Better Men Better Ballplayers Podcast with

Ben Jones, HC of The Apprentice School.

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Netting Professionals
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BIO

HC of the Apprentice School since 2021 and won Small College World Series in 2022 (1st year)
- Pitching coach for the Builders since 2007
- Part of the Small College World Series teams in 2007, 2015
- Former pitcher for the Builders
  - Winningest pitcher in modern era of The Apprentice School
  - The Apprentice School HOF class of 2020
- USCAA Hall of Fame in 2018

NOTES

- The Apprentice school 19 trade selections (blue collar), and 8 advanced trades (white collar) - 20% of enrollment get selected into advancement
- ALL FREE
- Start at $22/hr and finish over $30/hr
- 6AM on the shipyard
- Classroom 16 hours a week
- Other 24 hours they are on the job training
- Every 6 months rotated to different shipyards to learn
- All year long
- Annual leave (40 hours of vacation)
- full benefits with company match
- 6AM pull in, get out at 330, practice 430 for couple hours based on part of year
- 3 time Small College World Series champion
- NSCAA schools must have a low enrollment (max 4000)
- Follow all NCAA rules and regulations (eligibility, etc)
- 80% home games
- Play D3, D2, JUCO, along with NSCAA teams
- Manage workload based on their job and baseball - light on weights and off season conditioning unlike the traditional college student
- Start 11/12 months - every monday with new starts
- 250-300 people brought in a year
****This program will turn a high school graduate into a mature man or woman!
Grades and attendance not satisfactory you can be dropped from the program
Its not for everyone, but it is very rewarding
Athletics contribute to teamwork, teamwork contributes to leadership
AS.edu general admission website
Gobuilders.com athletics website
Guys that aren’t scared to work!!
1 other trade school that offers athletics
25% acceptance rate
Team GPA 3.6!
SAT not requirement for admission
Required classes (minimum 4, like to see 6-8)
Focus on math and science
Any higher math classes?
How many days you were late and/or absent
We are investing into you to be successful!
To see the guys graduate is the ultimate goal!
Team grade policy - not getting the grades you will not practice and be part of team
Tutors available - do our best to make the program work!
Company first, school second, baseball team third and priorities need to stay that way
We help them keep them priorities straight

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Better Men Better Ballplayers Podcast

with Justin Hanley - William Penn Charter

Sponsored By:

Netting Professionals
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- www.nettingpros.com

BIO

HC of William Penn Charter
- Associate HC/PC 2012-2017
- Inter AC Champions 2014, 2017, and 2021
- 4 players have gone to play pro ball during his time at Penn Charter
He has help guide several players to college between Penn Charter and his time in travel baseball
Former Director of Baseball Operations and Player development at Elite Sports Factory
North American Baseball Account Executive at Silicon Valley FinTech startup, Pando, that uses predictive analytics to help professional baseball players mitigate their career risk.

NOTES

Win loss and ERA are going out the window and looking more at whip, qab, and other processes
Track bullpens and chart opposing hitters
Do it on your own, and coach it up in between the inning
There is nothing you can tell him that is goin to put him in a better position
Be a voice of positive encouragement
Strong up the middle
Good relationships
Tell me about mom and dad
Analytical and due diligence mindset
Big on self advocacy
Summer camps to bring in the community
Big on communication
- Kid first, no parents
Pillars
- Self advocacy
- Don’t care what grade you are
- accountability
Expect problems and use it has opportunity to teach leadership
It more than just about the wins.
We need to prove to them that we care more about them as people
For every school that has their dream school, there is 10 kids at the wrong school
Spend a saturday doing manual labor to build team
School does great job bringing all types of kids together
Video message to the team from alumni
Players this is your program and your responsibility
Representing your family at the same time
Understand the common goal
- You can’t do it on your own
- Failure is going to find you
- Lean on your teammates, your coaches
- How are you going to play on a friday night if you can’t handle this chirping
- You can tell who the last years state champion was not the PG 16U championship

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Better Men Better Ballplayers Podcast with Anthony Renz Concordia College

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Netting Professionals
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- info@nettingpros.com
- www.nettingpros.com

BIO

HC at Concordia College (MN)
- AC since 2018
- Acting HC 2022
- 2022 Conference tournament
- 2023 Conference tournament and win
- Most hits
- Most conference players
Bench Coach & Hitting Coach with Fargo-Moorhead
- MLB Partner league (Pioneer, Frontier, American Assoc, Atlantic)
- American Association champions (1st A.A title since merging)
Former AC and GA Shippensburg University (2016-2018)
- Regional 2017
- PSAC tournament 2018
- 4 guys played pro ball during time at Ship
Indy ball grinder!
- Las Vegas Train Robbers
- Evansville Otters
- Fargo-Moorhead

NOTES

Powerful tool of Twitter
Recruiting world at your fingertips
Form good relationships
Show I was a good coach and gain trust
Work youth baseball camps to grind and learn
Off season was CAMPS!
The grind makes you better!
Make sure the players know it is there program
Player driven. Coaches put up guard rails
Players win game, coaches lose them
The guys after college are set up for success
For 4 years we want you to feel like you are involved in the world series
Our togetherness is second to none
- Town ball, playing more together
- Cobber baseball family
- Be with a group of guys you can lose with**
Team building days
- Community events
- Supporting other athletic events
- Bus rides - Florida trips
They should want to come to practice as long as the environment is good
Winning helps the experience
What can you do to make practice fun?
Pick teams - compete more
Balance of fun and intensity
Conditioning mix of games
Practice matters
Everyday is a tryout
You got to perform - playing hard is given and at end of day you need to perform
Elimination in the cage - one pitch, in or out
Create competition with the skills set in mind
Reward BP “Dinger club”
Hit the ball hard determines who you are
- Line drives - right above the L screen
- Gaps/HR - knock down the batter eye
Group BP based on skill set or lineup
Technology helps make live AB more realistic results, provide clarity
Technology turns up the focus
Train for higher EV
- Hit a ton of machine
- Weighted bat work
- Hit plyo
Barrel control
- Throw two balls and always hit low ball
- Reward batting practice or out of cage if you don’t accomplish task (put a value on each swing)
2 strikes
- Unpredictable of 2K pitch needs to be trained with working on getting your barrel to the ball
Manage your work - know your body
Those who hit often, often hit
Stick to what you believe in and stay consistent. Don’t over react with small sample size.
Be where your feet are
All in right here

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Better Men Better Ballplayers Podcast with Eric Lassiter

Sponsored By:

Netting Professionals
- 844-620-2707
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BIO

HC of Windermere HS (started 6 years ago)
- 5/5 state playoffs
- 4/5 district champs
- 3/5 regional finalist
Former HC Tavares (1 year)
HC at alma mater Apopka HS (6 years)
Co Founder of Power Baseball
Former WV Wesleyan College AC
Director of membership for Diamond Allegiance

NOTES

We are really big in the community and focus more beyond baseball
Be the ultimate human being
How you do anything is how you do everything
Support other teams in the school
Supporting little league tryouts, signups, etc
Prep team, feeder team, little league nights
When you feel the community supporting you its playing for something bigger than you
Play for a bigger purpose
Fall season for community work
Grade checks
1 standard - don’t do anything that embarasses your religion, yourself, or your program
Holding them to the expectations
9 to 5 - first 9 has to beat their last 5 on the field
Everything counts
Energy, effort, commitment to each,
Fall season do little things to score points for 9 to 5
Points for all types of ways to produce wins
Running gets you better, not punishment
Losers take care of the field
Hold kids accountable on the travel scene will create good groups
Win between innings
The first tournament you set the standards
Finding ways to stay active to improve
Always an opportunity to get better and set yourself apart
You have to have a skill set and it doesn’t matter how you may hit in a tournament
How you fail is a big indicator of how you will succeed
Baseball is how well you can fail
3-3 should be same energy as 0-3
Each hitter can get into certain positions, which means they can move to get there
What if your body is not capable of getting to that position. Can we unlock parts of your body to get to those positions?
Power Baseball Foundation - board to help fundraise to help people who cannot afford to play travel baseball
- Application to help with practice and planning. Players come out and we donate their time to help
- Funded organizations that are not even part of Power Baseball
The more good you do the better you will be

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Better Men Better Ballplayers Podcast with Billy Emerson of Paul VI HS

Sponsored By:

Netting Professionals
- 844-620-2707
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BIO

HC of Paul VI HS
Career record 336 - 191 (winning over 50% games in his career)
PVI since 2003 season
3 Conference WCAC championships
4 VISAA championships
8 times nationally ranked
Over 100 players in college or drafted
Paul VI HOF class of 2022

NOTES

Coaching in the summer is a way for me to learn and get better from the college guys
Each year you are taking a big hunk of clay and hopefully by the end of the year you hope it becomes a masterpiece
You win games you should of lost and you lose game you should of won
If you want consistency you have to be consistent
You have to stick to the plan
Maintain a coaching staff that can stick around a long time
Put together standards and values that you can stick to
Focusing on development players
Its also about developing human beings
Using the game to create things that they can use later in life
If you focus on the right things the baseball things take care of themselves
End of season meetings
Using the battles to do use as fire and do more than this year
You can do things to foster team chemistry (this is how we do things)
You can’t force it, you need to foster it
You can’t fool the players, it has to be real
You can’t force someone to love you
Expose our guys to different types of people
Classroom session in the off season
- Pitchers and catchers, hitters, mental toughness training
When a guy walks out of our program and he is blessed to play college baseball and he is prepared to step on campus that is an awesome thing
Another huge win is when a guy comes back and says I know what you were saying
We have objectives everyday
Explain to the guys why and how this is gooing ot effect you now and down the road
The game mirrors life because you have to sit there during moments of inactivity but be ready
The value of paying attention to details
There is a karma around the game and if you don’t pay attention it will bite you!
Keep the baseball demons away from us!
Every time we take batting practice we implement baserunning system
Defensively we take balls live - making people make throughs at game speed
Challenging the pitchers and hitters at practice with game situations
Pitchers that have not gotten innings will be throwing more in practice of game situations
Its about collecting outs. We need to get 21 of them as fast as we can
This is an audition! For the regulars and for the guys who have not had an AB
Keep stats in practice and it makes the process from objective
QPA average - quality plate appearance - 60% or better
150 or lower strikeout %
Pop up or routine flyball = airball (set goal for no airballs)
Strike % and first pitch strike %
Force bad contact as early as possible
Defensively 1 error or less
Turn as many DP as games played
Always looking to take 2 until you can’t
Reading dirt balls good secondary, read the trajectory, and take off
Preparation, attention to detail, effort, focus, selfless, and toughness
Aggressive in hitting situations - looking for FB
2 strike approach - the strikeout does nothing for us
Execute when called upon
Baserunning excellence - eyes up and hustle
Pitch to spots, execute pitches > selection, make adjustments, rise to the challenge and post a zero
Defense cherish outs - love outs as much as HR
No play no throw - calculated risks
The kids are our customers***
What did we do to prepare them for the majority of their life?

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Better Men Better Ballplayers Podcast with Matt Jones Shippensburg Univ

Sponsored By:

Netting Professionals
- 844-620-2707
- info@nettingpros.com
- www.nettingpros.com

BIO

HC at Shippensburg University (Since 2008 17 years)
Over 400 with Raiders, over 500 total as HC (Former HC at Elizabethtown)
2008 ABCA/Diamond Sports Company North Atlantic Region Coach of the Year
2-time PSAC Coach of the Year (2022 East, 2008 West)
2 College World Series appearances
10 PSAC Tournament appearances
4 NCAA Regional Tournament appearances
35 victories in postseason play – including a 10-6 record at regionals.
Six Raiders (MLB) Draft
Several other players have gone on to play professionally as undrafted free agents or in an independent league
Overall, Jones has coached in 54 conference tournament games,
- 21 NCAA regional tournament games
- 5 College World Series appearances

NOTES

IF you don’t like where you are at you get a new hat
You have to keep recruiting your guys when they are there
I want the player to be with my players by themselves
The family to be with the players by themselves
Make sure you take two visits before you commit
No one gets married after the first date
New facility allowed to never go inside
Winter workouts to be ready for 20-30 pitches and trust guys to get it done
Replicate the starters stuff on a machine
In our program its still about the program
It needs be team first
The younger you are the more blinders you have to have
As you get through school it will widen
Moving guys around the locker room
Changing hitting groups
Moving guys around in study hall
Purposeful seating or hotel roomates
Checking up with guys at practice that have nothing to do with baseball
Let them see me as more than a coach
We don’t hide things from the team
Most of the things kids dealing with are not full reality
- No ugly pictures on IG
- Not posting the 0-3, but will post the HR
You still need to decide how much to of the truth to tell a kid
Respect their feelings and understand where they are and how much info you give them
Fortunate to have bosses that appreciate how we do business
Number #1 rule - “Don’t be a jerk!”
Its not all about winning the last game of the year
I want the 90 minutes of the day at practice to be the best part of the day
Be someone that someone wants to be around
I am an educator, I recruit kids to a university, and guide them to what they are going to do the rest of their lives
Ultimate responsibility of the university is to guide people in to being productive adults
Coaches should Ask more questions than give directives to players
Communicating and getting guys to understand what your saying and understanding it is their career
We are going to have different relationships with all of you
I will be here as much as you need me here!
- Coach? I will be coach
- Dad? I’ll be dad
You have to be ok to admit when you need help
I don’t have to do it, I get to do it!
I work with the travel ball tournament parents to get them to realize that it does not matter in those tournaments
Balance time with team time and individual time
Record practice and spend some individual time
Figure out how they learn and what they respond to

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Better Men Better Ballplayers Podcast with

Mark Gibbs; St Johns DC

Sponsored By:

Netting Professionals
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BIO

HC of St Johns DC
339–90–1 Overall Record, .788 Winning Percentage in 17 years
13, 20-win seasons
6 of the seasons St Johns has been nationally ranked
Before their 2008 season, St. John’s was on the cover of Baseball America, the first team from the mid-Atlantic to ever be profiled in the preview issue.
Gibbs has sent 124 players into college baseball from St Johns
17 players who were drafted by or signed to free agent contracts with professional teams.
The Cadets have won or tied for 1 regular season conference titles (2007, 2010, 2012–19, 2021),
8 WCAC tournament titles (2011, 2014–19)
3 DCSAA titles (2014, 2019, 2021).
Many Coach of the year awards (Washington Post, WCAC, USA Today, DCSAA)

NOTES

The experience that I feel is best for kids and the reality it is, we need to find what’s best for us
Staying together in the summer and fall has brought us bigger things that baseball
Outsourced a strength coach (sports performance coach)
The HC needs to monitor it all.
Bring in people that the HC can trust and let them work
A lot of what you are dealing with is not on the field
If you have good people and you trust them that is the best
Got to have good players and guys that are willing to work
The guy was just a worker! His work ethic stood out
They were very prepared in the whole system that prepared them for college
Pitching, defense and baserunning is what you do to win games
We prioritize pitching, not just fit it into practice
In the live stuff we do, that is the most live baserunning situations we can get
Play more live! Use the baserunners when pitching on mound
Using their eyes to run the bases
Base stealing and base running are taught in two different segments
Year to year we focus on certain things more than others depending on your team
You have to have guys that can do it (vault stealing/ new school leads)
You have to have the time to teach it and put it into your program.

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Rich Maloney Podcast Bio and Notes

Bio

Head Coach Ball State University (2nd tour, 1996-2002 - 2013 - present)
Former HC at Michigan (2003-2012)
Over 900 wins in his career
16th active DI coach to reach 900 wins
Winningest coach in Ball State history
5 MAC championships
4 time MAC coach of the year
3 Time big 10 conference championships
2 Big 10 tournament championships
4 Regional appearances
Regional Championship in 2007
Maloney has coached 65 players who were drafted 72 times
six first round picks, all of them at Ball State
Ball State has had 10 players drafted in the top 4 rounds under Rich Maloney
FCA Baseball's Jerry Kindall Award in January 2017
ABCA Ethics in Coaching Award Recipient 2023
Former ABCA President (2018)

Notes

Architecture classes worked a semester building a vision of the stadium
I would of never had a chance to go to Michigan if it wasn’t for those boys
I got into coaching because I love to be a mentor
Those guys energize me and they fill me up!
You gotta believe and have a driving force to be something special
- In yourself if you will be a good player
- In your teammates if you want to be a part of a good team
- In your faith - it all starts with that
Casting a vision for your players
Try your best to get the most out of the god given talents
Everyone plays a role on the team
Read 2 books -
- Hard Hat by jon gordon
- CHop Wood, Carry Water by
First day on campus we go through the book - highlighted and epitomize our culture
Got to be really good at a lot of little things that culminate to really big things
Competition events - winning team filet mignon, losing team hotdogs and mac an cheese, we all eat dessert
Got to have that extra degree
GRIT - dirtbags - biggest compliment you can get in our program because he does whatever he can to help the team win
Baseball you have to conquer the mind
The storm will hit!
How are you going to handle that mental strain
Sport gives us a great opportunity to help people grow
You are blessed a lot if you have those relationships
Easy to talk when its going good
- Your friends come around when things are not going your way
Comes down to the foundational truths you have
It comes down to the details and have you to do the little things well
Buy into your coaches
Take the little things seriously
Holding them accountable - when the game speeds up that’s not going to work
Guys will gravitate to the standard
When you believe in yourself you can make it through the tough times
Winning breeds winning, and losing breeds losing
Ambition and drive! If your not self motivated you won’t do great things
You play on your energy when your young
You guys built this because you guys believed and did the work

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Shotzberger Notes

Bio

HC of UIW - University of the Incarnate Word
In 2022 he led UIW to the furthest Southland Conference Tournament appearance in Division I program history.
First year in 2019 was cut short due to COVID
Prior to UIW he was AC at Houston and TCU
- helped those programs to seven 40+ win seasons.
- 13 conference championships
- eight regular-season championships
- five conference tournament championships
- nine trips to NCAA Regionals
- three appearances at NCAA Super Regionals
- one trip to the College World Series
Coached over 60 players who have been drafted
- eight of those appearing on active Major League Baseball rosters
- 5 current MLB

Notes

We have our team values
If your early your orgranized
No blame, complain, or defend
CARDS - bottom of every practice plan
Players are now speaking the language
Working with you not for you
The best teams are player led, not coaches fed
When you get out front you get vulnerable
You can’t talk about win the pitch and then be losing your mind
The beginning you are talking to yourself
Meet after practice
Mental game - what does it mean to you?
Getting them to recognize they are doing something with them knowing it
Helping you get to the next pitch and realize you are going too fast
Breathe and get to the next pitch
You can gripe and complain about it or you can adapt and change
Its a 40 year decision, not a 4 year decision
In order to set the goals, you had to work towards the goals
Back map from doing something the program has never done before
Deconstruct winning a conference
Track positive at bats
Do your job - doesn’t matter how, execute quality pitches with conviction
Each team needs to create their own identity
Play as hard as you for as long as you can
Process > outcome
60% positive at bats
- Percentage of QAB determined what we need to do
- 60% or better we win
- 50% and we need to play good defense and pitch it well
- 40% then we better of pitched great and caught it
WHO got the RBI - talking RBI not hits
Educate kids on the situation.
- If the kids don’t know the situation that’s

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Lane Burroughs

Bio

Head Coach Louisiana Tech (7th season)
back-to-back NCAA Regionals (first since 1987)
Hosted a regional in 2021 (1st in program history)
Conference USA Tournament Champions (1st in school history)
Set record for most conference wins (21)
First time in history LA tech beat a #1 ranked team
Part of the 300 win club as a HC
More wins in first 3 years than any LA Tech coach in 3 year span
Former HC at Northwestern State - 3 straight 30 win seasons
Former AC at Mississippi College, East Mississippi CC, Northwestern State, Southern Miss, Kansas State, and Mississippi State

Notes

We will be a face of the school
Committee to help run the first pitch banquet
Seniors run it with 5 awards given
- Worst hair
- Worst body
- Worst athlete
- Most funny
Need to have thick skin we are like a family
Our program is player ran
- “Do you want to lift after or before practice”
The locker room is their space
“Company man” - the glue that held it together
Bulldog men! - named when they earn it, some years don’t have it, captain for life
We went 2 years with no facility and no one left!
Be who we are
You get who you are! (when recruiting)
Made a commitment as a HC to have FUN
- I want our guys to be the best part of the day!
Lean on your faith and family
Be transparent
Be stoic on the field - the team watches how you will react
Bad news first!
You have to check yourself. I still need to be the same person
The game will punch you in the face and how you respond to it is most important
The ability to make great decisions
Fall
- Early work
- Classroom - scouting, video review, talk
- Practice
Everyday starts with the classroom
If you have a pulse of your team you build of that
Its either surrender or fight when backed into a corner
Appreciation Friday - write a letter to appreciation to someone who has sacrificed / impacted your life
- More positive feedback from the letters thany anything in the program
Take care of the little things
- If i’m in my truck and see you step over trash that is not taking care of the little things
Thursday practice
- Ind defense
- Bp
- Ind challenges - run for how many you mess up
Every team is different and figuring out what makes them tick
Adapt and adjust - you have to have the ability to adapt and adjust
I can handle the big things, but the little things can set me off!
Always have guest speakers - former players, professionals,
Talking with someone who is not a baseball coach
Talk with people who are going to cry at your funeral
Get off social media
Become less selfish and more about relationships

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Bio

1st Season HC at North Alabama
9 seasons as HC of West Chester University
- was first and only NCAA school to win a championship
- 2 NCAA Championships in 2012 and 2017
Former Associate HC and RC at University of Delaware
Former PC and RC at William and Mary university

Notes

Not going to settle
Getting to know our current roster
Do the right thing - attach to anything and everything
Giving guys the comfort to be themselves
Giving guys opportunities and in pursuit to become the best version of themselves
100% focus
100% effort
Don’t flinch - body language will not be affected by circumstances
Can people see it when watch us play
Challenge players after a win - tighten up
Clips of what we want, and review what we want - we want to get it right
Classroom sessions as needed
Team meetings - attach videos
The name on the front of the jersey is important, but I don’t want to diminish the name on the back!
If you have the chase to help and willingness to help someone through something you can get in
I’m not going to the field looking to cross guys off
Can you lead yourself?
Can you help someone else?
Scheduled conversations - end of semester, end of year, and as needed
Players stay true to what’s best for them (more stable)
Get in the right hype level
I never want hype level to get in the way of what’s right
Stack different game situations
Make sure we are repping what it going to impact the game the most
Baseball BP - stacked machine (FB/CB), coach mix, coach mix scouting report,
During live balls as much as we can during BP
Attach decision making to the types of frequent lanes with a certain type of runner
Pitching with runners on no matter how clean you may have been in an intersquad
The guys that can handle the moment, they are the ones you want to give the ball to
“Sequencer” can help you project lineups
Being aware of stacking guys up between each other
Breaking up the pockets
Switch hitter/LHH in 2 hole
Continuity of the lineup to start anticipating options

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Kyle Wagner Notes

Bio

gowags.kyle@gmail.com
Founder of GoWags baseball academy in 2008
Author of How the RiverCats Won
Author of Green Light hitting
Green light academy website
Played collegiately at Wake Forest University from '92-'95. Caught in the California Angels organization for one year (Boise '95)
Coaching experience Elizabethtown College ('97 and '99) Wake Forest ('98) Red Land High School ('00 - '08)
@GoWagsKyle

Notes

Are the people excited when they are with you?
Hot practice, cold games.
Games for the players.
Practice becomes critical
Something the kids could look forward to
- Pop ups (macro event)
Broke up between macro and micro events (team and individual)
Musts - “will they like this?”
Sell them on the beauty of the game
Macro event - runner on 3rd 1 out - live ball runner runs
Fun game at the end to
Too much information not enough inspiration (overcoaching)
Youth coaching is to turn kids over for love of the game
Implicit and explicit
- Implicit - no takes, no foul balls
- Down 3, 6 outs to go - play against the scoreboard
Do the fun stuff while you are teaching
Practice time is the coaches time, plan, prepare, and coaches on the same page
Planning is more important than the plan
Adaptable in the plan when the coach notices something is not right
Get them out on time!
Intent precedes content
Embrace what they are not doing well and put them in a situation to do it
Micro event - perfect and deliberate practice
Macro event - train ugly, and don’t know what will happen. Find out what they are capable. Find failure and embrace it
If the whole team is there deliberate practice won’t happen, more about competing and reps
Development is not linear, its sequential
Green light hitting - sequential hitting approach
- Core starts and then smaller muscles could work
Aggression precedes discipline
- Get players moving fast
Train them to minimize choices
Eliminate not swing to train them to elite velo
Prove to me that you can be too quick
Show me you can find your barrel on this BB
You take a pitch because you can’t hit it hard
Hitter to be able to move Laterally late
- Inside tee, soft toss away - no toss and hit off tee up the middle
We want you to be a great hitter not great swinger of the bat
Turn fast
Posture
Post chain
Hands
Lower half
You need to be good enough to keep coming back
Pre game
- Count hitting
- Don’t overcoach
Lineup is seen more circular than linear
Stacked it from top to bottom with best hitters
4th batter should strikeout least often due to so many runners being on
3rd hitter high velo and great eye
Every manager deserves the right to intuition
Pitchers need to get swing and missed in the zone and hitters need to eliminate swing and misses in the zone
- Who is owning the strike zone
Exit velo coupled with launch angle (barrel %)
Pitchers - weak contact and how often get swing and misses
Pitching independent fielding
Training pitchers more on the game mound
Visualize on the game mound

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Steve Trimper Notes

Bio

Head Coach Stetson University
In his first season, the Hatters finished just one game behind Jacksonville in 2017 in the race for the ASUN title and won six of seven league series during the year. The season also included road series wins at The Citadel and at Tulane.
2nd season tied for the most wins in a season in program history.
2nd season first NCAA Regional title
2nd season ranked in every national poll
Established dugout club and raised over 100K
Prior to Stetson he was HC at University of Maine with over 300 victories, 140 in conference play, 9 tournament victories, and 2 regional appearances.
Former HC at Manhattan College - school record for wins (32) MAAC COY. 2nd all time in conference wins
AC at University of Vermont
Associate HC at wentworth college
Spent time in the cape cod with eastern tide
National clinician, just recently in Nashville
Author of “Walk-Off Winning”

Notes

Come up with 3-4 things we are going to be awesome at
Send me a real important values
Integrity, excellence, commitment, blue collar,
We can Hold those things accountable
Culture changes all the time
Built because of the 4-5 traits that you can build on
Leadership is when the going gets tough can you go back to those words/value?
Establish the values and that is the bedrock, how we navigate there will change each year
Your people are your best educators
My job is to give you the tool to hand the team over you to (the players)
Hold each other accountable
In order to be great you need to have an ego
Outside of my team they will know we have an ego
Inside our team we will have humility and check our ego
Take the people inside my organization and they never say you are an embelisher
The positive energy the attracts people
What is success? Word association, go!
Reward or success?
You need to find what you believe is good people
When you invite them to the team, and its up to you to build the relationship
People start to trust you
Loyalty of the people
Success is those 4 traits - good people, relationships, trust, loyalty
I brought you here because I thought you were going to be great
6-8 speakers every fall
Tell stories of failures
When you struck out 4 times, that ain’t failure
Force our guys to communicate
Ask people how they were successful?
First time going to class ask professor 3 questions about themselves
Have the ability to talk and ask questions of the people around you
I have to listen a little more in the south
I had to learn the environment and change my philosophy
I have to own the mistakes, and all the mistakes I have made have been along my successes
How your failure led to successes
We celebrate every win
Some losses, with the right mindset, can lead us to the path to success.
Moxy guy - what do you do to get the award? Foul ball guy after dealing for 4 innings

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Daniel Rollins Notes

Bio

Head Coach Camp CC (VA)
Received votes in pre season national poll 3 out 4 years as HC
Highest GPA in program history
AC/RC Bryant and Straton
- Player signed with Orioles
Red and Braves Scout
George Mason AC
- Big Leaguer Chris O’Grady
Randolph Macon AC
George Washington AC
- Multiple draft picks, All American SS
Valley league AC with New Market Rebels
Last 3 full time AC are now head JUCO coaches and 1 RC for Florida JUCO

Notes

Appreciate each one of the stops
Take something from each stop
If you are going to get good results, you need to put players first
Put players first, and your career will take care of itself
You got to show the guys you love em!
Go through the stretch line and answer questions and talk to players
JUCO has to wear many hats as the coach
Be as organized as possible
You will not be perfect, but you need to make the best out of the situation
Players first means good hotels, buses not vans, and good meals
Not just signing a ½ year contract, they get me for life! As much as they want!
Im in this business for them!
I want good people in my program, and if we have good people in the program, we will win
Be realistic where you are and look in the mirror with your capabilities
Fundraisers
- Work football games
- Online fundraiser
- Golf tournament
- You can’t be afraid to ask
- Hosting tournaments
- Youth camps (help with AC)
- Prospect camps (help with AC)
The weightroom is the single biggest difference between HS and college athlete
Leadership development meetings
Ranger school team building activities
Player voted team captains

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Edwin Thompson Notes

Bio

Head Coach Georgetown University
- First winning season since 1986
- 2022 was GU First Big East championship appearance since 2018
- GU first freshman of the year
- First Big East staff of the year
- 2022 record breaking year for wins, home runs, total bases and end of season RPI
Former HC at Eastern Kentucky
- Losing program when he got there
- 12-2 before COVID, just beat LSU and then shut down
- Consecutive 30 win seasons
- 2 straight conference tournaments
- All 5 years his teams recorded a team gpa of 3.0 or better
USA Baseball staff member
- Since 2015 in all duties
- 18U national team PC
- 17U National development program
- Manager of Stripes team in Tournament of Stars
Former AC at Georgia State and Duke University
Former HC start at Bates College (Maine) where he set school record for wins - last place team, and made a school record in wins
Coaching career started at University of Maine at Farmington as associate HC and Recruiting coordinator
Active in the Community working with local charities and non profit organizations as well as helping provide for people less fortunate
First class guy!

