FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

May 29, 2025 

Maritime Rapids Academy and 207 Athletics’ Maine Lightning Program Partner to Create First Cross-Border Athlete Development Pipeline for Atlantic Canada 

From Youth Fundamentals to NCAA Commitments - All Without Leaving Home 

[Rothesay, NB] – Maritime Rapids Academy is proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Maine Lightning, a premier U.S. baseball program under the 207 Athletics umbrella. This collaboration unites two leading development systems across borders to build the first full lifecycle player pathway for Atlantic Canadian athletes—from grassroots fundamentals to U.S. college recruitment. 

“This partnership fills every gap we’ve seen in the Maritimes,” said Drew Palmer, Founder of Maritime Rapids Academy. “It’s not just about showcases. We’re building something durable - structure at the youth level, development in the middle, and real exposure at the top.” 

Solving the Recruiting Bottleneck 

For too long, athletes in Atlantic Canada have had to leave home too early, bounce between programs, or rely on chance to be seen. This partnership solves that by integrating local training with Maine Lightning’s proven college exposure system: 

• 22+ players committed for 2025 
• 27+ committed for 2024 
• Hundreds of college commitments to schools like Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, UConn, UMass, and James Madison 
• Direct connections to NCAA, JUCO, and NAIA programs across the U.S. 

A Full Development Arc—Now With U.S. Support at Every Level 

This partnership isn’t limited to high school showcases. Maritime Rapids and Maine Lightning will work together at the youth level, sharing systems, coaching resources, and developmental benchmarks. 

That means athletes in NB, NS, and PEI can now: 

• Start young with access to elite youth programming 
• Develop consistently within a unified coaching system 
• Compete regionally under the Maritime Rapids Academy banner 
• Showcase nationally via 207 Athletics and Maine Lightning 
• Commit confidently, knowing they’re in a structure that works

“We’re building a full-circle solution,” said Ryan Copp, Director of Baseball Operations at Maine Lightning. “Our success in New England was built from the ground up. Partnering with Maritime Rapids allows us to extend that same proven system to the Maritimes—starting with the youngest players.” 

The First True East Coast Pipeline 

This announcement follows Maritime Rapids’ May 15 rebrand and its first expansion into Nova Scotia through PlayFast Academy. With more programs to come, this partnership marks the beginning of a connected, high-performance East Coast system—one that starts at age 8 and ends with a college commitment. 

Media Contact: 

Andrew Bettle 

VP & Director of Operations 

info@rapidsacademy.ca