Ravens Leading Local Sports and Rec Ventures Share Their Stories

  • Alumni to Watch
Ravens Leading Local Sports and Rec Ventures Share Their Stories
Ravenscroft Communications

Hear from strength and conditioning coach Erin Bratcher ’10, bouldering entrepreneur Johnny Davis ’15 and pickleball pro Hartland Jones ’10 about making their mark in these fields.

Three Ravenscroft alums — all of whom were active in athletics here — are now founders or program leaders in exciting new athletic training and recreational businesses right here in the Triangle: Erin Bratcher ’10, a former professional basketball player, provides strength and conditioning coaching for hundreds of youth and adult athletes through her gym, EB Athletics; Johnny Davis ’15, a bouldering enthusiast and proven entrepreneur, is opening a new recreational and training facility, Boulder Garden, this fall; and Hartland Jones ’10, a tennis-turned-pickleball pro, runs the pickleball programming at Pin Point Raleigh, a new indoor pickleball and golf facility that opened Oct. 9. Hear about their paths to these opportunities — and the roles Ravenscroft played in preparing them for success.

Tell us about this business venture and the role you play in it.

 

Erin Bratcher ’10: My business venture began at the start of the global pandemic in 2020. I lost my job training athletes and was trying to find a way to continue to provide the physical and mental support that these athletes were depending on getting from our training sessions, so I decided to open up shop myself. Initially, we worked out of a park (due to COVID restrictions), but as we grew, we eventually moved indoors only a few short months later. Today, I own and operate EB Athletics in our very own facility just minutes away from Ravenscroft — fully equipped with turf, racks, machines and strength and conditioning toys of all kinds. My staff and I train hundreds of athletes and numerous teams, both in our facility and on-site at various club locations, each year. Most recently we have expanded to training several dozen adult clients in S&C classes we run daily and through personal training or programming specifically designed for our non-youth clientele.


Johnny Davis ’15: I envision the Boulder Garden — a gym for bouldering enthusiasts — to, if nothing else, be a third space for my friends in Durham. Whether you’re looking for a quick workout after a long day in the office or on the hunt to find friends in the new city, we’re designing this space for you. The climbing community not only adopted me and gave me direction but also supported and challenged me to be the best person I can. Here, the team and I are working hard to give others the chance to feel this same sense of belonging.

The gym project has been a dream of mine for at least seven years now. What started as making hangboards [for climbing training] in my dorm basement will soon grow to a full-service bouldering gym in the heart of downtown Durham — and none of this would be reality without the help of so many incredible mentors, friends and family. I really owe all this to them for their sacrifice and trust.

Although we won’t have nearly the same volume of climbing-wall surface that you’d find in most gyms, we’re invested heavily in the quality of our route setting, holds and features. We’ll be home to the Triangle’s first Tension 2 system board along with offering a more frequent route change-over, compared to other gyms, to keep members engaged with new climbs. The majority of our routes will allow top outs (a skill that is critical for outdoor climbing but seldom able to be practiced in the gym) and offer a variety of textures to better train for all outdoor conditions.

In a themed effort to get people climbing safely outside, we’re offering crash pad and guidebook rentals to our members as well as close partnerships with the Carolina Climbers Coalition and the American Alpine Club to build access and a skill set toolbox for our community. If this isn’t enough to inspire a venture into the outdoors, the space will be decorated to the ceiling with plants and flowers to better simulate the world outdoors.

To complement the decor, the space will also serve as a full-scale gallery, celebrating local, national and international artists with unique mediums and creative perspectives.

The gym will be open to the public as well, offering a variety of clinics and classes around art, yoga, horticulture and, of course, climbing. We’ll also house a physical therapy practice and maintain a variety of youth programs throughout the year.


Hartland Jones ’10: I am the Director of Pickleball and the Head Pickleball Pro at Pin Point Raleigh, an indoor pickleball and golf facility located on South Wilmington Street. Our state-of-the-art facility caters to casual players and serious athletes alike, offering top-notch amenities and a vibrant community atmosphere. We offer 16 indoor pickleball courts, eight Trackman simulators and a full short-game area. From lessons and clinics to tournaments and leagues, people who love pickleball will find something for themselves here. In addition, we have social and conference spaces for events.

Erin Bratcher ’10

Johnny Davis ’15

Hartland Jones ’10