Notes

One of best memories of players experience was serving the kids with Samaritans feet
We find the servants in the recruiting process
Free clinics to serve the commnunity
Serve Miracle league
Service provides perspective
Its not what we don’t have, its what we DO have
Guys that don’t travel work in the community
Based on your team - take them off campus to build chemistry, retreat, mini golf, and have a feel for the needs of your team
We will compete in everything
The difference is in the details (hangers on the ground)
Until your address the details
Ask the questions
You don’t know how to do something or you don’t feel like it
- If you don’t feel like it you don’t want to win
Like to connect baseball to life
Got to be able to believe it, have a visual, and be sure to hold standards
Got to have a great staff that can teach and coach the standards
Listening to kids to evaluate the process
Talk about winning games, winning series, and stacking those wins
Shared partnerships
No captains - “accountability leaders” = in charge of a small group
Take more ownership to allow more leaders
The players take the punishment amongst themselves is when you know you have a good group
Talk about what we are capable of doing
Not going to lose to ourselves
Build consistency within the group
Win the day
I don't recruit, I present
Coach development
- Goals, expectations,
- 1 on 1 with HC
- Help people move on
Take care of your people the most you can and they want to stay
Be where your dream job is wherever you are
Encourage staff to talk to other in the industry to get more efficient and another voice
1 up and 1 down - 1 thing you like and 1 thing you need to get better
Picked programs at the school who are really good and pick their brain and gather information of what works at that school
What mistakes did you make in the early years?
You have to make it your own?
Be honest and direct
Post a depth chart in the fall
You want to get better - come talk to us, its about performance
Constantly communicate with kids
Teaching them the reality of the future
“Professional out getter”
Outs - love outs, who can pitch, who can compete
The number 1 pitcher is the guy who has the ball!
Any organization has communication - good or bad and aligned
Listening to your players, but listening to your staff is important
Earn your shirt - do your job
Play 1 v 1 often! “Get period - get it done”
Create environment to maximize the talent
Train how to deal with the umpire
You get 3 pitchers
Have fun with our kids
Who wants to lead, grow, and teach
Enjoy this team
2 minute drill in baseball - closer comes in to get the job done with 2nd/3rd
Make it as uncomfortable as possible
Some guys would not hit on the field because they were not ready
It can define or develop you!
Group hitting - who they are and what the are
Hitting test - advance or not
You don’t train a lineman the same as kicker
Pitcher test - progression from top pitcher in the conference and what it looks like

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Vucan (View-can) Notes

Bio

HC at TX 6A Southlake Carroll HS
2022 ABCA National HS COY
2018, 2019, and 2022 TX 6A State Champions
- Schools first back to back state championship
2018 El Paso Baseball HOF
2017 started HC at Southlake Carroll
Dallas/Fort Worth Coach of the Year 2017 & 2019
El Paso Franklin HS and last 6 straight playoff appearances
AC at Bel Air
Coached and managed in Italian Baseball League
Known for his Player development system
USA Baseball task force

Notes

“The compete clause” -
Build as much competition into your drillwork as much as you can
Final four is ROund ROck - “Round Rock” challenge
Break into teams and who can compete
What can I do to make them competitive?
Point system, scoreboard
Teammates become the assistant coach
10-15 coaches on the field
3 headed monster in offense
Video first, then rep, and start practice each day
Long hold and glove drop to defend the bound jump
What is your identity based on your abilities
Tally the number of successful steals
Feedback to the competition
Tally the pickoffs form catchers and pitchers
Recruit the kids who don’t want anything to with athletics, and they get credit for baseball as the statistician (or whatever role)
Only way you will get them to grow is to get them uncomfortable
How can I make this small segment tallied, competitive, get a result, and fun!
Fall start more acclimation
After fall ball shut down arms shutdown
HHB - makes competitive spirit
“Fundees”
Coming up to tryouts focused more on culture than competition
- Here is your wake up warm up
- Here is where your bag goes
- How to set up machine and break them down
Your competing to build culture!!
Comfortable in my own skin as a coach
50/50 on mechanics and relationship talk
Before practice and highlight who you have talked to
Convo tab - tally each time we talked
Research the kid based on the amount of tallies
Holding them accountable and still get it back to wanting them to be successful
No objectivity, it was all subjective
Kids (managers) became data input
Posted, running total of all data collected from practice
Meetings and questioning went down
Got the kids competitive
Do not talk to the “nerds” (only rule or RUN)
Situationals BP (tallied) - “mop up” BP based on previous game
Competitive or tinker bullpen
IPP - individual pitcher plans
Catcher wears pre set script on wristband
On deck pitcher tallies
Stretch every 3 pitches, in and out an AB in 3 pitches
Pattern 1 (fast) or pattern 2 (slow)
Mental competition to build up intentional throwing - this is what we are looking for (goal/focus)
After throwing send report how the arm felt
Game changer accounts to see pitch loads and track pitchers progress
Prescription for each individual pitches (no arm side run, vertical break on slider, flat fastball, etc) need to work on so they know what to work on based on where they are
When you lose your edge, you die
You may not be feeling it that day, but you can out compete that dude. You are not going to let that guy WIN.

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Borba notes

Bio

HC at Orange Lutheran for 15 years
- Multiple draft picks - most recent 1st rounder in 2022 class Mikey Romero
- 3 consecutive USA Baseball HS invitational title 2017-19 (first program ever to do it)
- 4 conference championships
De La Sale HC from 2004 - 2008
HC at Analy HS to start his head coaching career in 1999
- 2000 CIF championship
Long time USA Baseball staff member. Most recently the 18U national team
Incredible person, dad, and mentor

Notes

When you hate losing you have to focus process over the outcome
Focus on the bigger picture and the daily expectations
Create men that is going to be successful as fathers and husbands
When you invest in people there is a lot more return on your investment
Retreat, bible studies, team dinners, community service to build the brotherhood
Never talked about winning! Just about winning the day
Can we rely on you? Can teammate, coaches rely on you?
- Take care of the things you can on your own
Playing for a bigger cause!
Doing your part of to your best of your ability
Constantly adapting the team in high school
Sit down and reflect each year and what are we going to have to do to be successful
Establishing the things that are foundational
Adaptability is huge, USA is more on personality driven and being able to communicate
Getting that person to produce as much as possible
- High school is over time and through finding out what makes them tick
- USA is maximizing the hand
To truly build relationships you have to know the person beyond what they do
Open the air to build trust
We all have to be able to trust one another
Doing it for 25 guys
Fall is for evaluation period
Winter is for retreat
- Goals, internal hurdles
- Activities - ropes courses
- Bonfire
- Chapel service
Team building with parents along with players
More trust you can bring through the parents the more trust you can build more from the players
Extra innings - pizza once a month, meal with parents - halftime of a game to give a “state of the union” address of the program.
Booster committee to be the middle man for communication between staff and parents
Every setback is a setup!
Baseball is a small part of who we are based on the grand scheme of life
The most successful people are people people
The impact that we can have on young men and women are impacting them on what they become - there is so much more rewards for that
The reward is the kids no one knows outside our program
There are always outside influences on us, and if you believe there is something that is helping you then it is helping you. Be disciplined in your choices
Much more intentional with my daughter to build that relationship
Separate dad from coach
Outside of the lines you need to have both
Do you want the dad answer or the coach answer?
Be dad at home
“This is what it takes”
This has to be your drive internally
I want to have more of an influence on his mind that his physical body
- Get him thinking right!!
Creating habits for life
Being a sponge and understanding people around you
The people we choose to surround ourselves with have a big impact
We can learn 1 thing from everyone

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Scott Jackson Notes

Bio

Head Coach of Liberty University since 2016
Lead the flames to 3 consecutive NCAA appearances for the first time in school history
2021 Conference coach of the year
3 regional wins in his time as HC
GPA of 3.0 or better every year as a HC
11 players signed to MLB contracts during his time
Reached highest ranking in program history (14) in 2022
Breaking school records in strikeouts (620) and fielding percentage (.984), and consecutive wins (13)
Former AC at UNC Chapel Hill where they went to 3 World Series, 6 straight regionals, and an ACC championship
5 Liberty alums on the staff. 4 out of 5 played for the staff
Winner!!!!

Notes

- Great players win games!
- Right support, thought you could win, and win in post season on regular basis
- Have to have really good players
- Recruiting has stayed consistent
- Staff has stayed consistent
- Starts on a regular basis - can you show up everyday
- Admin has been supportive to be consistent
- Ultimate student athlete experience
  - Leave liberty and saying WOW
  - All parts of life
  - Baseball part last because if other parts are not bigger then baseball will not be as best
  - Keep priorities in line - habits and routines in place to make
- Frame the habits and routines
  - Wake up
  - Food
  - Class
  - Food
  - Stadium
  - How does it look for you?
- Stack enough good days and body knows what to expect
- Check in with players to see what does work for them
- Connect with the kids that has nothing to do with baseball.
- Relationship not just built on the game
I don’t want our relationship to be all about baseball and tied to the player performance
Come down to the park and leave everything and just be yourself at the ballpark!
We talk about trust a lot with our players
As long as we trust each other we can get through anything
Staff meetings to keep pulse of players to see who needs a sit down and who is just having a bad day
To establish trust you have to talk about your plan and goals for the kids
- How are we going to tackle (bullpen, grades, on time, etc)
Make our team collectively and individually not worry and trust
Stop and listen, let kids talk, ask questions, get to know the details
Never say I have seen it all!
Office door is always open
The amount of time that things happen exactly the way they thought it would is very small.
Bring your mother on a visit to know that someone will take care of your son
If it’s just the baseball piece, don’t come here!
It will come across really genuine or it will come across as a used car salesman/artificial
Evolved over time with a passion for connection
Are we delivering on the things we told these kids
God has a plan for your life that is way better than what you have planned
Life is about people and about relationships
The more simple and direct, the easier it is to look back on it
When you get outside yourself you will be surprised how much better you can perform
Waited a couple years to focus on a couple pillars
Focus on those 3 pillars fully everyday and then Omaha takes care of itself, its a byproduct
Started with relationships with the kids and having fun with the kids on the field. I wanted it to be authentic and genuine
Be there for them!! Be part of their journey and feel like I am fighting for them
Keep eyes open on staff that are a great fit!
Created a job description for the new positions on staff
If you have a passion for people, we all have a passion for baseball, but you have to have a passion for people.
Keep your head down and not worry about what is next
Be so good with the relationships you are in right now, be where your feet are, and be present in the relationships you have
The right place, the right people (trust), you will get through things that come up

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BIO

Centre College HC
15U USA Baseball National Team Manager
Most recent 2022 USA Baseball Developmental Coach of the Year
Centre College record for wins in a season
Center college record for season winning percentage
Former AC with Birmingham Southern
- 10 conference titles
- 4 straight regional appearances
Has worked with USA baseball task force, AC on 15U national team in 2016 before getting promoted to manager in 2021

Notes

Some of the best coaches are HC coaches based on the experience at the task force (ground level)
“The gold standard” - how you go about your business
Performing at a high level no matter what you do
Trickle down from director to veteran coach to new coaches to set the standard
- Same formula in business and team
- Doesn’t happen without a clear vision
First meeting go over the 10 standards of Center
Individual decisions we make each day that build the vision or deviate from the vision.
Motivating young people to make decision for the greater good
Vision called “1 mission” - USA Baseball - “quick bake”
College/School level - vision bigger and crossover into academic and personal realm
We have to establish a relationship to see what makes them tick
Talk about things other than baseball
- How is your body?
- Understand their thought process to help steer them in the right direction
  - What do you like here?
  - What are you most comfortable
- Grab them during down times or transitions
Collaborative communication - ask a lot of questions about themselves and different situations
Talk to kids and they earn that trust
Have ownership and intentionality with their own game
They work their game and work who they are
Number 1 job as parents
Coach pitch scrimmage
Live at bats for guys who did not play so much over the weekend
Machine pitch league - 3 teams and played twice a week and simulate velo
Classroom before drilling it
Intangibles are definitely something that has to be evaluated
Checking in with kids about the lineup and how the game is going
Top 2 hitters will hit top 3 to get most at bats
Low strikeout guy in the 5 hole (12%)
Play to strengths of the lineup
Feed them (my staff) information to help them during the game
Allow assistant coaches to be assistant coaches
AC Be ready to show up and get to work!
AC realize the power you have being the conduit between HC and players
HC set clear vision of what we are going to do. Here is what is going to happen and how it will happen
The foundation and what the team is about starts and ends right with me (HC)
We have to set the hook and then make the choice to show up and work
The game will continue…
We allow the wins and losses to effect our relationships with our players
Make sure the relationships are solid, and be sure

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Ed Blankmeyer notes

Bio

Former manager of Brooklyn Cyclones of New York Penn League
Former St Johns HC (1996 - 2020)
Winningest coach in St Johns history
6 Big east conference regular season championships
5 Big Beast tournament championships
1 super regional appearance
Winningest coach in Big East history
ABCA Hall of Fame
Ranked top 25 of all Division 1 coach in career wins
3 tours with USA Baseball

Notes

Had an itch for professional
Develop a winning program, a winning culture
College baseball pays better
Coaching is coaching
- Relationships
- Accountable
- Routines
Good players are routine driven
- Daily routine
- Game prep routine
- Post game routine
- Finding the right data
- Stick to it, tweek it, and it gets you through the season
Work through drills to help work through the drill
Defensive sequences
Hitting routines
Individual development complimented by team development
Ins the framework make it competitive
How will we know if our drills are working?
Game comes down to pitching and hitting
Its a game of 1-1
Game called 1 pitch
- Script pitches
- Script counts
- Scripts situations
Live defense work
Time clock when doing defense work
- 8 seconds to 2b
- Change up times to 1b
Situations
Define the game
8 different situations
- What happens the most
  - No runners
  - Runners on 1B
Played against the clock with all defenders out
Clips video of plays good and bad to go over in meetings
Utilize video to catalog when they are swinging the bat good
Video the pitcher on 3 sides of pitcher to see if we are missing anything
Get a person facing a batter on your game mound more they will get better
How do you know how the player will respond when it gets tough?
Prior to stretch we would go through mental routines.
- Runners on base
- Pre pitch
- Post pitch
- Infielders step in
- In the box
- On deck
- Visual, self talk, and breathing
For all physical skills you need to train your mental routines
Meditations are good
Breath and meditate to relax
Some guys are better at 70% what they are
Find the level of flow that you feel comfortable to allows you to execute consistently
If you expect them to do mental routines, you have to practice
Quality vs quantity
Before defensive we would do baserunning techniques then do baserunning reads, situations, BP live reads
Is it right for this player? (in terms of the weather)
- Not putting players at risk
Would we play in this weather?
Teaching is done in classroom or locker room if needed
Work and repetitions in cold weather
Modified intersquad when its cold
Pitches outside and then finish inside
Concerns with the ups and downs and how many pitches
red , yellow, green pitching communication for pitchers to get ready (warm up, get hot, go in)
Get good players to buy into what you want to do
Good players that fit your system
Continuity in the coaching staff
Work hard, work smart
All about relationships that improve communication
Communicate and collaborate with the player
You create the bond and trust you can get more out of the player
Get athletes - they will grow and improve
You have to be able to adapt to the game
The game is the game, teach the game the way its supposed to be played
Synthesize the information for all the information that the player can consume.
I’m going to coach you the way you need to be coached!
I’m a learner
I’m going to let you do it, and we will collaborate it

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Mamula “Mams” Notes

Mam - you - la

Bio

HC at University of Delaware
First year as HC
Former recruiting coordinator and associate head coach at Florida Atlantic University
- 3 NCAA Regional appearances and won 2 Conference USA regular season titles
2019 Conference USA Assistant Coach of the Year
Former assistant coach at the University of Cincinnati
Former head coach at West Chester University for three years
- PSAC East Coach of the Year and Atlantic Region Coach of the Year in 2009
- Reached the World Series and placed 7th
Former assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Delaware from 2002-06
mamula@udel.edu

Notes

Change the expectations
Everything worthwhile is uphill!
We will resort to what we know
Its the guys that genuinely care about each other are the teams that win in April and May
Getting to know each other the last 10 minutes of practice
- Hero, highlight, hardship
- NO CAPTAINS
- Leadership training - 21 laws of leadership - each guy teaches 1 law of leadership and how to apply it to the program
- Last 10 minutes of weight room break it down and call out players who did it well that day!
We are all leaders! Household, job,
Only as effective as the guys handle it and deal with it
Not having captains because we are all leaders and can lead in different ways
It is important to the staff that the players feel it is their team!!
Naming guys captains put undo pressure on them
I’m going to take notes and discuss/evaluate the next day
Nobody is going to hit more on the field as much
Rotations
- Coach BP (3 days)
- Machine BP (2 (days)
- Everyday rounds they don’t know what is coming
- Scripted and know the goal each round
- Recycling the good rounds
- Records are posted!!
- Chart all Bp (hard hit or not)
- Rank the hard hit % of hitters each day
- If you are going to spaz out in BP we got no shot in the game
- Defense is about getting pre pitch and first step down, we know you can catch the ball
I want them to practice to get to that swing if they are a power guy
Total rounds - 6 swings. Lose swings when don’t get bunt down
Get some bunts down to help not shift
Break the plate into thirds
We fall back to our training, if we trained appropriately then we just compete
Avoid talking about striking out!! We want to be fearless and not worrying about striking out
2K approach
- Every swing is aggressive
- In the end we still want to hit doubles and hit the ball hard
- At our level we don’t just put it in play
- Fear not getting off aggressive swings!!
- Personal 2k adjustments - in the box, hands, swing, etc
Leave them be and see what works for them
Early Work - Warm up with tee, flips, and most work with coach throwing over hand or off machine
BP is hard in our program
We will mix in feel good BP as needed
Major leaguers can practice at 50%, but the lower levels just cannot practice at that level. We need to do practice different

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Bio

HC of Virginia Military Institute
Been pitching coach at VMI since 2017
- As a pitching coach recruited and mentored
  - Josh Winder (7th round Twins)
  - Matt Eagle (Free agent with Dodgers)
  - Zak Kent (9th round Rangers)
VMI’s all time hit leader
Top 3 in 9 offensive categories
Drafted by the Oakland A’s as an infielder and transitioned to a pitcher his last 2 seasons in pro ball
robertsjs@vmi.edu
https://vmikeydets.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/sam-roberts/1206
VMI had 3 current big leaguers in the big leagues this year!!

Notes

What works in college baseball?
I got to get a hold of this guy!! (Learner)
Think about more of the stuff we DO have, and not what we DON’T have
We are trying to get our kids to be their own best coach
Track
- Swing and miss in the zone
- Strike %
- Avg miss
- Swing and miss
Don’t want kids to lock up due to too much information
Kid to kid - coach needs to have an idea
Buy in from the information that puts kids in best position
Information holds coaches accountable
Coaches have an idea of what the kid can handle
Overall goal of pitcher is to get outs efficiently
Videos in locker rooms of guys having success
Before any knowledge you can give them they need to know you care
Communicating with kids is most important to build relationship
- How was your day
- Are you having a good day
- Being there for them
Talk to them outside the baseball field
Ultimately you create more buy in based upon being there for the guys
Be sure the information we are giving guys is allowing them to still play loose and fast.
Do not get caught up in the negative results
Consistently preach your message, so they don’t fear the mistake
Get our guys in a position to understand themselves
Practice
- Ton of baserunning - 20/30 minutes
  - Bullpen pitcher right to the field to take reps off pitcher. Multiple lines to maximize reps.
  - Live fungo
- Individualized as much as we can
- Break down each guys movements and plan how to attack it
- Be comfortable in an uncomfortable situation
- Relief guys don’t throw on a fresh mound!
- Start with starters!!
- The things that you value the teams are better at
- Create a situation that we can help multiple guys
- “Competitive moments”
  - Last thing we do everyday
  - Little bit uncomfortable
  - Whole team
  - Create different situations to compete and outside comfort zone
VMI had 3 guys in the major leagues this year!!
Your best learner is failure

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Bio

Enters his 13th year as Air Force baseball head coach in 2023
Coach Kaz retired from active duty (20 years), effective June 1, 2011, and his interim tag was lifted to official head coach status.
A former player and Academy graduate, Kazlausky epitomizes what it means to don the Falcon baseball Blue and White.
In first year he lead the program to the most wins since 2002 and second-most in school history against Division I
Over 200 wins as Air Force's head man
In 2016 The Falcons posted a 30-27 record, the second most wins for anyone at Air Force
Six MLB Draft Picks
Five All-Americans
Three Freshman All-Americans
All while leading young men to help better our country first and foremost.
Inspiring leadership for “America’s Team”

Notes

You have to know your people
How are you going to be an effective leader if you don’t know your people?
What are my priorities in life?
How can I be an effective leader if I can’t be a good dad?
I want them to see me outside of a coach
How do you define winning?
How do you define success
Get off the scoreboard
- They trust you more
- Better relationship
- Far outweighs the white lines
- If i can’t be that person then i need to get out
We are making them war fighters! The mission is a little different here
We are here to serve and fight
Mission is fly fight and win!
We hold kids and coaches accountable
Tell them and show them how much I love and care about them
Take what i learned as a dad, husband, military background and teach it to everyone
Mission has nothing to do with baseball
Set standards for your program
Its what our nation needs!
1 rule - DO IT RIGHT!
Buy into our school, our military, and our program
Hold them to high expectations hold accountable to the standards
You learn so much from sports because you learn so much about yourself
You have an “opportunity” to come play baseball
Hold people accountable to the commitment or de-commitment
We don't play any home games, because we don’t fight any wars on our home turf!
I’m there dad
Its not war, its a game, we shake our hands after the game and go home
I don’t believe in switching the light switch, we want you always on! ATTACK!
Its a lifestyle
Lead by examples
You know your people
You take care of your people
You need to set goals for every kid in that program
Accountability and expectations are huge!
Don’t want people that settle. We want people to be excellent
We give our team leadership council (team of leaders for the team)
I want kids to make decisions
We put no limits, no boundaries on our kids
We love for our kids to fail. How are you going to be a better leader if you don’t know how to fail?
If we trained for it, prepped for it, had a routine then we will live with the result
MAD - Make a difference. As adults is to make a difference
Young people is about living your life with no regrets
Be the person you can be today!!!
Standards never sleep, and you are always on parade!!!
Winning is important, but how do you define it?
Follow our program on social media, come visit, email me!

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Monaghan Notes

Bio

Pitching coach/Recruiting coordinator Rutgers University
bmonaghan@scarletknights.com
732-445-7746
Recruited to help set a program record of 44 wins in 2022.
Rutgers pitchers set program records for strikeouts with 534, shattering previous mark of 398.
2021 helped Scarlet Knights finished with highest conference winning percentage since joining the Big10.
Previously coached at Bryant where they won the conference, had the POT, and finished either 1st or 2nd in the league in strikeouts.
Help recruit and develop the only pitcher in Bryant history to win multiple POY honors.
Prior to Bryant he served on the staff at George Washington and UMASS Lowell
He began his coaching career as a volunteer at his alma mater, St Johns

Notes

Identifying what teams are going to do to win
Identifying how we are going to win with the team we have
- Within the system, within the non-negotiables
Toughness, commitment and development (pillars/non-negotiables)
- Talk about every day
- Brought it from Bryant
- Part of staff of who we are and what we want to be about
Relationship building with family and coaches to help identify the type of players that fit in the system
7 day cycle for a pitcher
- 7th day is the start
- Day 1 = recovery, pick up the ball or option to throw, heavy lift day, soft tissue and mobility work
- Day 2 and 3 = more volume throwing, building it back up. More lifting and conditioning.
- Day 4 = bullpen day, day 2 and 3 get ready for bullpen
  - Based on previous outting, need, time of year
- Build and critique the system each day
- Day 5 and 6 = recover from bullpen and get geared up for day 7. Recover similarly from day 1.
Routine vs superstition (Adam Wainwright)
Relief pitching depends on the volume
- On the mound no more than 3 days in between
Communication between my relief pitcher and me.
Being open to the adjustment needed in throwing to get right
Get more out of my guys with communication
- What they need
- What gets them feeling right
- What get them most prepared
Doing it not just to check a box, but for their benefit, doing the “right” work
Get them understanding the purpose and how they are going about their work
We need to figure out why these dots are not lining up.
How can we adjust your routine?
Track each guy and individual rows and columns for each guy
Proactive with communication - we are not figuring out who is throwing a bullpen at the start of practice
If you don’t have 3 elite pitches you can’t get through a line up 3 times
If he can give us 6 innings in a week it may work to get it multiple times
Kept guys out of their own way!
Manage things the right way as you understand your personnel
Try to put guys in the best position to succeed.
Play the game! Play the game the right way and with your team
Winning is important to us and we want winner
Do it for the joy of being with your teammates and to win
bmonaghan@scarletknights.com
732-445-7746
@MonnyBall15

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Alex Guerra Notes

Bio

Head Coach at Radford University
Former player at Radford
Former assistant coach at Radford University (2014-2015)
For the past 7 years he has been the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at James Madison University (2016-2022)
Started in college baseball at Central Florida as their director of baseball operations as well as their volunteer assistant coach (2012-13)
Passionate!
Aggressive player and coach!
Serious about coaching!

Notes

Got into coaching because you want to impact people
Who did I want to surround myself with as a staff?
Have the right people around you on a daily basis
Have a guy that knew the area
Developing great relationships with players, well versed in coaching, constantly learning, passionate about recruiting
I want guys that want to be at Radford
You need to define that you want in those positions when hiring a staff
With my personality I need someone….
Stick to your guns, and you have to be ok with making decisions that someone won’t like it
How you explain the decisions is important
Have something done before expected
Challenging yourself to get better
The people I work with are family to me
This is how we are going to build it, and players will have to total ownership of it
You either will be about it, or you just won’t be around it
The head coach needs to set a direction for the entire program
“We are going to be a Blue Collar Family”
- Everyday there will some type of lesson, example that you will bring back to define our culture
Being vulnerable is going to be a part of our culture, and The coach needs to be one who starts that.
Consistency is the best thing a coach can do. Whatever we do just stay consistent that helps cultivate our culture daily
If you have the good players and can develop them with a strong culture you have a chance to win championships
Consistently communicate to our guy what exactly their role is
The process, the culture comes from one voice
Be myself, treat people with respect, hold them accountable
Twitter - @AGBaseball9
ajguerra@radford.edu

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Bio

Current HC at East Carolina University
13 NCAA Regionals
2 College World Series appearances
four-time American Athletic Conference Coach-of-the-Year
6 NCAA Regional berths (2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022 Greenville Regional host)
4 Super Regional appearances (2022 Greenville Super Regional)
3 American Athletic Conference Regular season championships
3 AAC Tournament crowns
304-151-1 (.668) overall record
20 players have earned All-America status, while 23 were NCAA All-Regional selections, 33 were named all-conference (26 first teamers) and 14 were drafted by Major League Baseball teams.
64 players who have gone on to the professional ranks during his time as a coach at the Division I level
2 time USA Baseball National Team Staff member
Strong man of faith
One of the top respected people in college baseball

Notes

Those rings represent relationships
I believe I am at ECU for these moments not the championships
I am more of coach to help people in tough times
There is no textbook handed to your coach when dealing with a death or tragic incident
SPORTWORKS company to do devotionals 2x week
Each kid stands up and recites the mission, vision and pirate code before we play
You will fall back on your preparation.
Culture is more important than any mechanic
I don’t need to go to Omaha for my ego. I want it for the other people more than me
The more you give, the more you recieve.
PIRATES has stayed consistent
Vision has stayed pretty consistent
There has to be a unbelievable amount of trust between coaches and players and it has to be 2 way street
You have to be there everyday in terms of taking advice from pitching/hitting coach
Unlimited trust on both sides
Motto - triangle
- Trust
- Selfless
- Communication
Goals
We don’t talk about them everyday, we focus on getting 1% everyday
Those things are more important to me when we can get people ready for life
Its not just me on a podcast, people know exactly what they need to do here
Look in the mirror and ask myself what I can do better??!!
I try to speak to all of the players everyday
Schedule meetings with individual players during the week
When body language is off you schedule a meeting and talk
The cell phone does not go out with me to practice
I didn’t want to bring anyone external to our program because the foundation as already been set
Hiring the right people!!
If you hire young people who are hardworking and loyal, it will work out!!
I need your loyalty!
Write gratitude letters before thanksgiving
None of us would be where we are without the help of someone else
Best players have in common
- Comfortable in your own skin, be who you are
- Ultra competitive, hated losing
Players advice
- Where you invest your time that is where you will get your best results
- You become the average of the 5 people you hang out with. Its all about who you hang out with
- Don’t play the comparison game
- Be the best version of yourself
- If you are going to do it, do it your best
- Do things that you don’t like to do
Coach advice
- Keep blinders on and not worry about what someone else is doing
- Don’t spread yourself too thin
- You can get the players to do anything but you can’t get them to do everything
- Work hard, work your tail off, be loyal to who you work for
Just keep showing up! It just won’t happen tomorrow.

