olds then subsequently the following year the 11 year olds they began playing “up” in 12-year-old tournaments where they were getting beat on a regular basis. But, by the time they were 12 and under they ranked nationally as high as fifth in the nation participating in tournaments across the country.
In 1998, he was invited to be an assistant coach for a 14U team with several Scorpions players in tow to compete in Beijing, China in a Friendship Tournament.
In 2000 the Scorpion team, now at the 16 year old level, won their first National AAU Championship. This was followed in 2002 when they won their second National Championship capturing the USA Junior Olympic event. Many additional National Tournaments have been earned by the organization since.
After selling a retail store he owned and operated he began giving private pitching and hitting lessons while also working part time in his wife’s thriving convention planning business. Sal handled the sports side putting together the golf tournaments, corporate team building efforts and other special events for such clients at Dr. Pepper, Wilson Sporting Goods and Phillip Morris while Terry worked the logistics with the hotels, speakers and other meeting planning details.
In 2001, it became apparent that baseball would fully occupy Sal’s time so he opened his first indoor training facility in Longwood, FL, and within the first two years outgrew that location moving the business to a new and larger building in Altamonte Springs. The Next Level Baseball was both a baseball training and education facility attracting players from 10-25+ years old, from young amateurs, to college student/baseball players, to Professional players.
Sal also served as an Associate Scout beginning in 2000 in Central Florida with the Atlanta Braves.
To further his passion for baseball, in 2003 Sal Co-Founded the Florida Collegiate Summer League (now known as the Florida League), a 501 C-3 (not for profit organization) along with Mike and Sara Whiting of Winter Park, FL. The league is designed for collegiate baseball players to showcase their skills to Pro Scouts during the college off season. Each year FCSL continues to flourish and grow in national prominence among college coaches, players and professional scouts.
Sal is known as one of the most respected pitching teachers in the Southeast US and has always kept up with the ever-evolving science, art, and mental approach that is pitching. Most recently in 2015, he has rekindled his longtime friendship with Dr. Tom House and his National Pitching Association (NPA). He (Sal) is now the NPA Florida Director promoting good arm health with proper bio-mechanics for all ages and conducts both group pitching camps as well as private lessons.
Sal and Terry, along with their two children, Mario and Angelina, have spent almost 40 years in the Central Florida area and business community.
