Hot Shotz Sports Center moves next to Pelly’s, offers boot camp

By Karen Billing
Staff Writer
Hot Shotz Sports Center recently moved across the street from its Del Mar Fairgrounds home to create a new outdoor gym experience with a built-in ocean breeze. Hot Shotz, previously known for its batting cages, soccer, volleyball and basketball offerings, will now become the only private, outdoor boot camp facility in San Diego.

Through its boot camp and self-defense class options, Hot Shotz hopes to provide people with “complete empowerment” as well as a spot to kick around a ball or hit some fastballs.
“We want to get as many people here as possible because we want to change lives,” said Matt Schotz, the center’s general manager. “When you’re healthier, you’re happier.”

This weekend, Saturday, July 16, Hot Shotz is offering a free fitness and nutrition seminar at 9 a.m., followed by a free women’s survival self defense class at 10:30 a.m. for ages 13 and up. Both will be run by Abe Fuentes, a fitness expert and trainer who regularly appears on FOX 5 News.

For the last four years, Hot Shotz has operated at indoor facilities out of the Del Mar Fairgrounds property, closing during the summer months to make room for the fair and race season, and opening back up in the fall.

This summer they moved to the property across the street next to Pelly’s Mini Golf.
“Now we have outdoor facilities and people just love it,” said Schotz.

The location features a wide open turf field, batting cages, a trapeze operated by Circus Fund’s Trapeze High and soccer nets—in the future they hope to set up a co-ed soccer league at the site.
People can sign up for unlimited monthly use of the batting cages and opt to pair it with hitting instruction and a video swing analysis. Hot Shotz will also offer pitching instruction.
“Our main attraction this summer is the boot camps,” said Schotz.

Schotz, a member of Torrey Pines High class of 2007, recently graduated from USC and is very excited that he is teaming up with Fuentes.

Schotz had visited boot camps before and found some to be disorganized and lacking the communal experience he was looking for. Fuentes, a former Arizona police officer who had trained SWAT teams and has run boot camps for 18 years, seemed to be a good fit for Hot Shotz.
While Fuentes has run boot camps using just body weight and towels, he’ll have plenty of room and equipment at his disposal at Hot Shotz.

Fuentes will constantly change up workouts and aim to “shock” the body—he will push campers hard as “the human body is 100 times more capable than whatever we put it through,” said Fuentes, noting that a 300-pound woman and an Olympic athlete have attended the same class and both gotten a great workout out of it.

Each boot camp will come with complete nutritional guidelines and support.
“When you come here you are going to get results,” said Fuentes. “We’re going to change lifestyles.”
While Fuentes will be plenty motivating, Schotz said people can also be motivated by working out in groups, building friendships and holding each other accountable for the work.
“We really want to create a community, a physically fit environment,” said Schotz.

They plan to have Baby Boomer boot camps, bridal boot camps and a special college boot camp for incoming college students this summer to prepare them to fight off the “freshman 15” and establish a healthy fitness and nutrition regime.
“Instead of filling the space of homesickness with food, fill it up with physical fitness,” said Fuentes.

Saturday’s self defense course also focuses on changing a mindset, in not being a victim.
With his background in martial arts and law enforcement, Fuentes doesn’t “sugar coat” potential threats.

He said some people might be shocked that a 13-year-old is receiving the same instruction given to a Navy

Seal but he believes all people should be prepared to fight back

“The only way to overcome a situation facing a predator is to become a predator,” said Fuentes.

He wants to get people out of that “Del Mar/Rancho Santa Fe bubble” and know that they have the ability to stand up for themselves and put up a good fight.

For boot camp schedules or more information, visit hotshotzsports.com or call (858) 509 5400. The first boot camp class is always free. Hot Shotz is located at 15555 Jimmy Durante Boulevard.

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