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Bio

5th head coach in UMBC (University of Maryland Baltimore County) history
8 years as an Assistant coach before being named HC
AC during America East Championship run in 2017 while he was pitching coach
- surrendered just three runs per game
- schools first America East Championship
- third NCAA Tournament appearance
- Bowen recruited the 2017 America East Rookie of the Year, Christian Torres.
lowering the team ERA from 9.01 in 2012 to 3.30 in 2015, the best improvement in the country over that span.
Bowen has recruited and coached four freshman All-Americans, 33 All-Conference selections and 15 All-Rookie team selections
Well respected coach and person

Notes

Fit a need on our roster
Academic fit, high level enough student that can succeed in our school
People we can trust in our program
Find the player that excites you on the field first to be sure they can play in our conference
There is way more to baseball a D1 player than just playing baseball
Being a d1 player, there is a lot going into it
Keep the schedule consistent
Master the routine
Give the assistant their time
Hire the right guys
Make umbc the best place for assistant coaches
How do I get our coaches in the best position to impact the players?
How do I make that strength relevant for my assistants?
This is what I am good at, how can I make an impact on my guys?
Division of labor - everyone gets to do some work and people get to do what fires them up
Common character traits
- Selfless - we win and lose together
- If you get the right characters you can get everyone working together
Selfless and reliable people
- Define them
- Reliable - delivery their skillset on the field consistently. “What do you look like on your bad day?”
- Selfless - genuine joy of serving others. Can you find joy in your team and teammates' success?
A team with true chemistry is guys who have a high regard for the team.
If your not good when you are on, you better stop pitching.
You got to clock your outs
Each moment is important and how it affects your future, innings, result, season, next year, etc
You don’t want the guys to feel like you are taking english 101 for 4 years. You use what the team needs.
The most important scouting is your own practice time
One practice a week, during the spring, we run practice like individuals and small groups
You got to make time to use all the tools
Respond to your own ball flight
- Everytime I throw the ball it needs to have the same shape
Play a high level game of catch
Hitter find the ball flight that will make you the most successful
10/80/10 -
- 10 percent will scrap
- 10 percent will be very good
- 80 percent who knows themselves the best
  - How do I take my strengths into winning baseball and helping the team
Know your identity and find a way to delivery it everyday through their reliability
Let yourself be ok with not being the top 10%
- It is so impactful for our team and for their future
We have a unique opportunity in our sport to teach these values because our game is so hard.
Find a time to pick your spots where the player will be ready to listen
If you are pushing yourself everyday you deserve honesty from the coaching staff
Players give effort, coaches give the truth - if anyone falls on that scale things fall
We will use every avenue available to help our team get better
Portal is a compressed process
Roster is smaller to be sure we can make an impact on all our players.
What are the players going to remember about you?
How do you learn and grow your own process
How are we going to respond to this new environment?
I know we are going to be selfless and reliable. It is our north star
Twitter and come see us play! @UMBCbaseball
League plays Fri-Sun
Come in for free and enjoy!

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Bio

Current Head Coach at Ohio State University
One of the most accomplished assistant coaches in the country with stops at seven different Power 5 programs.
associate head coach at TCU for nine seasons (2014-22)
nearly 30 years of collegiate coaching experience and seven more years of experience as a minor league manager.
2017 he was tabbed a coach on the USA Baseball 18U National Team
2018 16U NTDP head coach
coached over 90 major league players, 28 All-Stars, two batting title winners, two AL MVPs, one AL Rookie of the Year and 2012 Cy Young award winner R.A. Dickey.
tutored MLB phenom Mike Trout for nearly two full seasons when he was part of the Arkansas Travelers AA club of the Angels
Worked in the Yankees organization as well as with coaching icon Auggie Gorrido at Cal State Fullerton
Offensive mastermind at each step of the way working with the top 5% of the game
ABCA clinician speaker
Incredible baseball mind
Hell of a baseball GUY!!

Notes

- Adapt or die and you have to make some adjustments.
- I Have a certain set of core beliefs
- Have to be able to relate to the players
- How do players learn?
- Wear the pants the right way
- No bat flips - play the game with enthusiasm
- Going to keep joy in our own team
- Want them to have a blast but you have to respect your teammates and your team
Keeper of the game!!!
Teach guys to play the game the right way. Respect your opponents and respecting the team
Baserunning is something we can bring to the park everyday
Runner at 1b never knows when the guy at 2b will steal
Baserunning worked on daily - some type of theme
You can work on instincts
You need to make a big deal about it everyday
Don’t mistake activity for achievement. If you are not detail oriented you are just oding activity
A great player learns from other players mistakes
Good players learns from their own mistakes
I have to do a better job articulating
You cannot assume anything
We can steal runs throughout the season from our daily baserunning work
The FREEBIE WAR is huge for us! Just like the football coach is trying to win the turnover battle
Different between reckless and fearless
My guys are going to run because they can make it
Enable your players that they can do things.
Never underestimate your players
Trust your players the sky limit
Culture is how you operate
- Define it and then demand it
- Its just like a swing, you teach it daily
- O - ownership
- H - hard working
- I - integrity
- 0 - one pitch at a time
- Define them and what do they mean
- If you are doing it right they can tell you and you need you need to teach it daily
Thoughts become things!
I need them to see it, and make it important to them
There are great kids all over the country
Lets keep it simple
Meet everyday and discuss everyday and keep it simple - 5 minutes a day
Compound effect - doing a little a lot
Video of what the play looks like
Take notes, watch video, demonstrate, and then rep it out
Brian Cain talking about dugout participation
- be a great teammate, be engaged, and be sure they are doing it
Team organizational meetings
- Special guest speaker
- What do you know now that you wish you knew then
All these things you have to teach and worked on daily
You can only take out what you put in (bank account)
Great players
- Super coachable
- Invested in teammates
- Quick learners
- Comfortable being uncomfortable - when you make changes that is where you grow
Success leaves clues!
Growth is what we are all trying to get
Learners mindset
Its what you know after you know it all that counts the most
If i am going to ask my players to grow why wouldn’t I, the coach, be growing
Great coaches
- ask questions
- We all need help
- Learners
- Humble in the way they acted
- Be who you are
- Continue to make adjustments
I like to stay in the dugout so they don’t even know I am there
Ohio State website - https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/coach/bill-mosiello/

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Robbie Britt

HC University of Charleston (WV)

Bio

Finished 3rd year a HC of Golden Eagles
16-game win streak, the longest in program history
11th in the country, its highest national ranking in program history.
third straight regular season conference championship with a 24-4 conference record,
hosted the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional for the first time in the program’s 118-year history.
4th straight semester with a team gpa above a 3.0 and served over 1000 hours of community service
5 top-25 victories, including a victory over #6 ranked Ashland, and a win over #15 ranked Wingate, a first in the history of the program.
Former assistant and interim head baseball coach at Middle Tennessee State University from 2015-2018.

2022 Notes

40-18 Record (2nd most in program history)

Mountain East Regular Season & Tournament Champions

NCAA Atlantic Regional Finalist

4th straight conference championship and NCAA Tournament Appearance

6th straight semester with a 3.0+ team gpa

1000 Hours of Community Service in the Charleston community

Robbie Britt Notes

82-36 Career Record (.694 Win %)

53-12 Conference Record (.815 Win %)

Married to Courtney, Father to Ellie (3) and Camp (2).

Speaker at ABCA Barnstormer, TBCA, WVBCA, OHSBCA Conventions

Owner/CEO Culture House LLC., Empower Leaders, Inspire Excellence

Other Notes

Coaching Staff Features a Unique Model - Young Coaches, Bold Opportunities

Three Program Pillars: Graduate Leaders, Create Champions, Develop Stewards

UCWV Features 3 professional players (Logan Campbell, RHP Minnesota Twins; Austin Henrich, RHP Frontier League; Colt Webb, High Point Rockers, Atlantic League)

Show Notes

- Staffing provides the experience for the students athletes
- Oldest coach at 29
- If you hire great people, and unlock them to do great work, you can provide an awesome experience
- Creative content position
- 7 coaches who have coached with Britt now who are now in full time coaching positions
- Hire people who
  - Self starters, internally motivated
  - Growth minded - want to learn
  - Collaborative and spirited
- Replicating the model
  - Get a high school student involve
  - Clearly define expectations and what it looks like
  - Empower them to get it done
- Identify what you want it to look like (create the vision with width and depth)
- Width = a lot of people
- Depth = its not just about winning (something greater, the “transcendent” student experience
- Who are the people?
- What are the things I need in my organization?
- What am I good at? What am I not good at?
- Define a clearly defined program for the individual (staff and player)
- Player and personal side of player development (hire a player development)
- Cast, clip, quote
- Look at your resources
Either worry about your resources or worry about your resourcefulness!
Are their people on campus that want to help your baseball players?
Is there a math teacher that would break down metrics? Create a meaningful title
Do it If there is value to your program and you have a willingness to be told NO!
Recruited a director of analytics just like a student athlete!!
Life skills and platform you are teaching through the content
If you are teaching so you can coach, you are out of wack!!!
Made us be really focused on the type of recruit that is a fit for us!
Run it like a business/board meeting - we meet everyday
Individual staff meetings
The “unseen” hours - where you make life work
What are the metrics that we feel leads to winning? (clarify the metrics that are important)
- Core principles
- Primary strategies
- performance indicators
  - EV with LA on BIP
Physicality wins!
Ever evolving (finding clarity)
Clarity is always the goal, but evolution towards clarity is what you are trying to achieve (excellence)
Its what the game provides!!
@CoachRB6, @UCWV_baseball
www.ucgoldeneagles.com
Go to baseball page and then “mountain state of mind blog”
Google - “mountain state of mind blog”
robertbritt@ucwv.edu

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Jack Leggett

Bio

Former HC of USA Baseball 18U National Team
Author of the ABC’s of Coaching
2014 ABCA Hall of Fame member
Former head coach of the Clemson Tigers from 1994 to 2015
- 21 NCAA appearances, 9 Super Regional appearances, and 6 trips to the College World Series
- compiled a 955-480 record at Clemson
coached over 140 professional baseball signees, 9 first rounders, and 25 players who have played in the Major Leagues.
His 1,332 wins as a HC ranks 9th all time for Division 1
ACC COY 1994, 1995 and 2006
Watch Jack Leggett “The Man” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnosgDOBjY4&t=4s
See more on his website - https://jackleggett.com/

Notes

Delegated a lot to the players with small coaching staff
Limited staff you had to know how to handle all aspects
Conflict, change, committed, championships
Make them believe we were all playing for 1 team (USA)
- First starts in the recruiting process - it will take you to be unselfish
- Emphasize at practice the unselfish plays
- Emphasize those elements in the game
  - Every player on the bench needs to recognize
Fundamentals are a big deal
We are committed to fundamentals
Throwing competition into your practice
- Engine runs at a higher level
If there is no competition or consequence then they think it is ok to not execute
If you practice like a harley davidson, then you will play like a harley davidson*
Intense, repetition, and accountability*
Talented play with fundamentals is much better than a talented player, and if they talented and fundamental and competitive they are special
Throwing drills, base running drills, kept it simple (plays that you only really need to use, and just get an out), relationships with players, seeing the wide lense of the game, handled umpires better, more poise
Helped being athletic, enthusiastic, and been around good coaching
The players knew I cared about them more than just being a baseball player*
You learn something all the time. Everytime you go to the field you find something to learn
The minute you stop coaching and teaching that are not slidable, then you need to stop coaching
watch, pay attention, listen, learn all the time, pick peoples brains, learn the fundamentals
Show them the right way, and then show them the wrong way
If you can show a kid something, break it down step by step, and then rep it
Roll the ball, roll it further away, short fungo, longer fungo, live ground ball
Accountability, feedback, and breakdown of fundamentals
Have a plan, keep it simple, rep it out
Willing to change, understand why he needs to change, attack the change
Be willing to trust you
Be willing to tell players WHY
You are passionate, you care, you are with them in the trenches is the most important quality that you care about them more than just a baseball player
Be able to talk to them when you lose and when you win
MTA - make the adjustment
Get to know your players so you make fewer mistakes
If you want your players to be in shape you should be in shape
If you can’t communicate what you know then it doesn’t matter how much you know
Body language during tough moments in a game
The most valuable lesson is the game is never over to till the last out, the last pitch - its never over
Changing pitchers are the toughest decisions
Make better decisions with better depth
Get a good feel for what is happening in the game that day
You can’t be right all the time
Knowing what your team is all about and having them prepared
Play consistently and be ready to play everyday together
Email on the website https://jackleggett.com/

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Bio

HC Carson Newman University
Over 18 years guiding the Eagles, the New Jersey-native has coached five Major League Baseball Draft Picks and 22 total professional players.
38 players have earned All-SAC honors, 15 have been named to all-region teams and seven have taken home All-American honors.
Griffin is considered one of the premier catching minds in the game authoring an instructional catching baseball video, "Catch It, Block It, Throw It"
featured speaker at the American Baseball Coaches Association convention in Orlando, Florida in 2007 and Anaheim, California in 2012.
He has compiled an overall record of 421-321 and a conference record of 187-165 at Carson Newman.
He is 605-489-2 in 30 seasons as a college baseball coach. (1 year in high school)
Griffin, ranked second among active SAC coaches, becomes the 37th active skipper in Division II to win 600 games as a head coach

Notes

Am I getting better at communicating?
Am I getting better at helping the players get better?
There is a greater purpose than the wins and losses
The purpose in coaching, and it helps us reflect
Coaches have a ton of content to be able to reflect and learn from so much of that good content
Help run camps!
This is more than just camp, this is lesson in life and how to play the game the right way
Be a constant learner
Learning when to say things
Find out about your kids and what makes them tick
Learn to communicate with kids either as a group or individually
Have a feel, common sense, street awareness
How do we get instincts?
- Experience, have awareness of what is happening, watching the game,
Variety in our training
Different drills create athlete as catcher
The body get used to the training it is under
Catchers Gear only comes off when they hit
Ask our catchers how their legs are train accordingly. This is after you get to know them so you know who to push and who to put the brakes on
Different stances during each commercials
Nothing better than catching bullpens for a catcher
Top Gun competition - different test for every aspect of competition
The more you can have some competition for receiving, blocking, throwing
Spending more time on hitting might not allow you to get in the lineup
Working on balls out of the zone to learn how to handle it.
- Gives the pitcher more confidence
- Keeps the run game in order
Dry work, shadow drills, specific area, simple to complex
Pushup to catch - help the body organize it and help when the skill is les complex
Training needs to be a higher level than the game so the game becomes easier
Visual training, verbal training, and have a lot of tools in the toolbox to help kids get better
We are teachers trying to get players from point a to point b
We all have opinions and no one is wrong
If i am passionate about something and i can get my players to buy in then do it!!
Skid mark on a movement object
Listen to the umpire (quit moving)
Its got to be something you believe and you are passionate about it and what works for you
What works for you!
You have to have some core principles
When you go shopping, bring a small cart
The key is getting the players to buy into what you are teaching
Servant hearts - when we develop our catcher we need to develop leaders!
The catching position is the leadership position
Pitching calling, umpire relationship, leading pitching staff/team relationships,
Classroom, video, we talk about it, show examples of leadership
If we don’t have them, we need to learn them
What are the traits of a good leader?
- Teach, talk, and practice it!
Get feedback when they do it!!
Remind them of the time we missed it
Specific feedback
Intentional about finding wins everyday!!
Pick up on things from a recruit during a visit and how they handle conversation and speak to parents
Can we change this mans life?? Why not us??
Never forget where your heart is and what your purpose is
Need someone to tell you the right thing and hold you accountable
Need some sort of pitt stop and check in to slow it down and take moments to spend time with someone to make sure you are
Any relationship starts with HELLO!
We don’t come to watch game, we come to learn!
Life is about relationships and learning from others!
You gotta see everything
- Bullpens to outfield - catch the good and catch the bad - want kids to know they are always being watch - everything matters
- Stretching, weight room - i need to evaluate the player to know you are going to our guy
- Want players to take ownership of that eventually
90% is being encouraging and 10% is correcting and holding the standard
Practice variety - plan it like the game (from offense to defense)
Baserunning, team defense, batting practice
Creating mass hysteria!!! Help make them make decisions in those chaotic times
Be a constant learner
Find a mentor
Find a servant heart
Help the game grow
We want a generational kid!
Program built on developing the generational player
tgriffin@cn.edu
https://catchblockthrowit.com/

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Bio

Current HC and AD Kimberly High School (WI)
Former HC at Oshkosh North
Former AC at Xavier University (OH)
His teams have won 9 FVA - Fox Valley Association Conference championships
- First ever baseball Conference championship at Oshkosh North 2005
9 sectional championships at Kimberly
two state championships at Kimberly (2007, 2017)
- Runner up in 2008, 2014, 2015
Over thirty players have garnered Academic All-State honors
Served on the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association’s (WBCA) Executive Board from 2009-2015 and was the President for two years
2022 American Baseball Coaches Association’s (ABCA) Ethics Awards Winner
ABCA National Convention speaker
District Coach of the Year three times
WI State Coach of the Year twice
ABCA’s Regional Coach of the Year twice
Former USA Baseball staff member

Note

Unity council - group of guys once every 3 weeks in fall to winter, once a week after 1st of year
- Returning varsity guys that choose to get more of their experience
- More reflective, more leadership skills,
- Players own it!
- Staff has to hold council accountable
- What do we want to do? Experiences
- Its more than baseball!
You need to have both, quality school/people and quality baseball experience
A ballplayer is also a man!!
It is the competitive environment that we bring to the program
Attitude of gratitude - we do it everyday so we live it!!
When you watch video you have to say good first, before you say anything critical
Who you are as a player you need to overcome as a coach.
Everything we do in practice is aligned and should make sense.
- Being a champion, being a ballplayer - you are a grinder, you take championship reps
Be your own best coach - know yourself, take your reps, and know what you need
The game slows down when you know what your doing
Pressure happens when you don’t know what’s happening
Food is a great barrier breaker
Get on the same store, same section, same shelf, same book, same chapter, same page, same line, same word
Common vocab - what does it mean to “hustle”
A whole number of words - give them the definition and what it means to us
Unity council create core values each year
This is your definition of ___ do you want to be apart of this?
Its not you, its your behavior
You have to be good when you don’t feel great. It is consistency!
We can have fun without looking in the other dugout
When the shampoo is rinsed out, its time to move on (good or bad)
Blue Collar shirts!!!
Each core value becomes a day, so we make it part of what we do
During throwing we do and talk to kids about the person
This guy listens, this really is our class
My goal is that every single day is to make you want to be here!
Learned in practice, didn’t learn,
Defensive checklist - ownership of what we need to work on
Live, what question, who do you feel exhibited, who is not exhibiting it,
Defining arm soreness - scale of 1-5 and be clear so we can help your arm so we can use it
- Helps us support the kid and becomes more positive
Anything we can do to help build a positive relationship, we need to do
When we are here, this is sacred time, it is special, and we don’t want anything to get in the way of it
Am I practicing what I preach?
There is part of practice for your personal development and parts that are team development
Don’t have an identity crisis - you need to know who you are, and help me understand you better
Here is how we improve certain metrics -
- How do those metrics help me be a better player
Credible info for college coach to get recruited
What is the best fit? Checklist for what you value?
Excited about, looking forward to, and worried about
If you are courageous enough to put signs down, then you better be courageous enough to make a mistake
Cell phone - 920-570-3369
Email - rmcginnis@kimberly.k12.wi.us
Its is the process, it is the journey that is the heart of what we do
Never should we anchor

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Bio

Chas Pippitt is the founder of Baseball Rebellion and creator of the Baseball Rebellion Hitting Methodology. A combination of his unique ability to breakdown the swing to hitters of all ages and his understanding of the importance of technology in training, Chas has amassed over 25,000 one-on-one lessons during his career. Chas has aided in the development of hundreds of travel ball all-stars, dozens of scholarship-level college athletes, and 25 MLB draft picks. In addition to his in person training, Chas does remote training with elite high school, college, and professional baseball players and fly in training with nationally recognized college programs.

Chas has also invented four hitting products, the Launch Angle Tee, the Drive Developer, the Rebel’s Rack, Rack Bat, and the Bat Drag Buster, currently used in all 50 states and internationally in over 12 countries. When he’s not doing lessons or working on new products, Chas is writing and developing content for www.baseballrebellion.com and its social media pages, and author of “Learn the Turn.”

Notes

Technology can bring more accountability to the coach
What the teacher knows fails in comparison to what the student does
Not everything I say will work for every player
If you are not measuring what you player is doing you are stealing from them
Restaurants use thermometer to make sure chicken is not under cooked, use your phone, pocket radar, sensor, pitch ball
Put money back in the program to help your players
10-15 degree hard they hit 800 as a team (reward the window)
Style of hit, style of swing can be built with hit trax to where the defenders will be in a game
We train to hit the ball where defenders are not, hit the ball harder, and pull the ball in the air straight (no hook)
Rotational skill acquisition
Turn faster with good posture, vision
Train from the great optimal level so when you go sub optimal it is easier
Harder more often, pull the ball more in the air, turn faster
Turn faster (chest to camera to away from camera, or how fast barrel goes from start to contact
“Proving improvement”
Not all players have the time. They have 1 game to get 1 at bat, and then 2, and then 3.
It doesn’t matter what I think of them, it matters how the players USES them (not understand, but use)
Work while you wait
If you assume just cause the player plays at a high level we are doing a player a disservice
Associate speed with hitting, not getting a hit with hitting
You can’t control getting a hit
Give yourself the best chance to turn fast with balance on time while you look at the ball
Confidence comes from trusting your preparation
A turn that they can control
Elevate the floor of their performance, anyone can hit a ball hard once a while
You don’t have anxiety of the history of past performances, but excitement for the task at hand from the training you went through
Know the rotational movements - Posture, balance, hip hinge,
Flare backside - stand up during turn, and head going forward
Assess and address
Every player benefits from practicing rotational movements
Disciplined through rules of rotation
Look fast and delay the turn to hit off speed (work on hesitating turn)
When they ask how to hit the off speed, they are ready to hit the off speed
The player is searching for feels that feel good
A movement solution that can work when he feels broken
He is the guy in the arena, and what works for him is great
You can apply rules of rotation to any swing
Maximize the opportunity.
Better posture, vision and timing
Game sense for vision testing
Head lamp swinging - head lamp and keep head on ball
Rack turns with multiple people on both sides, “Waterfall turns”
Work on rotational work like we think of sprint work and weightlighting
Contact Chas at https://baseballrebellion.com/

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Bio

19th year at Parkview HS (GA) 18th as HC
Former HC at Elbert County HS and AC Northwest Whitfield HS
2018 HOF class of the GA Dugout Club
GA Dugouts Club Ethics Award winner in 2021
In his tenure at Parkview the Panthers have:
- 3 national championships (2012, 2015, and 2018)
- 6 GA state championships
- 12 regional championships
14 guys drafted since he has been at Parkview
Over 200 players in college since he has been HC at Parkview

Notes

Travel program starts at 8 and ends at 14
- 12 weeks with each team - 6 offense and 6 defense to train coaches and players
- August - july 1
- Dad coach with paid assistant that goes to practice with them
- 11U and 12U paid HC and AC
- Mostly parkview kids
- Helps train the parents
- Learning the terminology
- Develop arm strength
  - Educating and taking care of your arm
- Defensive series taught to all ages
- 10-13u practice at least 1 practice together
- Blend a family atmosphere because they will eventually be on the same team working to win a state championship
- Parent meeting with the tradition, expectation, ladder system (freshman taking spot of sophomore and building their expectations).
- Head coaches only meeting to set expectations
- All coaches meeting to set expectations
Baseball class that gets all baseball guys 1:30-3:30 everyday
- Weightroom, speed and agility, leadership class
Be a great person, great student, great teammate, and the player will take care of itself
Leadership class
- Every wednesday and go into meeting room
- Hour-hour half
- 2022 seniors is first class to get class all 4 years
- Book study
- Discussion from each class member, break up into different classes
- Seniors took ownership of what they want out of the class/team
- During season do NG3 - mentor program (no coaches)
Every 2 weeks we meet with each class and air out and see what is going on
Player of the day and get them to talk in front of people (1 or 2 depending on schedule)
- If you get POD you have to speak about someone who made an impact in their life or a situation that made an impact on them
Everyday first hour and 45 minutes practiced together (pre practice bunt and mechanic work, stretch and warm up, and defensive skills)
Trust the process, look at the bigger picture (perspective)
Consistency from all the levels to hear the same message
We take what is there and work with it
You might think it is the best idea in the world but you have to tweek it to put it in your system
Infield throw around - each position has a bucket and make every throw during a game (charted)
White series - game like throws (on the clock) with catcher, infielder, and pitchers
Practices so fast that the game is slower
Everything we do we are trying to compete in a in game situation
21 outs everyday
Intersquad to make them compete under pressure
Let your guys coach!
You are going to have good practices and bad practices, learn from them and see what the coaches had to do with it
The player part should be easy
Don’t get lost in this game, don’t let the scoreboard run you!
Teach the game in life
chan.brown@gcpsk12.org

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Bio

Current HC at University of Arkansa Rich Mountain
- In his first season (started the program brand new) he led the bucks to a Plains district championship runner up
- 3rd season, recruited 2019-2020, played 2020-2021, getting ready to start “playing” year 2
2021 ABCA Ethics Coaching award winner
Former Horatio HS HC (28 years) - top of 2A and bottom of 3A
- HS Teacher of the year
- 3X ABCA region 6 COY
- 18 conference championships
- 10X regional championships
- Final four in the state 14 times
- 5X state champion
- Over 500 WINS

Notes

When the people around you set the bar high and help you do the right thing the ethics come naturally
Coaching is a relationship game (umpires, coaches, working on the field)
Treat everyone with respect, and the way you want to be treated
You can’t fool players now
Everything now needs to be modeled or you won’t get the buy in
Fine line between leading by example and sometimes you need to speak up
- If you don’t speak up you are condoning the behavior
Same player just a different version
1 year of experience 30 times, or 30 years of experience
We take days off when it is time to take days off
Always thinking long run and we need to be fresh at the end
You need to be able to read you team and play for the end game
Variety is a big deal (the mind of an adolescent), get as much variety and competition as possible
Better bunt game - pair up players and compete with a better bunt game
Validation BP - swings in a round, if they get a hit, they have to validate it with a bunt and score a point
Turn 2 game - 2 deep on infield, everyone else at home on the tee, run full speed to 1b, infielders try to turn 2 before runner gets to 1b,
Owes a payback - jumping jacks
Bridge activities - something that gets us to get to team d
- Live baserunning - 3 lines, and front guy actually goes live
- Push out or drag out - coach pitch
Team defense
- Fundamental drill - 4 rounds, PFP, ground ball on infield (time on the clock), pickoff, ball to outfield
  - Added a catcher play and timed DP (6 rounds)
  - Add stop watch to outfield
- Practice binder with game situation script
  - Game situation for team defense with live runners or vs air (time)
Team offense
- Game situation scripts
  - Runners at each base, yell out situation of each pitch
- Don’t train the same
  - Production point BP
    - 2 teams (could use more if you like)
      - Rbi, dirtbags, runners - execute specific skills based on who they are
    - Barrel, Barrel, Wall, Wall, Barel, wall - wall is it needs to get to the wall or get over the wall
    - Train guy specifically to their skills
- Pair up pitchers on different groups (nasty boys)
- Horse bullpens as you match up pitchers
- Technology makes it easier to compete!
  - 10% of your Max EV, with certain velo or spin rate
  - Test max EV off tee
  - Average EV on front toss, sitting down, over top, to imitate what they will see in the game
- You have to think about the level of baseball you are talking about in terms of playing the short game
- 28-32 ft from home plate painted on the field (kill bunt)
- Deer point game
  - Rectangle painted 10 ft wide parellel to baseline and split it in half
    - Pitcher side bunt 10 points, foul line side 20 points, on the line 30 points
    - Goal is to make it through 10 rounds and should be 100 points minimum
- Infield ball handling - 10 reps and raise ball in the air for winner
  - Around the waist
  - Around the knee
  - Figure 8
  - scissor
- 25 ball drill - 2 groups, 90 ft apart, 25 in a row, and then go 25 run downs, miss it, start back at 0,
- STAR drill - throw the ball back and forth 25 times in a row, never turn your back to the baseball, and can’t throw it to your immediate left and right.
- Find a mentor or as many as you can to help mentor you
- Reach out to coaches, and don’t be afraid to reach out,
- Lifelong learner - keep growing, keep learning
- If you are not reading, you are missing out!!
- Twitter - @spigner23
- lspigner@uarichmountain.edu

