John Lewis learned how to catch fly balls when he was a budding young baseball player by racing after golf balls people would hit to him.

You probably won't get those kind of lessons from Lewis at the Line Drive Hitting complex in Swisher, but the former Kirkwood Community College baseball coach will be happy to teach you just about everything he knows about the grand old game.

Individuals and teams can practice on their own in the facility, which has six cages of various sizes, including a 70-foot cage that's suitable for pitching as well as hitting.

Lewis and his son, Darren, purchased Line Drive Hitting in November and have a clientele of teams and individuals that use the complex to hone their skills in baseball and softball.

Lewis, 66, retired as Kirkwood's coach after the 2011 season after 32 years, during which he won 1,095 games and made four trips to the junior college World Series.

Lewis has been coaching with Darren in the Cedar Rapids Reds youth baseball organization the past few years and helped the Reds win a USSSA World Series. Now he's expanded his baseball activities with Line Drive Hitting as an owner and instructor.

"I think it's good," he said Sunday. "It obviously gives me something to do. I've been involved with baseball for 35 years now, coaching at Kirkwood and the last couple of years coaching the Reds. I guess baseball is still in my blood and it's an opportunity to get involved a little bit."

Families, teams and individuals can apply for memberships at the facility by going to LineDriveHitting.com. Reservations for time slots may be made online. The facility is available at all hours.

"We say it's 24/7, because it's operated on a key system," Lewis explained. "Once you buy a membership, you have access to it."

In addition to the 70-foot cage, there is one 35-foot cage and four 30-foot cages.

Lewis plans to hold camps and coaching clinics at Line Drive Hitting. Former University of Iowa softball coach Gayle Blevins also gives lessons at the facility.

Lewis said he enjoys the venture and is happy to give something back to the game.

"Part of it is, I've got six grand-kids," he said. "It's a place for them to help develop their skills in baseball and softball. I'm just doing it for the love of baseball."

Line Drive Hitting is located at 2597 Marak Court NW #2A in Swisher.