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Bio

Head Coach Central HS 6A (TX) - 2016
- Began as AC (2014)
- A team out of his district has played in last 4 state championships,
- nearly 100 wins in 6 years
AC Allen HS (biggest HS in Texas)
- 3 rounds deep in state playoffs
- Coached Kyler Murray
- State football championship (7 kids on that team have taken NFL snaps)
HC Mount Enterprise (4 years)
- Playoffs 3 out 4 years he was there
AC at Ballinger HS
- Both years went to state playoff
Been a football coach at stop of his career
Manager of Colorado Springs Snow Sox in the Pecos League
- 31-14 and won the division
The current Hitting coach for the Mat-Su Miners in the Alaskan League (Palmer, Alaska)
Pitching coach in the Texas Collegiate league for the Frisco Rough Riders
- Covid cut short season
Twitter - @kylewatson_22
Email - watsonkyle09@yahoo.com
903-522-2693

Notes

I wish there was so much that I knew when I was a player, and I would have been so much better
Signed up for Brain Cain immersion
Red light, yellow light, green light and what do we physically do when we are in those lights
What we need to do at the plate
Ball games are won and lost in between the ears!
Watch a big league game tonight and watch why they step out of the box and do what they do
Baseball class all year long
- Use classroom to show the WHY
- Give them a paper, what are you going to do to let that go? WRITE it down, and then practice it!!
- I want to see it!! Every time something bad happens, we need to do something.
- Before practice starts we do mental training and just listen, breath, and relax. Contain yourself, calm yourself down, and get back to green lights.
We work on it in the weight room too!
Control your breathing
Different kids learn different ways
I love the game so much I can listen and learn from them so much
I want to continue to learn and be a student of the game, don’t ever stop learning
I want to see my kids be successful
I want them experience that type of success
My heart has laces on it!!
Pitching need to attack the zone
- Ways to compete in the zone
- We want quality PITCH (not strike)
Play horse with 9 hole net
I want them to know WHY we throw those pitches
Pitchers should have a good routine
- Pre game to be ready for game time
- Players can come up with their own routine
- Type it up, laminate it, keep it with them
Hitters - routine and approach at the plate (mental approach)
- Attack fastballs early in the count
- Each of them have their approach
- HS goal - hit a double in oppo gap
  - Pitch dictates
Feeling things is one of the best things you can do to get better
Flat bats
- Palm up through the ball, no rollover
Chart hard hit balls (self scout)
Not yelling instruction while guy is at the plate
Having the correct mindset and approach is where the at bat is won!!
A3P - after 3 pitches, what happens within first 3 pitches
13 pitches of less each inning - we chart
Chart on the wall to see how their inning went
Tell him how confident we are with him to help with A3P, tell him how good our defense is to make a play for him (make 100% of the routine plays), throw the ball in a spot and do your job.
They don’t have to be the best baseball player, they just need to believe they are!
Practice planning
- Arm care - bands and arms up
- Mental break - lay down, listen, breath, and just be quiet
- Brian cain daily dominator
- Practice plan
- Catch play
- Fungo work
- BP session
  - Cages - focus bats, flat bats, regular bats
  - On field
    - Bunt, hit and run, behind runner, score runner, firework show!!
    - Baserunning group
    - Defensive group
    - Cage group
    - Group guys based on all levels
- Baserunning every other day and at the beginning of practice
  - Not every lead is good for everybody
  - Vaulting (jump) lead is not good for everyone, but others is sooooo good
  - Tight turns
  - Break up infield and outfield to teach/throw and then switch
  - Grass, dirt grass = 1st/3rd
  - Dirt, then grass, and side to side = 2 bases
- 3 days a week year round
  - In season - one light day, heavy day, and one recovery day
- Be open and honest with trying new things, but if I don’t know why then we won’t do it
- Give them a goal to allow them to be successful,
- Find the best way for them to learn
- Allowing kids to grow into their body before you make big time decisions to see where they may end up.
- Show them that you care!! The things they learn from the basebal field is what they will take long after they are done playing
- I want to get as many wedding invitations

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Bio

Current HC of McLennan CC, and national COY for D1 JUCO
2021 D1 JUCO national champions
In 9 seasons he is 322-125 (.720) record, including a 168-64 (.724) conference mark
three conference championships, three regional championships, a second-place finish at the 2015 JUCO World Series, and the 2021 NJCAA Division I Baseball National Championship
16 MLB Draft picks including the top NJCAA MLB Draft Pick in America in three of the last four years
3 consecutive years being ranked number 1 in NJCAA polls in some point of season
108 players went on to play at four- year universities with 87 advancing to play at the NCAA Division 1 level of competition.
Baylor University (1995-2012) as hitting coach and recruiting coordinator
- three Big 12 Conference titles, 12 NCAA Regional appearances, three Super Regional appearances and the 2005 College World Series.
Former Auburn AC under Hal Baird and made a WS appearance (1994)
Former Mississippi St GA, AC, and director of baseball ops under Ron Polk, making a WS appearance (1990)
Constant winner
Loved by many

Notes

We really want the kids to know we care about them more than just baseball players
Its more than just baseball with us
Surround yourself with great people
Pour into your players
Challenge of juco with only 1 or 2 years
Culture built every year -you will lose nearly half your team
Creating the idea we are trying to be excellent and what it means to grow up
Serving each other is big
Look for ways to encourage your teammate and encourage their efforts
Hold each other accountable - get to class, serve the team,
If we ask the player to serve each other we need to serve our players!!
No one is more important than the team
The only way for us to keep them here is that they love it here and we make it a great experience***
Juco allows for draft eligibility and still get a shot for their dream school
We expect that kid to make those base running plays but we don’t find ways to practice it often
- Helps hold kids accountable
This is my year 32, this is my players year number 1 *
I want performance
Approach is all about swinging at strikes and taking balls, pitch recognition
Help guys learn what they do well
Create ways for hitters to feel offensive! Have an approach of how to attack the pitcher
I don’t want my 9 hole guy to have the same approach as my 4 hole guy
Group hitters in their BP groups to work on what they need, and who they are
Get guys to be honest with themselves
Trust who you are and do what you do! BE YOU!!!
Get them to do what they do well, and maximize it for the team
Keep on the players
Set up situational BP
Its a mentality
Control their emotions or their emotions will control them! I got to keep working on it too!!!
Breath!! Stick with the process
Great players - incredibly hardworking, passion to improve, know where they are going, knew who they were, and not concerned with others
Bring in guys with great competitors with great mentality you are going to win!
Do they love it or not? I don’t want to kick you to work hard
Seeing guys that have passion and are good teammates
Talent is not enough
Are you shaving everyday? How big are your feet? Catch them before they have a lot room to grow
Do they have more left in the tank?
You want to look young in the recruiting world, dream on me that I still have a lot left in the tank!
I want these players to tell my daughters they loved me!!
Mthompson@mclennan.edu
Twitter - @mthompy25

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Jon Fitzpatrick Notes

Bio

- Current Assistant AD and Head Baseball coach at Indianola High School in Indianola, Iowa - Starting 2nd season (30-11) - Below .500 year before - Kasey Blake, Brady Blake is junior
- Former Head Baseball Coach at Martensdale St. Marys (public school)
  - 10 years, 12 years total
  - Part of 88 win streak as an assistant coach (under Justin Dehmer)
  - 9 of 10 years as state finalist
  - Ethan Westfall played professionally (Rockies)
- 3rd year as a Mental performance coach
  - Author of Don’t Shoot the Young Buck: Living in the Present Moment
Worked with 3 college teams - Concordia, Central College, Simpson College
Multiple High school teams in all sports
Provides 1 on 1 coaching to many athletes

Notes

The mental game is a separator
Brian Cain total immersion
Mental minute at the beginning of practice
- Awareness, strategy, action
Build in routines during practice
Practice green lights, yellow lights, red lights
Release routine - physical, breath, self talk
Practice striking out
End of practice journal - well, better, how or start, stop, continue to reflect on themselves, the team.
Well, better, how for more of a weekly to kick start your week
Start, stop, continue post game to get us closer to where we want to be at the end of the year
Does the kids thinking align with the coaching staff thoughts
APE - Attitude/Appearance, perspective/preparation, energy/effort
Be clark kent and turn into superman when you get to the ball field and change into your uniform. Journaling post game helps them turn back from Superman to clark kent
APE - stuffed animal to visualize APE
Signal lights
- Green lights - GO! When things are going smooth,
- Yellow lights - caution - pump the brakes or speed up through the light
- Red light - STOP or you will crash
- Recognize as respond to get back to green light
- What does our body language look like in green lights?
- How does that change when adversity hits?
- Where is our focus?
- What does our self talk?
  - Have kids write it down
- Release language
  - Get big - take a deep breath on a focal point,
  - GOOD
  - SO what!
First place to start with team was signal lights, then build routines based on those lights
Shadow bullpens - no ball, just visualize, and lost in a routine
Leadership drives culture, culture drives behavior, behavior leads to results (performance pathway)
Go from coach fed leadership, to player led leadership
Created 4 key principles to culture
- PETE - process, energy/effort, trust, excellence
- Define each of the principles
What you do on the daily basis will get you the results
Everything we talk about in baseball goes way beyond the field
Person, student, and player and what is “above the line” and define it, there is no grey area
“Was that above the line or below the line?” simple question to ask and hold each other accountable to
Carving out time every single day
What is driving your program? What are those things we are going to be really good at?
What are your core values? What do they look like on the field
Signal lights
Strategies to handle signal lights
3-8 hitting chart - hard hit ball chart
- Defined each number of hard hit and find out which numbers you hit when you are going good
- What works best for you, and then get really good at that!
Pitchers first pitch % (60-67%), and quality innings
Figure out what pitcher is really good at and what they need to go with in certain situation
A3P - After 3 pitches is the ball in play or is it a 1-2 count?
- Pitching is about being efficient due to pitch counts
- 2 out of 3 - 67% of at bats
Reverse engineer what we want from our program
- Graduate
- State championship
  - Get to the park
  - Win sub state
  - host/win a district
  - Win the conference
  - Go 1-0 today
Everyone has that same goal, how are you going to get there? How are you going to separate yourself?
www.coachfitzpatrick.com
515-339-5490
Twitter - @Fitzpatrick_MP

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Bio

Current HC at Mt. St. Marys (MD)
Former HC at Marymount
- four seasons of 20 wins or more
- 2021 Atlantic East Conference Championship
  - NCAA High Point Regional.
  - Atlantic East Coaching Staff of the Year award.
- 6 years in a row won ABCA Academic Excellence
Former HC at William & Mary
- averaged 28 victories a year with a top mark of 36-21 in 2008.
- 14 players were drafted by Major League Baseball clubs,
Former HC of Rhode Island
- took the program from a two-win team in 1994 to back-to-back 30-win seasons by the end of his tenure
- 2010 inductee into the Rhode Island Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame
2015 Martha Vinyard Sharks (Futures Collegiate, now New England)- Co-Manager of the year, League Champs
Leoni has led three programs to a combined total of 596 wins
Servant leader and builds communities up!

Notes

Interviewed every returning player - get to know, thoughts on program
We do not want our guys to be devalued as a person!
Give each player the fair amount of attention, returning and new
Peer reviews at the end of the fall - survey the entire group of players and coaches
- Rank each person according to our values (ACCGL) Rank each position (hitters, position, starters, relievers, etc)
- Pick cy young, mvp, rookie of the fall, and top 3 captains
ACCGL Core team values (values represented in the principles)
- Meetings to talk about who they want to be?
- How can you make core values more tangible?
- Need to understand what is most important, before we have that conversation with the team
Team core principles (action statements)
- Process before results, quality over quantity, everything with a purpose, always compete
Get better as a person and the results follow
Overall theme is servant leadership - servant mentality
Merit system to help quantify behaviors
- Excel sheet for each player
- Earn and lose points
- Everything is tied to playing time
- 7 or more points to be able to play in the game
- 3 ways to earn points
  - Academic performance
  - Service hours (2 hours - 1pt)
  - Positive cultural experience
- Lose points
  - Late
  - Bad grades
  - Bad behavior
- Send a copy of the points to the team
- Its about catching them when they do good! Gives kids opportunities to do positive.
- Guys that do not play all the time, it gives them a value in a program
7 days of service inspired by the book Leaders in the Locker Room
- You need leadership in every level of program
- 7 different team community service events - team split up between the 7 events, and all ages are part of a team as they plan, organize, and run event
Off season break up into 4 teams and compete in all non-baseball competitions
Teach about leadership during the competition - be ready for when adversity strikes
We are in a people business!
The more I have focused on culture and people the wins take care of themselves
X’s and O’s will only take you so far
If a player does not invite me to their wedding, I feel I had failed them
Culture through practice
- Throwing progressions and players leading each other
- Skill work - baserunning
  - Conditioning through baseball work, not running poles
- Hitting - swing practice and hitting practice
- Team defense - 3 line pitching
Hitters - can we add value to that guy?
Game changers - its how we play the game on the field
- When we win game changers we usually win the game
- Any 2K hit, rbi, Homeruns, leadoff batter, base hit bunts, HBP, positive team contributions
- For every 5 GC they get stickers, 10 stickers for pitchers and they get pitcher BP
QPA - Quality plate appearances
End of every week in the spring we talk about the cool things we did and write on a cookie and put it in the jar
- Bring the jar to the game and put it next to the helmets
Whatever you deem important you will get better
Email f.d.leoni@msmary.edu
Twitter - @coachleoni, @msm_bsb

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Bio

Current HC of Paris Junior CC (TX) (2016 - present)
- Former assistant of the Dragons where in his 1st year as an assistant the Dragons doubled their win total and improved in every offensive category, including leading the conference in stolen bases.
- Whie at the helm his team has been:
  - Teams rank in the top 10 for stolen bases multiple years
  - Teams continue to be ranked nationally in offensive and defensive categories each year
  - Played for regional championship 2021, longest streak in 30+ years
  - Won nearly 70% of his games
  - Sent over 50 guys D1
  - 2021 2nd in the nation with team GPA
- Founder of Infield U - https://www.infieldu.com/
- Former Texas Collegiate League with Brazos Valley Bombers
  - 4 straight TCL championships and broke several team records during his time as Skipper
Former AC of West Alabama University
- Gulf South Conference regular season title and GSC tournament championship
- School record for winning percentage in a year and win record
Multiple national known podcast guest, ABCA hot stove presenter
2021 USA Baseball 17U task force, USA Baseball coaches clinician

Notes

Number 1 thing in our stolen base system is MINDSET!
- Break the mindset in the fall
  - Have to go in the first 3 pitches
Same lead
What do you see off the pitcher
Sheet in the dugout that keeps home to plate, catcher pop times
Steal start times (78 ft), and then post what your numbers are, and then see the pitcher/catcher number
3.35 + = automatic greenlight
DBR - dirt ball reads
- Read the angle of the ball, not just at contact
Pressure bursts pipes!!
Be careful when players make mistakes, allow them to fail forward
Coaches own mistakes and get out in front of it
This is a family, and we need to be in this together.
OKG - Our Kind of Guys - if you are 99% then don’t come, you need to be 100% bought in
If you expect it from the kids, you will get it!! When you are upfront about these expectations, you are either get it or get out
388 jucos in the country, 2nd in the nation with team GPA
We want to WIN at everything
Class attendance policy - if you miss you better let me know, if you do not whole team gets in trouble, if you tell me, you get in trouble
Leave phones on the bus when we go on the road to eat!
Take care of the little things, and the big things take care of themself
Team get togethers with family, cooking for the players
Gave the team more freedom to what they need to work on later in the year. Getting feedback to get ownership in their work
Weights, nutrition, and sleep to perform at the optimum level
3 days a week year round in the weightroom
Listening to players to see what they need
Some teams can handle dyas off, and some teams cannot
Yoga 3 days a week from august to May have decreased naggin injuries
Post stretch just as important as pre stretch
You grind because you love it!
Work with each pitcher based on the innings/pitches to manage workload
FB/CU only for 1st 3 weeks of fall, and then work up through the fall
November active rest, put the ball down and just recover and work out
Break up pitchers on charts, and rotate people doing them so everyone knows how to do the chart
Give it to someone and say do the chart, not just say it, give it!
Hell week - welcome to JUCO!
- First meeting classroom to walk through throwing program, prep step, and positioning, and then error analysis chart
Like to show video of the move before explaining it
Infeld group me! - send video to talk and get ready to work
Offensive freedom with in your swing
We discuss mentality and approach, and decision making
In the fall I do not give them ABs to see who is coming in to watch film
Be the best version of YOU!! If you are a speed guy, don’t try to be a big Bomber!
2 strike approach - we just will not go down. I am just as good with 2 strikes, that I am with 1
- Everybody needs to choke up some
- Expanding in and out, not up and down
- MENTALITY
  - Step out of the box, pat chest, and coach gives it back
- 2 strike war
  - Always a station, daily
  - Each rep focus on 2 strike approach
  - Lightening round
  - Weekly 2 strike war winner
  - 70% for year
  - We have to win 70% - anything that puts us on base, or throw another 2K pitch
  - Offensive find is when we do things that stand out (+ or -)
  - % of gotta piece with 2K
- Pass the stick - next man up
- Refuse to lose (R2F)
Notecard on game points for next day game recap, and if player can’t see coach then he goes to player to give him the touch
Taking notes during the game and during recap it can go 20 minutes or it can go an hour
I am here to develop the player
If we put it on a recap, we do not want to see it on another recap
The only thing that is forced on the infield is the hop on the prep step
Things are repped and so in depth that they end up doing things the way they should
Out of high school infielders are not getting through balls and pre pitch is bad
multi-million dollar house needs a great foundation. That prep pitch is your foundation
Infield report card
- drills/groups based on where guys are struggling
Throwing program, ozzie and picks, drill work
Infielders can run itself if I cannot be there.
Try to relate things to the world so much, they will help off the field just as much on the field
We are truly a family
Put the person first!
99% of them
Twitter @coachcox, or @infieldu
Email on Paris JC website

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Todd Fitz-Gerald - Stoneman Douglas High School

Bio

Current HC Stoneman Douglas HS (FL)
Stoneman Douglas ended a historic 2021 season being ranked the #1 HS team in the nation by Perfect Game (#2 Baseball America)
2021 National Head Coach of the Year (his 3rd time, 2016 & 2008)
2021 Florida State Coach of the Year (2nd time)
2021 Florida state champion
- 2nd state championship in 6 years
- 3rd FL state championship
- 1 in the country
Former HC at American Heritage
- Florida state champion (2008)
- 2008 All USA COY
Overall record of 446-119, .789 winning percentage
His teams have been in the top 50 in the country 12 years in his 20 years as HC
32 players have been drafted into professional baseball
Man of integrity, high character, and teaches life lessons

Notes

More interactions with kids, more patience since the school shooting
Let assistant coaches coach, so he can float around and talk to each position
Don’t ever feel like you have to call me to come back to practice. You are always welcome
Open door policy - promote guys as much as possible
Sports are the best thing to bring people together
Tragedy to triumph
You need to have luck
Baseball is a game that teaches you perseverance, failure, tough, level headed
So many life lessons
Toy drive for Joe Dimaggio hospital
Rizzo walk for cancer
Hang lights for foster kids
Far major things in life than winning and losing games
Want players to be the best version of yourself and don’t be anything different
My resume is because of the players who have played for me
INAM - Its Not About Me
QAB - write down their at bat and grade it
- A or F
- Result
- Pitch, count, tendency chart
Won’t tolerate after striking out and not giving love to other teammates. Being a bad teammate
20 minute meeting prior to practice to go over game night before
Just because it is not D1 does not mean you are not a Dude!
What is the best fit for you??!
Decisions needs to be made on more than just baseball - school, baseball, academics, social, distance, etc
Do you have a list of questions to ask coaches when recruiting?
Chart and intersquad to be competitive
- Not just result - hard 90? You getting out of the box? You standing on 2 when you pop up?
4.3 seconds or less on the infield to make a play
Intense at practice, relax at games - don’t make me coach you today!!! You have competed all week.
The only team that can beat us is us!
Competitive Pitchers
- Get outs!
- Control the running game
- There is a lot more than throwing the ball 60’6”
- Control emotion, stay in the moment, know you are the best guy on the mound
Challenge period - all hitters around turtle, guy on the mound, runner at 2B, defense, 1 out
- Guys who have not done well in certain things well
Pitching and defense win championships, offense wins games
We will eliminate the inner third and look outside and over the plate and take advantage of mistakes
Some years we bunt, some years we don’t!
Try not to coach the first 4-5 innings
I don’t want to coach on game days
In the fall everyone has the green light
- How are you going to know if you don’t go??
I don’t want them to rely on coaches to make decisions and then we will talk about it
Its the only thing in life you can fail and be considered great
Allow yourself to be successful, stop pouting
Its not about you!
Athletics roll the school system, and starts with the football team to have a good year
- Good AD
- Administration support
- Booster club - all fundraising is ran through own booster club
  - Banners, hit a thon, dinner with a pro
Bring excitement to the program
- Wall of fame
- Facility upgrade - fences and windscreen
- Cover the batting cages
- Clubhouse
I want them to go off to college and BE READY!!! They are college ready is the best compliment I can get!
954-295-6878
fitzyt17@gmail.com

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Meet Gerry DeFilippo - https://www.challengerstrength.com/meet-gerry-defilippo.html

Bio

Head trainer and owns and operates Challenger Strength
Serves as the strength coach for the Jersey Hitmen.
- He orchestrates the programming and training for eight different Hitmen teams, which range all the way up to the Elite and Premier Junior's Level Programs.
Since founding Challenger Strength in 2016, Gerry has worked with over 100 college, college bound and professional athletes across multiple sports.
Numerous articles published on EliteFTS, Muscles and Strength and Elite Baseball Performance.
Gerry is certified by industry legends Joe DeFranco and James Smith.
As a Certified Physical Preparation Specialist he specializes in athletic performance, pre-movement preparation, strength, power, speed, core training, program design, and mental toughness, all built on the seven pillars of athletic performance.
Aside from being a Certified Physical Preparation Specialist and working with athletes, he is also an ISSA Certified Personal Trainer, with a background in personal training and general fitness.
Great follow on Twitter, shares great content!

Notes

We can’t just focus on the output, we need to decelerate as well
Athletes need to get better at deceleration, start AND stop
If we can’t get better at them in a controlled setting, then we will really be behind in a chaotic, game like setting
Athletes are having to start up, after they have just stopped
What do you see “prominent” in your sport?
Look at it from a simple perspective and expand from there
You will always have a baseline and a progression and regression
Progress or regress depending on athlete and where the athlete is. Their “neutral”
Deceleration isn’t needed if you are not fast enough
“Earning progression”
Start and stop sprints
- Yell
- Partner reacts
- Drop foam roller
- Avoid people
Older athlete separated with sprint work and decel work
Younger athlete needs more consistent sprint and decel work to get a foundation of movements
Do they have a year or two of training under the belt to get them in the right group/plan
In season versus out of season just depending on what you are getting a lot or have not gotten enough
Are we looking at the movements we need in the game and base programming off that
If you are not getting better in your rotational output then we have to go heavier
Why am going to continue doing light rotation work when it is not working?
Overrated in getting in balance (throwing med right and left handed, not needed)
You are not going to undo movement with the few med ball throwing
In season maintenance and focus on what we are not getting in our sport
Hinge is different with the field and in the weightroom
***At a certain point you need to evaluate what your goal is and go all in
If it is what the kid wants and they go after
Causation vs correlation - was it the athlete and 3 sports or the genetics
Jump mat and vertical power
Learn the reasoning behind the test first, and then get the equipment
Velocity based training
- Technical proficiency in movements
- If what they are doing is not working
Instagram @ChallengerStrength
Twitter @Challenger_ST
Website - www.challeger
Podcast - muscle and management - spotify

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Ryan Kinnan Bio

17th year as a teacher and coach.
started at Euless Junior High, 6th-9th grade
During that time he was also the Varsity Assistant baseball coach at Euless Trinity High School
Football State Championship in 2005 Euless Trinity year
- work for legendary Coach Steve Lineweaver
Assistant at Irving High School for 2 years
- coach Trevor Story (Colorado Rockies)
First HC job at a Texas 3A school called Carrollton Ranchview
- Ranchview we broke the single season stolen base record
9 years at 6A Irving MacArthur.
- Irving averaged 3 wins a year for the previous 10
- Averaged 14 a year during his 9 year tenure
- First Baseball team in school history to make back to back playoff appearances
- 4 straight playoff years.
- Also the first team to win 20 + games in school history.
Current HC at Davenport
- Brand new school
- 600 kids
- Almost all juniors, sophomores and freshman. Every sport but football is competing on the Varsity level.
68 collegiate players and 7 MLB draft picks
Learner, family man, cares about kids

Notes

3-5 year plan
First had a meeting with players and parents
You don’t take money with you, you take people
Relationships and discipline
Reward shirts
- Player of the week
- Golden glove - fielder of the week
- Silver slugger -
- Cy young -
- Baserunning tshirt -
Tryout point system
No more than 20 pitches at a time in a bullpen
1 first and third play
1 bunt coverage
Don’t be a slave to the clock
Mental training
Ladder series with glove and ball
Baserunning
- 3 bases, 4 bases, baserunning carousel
Position specific
Team D/O
Offense theme days
- Monday - my pitch Monday - only hit your pitch or your out!
- Tuesday - 2 strike tuesday
21 outs
Situational game - pull out card to do situation
4 base drill - call out where to throw the base in sequence
Chart during offense BP using managers
HR philosophy, if its your pitch, hammer it, if not swing late
Intersquad - if you are thrown out you get to go back, second time your out
Fathers night out - go out to local restaurant and spend night with dad
Mothers night out - dress up in shirt and tie and go
Team outing once a month - open to entire families
Hand written Christmas cards to every player
Professional baseball game
Team dinners - team outings on Wednesday nights on shortened practice day (recovery day)
We are only going to be as good as parents allow us to be
Outside the fence needs to be pulling hard as inside the fence
Steve Mackey - “2 Words”
- Video clip with follow up questions
Brian Cain material during mental skills at the beginning of practice
Stop and take good deep breath as we transition to hitting/different areas of practice
“Always Grind” hitter and pitcher notebooks - guided notebook that breaks down each at bat/each pitch
“Opportunity for improvement” - consequence for not doing what you are supposed to do
Recruiting talks to figure out what they really want at the next level
It is our job as a coach to help players in whatever they want to do
“Virtual combine” - streamline all data to one site
“Testing day” will put it in one site and track each year
- Test every 6 weeks
- Baseline testing
- Spotlight the highest achievers
- Distance throws
- 60, steal start
- EV and Blast for Bat speed
- Pull downs
- Command game with 9 pocket net
Grade reports on Sunday!
Have a standard of a GPA (3.0 or higher)
Business card to give out kids, and kids stats on the back that the coach needs
Baserunning - green, yellow, red system and just have it in the dugout to see and let them know
Fire, Stop, Icicle
- Fire - no rules,
- Stop - station to station
- Icicle - cold, no risks
Dugout participation chart - points for specific talk and engagement in the dugout
Daily, weekly, and monthly sheet
- Gold, silver, and bronze medal winner shirts
@coachkinnan
@bsbldavenport
DM on twitter
ryan.kinnan@comalisd.org

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Evans Notes

Bio

559-251-2 career record
- Dr. Phillips
  - Back to back District title first two years (between COVID)
- Flanagan - 15 years
  - 3 time state champion, 2005, 2006, 2010
  - 12 district title
  - 12 region finals
  - 2010 National championship
- Dr. Krop - 5 years
  - Started the program
  - 3 out of 4 District titles
- Miami Beach - 10 years
  - Restarted and revamped title to 1st district title in since 70’s (20 years later)
HOF Class of 2021 National HS Baseball Coaches Association
Currently works with Power Baseball and Assistant coach at Windermere HS (HC Eric Lasiter)

Notes

Made a checklist of what he needed to be successful to take over a program
Continuity of staff and admin to get to where we need to be very quickly
Support from admin, parent, and player buy in to be successful
Changed the look of the facility and culture came with it. Kids saw how committed I was and brought them in
Great coaching staff that I surrounded myself with and that continuity was key
Everyone had a position coach
Staff was part of the checklist and admin helped make it happen
Bring in a coach and let them do their job
Its never just you! Players, admin, staff, parents, family
Learned what NOT to do
It doesn’t matter your age, it matters your talent
At the end of the year evaluation yourself and evaluate your staff
Observe at a parent meeting and see their family situation
When they know you really care, the kids will open up
You got to be able to speak to kids
You are worried about the Wins than the kid and their life
Needs to be ONE of the best thing, not the best thing
Getting a game winning hit cannot be the best thing of your life, but it is something you will remember.
The impact will be greater than any game you will win
The game is important than any individual
Program, team, individual
You have to be involved with the kids and not just because of the game
Look for great situations in moving jobs
You want to win every year
You can’t keep running the same offense if you don’t have the personnel
You need to adapt
Yes we want exit velo but it depends on your body (big guys can hit in air, but smaller guys need lower launch)
You need adapt to the times
Our 9 beats their 5!! Sprint on and off the field
People want to see you smile, have fun, and hustle
Its not about any one person, its about the kid
Work ethic, we wanted to out work everyone.
Competing everyday, scouted every team,
What did we do wrong, not what did they do wrong
Its constant comradery and then get back to the whole team and build chemistry
Take seniors on trip
Something with competition everyday
Create some type of competitiveness to be successful
Baserunning everyone does the same thing
Automatic on certain counts, shut down on slide step, or unless coach shuts down
You have to adapt and you have to love what you do
If you are second guessing yourself then it is time to do something else
Surround yourself with really great people
Work hard at your craft
evansr21@comcast.net
954-854-7855

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Garrett Baker notes

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Bio

Player development coordinator for Inspiration Academy (Bradenton, FL) (Summer of 2021)
American International College pitching/recruiting coordinator, and assisted S&C (Fall of 2018)
Westfield State University pitching and S&C (2017)
Independent Baseball (empire league (NH), and Pecos league (AR))
Undergraduate in Exercise science and Masters Degree in Sport and Exercise Psychology

Topics

Starting with a breathing exercise and routine based warm up
Meetings in small groups
Skill emerges through my mental capacity
Lets envision the best practice we possibly have!
Check in with yourself and see if you are checking into thoughts in the past or future, and we need to get rid of them to have our best practice
Signal lights - red, yellow, and green
- Green light I go
- Yellow light I need to be cautious, so be aware
- Red light I need to stop before I spin out of control
Get rid of the red thoughts
- 4 box - inhale 4, exhale,
- Physical helps me wipe it away
- Final thought helps me get back to now and action
- Practice on the mound, and in the actual place
- Having the process in play and practicing it each day
Same verbiage with hitting coach to discuss the mental skills
The ability to bring yourself back to the moment will help be a better person and ballplayer
Just notice the thought to bring yourself back to the moment
If you are not locked into a drill, perform the mindfulness training to continue that skill
Players need ownership in their own routines
Need to have a routine of when things are not going to well
- Do something physical
- Take break
- Mental thought!
Allowing freedom and learn themselves
Movement challenge
- Somewhat based on assessment
- Encourage the body in a different way
Blend a water bag with throwing to develop a pattern
Assessment looking at indicators
- Back leg
- Front leg
- Glove arm
- Throw arm
- Rotation
- Capture trunk
- Trunk into arm
Universal movements that are within everybody
2 days very individualize and 3 days of team workout
Learning all movement patterns within team workout
Guys given option for movement prep before game
Savage pitching certification
We can stabilize movements without thoughts
Your body is interested it can use in multiple ways
Mid week bullpen is all water bag bled throwing to targets
3 prescribed drills to pitching
Basketball throw - treat the arm as an extension of the body (goalie throw)
- And blend with plyo/baseball
“Success” is when the drill helps capture the movement
The on field matters - and we will evaluate based on how they perform
In game we do not want to have thoughts, and training within this environment by allowing the body to feel the force
Encouraging the movement, by providing the outside force and stabilize to be in your best spot
Create the best movers while ensuring the workload is there
Your body adapts to the stress it gets put on it
Movement madness Monday - movement challenges to be adaptable
PVC Game
- Drop pvc pipe as low you can
- Challenging movement system
- Mimics sport
- Swipe up and swipe down and you have to either jump or squat down
Minimal jerk, minimal joint motion, minimal processing
- Maximize everything
Recovery movement circuit
- Walking in a squat
- Different lunge/squat in 15 yards
- Crawling
- The lizard
- Spine work
- Arm movements, low intensity easy movement
- Wrist clinics
What matters is listening to the player because you can’t push the system that is already overloaded
Have a framework to work off of
Twitter and Instagram - @coachgbaker
garrett.baker@inspirationacademy.com

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Bio

USA baseball women's national team head coach since 2019
- 2019 team of the year and coach of the year
Been a part of the 12U baseball ID series, task force, and trials staff.
Served as an assistant coach for one year prior to her time at the helm
first woman to be named the USA Baseball Rod Dedeaux Coach of the Year
Played 2008-2015 as a catcher on the US National team
Team USA finished its tournament with a perfect 7-0 record and the program's first gold medal since the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games and was voted USA baseball team of the year that year
2019-2020 served as a coach with the Oakland Athletics at Minor League Baseball Spring Training
2021 Oakland A’s roving catching instructor for minor league baseball

Notes

MLB breakthrough series - all girl event for high school girls
The Trailblazer series for 12-14 year olds
USA baseball develops
USA baseball website for future events
Veronica’s events on Instagram
The softball and baseball swing should be more similar than they are
Prepare for the highest level by tearing things down before we build them up.
Attack your weaknesses and think more long term
One knee down (OKD) has gotten out of control,
If you don’t know why you are doing something then it can go by the wayside
Capitalize on adjustability
Receiving is about our feet, hips and have adjustability based on pitch location
Adjustability when a pitcher misses so you don’t move too much
Change to a knee when pitcher is missing up
Pitcher throws down constantly and you need to receive low pitches more
Be able to be balanced and have it all in your versatile.
Keep strikes, strikes, make balls, strikes
Blocking balls, making plays helps the pitchers mental capacity
Catchers need to keep the mentality of the pitcher strong
If pitcher is working fast, you need to keep them working fast
Pitcher is working slow, slow them up - calling time, calling outs, talking to umpire, giving the pitchers extra seconds to think and take deep breaths
bench/role players know their roles to keep the energy up and keep everyone engaged
Catchers can call their own game and have that experience
Target practice for throwing
Blocking competition
Receiving - thumb under technique
Use 3 joints to help with framing - shoulder, elbow and wrist
Less movement the better, lets make this look as sneaky as possible.
Strike zone awareness - knowing where it is and how much I need to move my glove to get a strike
Use markers on my body to know the zone (top of the catcher knee is the knee on hitter)
Receiving starts in the middle of the strike zone, use your joints, and then catch the angle as it tries to go away from the strike zone
Pre pitch movement - glove down to the ground to then come up and receive it (flex to firm); start with a neutral elbow
Sneaky receivers done with good timing
Tracking the ball is also pre pitch movement
Exaggerate movements with youth level
How can I explain the same things a million different ways
I want them to have success
All about the team, if it does not help the team, we are not doing it!
Staying in touch with the players and have a personal relationship with each person
Everyone is a leader in some way on the team
Instagram @veronicaoalvarez

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Bio

Director of S&C at Absolute Sports Performance (2018 when opened)
Loyola Blakefield Baseball S&C coach
CCBC Dundalk Baseball S&C
Personal training background, even since HS - graduated HS with certified personal trainer
CSCS certified -

Notes

Younger the person the easier it is to recover
Train, recover, and compete in the sport
48-72 hours recover before next competition
Communication for best program about what the week looks like, days off we take advantage for work
Athletes will typically be sore from increase volume
- Can handle high weight less reps with not too much soreness
- Eccentric lower part of the lift provides from soreness than concentric
  - RDL (eccentric) vs Hip thrust (more concentric)
  - Limiting range of motion - back squat - using box with limit range of motion
The best overall strategy to mitigate soreness is to consistently train
- Bowling analogy - if you just go once in a while you will be sore
- Stay in the weightroom
Be able to adjust your plan, based on life! Have to be flexible
Online, remote programming options
Have separated season
Under-development or over stress
Have a system in place for different levels of movements and commitment
- Tier
  - Foundations of movement - squat, hinge, push, and pull
    - If we do not have these movements we can’t move on
  - Accumulation block - build up so we can build
    - Higher reps
  - Strength block - maximal output
  - Power and speed
Peak with power and speed as we enter the season
During season we are maintaining strength and power/speed blocks
- Sprint work, plyo work, strength work
- Above 80-85%
Rating of perceived exertion (RPE) - finding a weight to find a pretty good gauge
- Essentially finding his 3 rep max
- Rated 1-10; 1 - dynamic warmup, 2-5 very light weight, 6 - 4 or 5 left, 7 - 3 reps, 8 - 2 reps, 9 - 1 rep, 10 - max
The real coaching comes into managing work loads and intensity
Plan for the things you can plan for
You need an assessment but it needs to make sense for you!
Do not just copy and paste from big programs
Take pieces of assessments that will actually help and you can use and know
10 different movements
Performance test with Hinge, Jump, sprints
Ncaa has data that you can compare with your data to see what average athlete can do
What does the average of this team really need? What are the most lacking?
- Build around that weakness
- During phase 1 individual attention for specific patterns
How you cue (verbal talk) and prescribe weight to each athlete is the best way to individualize
Have a reprotirs of cues and rotate through each as best you can for each kid
Re establish the foundation and based on the assessment determines how long we need to focus on the movements
Weights and intensity can help determine the individualization
Individualizing the weight and intensity is best way to see results in team
RPE helps the player determine the best weight for them (become their best coach): automates the process
As a coach you need to be there and talk to see if we need to increase or decrease weight. Be there, be honest!
Bar speed, velocity based training, which correlates bar speed to intensity
Assessing athletes every single day: RPE, movements, moving weight, soreness
Program set weeks we will deload
3 weeks strong (RPE increase each week), 1 week deload (week 1 RPE)
Checking with your athletes each day to gauge intensity - check numbers and communicate and adapt plan
Track as much as you can
- Assessment you can handle - pick what you think is important to get baseline, and assess them periodically
Record weights and have a training card that has a long term plan - write weights and sets
Foundational movements are still foundational even with arm care
Arm care (accessory work, you have to strong in the foundational movements to support your arm)
- Rotator cuff strengthening - j bands,
- Scap strengthening - good ROM and stability!
  - Landmine presses
  - Full ROM on rows
- Timing - up tosses, med ball drops, shoulder tube, tramp work
Whatever you are assessing it should matter for the sport
- Lateral jump - single leg force production is important for baseball
  - Split squat, lateral lunge,
  - Rate of force production and velocity
Pre and post activity questionnaire - sleep, soreness, stress, perception of lift,
@hashsportsperformance on Twitter and Instagram
www.absolutesportsperformanceMD.com

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Joyner Notes

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Bio

Current Auburn S&C coach Baseball (August 2018 - Present, 4th season)
16 years in pro ball
Major League S&C Coordinator for Toronto Blue Jays 2014-2017.
Major League S&C Coordinator for Brewers 2007-2010
Minor League S&C coordinator for Toronto Blue Jays from 2003-2006 working with more than 150 players in the system including Roy Halladay.
Has worked with some big time big leaugers like Roy Halladay, Trevor Hoffman, Jose Bautista, and Josh Donaldson.

Notes

Run your own ship - need to be able to make adjustment on your own because coaches will not always be around
Scouts asking S&C what a player is like!
Journaling each week and reflecting on the week
- Sleep, final exam before the start, program, drink enough?
All about Developing trust
Listening to the players
Know players you have the best interest at heart
- Push when they need pushed
- Let them rest when they need to rest
Create athlete profiles
- Movement assessment
- Force plate
- Range of motion
- Baseline test
- FMS
What is the development from the day they stepped in?
Movement is the foundation, and whatever is on top of it will fall
You have to have a baseline of movement
Explode, load, and drive -
Track average velo and peak velo
What does that profile look like?
Recognize red flags
Earn the right to load up
Weight Room where they can just train and be a safe place
All about patterning (hinge, push, pull , carry)
Menu of options of the patterns (uppers, lowers, total body,)
Give them an arm throwing program working with the PC with weightlifting on a calendar. Try to detail as much as possible
Adapt to skill work, scrimmage,
Treat it like spring training - hit the most important patterns
Starters get them on their routine
Relievers treated like position players - 2 days in season or 4 days in off season
Always encourage recovery
Be as consistent as you can on workout days
In season - be on a routine, be consistent,
Giving them ownership of a program based on how their body performs, what they like and how it works for them (individualize)
Master the simple things
Surveys at the end of fall to get feedback from players on all areas what they like and do not like
Incoming guys take summer school and it helps tremendously to get used to routine, campus, coaches and their style.
Not stretching the cold rubber band - lacrosse ball, thera gun, foam roller
How do I prepare? I’m fixing to go do some work, so attack it in your pre work
Philosophy - prepare, work, recovery, repeat
In season we are more “recovery specialist”
- Foam roller
- Cold tub
- Hot tub
- Recovery boots
- Lacrosse ball
Same movement pattern but different phase of the pattern (load, explode, drive)
How does their top velo and average velo correlate to show when guys can go back to back and how to program him the days before and after appearance
What is going on with your body weight?
The numbers are telling me you just need to rest and recover
squat , hinge, push, pull, carry
What movements are they doing on the field
- Work on them!
What the fundamental patterns are - it just doesn’t look right and you address those
- Make time for it in practice - body weight, pushups, balance, stretch
For us it is movement!! If you are not moving right, work on it
Heart rate ranges based on who they were (for conditioning)
Different conditioning for different guys based on their development
Its not a one size fits all
Conditioning is about work capacity and does not have to be just running
cnj0018@auburn.edu

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Bio

Toronto Blue Jays S&C Coordinator since 2019
Webber International University Head S&C Coach 2009 - 2019 and Associate AD (2016)
- he was working with every team
- he has transformed the department into one of the most well-renowned programs in the country
- over 80 coaches that have been under the tutelage
- 2 Full time coaches, Interns, and GA
- S&C finalist 2016 and 2018 for National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)
Daytona Cubs S&C coach 2009

Notes

Helping people through training
Train the person and we hire and fire based on culture and skill level
Training to help the team but ultimately helping the individual
Collaboration is key to talk to coaches on different sides (S&C and player development)
Total collaboration to help solve problems together (mental, player development, S&C, medical, coaches)
Balance between performance and development
Not trying to develop them so much that we would sacrifice performance
Continuity and being able to speak the same language to align as player move
Team of Teams model
- US special forces joint command to have an effective team
- General stanley mcCrystal
We could not what we wanted to do, but we can do what we had resources
You may want the whole gauntlet, but you need to settle on smaller test now
Assessment driven process is to help understand the athlete
Pay attention to details, learning, and compiling information
Identify what people need the most (pillars)
Need more bracing forces
All gas no brakes, so be sure you have holistic and balanced approach
Stay open minded while you are training
Informed approach and learn what is impacting performance
Its important to approach it systematically
Reaching out to an expertise and find out what these athletes need to get better
Minimal effective dose - don’t bite off more than you can manage. What are you comfortable doing to help them reach the next step
holistic, movement program - push, pull, hinge, simple movement patterns
You want ownership and asking why because that means they want it, keeps you on your toes, and speak at a high level
You can’t start something in something, it needs to be a blend from off season to in season so they aren’t as sore
In season should look different than off season program
Minimal effective dose in season.
Progressive fatigue, but not nose diving
Have a training program that they are maintaining during the season
Total body approaches during the season, twice a week, once a week last half of the season
“Mirco-dose” - two to 3 exercises in a short period of time
Young players are resilient and may need a higher “dose” so they do not nose dive
Gradual progression from off season to in season
Med ball training very important for baseball players
Young players need multi-sport approach to help athleticism
Training needs to be in balance (strength with movement)
Light weighted implements to train the movements and as you start to advance you add the weight
You don’t want to push for external strength without willing to brace internally
- Body weight plank test
- Activate glutes
Its not about loading weight, but also holding tension!
Elite in stability and strength
- Single leg RDL
- Squat hold - two legs and single
- Hip bridge
- Hold loads and don’t strain externally
Less load on shoulders in season
Lay a foundation of volume in the off season
Slow motion temp work
Building that foundation on purpose
Off season phases (typically 4 weeks), stack phases, sometimes deload depending on player
Purpose of the phase!
Keeping core beliefs at the front of your decisions
Another dude trying to figure it out and pick people brain an implement
“Adjusting spokes!”
Relentless growth!
steve.rassel@bluejays.com

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Bio

Coach Clary is going into his second year as the Head Coach of the R.L. Turner Lions in Carrollton, TX. He has made previous coaching stops at Ranchview, Lubbock-Cooper, & Slaton prior to that. Worked his way up through the ranks at each level coaching to make his way into the head coaching job. He played his college baseball at Lubbock Christian University while receiving a degree in History with a minor in Exercise Sports Science. He holds memberships from NHSBCA, THSBCA & ABCA. He was a recent ABCA Barnstormer Clinician at TCU.

Coach Clary also coaches with the Dallas Patriots organization in the Fall & Summer as the head coach of a 2024 group.

Coach Clary has been married 3 years to his wife Kelsey, who also teaches and coaches. They welcomed their first child into the world, daughter Charlotte, over this past summer.

Notes

Fall 3 innings or 25 pitches
“Machine league” - 6 outs in an inning, 2 pitches, time limit to go play as much as possible
At school - “foundational and relational”
“Ron Washington’s” -
- 5/5/5 - knee work, fielding position
Med ball progression - movement patterns without having to teach it
- Heel toe action with med ball
“Kickball roll” - ask the pitcher for what you want
Roll Series - outfielders going back as long as they like to, and work through each side
Get behind drills - ball up and get through the ball
Travel ball kids - “chasing opportunity for the next level”
- Individual skill based
Play tennis - find a line and get the ball back and forth
Pre practice period for everyday drills
“The Menu” - list 5 drills, and players get to choose 3 to complete
- Gets ownership of their development
Flacco’s - wide receiver drills
Leadership council - kids voted on 3, and they chose 2, and coach picked 2
Parent GroupMe along with email
Write down my identity and what you want as a program.
Growth plan for 3-5 years with more process based
Created jobs and duties for assistants
Ask questions
Our culture grows everyday
We are the protectors and keepers of our own culture
Little things do turn into big things
We protect our culture as much as we can
Practice plan out in group me
- Copy in locker room
Movement prep, j bands, arm blades, plyos, PCR (play catch routine)
PCR - 12-15 minutes
If you are going to throw then you need to warm up and then go throw, not go practice everywhere and then come back to throw
Combo work -
- “Cinco series” -
If you want to eat spaghetti, you need to go get that noodle warmed up and ready to eat. If it sits around it gets tight and sticks together, and
Outfield Grid system - 9 boxes, 1,2,3 in, 4,5,6 in the middle right and left, 7,8,9 back and left to right
Infield grid system - 4 boxes to simplify communication
Red, yellow, green running system
Colored baseballs that will determine how to get the ball to first
The feet will dictate the throw, stay in the box to make a good throw
The best pickoff most time is a step off
Have an “active” take
Taken “sacrifice” out of the word bunt
- Get the bunt down and away from the pitcher
- Bunting is offense
21 outs and will sometime do 6 outs with varsity and 3 outs for JV
Deck of cards to pick situations
Middle of practice and throw a guy in a situation and see if they win/lose and go back to practice
@brendan_clary
brendan.r.clary@gmail.com
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Bio

Current Assistant Coach at Hebron Christian Academy (GA)
Former HC at Lanier HS (6 years) and Norcross HS (4 years)
Former AC North Gwinnett HS (5 years) and part of a 7A state championship
Servant leader
Teacher of people (multiple disciplines from Special Education to Physical Education, and multiple sports)
Strong man of faith
Exactly what this podcast is about, helping grow people using the platform of baseball!!!

Notes

Took a job to be part of a big time athletic school (a winner), but needed to serve and do anything he could do be part of it to get foot in the door
Baseball is the biggest game of adjustments and COVID showed how baseball can handle it
Passion is going to die out, love will never fade
Its all about relationships
Used to be do what I told you because I am the adult (do as I say because I am authority), and now it is about explaining the why and our purpose
Be sure you know what you are doing, learning objective, desired outcome, and plan to get there (objective, measurables, and procedures)
Do not be reactive
Secret of the bamboo - you never know what is growing on the inside (what you can’t see)
I’m trying to sell tickets to my funeral everyday
I want to go to weddings
Win the human war!!
If you can get the hearts and minds to play together its special
How do I get a player to take a bullet for me? If I can win that we will be successful
Core value during “longhorn for life” and make a curriculum about each core value
- What, why, and what it looks like when its no present
- Daily lesson plan (5-10 minutes) - pillar for the day, quote, challenge
Its real easy to judge when you don’t walk a mile in their shoes (catchers pitching to pitchers in catchers gear)
Its not so much about getting people on your bus, as much as it is getting people off!
“Working Geniuses” - try to get everyone on your staff with each gear of a genius
- Why, idea on why, discernment, get it done, rally the troops
I am trying to coach every child like they are my own
Channel all of my stuff proactively through the person standpoint (making better people)
Mindfulness training - being able to disconnect
Show me your bank account and you show me what is important
EV fungo
Get you to hate your batting average - look at Slug an OBP
3-8 hit chart - hard hit contact
Offensive chart - based on positive/negative of at bats and value as offensive player (Plus chart)
Coach bible - putting what we do in a slide show
@coachwyman11 on Twitter
@coach_wyman
jonathan.wyman@hebronlion.org
jonathanwyman7@gmail.com
770-361-3628

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Bio

Current Head Coach at Salem University
Served as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator in 2019-20,
Promoted to head coach during the summer of 2020.
Previously served as assistant director of operations for West Virginia University baseball
graduate assistant coach when West Virginia earned a regional berth in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship for the first time in 21 years
Former catcher for the Mountaineers
Heenan served as an Advanced Scout and Director for Prep Baseball Report from 2017-19.

Notes

The showcase is also a lie detector
Great resource but it is just a platform
Gave a coach a time to talk about how to prepare for a showcase
Use a mundane tak to get better
The coaches that are more vocal there players are going places
D2 doesn’t have the roster restrictions so they can take a chance on a kid
D1 can only have 35 roster spots and you have to get right on a kid
The most time I spend on my job is retention.
- Keeping guys is the most important job
- Player 1 or player 50 you need to give them the same amount of opportunity
- Player 50 could be pitching for you in a big game
4 different lineups (evaluate constantly)
4 pitching rotations (evaluate constantly)
We don't split JV and varsity - we try to get guys as many reps as possible and give coaching staff time to manage a game
Listed out roles for each person on your staff and told them to dominate their role
When first get on campus meet with each kids, at the end of fall meet with guys to let them know their role based on stats, video, and plan from the coaches
Develop through the fall and then see where we are, attack it over break, and then compete in the spring
If you earned it in the fall, you have earned the right to fail in the spring
Make it measurable
- Quality at bats
- Come to class early
- Binder done
- Juice box after practice - reinforcing the last core value of a our culture
  - Give out 1 or out 10 - kids come up, jug the juice/give a speech!
Made a curriculum for our culture
- Value
- Accountability
- Communication
- Energy
- Accountability groups
  - Coach in charge of each group
  - Competitions within each group
- Lifting groups
- Hitting groups
GRIT - dominating the mundane tasks
Common struggles is what brings team together
Your common enemy should be being an average team
I can adapt a plan but I cannot execute a plan I do not have
At the end of practice do a competition, and not just baseball
I can recreate pressure, not necessarily the same game situation
The binder is the commitment to the team - bring it everywhere
- Hitter, pitcher, mental notes
- Reinforces our culture
- Character, process, result
- Representation of the binder
- Google Drive is an electronic version
- Meet in the morning and scaffold it
PGM - Personal Growth Monday’s
Have a curriculum but if we need to review part of the process we circle back and go over what we need.
Why, how, what!
1% of your day is roughly 15 minutes
Best recruiting tool is your players, and the people are what get you there
Green light moment
Red light moment
Hitting routine written out - pre game, adapted pre game routine,
Journal each pitch, or each at bat, or during BP (match pre game routine)
Black and white bullpen report
- Balls, strikes,
- Video embedded
- Coaches subjective report
- Player report and gives report of their performance
Video bullpen
- Body language
- Mechanics
- Between pitches that make them successful
Defensive reps is more accountable for the amount of reps we need to help evaluate all the players and be sure they have the same amount of reps
Red, yellow, and green runners for defensive baserunners
Hitters - wall busters, gap to gap, grinder
- Grinder - bunt guy, slap guy, beat a infield play
- Gap to gap - guys can swing it and bust stretch to double
- Wall Busters - you have to hit it by the outfielder to get to 2nd
Green runners - you have green light
Yellow runners - you get chance to run
Red runners - you are not allowed to run
Scouting reports on the wrist for runners
Email james.heenan@salemu.edu
Twitter DM @hennan_hacks

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Bio

Current Coordinator of Sports Performance coach & Assistant Athletic Director of Athletics and Campus Recreation at Salisbury University
2018 National Strength & Conditioning Association College Strength Coach of the Year
- finalist for the NSCA College Strength Coach of the Year In 2016 & 2017
oversees the training programs of 21 varsity teams
During his tenure as Coordinator, Matt has had the opportunity to work with 14 National Championship teams, 8 individual National Championship athletes, and over 340 All-Americans
Prior to Salisbury University he spent time as a S&C coach with the Toronto Blue Jays

Notes

Where are we losing out on the little things?
When we are stepping up to the rack what routine are using to step into our lift?
We need to visually be able to see it, so the athlete can relate to it on the field
Find the opportunities to use
Tower of annoy (week ¾ of training, week 5 of school)
- Competing against other teams (iron Sammy)
In understand the process, and the value of the very next move (pitch)
Going through your mental routine before you do your set
Bar speed measures
- Need to see numbers hit
Relating concepts in the moment from what we are doing in the weightroom to the field
How are we still using the concept later on (week 6 and further) to connect the concepts
Power of the penny
- Its the compound effect when you pick up a penny each time
- Anytime you saw change on the ground you picked it up and brought it in
- Model to show the daily process and the little things that add up to success
If you are willing to walk over the little things of life you will not be successful
The things I can control is my fitness level: strength, speed, and diet
6 components
- Lift
- Conditioning
- Recover
- Nutrition
- Physical Skills
- Mental skills
Put players in pressure situations during conditioning (play man up)
Play the process right, focusing on doing your job right now
Assess commitment:
- Jeff janson - commitment continuum
- Define it, assess it, and measure it
Value in the weightroom
- Attitude - meet outside our weightoom before they walk in to get in the right mindset.
Difference between elite and average
Research related to body contact, and the teams with the most positive touches were the team in the championship
Feedback
- Without value and the vision problems exist
- Values drive the decisions and accountability can happen
- Its ok to give both positive and negative but we are going to get better together
Lead out of love
Stay simple - what do the athletes need most?
Assessment is critical - know where you are, so you can plan on where you want to go
Constantly on players about down contact time
If you can’t produce force, you won’t be able to produce force quickly
Long term athletic development: start in technique, and move forward from there
One leg sport, and that will be mature exercises once they get to that point
Change the way you brace - rapid/standard bracing and move to rotational bracing
Quickly brace because all movements through bracing of pelvis
Everyone starts around the same movements to begin and then develop from there
Everyone is squatting but rack 1 is different than rack 2 based on what they need
We may not be lifting ideally, but we are lifting ideally for that moment
Relationships help build up our trust for feedback on how they are feeling during lifts/movements
Repetition and reserve
RPE - rate of perceived exertion -
If you are willing to lie to me how hard practice is we have a bad culture and we will not be as good as it can be
How can we pull ourselves back and be as simplistic as possible to get the most out of our performance.
Email manein@salisbury.edu
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Bio

Current WVU Strength and Conditioning Coach
Former Strength and conditioning coach at Glenville State University while serving as assistant athletic director
Former Intern at WVU, working primarily with the football team where he assisted in all team lifts and run and broke down all strength and conditioning activities
Harvath also served as a consultant for the University of Charleston baseball team from 2016-20, designing all strength and conditioning programs for the team. He tracked, monitored, and assessed all data obtained from each macrocycle.
Harvath got his starts in high school serving as S&C coach for Morgantown and East Fairmont HS
Develops the whole person
Extremely Passionate

Notes

Life is all about growing as a human and being who you are allows you to grow and be the best version of yourself
Once a week staff meeting to go over the whole program and culture is a part of that
Greatness from yourself before you can get greatness from someone else
Respect yourself, your teammates, and others
Representing 1.8 million people in WV
Intent!! You need to have intent in everything you do
Trust yourself, your preparation, and your teammates
In the weightroom you get to see each others sweat equity
WHOOP bands that monitor load, recovery, sleep, and their strain for the day
Live to fight another day
Develop the athlete centered approach!
Ask questions based on WHOOP data can open up great conversations
The body cannot distinguish between athletic stress and academic stress
Quality if movement rather than the quantity of weight on the bar
The plasticity is great during the high school level and is so valuable at their age more than ever
Force plate testing and movement test when they first get on campus
General physical preparation (GPP) “tissue block”
- Circuit for two weeks to help with guys movement patterns and teach everyone and slow cook athletes longer than need it
Its ok to regress the movement to get a better movement
Have everyone on the same page so you can see where to make modifications
You cannot be married to a exercise, you need to be married to a stimulus!
Meeting the athlete where they are at to chase what our team needs and individualize to the players needs
There are some carry over in some of the movements, and movements is a skill, and if an athlete can practice it more they will be better at it
Sprint based model with acceleration performance
Thursdays are performance days - time to compete and post times
Back map from when you need win a ball game
22 out of 36 PR the week of big 12 tournament
Develop a relationship with them to trust when the conversations are real and they say they are sore and can’t work out
The movement that made you sore, you should do it with less intensity
We don’t focus on what can’t do, we focus on what we can do. Focus on the solution, not the problem
We want athletes that want to find a way and find an edge
Daily performance feedback
- Grading on intangibles that every human has control of
- 1-5 - color coordinated
- Gold
- Navy
- Gray
- Existent
- Resilient
- Defiant
- Difference between gold and navy is how you helped someone else, servant leadership, and buy into each other success
You need to coach each athlete at least one exercise to show you care to show they are a human
ABC - Always be coaching
“Blue collar” jersey - old school, bloody knuckle jersey
Consistency is the greatest gift of any humans
Constant evaluation to earn the Iron Mountaineer
Velocity based training during in season and depending on the athlete and what they can handle
Sleep is the most paramount durign the summer with the long days
Some olympic lift and some don’t
Quality of strength last +-30 days
In season is lower volume higher intensity
More weight and less reps and focusing of velocity of bar
Fundamental movement patterns
- Knock them out
- Quality and execution of movement
- 3 days a week
- Progressive overload
Gain knowledge
- Eric cressey
- Alex simone
Simpler things savagely well
Slow cooking the athlete!!
Taking the small wins, celebrating the 5 lb PR just like the 100lbPR
Velocity based training is a piece of the weight lifting program
Velocity based training on a compound lift
Sprint progression
- Uphill running
  - Karaoke
  - Side shuffle
  - Sprints
  - Resisted
  - Fly end runs
- Tues - acceleration
- Thurs - max velo
Red flags of running
- Arms crossing
- Looks like swimming
- Long swooping lever
- Knees across the body
- Hyper extended back - do A march, A skip, boom booms
Stop poles, and running 100 yards
For every 10 yards we give them 60 seconds rest
Starter recovery day
- Don’t blow them up - get them moving, temp runs,
Training baseball players and take that in consideration, and meet them in the middle
nolanharvath@gmail.com

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Bio

CURRENT HEAD COACH AT MANATEE HIGH SCHOOL
Current GM of Square Up academy
Current Florida HS director for Knights Knation Baseball
2016 – 2019 – Associate Scout – Texas Rangers
2017 – 2018 – Head Coach Staunton Braves, Valley League
2016 – 2018 – Director of Baseball – Florida Surge Baseball
2013 – 2016 – Head Coach – IMG Post Grad
2011 – 2013 – Assistant Head Coach / Recruiting Coordinator – Millersville University
2009 – 2011 – Assistant Coach – University of Maryland
2008 – 2009 – Assistant Coach – Florida Gulf Coast University
2006 – 2008 – Assistant Head Coach / Recruiting Coordinator – DeSales University
2005 – 2006 – Assistant Coach – University of Pennsylvania
2005 – Professional Player – New Jersey Jackals
2001 – 2005 – Player at DeSales University

Notes

You got to keep competing and pushing ot help these kids be successful in more than baseball
You need to have a band program, hitting program, defensive philosophy, and having a plan for what we are doing
Its not about wins and losses, its about how you act and holding kids accountable
Laying the foundation and getting kids on board
Have the kids see their progress
- Exit velo testing
- Weightlifting testing
“Rebranding” is not about what the past didn’t have its about what we do now and moving forward
Detail oriented and learned how to be detailed in all we do
Let your coaches coach and do your job
Understanding what its like at different levels of competition, and demand results
Relationships and build a program within**
Learning how to be happy at whatever level in the game of baseball
If you can get them to believe in you they are going to try to do things the right way
“Be the Best” program where it is about sacrificing for others and working for the guy next to you
Inverted triangle where you serve others from the bottom up
Leadership council - one guy from each class, and coaches pick one
- In charge of holding others accountable
- Meet once a week and discuss how to get more buy in
- Guys that do it right and we voted but we got let go because he did not live up to the expectations
No rules, just don’t embarrass the team, and I am the judge and jury and executioner
Little league clinics with local little league
- Half hour coaching clinic with local little league every Friday
Be at football and basketball games, be involved in school and community is huge trait for good programs
At the end of the day - what is the goal? The goal is to move on
How can we prepare them for the option they will have?
The more pressure you can put on guys lets go!
More fun atmosphere and create action
Track meet mentality - home to first in 4 seconds
Start with baserunning with offensive philosophy
Bunt to third, and not to 2nd, a lot more ways to score from 3rd with 1 out
You have to know your clientele and plan accordingly
What are you going to have the guys buy into and hold them accountable
Running small ball system gives you a weapon when you run into the buzz saw
The level when to start small ball depends on the team and their ability
When we can give them confidence in what they are doing is going to help them play game
Whether they help you win or not doesn’t matter, getting them excited and wanting to play for us
High pressure bullpens - 1 pitch to get someone out and create our own toughness
String across home plate, 9 hole screen, spot on the wall - compete and help them HATE losing
nolan.neiman@gmail.com

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Bio

Head Coach at Reno High School (NV) since 1995
Over 700 career victories
Has won 82% of his games at Reno
From 2001-2004 teams went 105-13
2004 Nevada State champion
In 2003 his team won 32 consecutive games
12 regional titles
15 state tournament berths and 4 runner up
Garrett Hampson was his first big leaguer
The bottom line of the bio is we are about what we are doing for our players today!

Notes

If you come see our program you will see a bigger picture of how we help others
First reason why we are so successful is we have 3 former head coaches
- You are only as good as your assistant coaches
Second reason we are successful is our program vocabulary
You need to take a step back and realize why you are doing what you are doing
Complexity is the enemy of execution - SIMPLE
We focus on us 50:1 compared to the other team.
We play against the game and how we play the game
The word I is not allowed in our environment
The word “perfect” is not allowed in our program
You are either with us or against us, there is not middle ground
How to be a great teammate
- What does it mean to be a good teammate? Show examples
Failure vs success - define the two
- Definition of failure is when you stop playing
- Its a learning opportunity not failure
- What is the definition of success - giving your best effort on behalf of your teammate
Being relentless and stay in the fight
Be consistent
Measurement = motivation
- Give people data to compete
Everything matters - dugouts, practice, everyone matters
PILLARS - all decisions run through our pillars
Its more important the interaction player to player, coach to coach and do not allow anything you do not like
Catch them doing good! Praise them for their efforts
There is no better way to get better besides being together! Spend quality time together
Work the grind, play the game
- Work your butt off at practice, and then enjoy your game
- Practice is for the coaches and games are for the players
Baseball is a game you cannot rush, there is no clock!
Spend as much time planning practice as you do actually practicing
Practices as competitive as possible
- Chart every swing, pitch, groundball etc
Live pitchers vs live hitters
Just win today’s practice!!
A bad practice bothers me much more than a bad game!
Coach needs to be a facilitator for the players development on and off the field
At times you need to be a player coach, and another time you need to be honest and put them in their place
If we are going to demand all of these things from them we need to display those things and walk the walk!!
It is important you build the relationship through the player to show you care, are prepared, and come with great attitude
Do a good job where you are at!
It is important that
Player to coach - built on respect and trust
Player to player - earning the respect of your teammates
- Critical to team development an player development
- Players rate each other based on individual qualities
We all have something to work on. No one is perfect, and it fall back to that philosophy
Foxhole test - 3 points for person on your back, 2 on your right, 1 on your left
Hero, highlight, and hardship - each kid gets a chance to speak about who their hero is, personal highlight, and a time they had a tough hardship
As you see it….
- Players write out the lineup, starters, relievers
- Helps self evaluate
Mental game is huge for us!!
- Ken ravizza
- Brian Cain
- Justin Dehmer
- The game teaches you how to deal with things
Our job is to help prepare our players for the challenges life throws at it
This is the Reno High baseball way RIGHT NOW!
- 10 commandments (the fundamentals of the game) - they don’t change: being a good teammate, throwing strikes, hitting the ball hard, etc will always be there, but we need to find ways to help teach guys and be the example of getting 1% better.
Legacy of a number - connecting successful people who wore the numbers
The secret to the teams success is building that relationship, so that player is going to bust his butt for his teammate and get better!! BUILD that relationship
To be loved, to be taught, to be challenged!
Some kids need to be hugged, and some need to be kicked
Pregame
- 2 hours prior to a game
- “Savage time” - 15 minutes early
- Active warm up
- Catch play
- BP
- Game goals - team, pitching, hitting, defense
- Back Cals - talk through hitting approach with who team, go over situational baseball
- Meet as a team, do sprints, play
6 phases of offense
- Hitting
- Situational hitting
- Short game
- Plate zone discipline - hit your pitch, look for it, never chase
  - Quality swing chart - try to get 2 swings off every AB
- Baserunning
- Base stealing
Practice checklist, practice what happens the most
Ranking system - hitters rank pitchers, pitchers rank hitters
Are you that bad of a hitter that you can’t change your 2 strike approach?
Do you emphasize it? Do you practice it? Everyone knows
Figure out with our pitching staff where the ball went, and then train, train, train
Define what you want, and then track it!!
Play of the day - defensive play of the day, shirt for the defensive play of the day
What you honor and what you emphasize has to become special to the players!
Hustle chart -
Stop watch is analytics
What do you want to be good at??? Track it and emphasize it!! Measurement = Motivation
5 games - do you win??? Game within the game
- On the bus
- Pre game
- in/out
- Game
- Post game
Wasting time is a cardinal sin - our time is valuable so lets make it important
petes@savageandson.com
775-690-9316
Be your own coach. YOU BE YOU!
Emphasize it
Everything reflects back on you! You are the leader!!!!

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Palumbo Notes

Bio

Head coach at Archbishop Spalding (MD) - Going into my 10 year (9th season)
Played at the University of Maryland from 2005-2008

Joe Palumbo is the head varsity baseball coach at Archbishop Spalding High School. The former Maryland baseball player led the Spalding program to three consecutive MIAA “A” championships and #1 rankings in The BaltimoreSun in 2014, 2015 and 2016, as well as Top 50 national rankings in USA Today in 2015, 2016 and 2019. He was named the 2014 Coach of the Year in The Baltimore Sun, The Anne Arundel County Capital-Gazette, and the Co-Coach of the Year by the Varsity Sports Network and the Maryland State

Association of Baseball Coaches Association. In 2016, he was awarded the 2016 Anne Arundel County Capital-Gazette Coach of the Year award. Following Spalding’s 2021 MIAA “A” regular season championship he was selected as Anne Arundel County Capital-Gazette Coach of the Year. He has now coached 38 players that have gone to play collegiately at the NCAA Division 1, 2, or 3 levels.

Notes

We have high standards, and you need to know how to build a culture
Culture of high standards and excellence
- My standards are high across the board - in the class, weightroom, hallway, and ball field
We do not hide our standards
Character, commitment, and champions
- Champions - other people want to be around you
  - You are producing good things day in and day out in your life
- Character - how are you getting results in your daily life, how are you working when I am not around,
- commitment(s) - you have to do the work and if you get on it by yourself and do the work you make even get a commitment (if you want to go that route)
The parents are helpful in instilling the culture
I need to prove myself to the new class every year
Messages, classrooms, weightroom to bring in people and talk about lessons learned from people who have done it the right way to be champions
Weightlifting 3 days a week until christmas break (off season)
In season utilizing individualize program and focus on the movements
I don’t want you to feel like I was as a freshman when I was behind, so we are going to get you prepared for the weightroom
Emphasis on form for younger guys and older guys can get after it
The goal is injury prevention and strength development
The wrestler and football player can learn a lot of mental toughness than playing baseball
After fall ball (end of october) we bring up the intensity of weightroom
January is where we start up baseball activities up until mid february when we have tryouts
Infield work can be done in a small place
If we can run a great indoor practice that can separate us from the rest because anyone can run a good practice outside
You want your guys sharp at the end of the year
Coaches need to pull themselves back and see what happens at the end of the year and plan for the year
What gets you on second base?
Based on your skills we will try and enhance those skills
Put pressure on them consistently
You have to have a plan and stick to the plan, so you have a better chance you execute the plan
You have do everything right and get out
We are going to play to guys strengths
Your team should guide your philosophy
We want to be competitive in the box
Teachable moment after the game to talk about situations where the approach brokedown
We need to make adjustments to their adjustments
Conversations during BP and situational rounds to work on approach (what you are looking for)
Its ok to get beat for 2 strikes, but we are not getting beat in hitter counts
Velo BP days are uncomfortable for our hitters
- Coach close or machine juiced up
Pitcher who has not thrown live in a while he will go in front of the mound to go live at hitters
BP
- Live
- Baserunning
- Situational
- Defensive position
- Cages
I try to put the most pressure on our team defense segment as I can.
- Time based to implement and teach
- Then show you can execute 5 in a row and we move on
If we can “handle the ball” and don’t give up any runs we cannot lose
If we are going to be really good at the fundamentals we are going to be tough
We are running until the other team shows us they can stop us
coachpalumboashs@gmail.com
As a coach what can you learn today?
You can learn from Nick Saban, Kobe Bryant, and a lot of great people, and lear as much as you can
If you put the work in to be successful in baseball an you take that same work ethc you will be successful in anything

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“Mach-ee-es-ski”

Bio

11 years as head baseball coach and 1 as Athletic Director at Mauldin HS (SC)
- 36 Players to college, 4 drafted, 1 free-agent signee.
Former assistant coach at USC Upstate under Matt Fincher and Dorman HS under Ben Waddle (Wah-dle).
Managed the Brockport Riverbats of the New York Collegiate Summer League in 2007. Has also coached American Legion and Travel baseball.
Been a member of the USA Baseball Task Force since 2018 scouting for the 14u & 17u Team Championships, along with the several NTIS events.
From assistant AD, to full time AD at Mauldin since 2020

Notes

Rely on a tight circle of coaches with any question I may have
It is so rewarding to see the impact you can have on other programs
Lean on others who have done it well
Create the best experience for everyone in every program
Leadership program within the whole athletic program****
Build a strong culture within the whole athletic program
Community service****
We did a lot of things on a smaller scale and we want to do it on steroids
Take ownership of what you do and who you are
It needs to come for a deeper meaning of trust and common ground
MAVS U - “Motivated Achievers Value Success”
- Based on Tyler Gillum
- Lesson based around the needs of the team
  - Be a good teammate, son, study skills, run down
- Group activity, independent activity,
- Have a video and present in front of teammates
Mavs U becomes the “Cabinet” for the Mauldin HS athletic department
- “What does it mean to be a Mauldin athlete?”
Cabinet will help with community service
Community service - miracle league, hospital visits, angel trees, Elementary school after school programs, community clean up
Kids need to have an appreciation for what they have
The greatest leader in the world, washed someone else’s feet
The best leadership is serving other
The best leadership lesson is serving someone else
Kids apply and they need to interview to be a part of the leadership task force
Creating chemistry and not forcing leadership!!**
Kids need a chance to get to know one another and grow relationships
Leadership classroom sessions start year 1, as soon as possible!
Leadership doesn’t matter if those kids don’t care about one another
Be a good person! Do what you say you are going to do
Bands based on behavior system. Players moved up with player recommendations and had to justify
Boat crews - split up the talent and in competitive groups
- Keep them through the fall
- Leader of the crew
- Points for anything we want to compete with
We are not going to progress the skill until they can verbalize it, teach it, and own it.
Pinch runner called “game winner”
We can know everything about a team but if we can’t make plays it doesn’t matter what we know about the other team
The positive board - write it on the board something positive that has happened in the game. The average fan would not even notice.
You may never see the finished product, but you need to keep plugging away because something you said will make an impact**
Curriculum cannot just be 50 straight. It will always change, but you will have your pillars
Mavs U based on Tyler Gillums Growth U and Brian Cain’s pride program
Core values and Mission and Vision are voted on each year to own what type of team you want to be
- What does it look like a player, person, and player
“That’s Mauldin”
Use the mission and vision statement based on what you want to be about and how you plan on getting there
Creating chemistry over leadership - what is more important??
Creating a culture we just want to create something consistent something they can depend on
We can’t try to do something and replicate something that others are doing
Coaches need to do things for who they know they have!
Goes back to growth mindset.
Twitter - @Maciejewski24
- DM are open!

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Bio

Currently serving the New York Yankees Player Development Department as the Director of Dominican Republic Baseball Operations (2019)
Former HC at Charleson (WV) University from 2015-2019
- staff from three to eight and wins from 16 to 41 in 4 years.
- In years three and four claimed MEC Southern Division Championship and MEC Tournament Championship. Lost in championship in year 2.
- 2 NCAA Regionals
- Achievements-3 consecutive school records for wins 36, 38, 41
Head Baseball coach at Concord (WV) University from 2010-2015
- Increased the roster from 24 to 38
- -Increased the staff from 2 to 5
- -Set consecutive school records for wins in 2013 (36) and 2014 (38)
- -Won 2 Conference Championships (2011,2013)
- -Appeared in 2 NCAA Regionals
- -Created and Implemented "1000 Hour Project" and "Get to Give" Community Service Initiatives
- -Improved team GPA from

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Bio

Head Coach at Loyola Blakefield since 2017
Former Don assistant coach 2012-2016
Former Atlanta Braves scout from 91-95
Assistant for Baltimore Johnnies (similar to Cape Cod league)
- 2 number 1 draft picks
- 2nd pick overall
- 4th pick overall
Dundalk CC assistant from 1990-1994
Assisted with multiple Baltimore metro teams over the years
Has coached 4 big leaguers
kid driven
Players first coach!

Notes

When you come to my school you will be one of my guys for life
Checking on guys after they leave the program
Connect with alumni, even if it is just an email
You have to get the players (you need talent)
You need to have the culture (expectations)
Players need to buy in
Each year there is a different level of buy in
The most talent doesn’t always win, but the most talented team of players
Get the last guy on your team to be all in is when you get something special
Buy into the culture, buy into the baseball teaching/philosophy
Adjust to how players feel about the team and play for each other, not just for themselves.
I do less messing with hitters
You need to drive the baseball to play at a high level
I am kid driven - more what the kid needs and develop the kid****
ETF - embrace the fear
- Fear of the totality of hitting the baseball
- Fear of making mistakes
- Know it is going to happen
- Don’t run from it
- Its ok, and let go at it, and have fun with it
Give players test based on the playbook, based on our system
- Either put the play on, or you take it off
Take away as much thinking I can from the player, so they can just play and react instinctively
If the kids make a mistakes I take responsibility for that, and I need to teach it and go back over it again
Aggressive offensively, and make other team give up outs to get to the next base.
Defensively we do not want to give up anything
We teach during practice, and during games kids go have fun, learn, and coaches get feedback on what they need to practice.
Getting practice done with JV and Varsity, together to teach everyone, and also get kids home in time to study and have family time!
I am watching all the time
Talking to kids during BP to talk about life or even get feedback from players on practice
We are going to do the things that we do the most during games!
Generally see the biggest improvements from our outfielders, they must go all out for the baseball.
Every BP ball that comes off the bat we go for it 100%
2 guys at each position - next guy comes right up after each rep
Infield throws until their arm is done, but make each play, you just may not throw it.
Get corrected right away, and get the praise right away
Its easy to beat up, but you better praise em up!
Machine pitch intersquad to get as many situations as possible, keep it moving
Intersquad, 3 teams, pitcher has plays off the L-screen
I am training everyone to be leaders, each person needs to lead their life.
Every team has a hierarchical of players/leaders
First thing is to LEAD yourself - find out who you are and what to embrace and stay away from
Kids teach kids - share what you know with other players
Be authentic, be real - the kids will know, and you will not fool them.
Be upfront and honest with kids right away
“Baseball class” - if players have problem in “baseball class” we don’t want parents to talk to us, but in “geometry class” they call the teacher
How to compete to get on a team, and compete against your best friend for a position on the team.
I’m in the business of helping kids!
@baseballcoachk
Email - terphouse43@aol.com

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Bio

21 seasons as HC of Woodlands HS (TX)
482-155
14 district championships
overall record in 27 years as a head coach is 640-275
3 state championships
3 time national COY
3 first round draft picks
2017 HOF class of the National HS Baseball Coaches Association
57 All State Players, 16 All Americans and has had 26 players taken in the MLB Draft
2006 his Highlanders were crowned the national champions by Baseball America
Extremely humble and high class individual
Legend!

Notes

Routines
Red lights, yellow lights, green lights
- Green lights -
The higher level you go the more mental the game is
The 6 inches between your ears controls the 6 feet below
The difference between winning and losing is execution
Use telescope approach (whole year) and then break it down
The mental game helps you be where your feet are
Mental toughness is about helping you stay present in the moment
The past is your ego and the future is your pride, and being in the moment is about being humble.
Routines are huge and teaching in practice and executing in games
When you get to the game - you take off your clothes and you are no longer a student, son, you are all in and focused in on the game
When you leave the game/line - you take off your clothes and go back to being a good son/boyfriend/community member
Drop in the brick, bring a toilet to flush the error
So what, next pitch to help stay in the moment
Work on breathing - easy to do when things are going well, but to have the ability to slow it down when the game speeds up and recognizes.
Players should have their routine, so when they are waiting they are doing their routine
When the at bat starts you have work your routine (in the hole, on deck, etc)
Understanding what a players release is and work on it
- Defense get out of the circle
- Purposeful reps to be sure they are aware of their release routine (make them bobble)
- Pitcher wipes the mound (to wipe away the last pitch)
Classroom session, mapped out practice, and execute in practice
The lightbulb may not come when we have them but when
We are trying to develop the champions off the field, and the championships on the field work it out
First days of the fall we are only in the classroom
- Develop core values - called “family values”
- Excellence - be your best
- Competitive
- Energy
- Selfless
  - How are these visible in the community, classroom, home
  - What kind of service can we do for the community?
    - Challenger league - go help and host
I wanted to develop a program, not just a team
Getting to know each of your teammate is crucial
Present the values - what do we think of them??
How do we demonstrate in the classroom, community, home
We have to model the behavior
Put all kids in the program in small groups and have a leader and they get to know each other, and at the of the fall we have a draft to put together team for “Dell Challenge.” Captains choose
Costume Halloween game
Boat crew leaders in charge of attendance to tell coaches who is absent
Once you think you have this game figured out it will humble you quick
80-85% pitcher/hitter battle, so we need to dominate that battle
We are focused are on the things that happen the most
Rapsodo to help get numbers to get recruited and help develop a pitcher quicker
YOU NEED TO BE YOUR BEST HITTING/PITCHING COACH
Driveline Axe bat trainer for overload/underload bat speed training
Stations where you choose what works for best for them, along with what WE are doing
We are trying to give them ownership
Book studies
Mind, body, spirit - getting a little bit better each day
Practice what I preach!
Focus on the process and play one pitch at a time
Summer homework - live your family values, read the book, and do a one page reaction paper on it, watch Miracle the movie and look for family values.
Creating habits versus setting goals.
- What habits will you create to make a big difference?
- We all have those dreams, and look at your habit and do they reflect your goal?
- Raise or lower your goals based on your daily habits
- Fill out your weekly schedule so you know where you time is going
  - Log your week!
  - Reflect and see where your time is going
  - Then fill out your schedule
- If you have a goal you want to achieve then your time need to match that
- Don’t try to do it all, find out what works for your guys!
- reastman@conroeisd.net

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Ryan Alexander Bio

Current HC at Grove City HS (OH)
Finished 13th season at GC
- Record 244-100
- Conference championships. 6. 2010. 2012. 2014. 2015. 2017. 2021.
- State playoffs. 2 trips to state final 4. 2011 and 2012
- Players to college/pro over 75 to college. 3 drafted. 2 still playing.
- Highest rank. #1 in state in 2012. #17 USA Today.

Notes

8 week shutdown for pitchers with on ramp
- See what showcase or camp you have coming up
Limit throws for 2 way players - don’t take infield, put balls in buckets
Pitchers give their own pitching plan for when their days start and what it looks like
- What you do day before, day after, two days, etc
- Lift, rest, active rest, arm care, etc
Create your own plan based on what they know, how bought in they are, so you are either given a plan or creating it
Letting kids being so individual to get what they need and their routine
Outfield with outfield, infield with infield, and feel their throwing progression for different throws to prepare themselves
Always trying to pick something up and if it works for you, use it!
It is doesn’t feel good, we can’t do it! ***
Everyone needs to have their own plan and know their arm so if they don’t have a team that is organized he can fall back
Non stop teaching of the way we want to play the game (Dirtbag and Nasty)
- Dirtbag mentality - dirtbag competitions and rewards given at the end of practice
- Classroom sessions
- Presentations, memories of past dirtbags
- Bright green shirt - offensive, defensive, or energy giver and they would wear it the next day to practice/game
Bring alumni back to help instill and be around to help maintain the consistency of the dirtbag culture
All weather balls
Give a full week of tryouts -
- 2 days to show what you have on the mound (15 pitches)
- Rating scale
  - Inf velo, exit velo, bat speed, ground ball, outfield footwork, catcher pops
- Competitions all week
- Talk to every single kid and the competitions lead to good talks
- If we have a game tomorrow, this is where we see you - constant communication all year!
- Those roles are not sticking and you need to perform in practice and game to keep them
- Always evaluating how you good of a teammate you are
Mulch sale for big fundraiser - get out mulch easter weekend
Everything is going to be under scrutiny so we need to think about it and protect ourselves
Pitchers used to get skinnier and skinnier and I want to keep guys thicker and more muscular, so we need to do sprints and not 3 miles!
Kids running charts
- Armed forces (pitching chart) - + and - for quality pitches
- Quality at bats
- Hustle chart (little things)
Charts can be different based on what your team needs
On a strikeout drop your bat and go hit the pole, say what you have to, get it out of your system, and when you get back be a good teammate
Twitter - @coacha8
ryan.alexander@swcsd.us

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Bio

Start the Horizon High School program (AZ) in 1980
- 2007 National Champions
- 6 Arizona 5A State Championships
- 3 Arizona 5A State Runners-up
- 20 Regional Championships
- 7 National Invitational Championships
- 881 total wins 809 wins in Arizona which the most wins for a coach in Arizona history.
- 3 first round draft picks. 28 overall players drafted in MLB
- Over 200 players gone onto to college and played
USA Baseball staff member
- Coordinator of USA 14U and 17U olympic development program.
- 2018 started the 16U program
- 2010 USA Baseball COY
- 2012 USA Baseball Development COY
Arizona Baseball Coaches Association HOF, Arizona Coaches HOF, High School association HOF,
National HS BCA COY in 2018
5X Arizona COY

Notes

To be a good teammate, don’t care who gets the credit and we will be in good shape
Taught you how to practice, and then gave you ownership
Pound the fundamentals and make sure you are efficient
Took a lot of things personal as a young coach
The joy playing like a kid is what keeps me moving forward**
I hope I never forget what its like to play like a kid! ~Kris Bryant
Play multiple sports and give “active rest” - play other sport, work on hitting, skills, etc
You have to train the athlete and be athletic to be great
Play for now, and if you play they will find you, and play for now and the end will take care of itself
Do you want to be good or do you want to be great? If great, then the expectations went up
- Every pitch BP
- Make other players better
Want to and not a have to
- You should not “have to” come to practice, you need to “want to”
If i teach them how to practice and then give them ownership
Mental game is coached up more than it used to be due to the negative leadership that wanted positive outcome (“my way”)
When you think you need some help you come ask me and then we are all in!
Everyone is an individual and a little different, so you need to say and do things that works for them
Standards instead of rules - standard has more worth
Ownership is a big deal - you have no control over and it develops trust
There are program absolutes! Hustle, trash talk, class
Model the behavior and calming during post season/pressure situations
Being honest with players is the best thing you can do for players
- I care enough to tell you the truth
You need to be careful with your words because conversations stick with the players
When we make mistakes we must own it, and the players see that and then they will own it when they make mistakes.
Captains meeting once a week to keep everyone mind right and see who needs a kick in the butt or a pat on the back
Start with a quote and talk about how it impacts each person
Baseball is not my life, and baseball humbles you, so start with a quote and see how it impacts our life
Interview in the fall - 1 on 1 to evaluate strengths and weaknesses
- Based all year
- Figure out who the person is
- See if they have good self awareness
USA baseball Manual - write down my experiences
Process versus results - everyone except us is result focus
Get comfortable with being uncomfortable to get past it (feeling rough)
If you are playing a team sport, you should always put in extra time for your teammates**
I will really emphasize the little things, and role the player did during the game
Every player needs to have a role no matter the talent
Practice plan
- Quote
- Practice in 10
- Dynamic
- steals/baserunning
- Bands
- Throwing program (and be OUT there)
  - Go stealth when kids cannot say a word
- If you lose the clubhouse your done, and it starts with communication
- I don’t go too long because I want every rep quality rep
- Team defense or position drills depending on the staff
- Good footwork is paramount to being a good fielder
- Relays with live baserunners. Run till you get out (then work on rundowns).
- “What happens in the game the most often?”
  - No catcher pop ups everyday, because it does not happen everyday
- Winning 1 run ball games
  - Throwing program
  - Baserunning - “the coach is just your stop sign”
    - Live baserunning with outfielders - put in situations
    - I can’t expect them to perform in situations we have not covered
  - Situational baseball
  - Speeding the game up
  - Competitive bullpens
    - Scripted
    - P-I-T-C-H (horse for bullpen)
  - Pace - 12 seconds or less between pitches
  - Intensity
- Practices are for coaches, games are for the players. If I do my job I should be able to sit in the stands
- How can I play you if you can’t do your job? Do you want to be good or great?
- Playing time is huge! Sit the player if he is not acting right, and you
- Give pitchers permission to get hit
- No words on the field, the tunnel (cage) is our classroom
- Is this practice going to help us win a game or lose a game?
- Baserunning and bunting - special teams of baseball
  - 1st/3rd game - score as many ways as we can
  - Runner on 3rd and score the game winning run
- Evaluate our strengths and weaknesses as a coach
  - How can I score with the team that I have?
- Hit with 2 strikes - embrace and get more mentally tough
- Pitch recognition - look at the bullpen, hitters take and say where it was
- I know how to pitch a kid how they take a pitch
- Taking pitches is as important as hitting pitches
- huskycoach2@gmail.com
- 602-291-1952

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Bio

The 2020-2021 season marked the first year for Drew Bailey as the Head Baseball Coach at Bluefield State College.
In the 2020-21 season the Big Blue finished 15-12 overall, marking their first winning season in school history.
The Big Blue won the first Black College World Series against the Xavier University of Louisiana.
Bailey, joined Bluefield State College after four different coaching stops and a professional playing career.
Bailey spent time as the pitching coach at Concord University before becoming the pitching coach and RECOR for the Bluefield College baseball.
He was also the former head baseball coach at Averett University in Danville, Virginia.
Bailey played two professional seasons for the Athletics’ organization where he posted a 5-0 record and had an ERA of 2.80 ERA. He racked up 48 strikeouts in 54 professional innings and limited opponents to a .216 batting average

Notes

Surround yourself with great people
He doesn’t work for me, we work together
Recruiting and culture
- Got to be able to recruit and bring in talent
- Got to have standards and hold expectations
Creating structure, recruiting, and building culture
When guys develop mentally and maturity the baseball player develops
Recruiting goals, alumni goals, classroom goals, ncaa regional goal as a team,
Set and communicate our Standards - work ethic, kindness, accountability,
“Developmental” team - JV team, we need to treat our last guy like our best guy
I’d rather lose a close game against a rank opponent than go dominate a bad team
Can’t process and compete at the same time!
Video is huge so they can see the adjustment
Film and feel - we have to film it so we can cue it to be able to feel it
Measure it to find out what type of pitcher they are - 2 seam or 4 seam, slider or curveball
Most players struggle to accept their identity, and we need to help them identify who they are
Pre throw activation - don’t need to throw more than 15 minutes
Mobility - yoga once a week
Fast twitch, explosive intense movements/running rather than slow twitch long distance running
Just because I played professional baseball people assume I know baseball. That is the biggest misconception in our game.
Some of the best coaches in the game are guys who did not play at a high level
Passionate, learning, and communicate are staff guys I am looking for
Most high school kids don’t understand how to hold runners and run the bases!
Love the competition that breeds in the fall
- Exit velo competitions - best average of ev wins!
If you don’t handle your academics you will not attack your baseball as good as you could
It is a privilege to be able to play
Adversity of schedule, practice, freedom do it without parents,
- Need support - we will support the kids, tutor groups, study hall
- 3.2 is the standard
- I have a problem with a guy who is 2.8 and could be 3.5!
- Grade checks, classroom checks - be where you are supposed to be.
Expectations not rules
Guys who are not accountable are not coachable
Don’t ride that emotional rollercoaster - keep pushing forward and keep working to push through adversity
What can you control? If you can’t control it, don’t focus on it
“Into the real world” session - people from around the community in the real world and what they have done to push through adversity.
Daily communication to help with their mental game
I want my guys to know we are setting themselves up to be a better husband, father, co worker, etc
“40 year commitment” not just 4 year!
Your reaction to the situation is everything
What is your why? What's your playbook?
Baseball is a platform, we need to serve others.
Baseball is what we do, it's not who we are.
Butch Thompson - “you need to build them up before you break them down”
Guys will play hard for you when they know you care about them
I don’t want to treat players differently just because they don’t perform
abailey@bluefieldstate.edu

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Bio

Current HC of Madison Central HS (Kentucky)
Coach Roof just finished his 21st year as the head coach of Indians' baseball team.
During his career at Central, his teams have a record of 526-224-1,
won the Kentucky 11th region title in 2015 and 2018,
and was the Kentucky 11th region runner-up in 2021, 2014 and 2005.
The Indians' have also won 18 district championships.
Roof was named 11th Region Coach of the Year in 2010 and 2014.
Coach Roof has been the head coach of the East/West All-stars six times.
Works with USA Baseball
Prior to Madison Central, Coach Roof was an assistant at Eastern Kentucky University for four seasons under Hall of Fame Coach Jim Ward
From 1998-2000, Roof served as the Recruiting Coordinator, and the Colonels won the OVC in 2000.
He was also the head coach of the Durham Braves in the Coastal Plains Collegiate League.
Great guy, constant learner, huge work ethic!

Notes

16 Day Baserunning install - its not just running the bases, its putting the pressure on the pitcher and as a results we get more fastball
- Day 1 - 1st base
- Day 2 - sliding (you can’t be a baserunning team without getting dirty)
  - Pull guys
  - Story time - criss cross applesauce
- Day 3 - leads at 1B
- Day 4 - leads at 2B
- Day 5 - leads at 3B
- Day 6 - dirt ball reads
I want you to ask why, I want you to know why we do it, and it creates more buy in!
You read the catcher on the dirt balls - read the knees
Measured leads, what is your time 1st to 2nd
Teaching from game 1 to the end of the year, and always teaching and adding to the journal
If you can play catch at a high level you can execute a run down
We stop doing everything and all situations, and focused on what happened most frequently
Why didn’t my player understand? It is on us coaches! We need to find something and stop complaining!
Find a way to compete and find a way to win
Look at everything you have and hold true to what is working.
- Know your guys
- Know what you are trying to do
- Focus on yourself
Finding the right fit for each person and individualizing to fit the players needs
When players take charge of their own development that is a win for our program
Run producer or run scorer - speed guy or heavy hitter
1st third - find our roles, find who can play, may lose games due to development
2nd third - learn from our mistakes
3rd part of season - here is who we are
Made a google classroom for the team
Book study in the fall
Players texting me about a book that was personal to them
Memorize a quote for the beginning of practice
Classroom sessions
Trying to develop men! Can we get them to maturity?
The individuals get better collectively and WE get better
4 things that can happen once the pitch is throw, so control what you can!
- Hit it hard and get out
- Hit it hard and get a hit
- Hit is soft and get out
- Hit is soft and get hit
Be the best you can
Family, hard work, and toughness
- Family - accept your role, roles can change, play for each other
- Hard work - doesn’t matter get better, if you aren’t where you want to be, then you find a way to get better
- Toughness - when the game is on the line are you going to perform?
Serve each other, get better, toughness to handle the pressure
How? Get 1% better each day
Batting practice
- Charting defense
- Expand your range - layout in practice, and sellout in practice
Dirtbag chart
- What does a dirtbag look like?
- Give him a shirt at the end of the game
2 strike adjustment
- Team AB
- Sacrifice myself for the team
- Put it in play
Measuring it makes it more significant
Wear a pitch get a chicken sandwich
What can we do to promote the things that no one seems to care about? The little things
Make it competitive and reward the winners -
Have a group of guys you can trust that can help you in situations. “The grass is brown everywhere!”
Developing the person, and loving your team - tell them you love them!
Have a common goal and develop the man!
Email steve.roof@madison.kyschools.us
859-661-2414

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Bio

Current head coach at Louisiana University at Lafayette, Ragin Cajuns!
Former head coach at Sam Houston State winning the conference championship 3 of his last 4 season at Sam Houston State
- Became the first Sam Houston State team to go to a super regional in 2017
- 16 players went into the draft during his tenure
Former Ragin Cajuns assistant coach in 2012-2014
- 2014 was the first time Louisiana ever had a number 1 ranking, but it was Deggs second time when he was an AC at Texas A&M and they were ranked #1 in 2009.
- First mid major to ever be consensus #1 at the conclusion of the season
Former Texas A&M and Arkansas AC
First experience as head coach was at Texarkana and led them to their first ever trip to the JUCO world series, helping develop future All Star Hunter Pence
A man of faith
A leader of men
Best selling author
A fierce competitor

Notes

Too many of us wrap our identity into what we do, instead of who were are
Two types of people, humble and people about to be humbled
I don’t care about what you have done, I care about what you are going to do about it.
The sin is not getting back up!
15 to 28 book that told my story about being broken and redemption
Press conference went viral to tell my story and use a platform
try to be transformational not transactional especially when it comes to win and losses
We make one promise - we will develop the well rounded man!
When your identity is wrapped up in what you do, you are not fully there mentally and will fill it with other sources
Graduation, team gpa, community work
“Master key” = degree that will open doors
Become very good at the things you do control!
- Attitude, energy, concentration,
It is a culture of over achieving - taking pride of what things no one else cares about
We are in the relationship business
- 1-1 is important
- Teaching and test
“Professional development” - half hour before a lift or practice
Binder of “Cajun Baseball”
Two things to have a shot - organized and united!
Classroom, guest speakers, and one on one times
Clarity of mission and understanding
Culture is leadership and action on a daily basis
Master coach - 1. write things down, structure and organize it. 2. Test the guys!
attitude , approach, tenacity, toughness
Not every pack is created equal
The structure/framework stays the same but what we do inside needs to adapted and evolved
You will always need them more than they need you!
Loyalty is everything!
No player is worth burning a bridge with another coach
You need to be upfront, honest, and authentic, and when you are you they will do what they can for you!
When you are unafraid to be embarrassed in front of the guys you lead, you got it! Just own it, lead from the front, and don’t throw everyone under the bus.
Your offense is only as good as your personnel
The power of contribution - wolfpack baseball! Team centered
- Team at bats -
- Pride yourself on who you are for the success of the pack
Guy on the bump is the buffalo, and we need to surround him (like wolves) to get him out of there
Callous mindset that loves to fight and not focused on the result/record, they want to scrap!
The success of an individual is determined by the team, but the teams success is NOT determined on one individual
Results are temporary, and the relationship with your boys is forever
Runner, bombers, hitters, ballplayers and we train them accordingly

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Moseley notes

Bio

Current Head Coach Hoover HS (AL)
- 2021 state finalist
- 2017 7A Alabama state champion
- 5 area championships in a row
- 44 have gone to play college in 7 years - 16 D1
Member of the USA baseball staff
- Pitching coach 14U national development program
- Pitching coordinator for 14U national development program
- Assistant coach 15U trials
- Pitching coach for the 2018 15U World Championship USA national team
- 18U national pitching coach
Former Head baseball coach at Virgil Grissom HS
- 1st and 2nd round picks
Won over 400 wins as a head coach
Incredible person
Man of faith
Learner and leader!

Notes

- 5 zones - 1 is off the plate left side - 2 is on the corner - 3 is down the middle - 4 is on the corner - 5 is off the plate right side - If its up in on the hands - Scripted pens - fb in the 1, 2 seam in 4 - Script the first 10 pitches in the game - What gets him comfortable in the game - breaking ball glove side or two seam inside - These are the first 5 pitches and do you like him - You can train whatever you want on the strike zone, but if you don’t know what the umpire is calling it doesn’t matter - Release points (on nose, ear, and off face) - What are you getting ready for? Focal point - Flatground teaching points * Feel, release points, finger over the ball - In the summer - work with bullets, based on the last performance - Tunnel - keep it in line from me - Just like in basketball, shooters shot, and throwers throw - You need to throw with more on the line to give you feedback - The art is how much the guys needs in between starts * Dealing = needs more adversity in between to keep edge * Struggling = keep confidence high in between - Look at them as pillars not rocks and stones - long toss, lifts, - Form to Rate these 3 things everyday with some notes - soreness, effort, and feel (whatever are the pillars) - Things that don’t work are easier - Open your home to your team
Coach for the events that matter the most!!
- Look for moments to bring them aside and make a meaningful relationship
- In big moments I am going to touch them (encouragement)
- Try to talk to each player individually
- Live out life as much as I can in front of the team
- Character development
  - Everyday is doing character development, that doesn’t separate you, that is how you live your life
  - Fall - gets a day
  - Spring - pre practice and discuss how it relates to life
- 24 hour principle - if it is important in 24 hours we will discuss it then
- Culture
  - Be there consistently
  - Be in the front, when you need to be in the front, be in the back when you need to be in the back
  - They need to know you will take the bullets for you
- Start with shading on the pitch
- Have pinch hitters ready early
- Start practice with a new situation - new situation each pitch and get rolling
  - Video the session to discuss next day
  - Pitchers throw live or throw flat ground to hitters
    - Hitters go in with 0-2 count
    - Work on your stuff
- Email - amoseley@hoover.k12.al.us
- Twitter - DM are open: @moseleyadam

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Davis Notes

Bio

Head Coach at Sherwood HS (MD) since 2012
- 140-36
- 4 time regional champion
- MSABC district coach of the year 2016 and 2019
AC at Sherwood started in 2009
- 2010 state champion
AC at Georgetown Prep and Rockville Express
At the end of his career at Frostburg he was the all time leader in hits, runs, at bats, and games played.
A DUDE!!

Notes

Post practice plan in the PE office and guys check it and post to group chat
Hack attack for multiple uses
- Dirt ball reads
- First and thirds
- Pop ups
- Bunting with a little pace
Using pocket radars to give immediate feedback for a kid to swing with a content
Spray charts for opposing players
Fastball taken for a strike
- Can’t take the best pitch of our at bat
- Especially in “GO” counts
- Guys who take more fastballs in counts tend to be weaker hitter
Conversations with players about what they are seeing and having an approach
Each conversation is different based on the player
Getting kids prepared for college
- Call pitches, picks from dugout, signs from a wristband, practice preparation
Picks - verbals and non verbals around
As many touches as possible in a short amount of time
- 4 man fungo,
- 3 rotation PFP
Lineups are defensively based
Offensively changed our philosophy based on how we swing it
If the players know you genuinely care about them you can ask the world of them
- We are doing this because I do not want the seniors to cry at the end of the year
If I won’t, they don’t! If I go to everything they know I am bought in.
Make it feel big league, as good as it can!
Twitter - @woodbaseball1 DM’s are open

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Bio

Current head coach at James Madison High School
- 26th season at Madison (31st overall)
  - Langley HS (1 year)
  - Marshall HS (8 years)
- 2 VA state championships
- 1 perfect season, which was recognized as one of the best high school teams of ALL time
- 14 Liberty Conference Championships
- 1 Concorde Conference Championships
- In 2018 Gjormand was named Conference Coach of the year for the 7th time
- Region 6 Coach of the year for the 4th time.
- Home Plate Club’s high school coach of the year
- National Baseball Coaches Association (BCA) East Coast coach of the year
- finalist for the BCA’s national coach of the year award
- Founder of MVP International where multiple sports are played all throughout the world
- Incredible clinician speaker
- Leader of men!
- Mental game master!!

Notes

Learning how to lose is just as important as learning how to win
Take the reigns early and then loosen it up as you go
Unload christmas trees for lions club in the community
Phases of the season
- Phase 1 - pre season and off season, friday life lessons
- Phase 2 - spring break - tournament and compete for something
- Phase 3 - conference play - win as much as we can, we only count wins, we lose and we get back up
- Phase 4 - conference tournament
- Phase 5 - regional tournament
- Phase 6 - state tournament
You always need to overachieve no matter how good you are
You are not a 9 hitter, you are 1 of 9 hitters!
Post goals at the beginning of the season in the locker room
I have been there, but I have not been there with this team!
Glue guys - do the things no one sees and keeps us all together
In baseball we can’t ride the emotional rollercoaster
We need to stay at a level and feel where it needs to be
My captains are my seniors, because as a senior you deserve to be a leader and it gives you the opportunity to put it on a resume.
- If they are not ready for that leadership then it is on me!
Players win games, coaches lose games
Winning can be the bridge to misery
Rise and shine or rise and wine, be careful
Follow on twitter @coachpudge8
email at James Madison High School

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Bio

Current Head Coach at North Hall High School (GA)
- 2021 AAA Georgia State Champions!
  - First as a head coach
  - 2013 won 3A state championship as assistant coach
- 116-33 overall record
- first year (2018) as head coach the Trojans finished 24-7 and made it to the Sweet Sixteen
- in year 2 the Trojans finished 21-16 and made it to the Final Four,
- year 3 the Trojans were 12-4 and ranked #1 in AAA before the Covid shortened season.
- Region Coach of the Year honors during the 2018 season
- AAA Coach of the Year in 2019
- Constant LEARNER!
- A DUDE!!

Notes

Keep a card and write down any learning point throughout the game
Extended column - these things that can help us or hurt us in the playoffs
- Become Practice plans
- Hope to cross off items as we go
If I am going to ask a kid to get better I need to be specific
- It's on me to be specific
Write MAY on their bullpen ball
The playoffs are like a high wire - regular season is low and then as you get longer in the season the wire gets higher and you have no net!
Team goal of 950 field %
- Outfield - NO GAPS
- Infield - can’t play infield without good feet
- 200 ground balls a day -
- Only throws full speed or DON’T THROW
- Game speed feet if you can’t throw game speed
Your expectations as a coach turn into players’ actions!
Positions are rented!
You better watch out for the teams that fight for positions
When you get to the point of vulnerability you don’t back down from confrontation
More time in the weightroom, long toss sessions, bullpens, any chance you get to get to know each kid because you can’t talk to each kid the same
Your kids need to know that you don’t have it all figured out
- Not scared to tell the kids I made a mistake
  - Let a pitcher in too long
  - Send a runner or didn’t send a runner
It can’t be a one size fits all
Big difference between knowing the game as a player and knowing the game as a coach
There is no substitute for experience
How do I extend the 21 outs on my side and shorten them on their side
Most coaches don’t trust their players preparation, when it turn it is the coaches who prepared them, so it’s really the coaches failure in preparing.
Would you rather win a game 10-2 or 10-6?
- 10-2 you lost an opportunity for you to find something about a kid
- 10-6 you got an opportunity for you to find something about a kid
Know you players and their identity (move power hitter to leadoff spot based on his identity)
Video breakdown and character talk
When they leave the program I want them to know I love them and be better people and have more than an identity than baseball players
Character card - values of the people in our program will possess
- This is your card about you as a man in this program
- If I take it we talk about, and I give it back when I see they make the changes
- Reached out to staff as characteristics of what our kids need the most
Made hard decisions based on the character of a kid - addition by subtraction
Surface - element card
- Surface - fence, grass, backstop, etc
- Element - wind, temperature, sun, etc
Team meeting before practice
Character talk before practice
Feel the heart beat of your team and see what would be generic for the guys and figure out what works
- Don’t be scared to fail and think the coach is “cool”
Twitter - @trevorflow
Email North Hall
social media is a dialogue for myself
The more I coach it's not competing against the other coach, it is coaching/playing against the game and ourselves
You got to go out and play chess not checkers!!
Advice from other coaches through the coaching community

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Younce Notes

Bio

collegiate playing career at the US Naval Academy and Old Dominion University
involved with baseball for over 25 years.
Assistant Coach at Greenbrier Christian Academy (VA)
- Under 500 before coming on staff
- 2019 - lost in state semi
- 2020 - covid
- 2021 - D2 state champs
Canes Baseball hitting and INF coach for the 14 National team.
- Coached at every level
- Former Scouting director for the organization
Associate Scout with the Philadelphia Phillies.
created Coastal Va Baseball

Notes

Survey at the end of fall to discuss role and communicate expectations
Want guys moving faster during practice
The standard is the standard! It doesn’t matter what jersey I am wearing
Kids have to know the orders -
- High school - we still want the kids the win no matter if they play the next level or not
- Travel - we still have a standard and kids can use to help speed up their progression
Find multiple ways to say things to help with multiple kids
It's a hard conversation to tell someone they are not meeting the standard, and most time the kids know it
Has not changed that coaches want to see them
Rise in the value of college camps
The player themselves gets them recruited
Coach gives an honest assessment that is credible
My job is to gives honest feedback/criticism
Leave it better than you found it
Point out the hop where the last hop would land
Get the right hop as an infielder
Teach them how to get the right
Defensive efficiency chart - lanes and speeds
Swing decision chart
Not a finished product, be a constant learner
Be who you are and give yourself an honest assessment of where you are
Twitter @robyounce DM’s are open
robyounce@gmail.com

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Shallenberger Notes

Bio

Current GM of the Park Sports Complex
Powerballers 17U Baseball Coach
Head Coach @ Cairn University from 2016-2020: 2019
- CSAC Coach of the Year Recipient;
- All Time Winningest coach in Cairn University History
- Lead the Highlanders to 1st playoff appearance and victory
Assistant Coach @ Savannah Bananas 2020;
- Worked with players from JUCO, D2, and D1 levels;
- Helped team reach the Coastal Plains Championship Game; Coached 11 All CPL Players
Assistant Coach @ Belmont University 2015;
- Top 10 in seven offensive categories in all of NCAA D1;
- OVC Tournament Appearance;
- Coached 4 Players drafted from Belmont
Player/Assistant Coach @ Geneva 2006-2010/2011-2013;
- Team MVP with a .420 Batting Average and lead the team in Saves;
- NCAA All- Region Team & All- Tournament Team;
- Coached NCAA D3 National Strikeout Leader

NOTES

Intentional about relationships
How many touches can I get with each player each day?
Roots were in the relationships with the players
Culture drove the fruit
Every single player heard their first name called everyday at practice
What is your value as a coach?
Are you in a place that values relationships?
Wrote each player a letter from the head coach to show how much they cared
The formula doesn’t change, the people do - find out how they tick
Treat each individual player like their own individual
Practice looked different for every single player
pshallenberger@gmail.com
724-448-7808
@coachphill_s

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Bio

Retired HC of Dublin Coffman High School (2020)
Former President and now Executive Director of the NHSBCA
USA Baseball (1995-2015) Olympic Sports Festival Colorado Springs (last ever)
- 1997-2015 USA Baseball staff
  - HC of 16 year olds and assistant coach for 18 YOD
  - First team to beat Cuba twice in 3 game series
- USA Baseball Amatuer COY 2000
Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2004
Central District Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2005
In 2012 he became the first coach from Ohio to be inducted into the National High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame
Career record of 589-393
Led Shamrocks to 13 league titles at Coffman, and 2 league titles at Meigs HS
Assistant at Indiana University 86,87
Division I state semifinal appearance in 2000
State championship in 2001
Relationship article
Molding Young Men Article

Notes

Being held accountable has changed
Treat them all the same in a way but different
Handle the situation right at the time it happens
Good coaches have a way of communicating why things happen
Triangle - players, parents, and coaches - coaches making decisions, support the players, and players support us, parents support us when kids do
The more you want the kids to open up, the coach needs to open up
Communication is so key, and the more people know they let you be
Signed contract for role and if they complained about it they will be cut
Be friendly, help people out,
Are you willing to listen? Are you willing to learn?
Be genuine
Have a heart to heart sometime with the parents/players
Be a better communicator
- Believe in what you do
- Know your players (who to yell at and those you pat on the back)
- Be able to talk to people (high fives, head up when your walking down the hall)
Tried to make every day a recess!!
You can’t win competitions with BASSET HOUNDS! Slow, don’t care, lazy
tsaunders@baseballcoaches.org
Quit talking and let’s get to work
All levels can be developed your expectations just change
Coaches compliment - “practice is over already?”
If you have no Relationships, you have no Culture!
Relationship article
Molding Young Men Article

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Bio

Alma Mater: Capital University ’02

The 2021 season is the 3rd as head coach at Olentangy Orange for Tom Marker. During his tenure Marker has turned the Pioneers into a state and district power, leading Orange to a number one State Ranking and top 50 National Ranking this season.

Marker’s record of 39-10 (.796) is first all-time in winning percentage at Orange. In his career as a head coach Marker is 237-141 (.627). Marker’s efforts have paid off in the win column and across the board as Prep Baseball Report has tabbed Orange as the top program in the state in the last three State Poll Rankings.

In March of 2016, Marker was asked to speak at the National High School Baseball Coaches Association clinic in St. Louis. Since then, Marker has spoken at the OHSBCA clinic and the LHSCA clinic.

Over the last six seasons, Marker has led his teams to four district final appearances. Marker was named Central District Baseball Coach of the Year in 2013. He also served as President of the Central District Coaches Association and is currently a member of the National High School Baseball Coaches Association staff.

Currently, Olentangy Orange is the number one ranked team in the state of Ohio and has a record of 17-2. Their team is hitting over 0.400 and they bolster a roster with commitments to Vanderbilt, Wright State, Toledo, King University, West Liberty University and Ohio Northern University.

Marker teaches sixth grade math at Olentangy Orange Middle School and lives in Lewis Center with his wife (Amie) and three children (McKenzie 9, Jackson 4, and Lainey 1). He has been on numerous podcasts including most recently being asked to be on the “Making Math Moments” podcast.

Olentangy Orange – 2019-present (Head Coach)

Upper Arlington – 2015-2018 (Head Coach)

Bexley – 2010 - 2014 (Head Coach)

Grove City – 2009 (Pitching Coach / JV Coach)

Independence – 2006-2008 (Head Coach)

Notes

“PD” days - personal development days - individual days
Classroom sessions
Everyday we go through the plan as needed
Slide show from Huddle
“Town meetings” - movement of personnel, leadership skills, Sundays (record on zoom)
In game data
Huddle
Chop the video up and put into a slide show for what we need to do better
QAB
First pitch swing %
Fast ball take
UCLA tendencies
Dirt ball reads
Red alert plays
Back to the infield to take a bag with infield back turns
Lob back to the pitcher
Points on scrimmage, not just runs
Red alert 10 points
2 out hit = point
Web gems = 2 points
“Hustle rules” - process based scrimmage
The more you swing, the more you walk!
If you are aggressive, guys will start to nibble
Roster reduction NOT cut
Your going to play, not going down to JV or up to Varsity
401k - youth program
“Option” period everyday in training to prepare for that option
Instead of exit meetings we do quarterly meetings
Hitters - appetizers, entree, and dessert
Get loose
Challenge
Good taste in your mouth
Can’t have A goals with D actions
“Transparency meeting” - after tryout meetings
Game days - very little instruction, it is their playground
Sprinkler flags for marks for baserunning
No mechanics during BP, that happens indoor facility breaking it down
ON field BP
Vandy series
Rivalry period
Dead, live, dead, live - BP with live basrunning
Practice should not look like camp!
PD stations, PD groups
thomas_marker@olsd.us
@coachmarker DMs are open

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Bio

Coach Ittner begins his fourth year at the helm of the Cox baseball program.
He is a 2008 graduate of Cox High School, where he was a 3-year varsity letterman for the baseball team.
Coach Ittner went on to play for two years at College of the Albemarle from 2010-2011 and then at Virginia Wesleyan College for his remaining two years from 2011-2013.
In the fall of 2014, Coach Ittner was hired as the junior varsity head baseball coach at Cox High School.
After a 9-1 campaign with the Cox JV baseball team in the spring of 2014, he was hired by Salem High School in Virginia Beach to be their varsity head baseball coach and spent three seasons there from 2015-2017.
July 2017 was named Frank M. Cox HS HC
In 2019 Coach Ittner was named Region 6A co-coach of the year after compiling an 18-6 record and earning a state tournament berth for the Falcons. Coach Ittner is currently a special education teacher with Virginia Beach City Public Schools.

Notes

Raise your minimums!! D2 guy to a D1 guy. No baseball guy becomes a baseball guy!
Brett McCabe’s catalyst school
How do you deal with the player that question everything?
How do you deal with the player that loses confidence?
Live calls
Ways to grow more than the X’s and O’s
Notebooks on each player - logging conversations - knowing the athletes, looping back with the athletes - do you really understand the player?
Story telling
Authentic and drawn to what keeps coaches up at night
Tough Topics that head coaches have to deal with
Are you reflecting with what happens the most?
Story telling before each game - we want them to be in it
“Out of the hat” app - random name that generates to connect with
“Find out Fridays” - 2 minute conversation between sets with weightlifting and classroom session
Fall and spring evaluation (google form) more formal than the informal Find out Fridays
The coaches that do it at the highest level to deal with human beings?
Am I given myself the best opportunity to build the person?
Program pyramid - standards of the program
3 tiers
Greatest level of respect is taking a coaching cue and doing it!
Coaching staff built the pyramid
Culture bulbs your program, identity builds your team
Finding a common theme that guys buy into to make the year special
“Mission 23”
Expedition 6-13 - climb to last day of the year
Bring it home 2021
Talked to SEALS about the process
5 games goal
QAB champion -
F3P champion -
Offense
Big Inning
BB/K = 1:1
QAB = 50%
Create 7 or more freebie
4 or more in 7 inning
Defense
Win the freebie war
Deny the big inning
Less than 120 pitches
F3P - what you do the first 3 pitches
Get off the field in less than 20 pitches and stay on offense for more than 20
Color code what happens during the game (green good, and red bad)
Strings of QAB to produce a big inning
mittner2@gmail.com
@falcons_skip

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Bio

Graduated from Bryan High School (played for Tom Held)
Graduated from Otterbein College (Played baseball)Varsity baseball coach in Ludlow Ky for 1 year (1998)
Freshman coach Moeller High school (1998)

Coached with JD Heilman (pitching coach at UC now)

Currently the Associate head coach at Defiance (1999-present) (Associate Role is 2005)
- Highlights
- 5 state appearances (2002, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2016)
- 3 state titles (2013, 2015, 2016)
- 9 players drafted
- 3 players made the show (Chad Billingley, Jon Niese, Justin Hancock)
- 19 Division 1 players
- 60 players that played college
- 13 league titles (72 straight wins from 06-14)
- 17 Sectional titles
- 11 District titles
- 5 Regional titles

NOTES

It is huge for assistant coaches to be heard, and given the freedom to do their job
Cage work 3 different machines - high velocity, curveball, whatever they need
- Challenge
- Process of handling adversity
EV cage
- Keep an average, post the high
- Two teams - 80 mph = 1 point, 90 mph = 2 points
More like Dr. Phil than anything
- or - notecard during game for Quality at bats
- Tally after each game, and post
Batting average for each count
- Shows how tough it is with 0 strikes
- Shows how important 1-1 is
Offensive productivity chart - giving value for being on the offense (hitting and baserunning)
3 teams for intersquad
- Different situations
- Play bunt game based on situation - one try, don’t get it down = pole
- Losing teams = run
Find a program that values winning, doing what is right, and working hard
Get into a bad situation just to have a title
- Get to a school that doesn’t support baseball
Trust your assistants - give them a job and let them do it
Don’t argue every call
Don’t take the losses home
Point out more things kids are doing right! Find something daily that they did well. They are always being told what they are doing wrong
Game changers
- Radar gun
- Exit velocity
- Steve springer
- Mental game
  - Classroom sessions - springer QAB CD
  - 1:1 out of the cage
  - Jamie Beckler leadership course - 10/15 minutes at start of each practice
  - Quote of the day and discuss it
rweaver@defianceschools.net
419-438-6519

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Bio

-- Fort Hill HS Class of 1980 (lost to South Hagerstown in state playoffs).

-- Cumberland American Legion Post 13 (Funkstown Legion always gave us trouble).

-- Played w Brian Femi (who went to Bishop Walsh HS). Ted Femi’s brother had .800 winning % as BW head coach.

-- Pen-Mar semi-pro (for a time rivaled the Valley League).

-- Frostburg State Class of 1984 under legendary coach Bob Wells.

-- Player/coach in Washington Area Recreational Baseball League (WARBALL) late 80s.

-- St. Michaels HS assistant coach 2002 - ?

Topics

Practice Organization (stations, stations, stations!).
- Keep everyone in motion. Competitive BP. Defensive Breakdown. Situations. Play-of-the-Day (could be Off or Def).Offensive Philosophy.
I’m Femi’s “offensive coordinator” so I’d like to see us get into a discussion about overall offensive philosophy centered on putting pressure on the defense.
- StrikeZone discipline.
- Attack/Defend.
Lost Art: Bunting
- We bunt 1 thru 9, and we don’t “sacrifice!”
- It’s not about footspeed, it’s about placement.
- 7-8 times out of 10, if our batter can drop a bunt 30-45 ft down either line, that’s better odds than .400 hitter.
Lost Art: Baserunning
- More than just steal attempts.
- These are split-second decisions that are often the difference bw a win or a loss.
- They must be practiced.
- Island Reads, 3-2-2, 3B R

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Andrew Kowalo

Bio

Grew up in Wheeling, WV (Graduated Wheeling Park HS 2013)
Former player at Potomac State (‘14-’15) & Liberty University(‘16-’17)
Assistant Coach at Potomac State University
Former Assistant Coach at VMI (2019 Season)
NY/PA Director of Baseball for PBR (Started December 2020)
Blue Collar, consistent, dedicated STUD!!!

Episode notes

I played 5 years of legion baseball (I’m super proud of that… I loved every minute of it) but it is also the reason I did not have any offers coming out of high school. Good and Bad to it
Everyone's story is different… There is no cookie cutter way to do it
So many different levels of baseball… D1,D2,D3,NAIA,JuCo, NCCAA...ect
There is a place for everyone... if they love the game
Feel like I have played for some of the best coaches in the game… So much learned and experience gained (Chad Stout, Mike Mcleod, Tom Pasco,Doug Little, Don Schaffer, Scott Jackson)

All of these guys coach at different levels (High School, Legion, Juco, D1) but all have taught me so much

I got lucky a lot in the recruiting process and a lot of the decisions I made worked out very well….

Showcase video and in game video. You need a combination of each for recruiting
Everybody has their own recruiting story
No two recruiting stories are the same
PBR is here to just get kids seen, to provide an opportunity to reach their goals
@kowalobear126 - DM are open
PBR website for email

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Bio

Coconino High School Assistant (with his dad)
Assistant Coach Corona Del Sol (AZ)
- 2006 - Present (15 years)
- Team achievements - 1 state championship, 1 state runner up
USA Baseball National Team coach
- Team achievements in your time there - since 2006 4 gold, 1 silver, manager of 2015 team, USA Olympic Committee Developmental Coach of the Year 2015
Grower of the game
Selfless coach, no ego!
Example to his players
DUDE!

NOTES

Guys that you can trust, get along with, and want to go to battle with
If everyone is not pulling the rope in the same direction in order for you to accomplish your goals and do things the right way
Provide honest feedback, don’t want yes guys as assistants.
Stepping into the box, and not hoping you are going to get a hit, knowing you will get a hit
Approach in the box and on the mound (I want the ball)
Real vs feel - knowing what I am feeling or thinking might not be actually what I doing
Positive self talk - having the approach in practice, and taking it into games
We would rather lose with winners, than win with losers
Community service work - feed the homeless, entire program, miracle league whiffle ball with special needs
We get to use baseball to teach them about life.
We live what we preach. Walking the walk
Selfless and uncommon are huge words in our program
Get a group of coaches that you can bounce ideas of each other, get things from, just learn from, and talk to is invaluable
Pro step vs crow hop - teach them both and let the speed of the ball, and the player choose their own way to throw it
Keep learning and bettering yourself each and everyday
@tves_23
tvesely@tempeunion.org
Love to share and pay it forward since those who have shared before me

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Bio

USA Baseball Coaching staff member
Assistant coach Arroyo Grande HS
Co founder of Coastal Empire Baseball
Former Marine
JUST A DUDE!
Grower of men!!

Episode notes

More time for relationships since you do not have to do the full responsibilities of all the other stuff the head coach needs to do
I have taken off with my coaching abilities when I decided I didn’t know anything, and tried to learn something new everyday
Humility comes from the world showing us we are small. I need to just make my circle as good as I can
When I stopped thinking less about myself, and more about others my life just took off
See the world like a chess board and not a bullseye
Being comfortable having more interest in being satisfied
Look forward to those mental conversations where I struggle
Meditate daily
Help kids put things in perspective and open up their minds that other people have it so much worse
Play for the guy next to you, what can you do to make someone else a hero, tell them I love them, and let them go play!!
Baserunning is a life commitment - if you are going to go, go hard. Go all in. Don’t go half way
Take advantage of all the defenses laziness
Constantly having our baserunners look for more, look for more
Let’s make it about somebody else and watch how good things turn out
Celebrate selflessness!!!
www.coastalempirebaseball.com
cacoastalbaseball@gmail.com
@bryanmadsen23

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RJ Notes

BIO

Assistant Coach Orange Lutheran
12U USA Baseball Head Coach
Coastal Empire Baseball Academy co-founder
Infield genius
Incredible person
Grower of the game

Show notes

Train as fast as possible
Team setting and camp setting are very different in terms of coaching
We need to make sure what we are doing translates to game
High school challenge starts day 1 - best inf in the country
Camp side - every ball on the ground is an out
Infield play is not just groundballs
Throwing program gets every footwork pattern, and throwing lane
Chart the type of groundball and then lane
- Ground ball 1-5 - burner to high chop
- 4 lanes - backhand, decision, routine, forehand
Middle guys work the hole more than in the middle (based on their chart)
The chin or bill of hat is heading away from the ball they are bailing
- If the chin/bill stay in line on the drop step he is setting up the hop
If infielder bobbles it in practice we praise it because he is trying to go fast
When shifting be sure to practice those shifts, and making plays in those positions
@coachfarrell017

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52 Episodes!!

This first episode of the year was solo, and the last episode of the year will be solo!

This was uncomfortable for me, because this podcast is not about me. This podcast is about helping others, and growing the game. I hope that this episode brings to light all the great lessons that we have heard throughout this year.

I hope this episode helps you get better.

4 common lesson learned throughout this year:

Teach your players to be their best coach - equip them with skills to be their best coach
Be willing to share. Be humble enough to serve others, and share like so many coaches continue to do!
Individualize in your team setting. Give each player the individual attention they need. There should be a part of each day that each kid should have a personal touch.
We are always preparing for something. Whether we know it or not, we are preparing for something.

contact me at 301-992-4301 or treytcobb@gmail.com

Like on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

BMBB

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Steve Springer

Bio

Steve Springer is the former performance coach & major league scout for the Toronto Blue Jays.

After not starting in high-school his SR year, getting cut in college, Springer was drafted by the Mets after a breakout junior season.

After years in the minor leagues, Steve eventually collected his first major league hit with the New York Mets.

Steve played over 14 years as a professional baseball player and compiled over 1,600 professional hits.

Over 35 years in professional baseball as a baseball player, agent and scout.

He now travels and speaks across the country about the mental side of hitting while working and training with major league all-stars.

He resides in Huntington Beach CA, and is the author of Quality At-Bats and the founder of Quality At-Bats Academy.

NOTES

Take BP, infield like it is the game
If you want to play at the next level you have to hit
What is athleticism? Hand/eye coordination
Your career starts the day when you don’t care what you hit
Change the way you think
Play everyday like its opening day, no yesterday beating you up!
Two good players, the confident player and the non confident player
Clint Hurdle put a Q on the lineup card for a quality at bat
Hitting starts when you pick up the paper in the morning, and you start visualizing the pitcher and what he is going to do
I can’t have a goal where I do everything right and get out.
Changed what the definition of success
- I am hear to help my team win ball game
90% of the quality at bat is how I walk up to the plate
The most quality at bats - got best buy gift cards
Good hitters line out hard more!
The batting average has no brain
The only stat I want to track is how many games in a row you can show up with confidence
You don’t get 5 at bats, you get 27 at bats, look at other players at bats
Sit fastball, until you don’t have to
Controlled violent swing
Your not too small to get good grades
The harder the pitcher throws, the slower the feet need to move
Power is overrated if you can’t hit
Infielders thinking missiles hitting to us everytime
Best athlete heart beat is between 60-80
Its not a 3 hour timeout
Pitchers compete with mentality of 9 vs 1 and I got a great defense behind me
If you ever tick off the umpire - now its 9 versus 2

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Will Marshall Notes

BIO

Current Operations Coordinator and Lead Pitching Instructor for 108 Performance in Tustin, California
“Bridge the Gap” coaches convention clinician and organizer
Former Professional player in the United Shores Professional Baseball League
Former Select ball organizer and commissioner of Texas Wiffle Ball League
Graduated and played at the University of Dallas
LEARNER!
Challenges the status quo to help grow the game

Notes

Big concepts/first principles of movement/training- don’t get lost in the weeds
Blending
Nothing your coach ever told u was wrong, just may not have been right for you

Show notes

Youth players do not have to talk about movements because they are the best movers.
Make it a game, make it fun, have constraints
Learn what the kids believe, and then go to work on
If you were to teach me how to hit what are the most important aspects of hitting
Close your eyes and put yourself in a situation and tell me a time when you felt your best. Describe it for me, and put it in your own words, write it down. Then each rep should be trying to achieve that feeling. Reference that each day to see where they are at.
Pretend like you do not know, and keep digging to get to the core beliefs - get an understanding of how their brain works
Take 2 weeks to get to know your kids and really breakdown see what they know
Get a look inside their snow globe
Big difference of what needs to happen and what the player needs to feel to make it happen
Analyze what in the movement is wrong, analyze his belief, and then find the right cue based on that athlete
Constantly evaluate my system, and see how I can make it better
If you don’t give the honest feedback, you are telling them you do not care
Let go of the cues, feels that worked for us, because our kids may not understand them
If it works for the kids, it works!
Technology is just the numbers to match what we used to feel and see
If the player is not moving well, you have to teach the movement
Flavors of ice cream - the best drills that work for you, do them, and not all the rest
Stay big principle and concept to help teach movement and get results
Be objective as possible when looking at a hitters, pitchers movements
When do you need to create the most force on the ball?
When do you need to create the most force in the ground with my back leg?
Take context outside of baseball
Big picture, and then play the WHY game to peel back the layers
If the player did not interpret did not the cue the way you wanted to, then you need to go back to the concept/principle.
Do my players understand where I am coming from?
www.108pa.com
108_Performance
108@108performanceacademy.com
wmarshall@108performanceacademy.com
@willymarsh108

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Bio

Head Coach Bingham High School (South Jordan, UT)
Took over 1993 after serving as an assistant coach for 17 years
As a HC he has been apart of 14 regional titles and 5 state championships
Overall he has been a part of 14 state championships in his time at Bingham (3 as a player-2 basketball/1 baseball; 4 asst. Baseball; 2 asst basketball; 5 as head coach)
2014 Coach Sato was inducted into the the National HS Baseball coaches Association Hall of Fame
Served USA baseball selection task force
Clinician at the National HS Baseball coaches association
Served as president for the Utah HS baseball coaches association
Chairman of the Rocky Mountain district liaison to the National HS Baseball Coaches association
First class person
Always learning. He is a first row audience member!
Is a teacher!

Notes

Challenge now is having all this information and seeing what we can implement and take into our program
You measure what to implement by the success you have over the course of time
Challenge BP instead of feel good BP
At least one to two sets of BP that players will be challenged
Define what mentally tough is
- Being at your best when you need it
  - Slow it down
  - Have a routine - breath, clear mind, focal point, one positive process thought
  - calm everything down
  - Process oriented - see the ball, be on time, execute this pitch
  - Release routine - a way to get rid of what bad happened, calm down, step back, and then move on
    - Take it into life, so you know how to handle it in the future
All players in our program practice together
Classroom session at least once a week to discuss lessons, both intentional and at a teachable moment
Part of the gym hitting, part of the gym defense
- Split into infield/outfield or pitchers/catchers and position players
Finish with team competition - two teams go against each other
- Bunt scrimmage
- First and third situation
- Run downs
“Fire drill”
Tryouts 4-5 days
Write out the first week
Couple bunt defenses, 1st and 3rd situations, just basics to get the year started, and as we get into the next phase of the season we will add more
Practice planning based on what we don’t do well in game once the season starts, and adding things we could not get to
Early in the year planned out, games start make adjustable
All players in the program go to every varsity game
Given staff ownership of their roles and let them work
Build the culture, building young men to better young men and the baseball got better
Build young men first, not chasing wins
Treat the guys the right way to do things on and off the field
Groups take a core value and present on it and what it means to us
Come up with one word that would describe what people would say about us when they see us play
joe.sato@jordandistrict.org
801-842-6150

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Bio

Private instructor:
- Hitting Vault - https://thehittingvault.com/
- www.coachlisle.com
- https://recruitedinsider.com/
- Close to Million followers through his private/social media platforms
Former
- hitting coach for Fresno State University softball
- Hitting strategist with Chicago White Sox
- Hitting coach University of Missouri
- Head Softball coach Menlo College
- Assistant softball coach Santa Clara University, California State University, University of Oregon
- Associate Scout for the Detroit Tigers
- Head Baseball coach Gallaudet University
- Head baseball coach st. Mary’s Catholic High School
- Associate HC at Patten University
- HC Berean Christian HS
- Every level from HS to MLB
Author of “Dear Coach,” #1 coaching industry book on Amazon Best Sellers

Notes

Learning how to deal with personalities and help players with who they are
How to find out how the best way hitters take feedback.
Asking how do you like your feedback?
- Creates accountability
How do you like to communicate?
- text/phone call/
- Find a way to connect
Its not about me, its about the athlete
- Not about my career, its about helping the players career
Relationship to the client to have more of a relationship with them than just a hitting client
Develop trust, and when you do it makes it easier to give criticism.
Asking more questions than talking
- Goals
- Feedback
- What is in your head
- Current situation
First question
- What is going on in your head
  - Is it approach, confidence,
  - Your swing did not change that make, mental has to be first question
How do I understand that hitting is hard, and this is a huge game of failure
- One hit away
- Learning some perspective
Help players develop/create a routine
- Create ownership by players creating their own routine
Pitch routine
- Start working on breathing
- Best swings/decisions start with slow breath
- Focus on a specific spot
- Positive self talk - rip it,
- Each pitch, scratch the box, wipe the box clean, and now we start all over again.
- Balance of feeling good, and making it challenging.
- Good combination of build off between feel good, and challenging.
- Ball exit data - hit trax, rapsodo, trackman
- Swing data - Blast and DK
- WinReality
- K-vest - body movements and positions
- Used to assess where hitters are at, and create goals
- Bat Speed and Attack Angle
  - Higher bat speed higher EV
  - AA to hitting more consistent line drive
- Working together with the Strength coaches with their hitting plans
- Invest some time in learning strength and conditioning to learn how the body moves and help your hitters
- Individual hitting plans
  - Create a plan for each hitter
  - Team batting practice - station work, team stations and individual (homework) hitting station, and game like situational station
  - Always learn
  - Have a growth mindset
  - I have found a better way
  - Put away your ego and pride
  - Never settle
- @coachlisle
- www.thehittingvault.com

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Bio

14th season as HC at Moeller
- 7 trips to the final four
- 4 time Ohio state champion (2009, 2012, 2013 and 2015)
25th year at Moeller
eight-time conference Coach of the Year
4 time City Coach of the year
2009 Bob Sumerel Greater Cincinnati Coach of the Year
2010 State Coach of the Year
4 time Defiance College Alumni Coach of the Year
2015 NFHS coach of the year for the state of Ohio
2013 Cincinnati Reds/MSA Sport Coach of the year
2015 & 2017 Perfect Game All American game and an assistant coach for the East team
12 players drafted during his time
Dozens players have went on to play in college

NOTES

Sat in the front row of a clinic
What’s next, what is going to help make my players better
Hit trax to see what real ball flight
- Shows where actual hits come from (angle of ball)
Line on the top of the cage to show the angle that will be a hit 75% of the time
Eugene Bleeker 108 performance book and certificates
Grouping based on blast numbers
Blend the old school and new school
Hit Trax was there to give them intent during practice
10/10/10 tee work to hit at different angles and sides of the field
Green light system with the runner time to second with the combo of pitcher and catcher
Dirt ball reads, players at each base with coach throwing balls in the dirt or balls at them
4 pillars -
- Make good people
  - Wake up
  - What you eat
  - Class on time
  - Dressed the right way
- Alums come back at Thanksgiving and Christmas and ask when the cage and weightroom are open
- theld@moeller.org
- Twitter - @timheld
  - @bigmoebaseball (and Instagram)

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BIO

Current Head Coach at Corona Del Sol (AZ) 6A (16 seasons, 23 overall)
5A state champion in 2009 (biggest at the time)
Final four 6 times
State finalists two other times!
Head coach of USA Baseball 14U and 12U National teams
Program mission “to help teach young men to always be great human beings.”
A chess player in the game of baseball
Master of the West coast offense
Energy giver!

Notes

Grades first
Character first program
Aztec 101 - first parent meeting to discuss expectations
Over communicating is huge.
Offensive communicator!
Beat them to the punch with communication.
See how many 1 run games you win and lose. Then have your practice/principles around them
4 base bunting - different bunt at each base
Suicide squeeze set up for future
“Be the wedge” - set your angle to bunt to first
Tape at the end of the bat to bunt/feel the ball at the end of the plate
Set the angle early, top of the zone, find the ball (make sure it is a strike)
33 feet at 55 mph = 88-90 mph
Baserunners with Live BP
3B makes an error, next pitch gets dragged
Coach it, say why
Coach it, tell them how it happens in a game
Explain how it applies to the game
Look at other peoples deficiencies and exploit them, find it and pick it like a scab
Late secondary - make sure the pitcher let the ball go
dwebb@tempeunion.org

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Bio

Head Coach Flower Mound “Marcus” High School (TX)
USA Baseball 15U National hitting coach
Overall record at Marcus since 2013 is 198-46
2014, 2018 Region Finalist
2014, 2018 District 6A COY
Set the record for most wins in a season at Marcus (32) *multiple times
Marauders have been ranked in the, top 5, top 10, and top 25 in the state of Texas during his time
2015 was top 5 in the country
Great guy, willing to share, who loves his faith and family!

Notes

The great coaches take failures from the jungle (games) and breakdown them in the zoo (practice)
HS doesn’t have “relief” pitchers, its next best guy!
You are playing the worst sport in the world to FEEL GOOD!
Jungle right away in practice!!
Learn how to take in the cage
When you ball strike you are out of the cage
6 pitches, no more than 4 swings
3 levers in training - intensity, complexity, and velocity
Transactional versus transformational coaching made a big change in our program
Questioning!
The game doesn’t give you the answers. Create problem solvers
10 question reflective quiz to help individualize and develop questions
The team that is the most vulnerable “the most real” are the best teams
Heavy, medium, easy days of throwing
Coach hard, love your guys,
What does it take to win, and back map from there
Have a voice recorder, and take your thoughts in there and analyze them at the end of the night.
@jeffsherman26
Facebook
shermanj@lisd.net

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Bio

4th Season as Head Coach of Wilson College
Started the program and went 21-13 in the inaugural season
- Led the conference in pitching and defense
- Made the conference playoffs
During his time at St. Mary’s Catholic High School he was 123-28 and sent 22 players to play in college
Assistant coach at his alma mater, Dematha HS where they won 2 private school state championships during his tenure
Played at UMBC and Winthrop University before playing some independent ball in the Frontier and Atlantic league
In 2000 he also had some time in the Baltimore Orioles organization

Show notes

Make sure kids go to a good fit. (no D1 or bust)
Create competition in a program at every position
Recruiting comes down to personality
Be sure coach has a good roster full with information to contact players
Recruiting is about relationships and families need to believe what you are about
You have to adapt as a coach and get better.
- Never get rid of some of my old schools ways but will adapt with new tendencies
Thank each school for their recruitment no matter if you have no intention of going there
Be available for all my players!
Once the kids know they sincerely care for them they will want to play for you!
There are certain things you do every time you step on the ballfield. Respect the game
Post pre and post practice jobs
Phoenix challenge - end of fall challenge with teams
No cookie cutters. Let players play to their strengths within the program
You can’t get up and down for games you have to stay a little bit above the norm
Have the kids buy into your and your goals. Buy into you first
The best team police themselves. If the coach has to police them it will be a long year
App “headspace” - meditation app to help shut the brain down
- First part of practice to help breathing and get yourself in control and slow things down
Never say no to a coach right away. You never know what will happen. After the academic/financial package you will get around at least 40% if you do well academically.
Wilson athletic website (cell phone or office number)
john.poss@wilson.edu

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Bio

Current Head Coach at Chesapeake (MD) HS
One of the dominant programs in Maryland
State champion 2014
State finalist 2010, 2016, 2017
4 time region champ
President of the Maryland State Baseball Coaches Association
First class human being!

Notes

Coach clock doesn’t lie (coach Cohen)
Pick their own team, or pick the other team when competing
“Hat” my assistant - he is in charge of a specific task
Offer a summer program together (returners and JV/newcomers) or offer a higher level team
Take a freshman team for the fall (MD restrictions)
Every friday get grades from each player from academic advisor
NOT MEETING OUR STANDARD
2.5 GPA standard - ALL YEAR LONG!!
5:30 AM weightlifting program - 8 weeks leading up to the season
Unifying piece for our team.
- One word on the back of the shirt
- Same practice jersey for everyone
HC reveals the slogan, doesn’t even tell the AC
Alumni relations
- Facebook and twitter to communicate as much information as possible
- Alumni games in the summer
Hold students accountable means they are a part of something. Making people feel special about being a part of something special.
If you are not going to clinics you are doing it wrong! Not just for the speakers but for the networking and possibility to discuss with people who do what you do and willing to share so much!
Small change could make a big difference in your program.
Clinics validate what you are doing well in your program.
ksking@marylandbaseball.org
www.marylandbaseball.org

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Bio

Current Head Coach Frederick (MD) HS
2009 State Championship
Great family tree of other coaches. 5 head coaches, and a long time assistant who could be a HC anywhere.
Beginning 30th year at FHS
Married to Beth Rhodes for 36 years.
Son: Cory (Played at FHS & Coached at FHS), Kelly Rhodes (Daughter-in-law ),Jack (7), Parker (5) and Maddox (3)
Daughter: PJ (manager at FHS), Will Kraus (Son-in-law) James (7), Avery (4)
30 years of working with wonderful young people in the FHS baseball program
30 years of working with the best Assistant Coaches, Trainers and Administration
30 years of coaching in the best conferences and against the best coaches and teams.
30 YEARS OF FUN!!

Notes

You can’t get complacent.
Watch coaches and see how I can get better
Coaches willing to share and help
All throughout the off season we played and competed in different events (flag football, cricket, bowling, etc) to see how you compete
During practice we implement contests/challenge
Pays to be a winner. Prizes some days
Saturday morning breakfast before practice
- 7:15 meet for breakfast
- Open to everyone in the program
- No cellphones
- Few topics to go around the table and discuss
- Never NOT answer (no pass)
- Some type of challenge (the um game)
- Special guest speakers
I need the kids to trust me
Program “champions of character” and one chapter dealt with parents
Parent meeting to discuss how to talk to your son after a game (questioning “why the coach did…”), and how to support them
After each home game the parents come out and rake the field. Teach the parents how to do it, because it allows buy in.
Communicate with parents weekly. Complete schedule
When practice is over it is over
Summer camp to get to know kids and parents before they come into our school
Hope the things we do will be great memories for our kids when they become older men
I don’t ever assume anything. Don’t ever assume what you think they know, so make sure you cover everything.
“You’re the coach, what are you going to do about it?”
philip.rhodes@fcps.org

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Bio

Current Head Coach Middletown HS (MD), started in 2008
2017 2A State Champion
2019 2A State Finalist
2011 2A State Semi-Finalist
A few region championships
A few conference championships
Played at Frostburg State University and coached there following his graduation
Been a part of 9 state championships between baseball and football
People that have influenced me: Coach Wells, Coach Caruso, Mike DeSimone, Mike Warrenfeltz, Mike Franklin (I think of him as my accountability partner), many surrounding FredCo and WashCo coaches. - we have tremendous coaching in our area.

Notes

Texting players to check in often!
Off season is mainly weightroom
- Start in December at least twice a week
- Weightlifting, speed and agility, bands
There is a balance between the push of the off season
We want our guys ALL IN from March to May
Leadership curriculum
- Every day 15 minutes of classroom time
- Get the mind right before we go out to practice
- “Character development and Leadership” curriculum
- Brought in HOF football coach to be “character coach”
- Bus rides to complete character questions
- Questions completed before practice
Always starts with having a plan and making sure your coaches know the plan (text, google doc, and text picture)
Almost always have a 2 strike approach drill
- Your 2 strike approach is not optional
- Change your approach mentally
- Physical changes
  - Up in the plate, up in the box, up on the bat, widen out or shorten stride, open up hips and shoulder (give up some power) to be quick and put it in play
- Go into the game with a 2 strike approach when facing a big arm
- Your mental focus is heightened which helps you even more than the physical
Knights Crusade
- Navy Seal type of workout
- After tryouts (first Saturday as a team)
- Local recruiter works the team out
- Put kids through 8-12 exercises and challenged physically and mentally
- Between each exercise they talk about a leadership quality
- Once we finish we have a hot breakfast with the parents and talk about the experience
- Put them into 3 teams (use core values of a marine), use 3 shirts, and break up evenly
Provide a good experience for them so when they are faced with adversity down the road they know they can get through it
Email - andrew.baker@fcps.org
@GoMHSbaseball
301-606-3615

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BIO

Current Head Coach St. Maria Goretti HS (MD) in his second tour
- 1978 Blue Ridge Champions
- 2017 Old Line League Champion
Former HC at South Hagerstown HS for 15 years
- 1995 Conference Champ
- 1995 State Finalist
- 1996 Conference Champ
- 1996 2A state champion
- First in school history
- 1997 District Coach of the year and coached in All state game at Camden Yards
- County Coach of the year
- Conference COY
- Hagerstown Community College HOF
- Frostburg State University Alumni Coach of the Year

Episode Notes

What do I need to do differently?
What do I need to do to make our program better?
Set music to set the tone
Arc runs (jog across the back of the infield and walk back through the dirt)
Word/phrase for the year based on what the team needs
dgsole@myactv.net
301-988-0723

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BIO

4th year as Head Coach of Pickens HS (Jasper, GA)
- Covid shortened season they were 13-2
19th year teaching and coaching
15 years at Cass High School in Cartersville, GA
Served as head coach for the last 5 years at Cass
Hosted the first home playoff game in 30 years at Cass
17U Nelson baseball school manager and in 2019 they were top 40 in the nation and top 5 in the Southeast
Is all about the kids!
IS A DUDE!

Notes

Interviewed faculty members and players, community members of what it meant to be a Dragon to create a set of core values.
Google form and put it out on social media to see what it meant to be a Dragon!
Take all the words and categorized them, and then pick the right words that we are going to be what we are made of (Dragon DNA)
5 to thrive to start practice
- Quote of the day
- Core value of the day
- One word focus for the month
- Success hotline
- What we need to do today to be better than yesterday
Set the expectation early!
4:9 - Eclesiastes 4:9 Challenge “2 is better than 1”
- Points to compete with a teammate/group of people
  - Clean up
  - Games
  - Dinner
  - Workout
- Weekly point totals
- Winners at the end of the year to eat as a team at the restaurant of their choice
Football, basketball, and baseball coaches on the same page with the weightroom and grades!
****40 minutes!! “Building better men”
Hitting chart
- Charted every at bat
- Positive and negative points
- Weekly point winner
- QAB shirt - earned and kept
- Keep running total for the silver slugger award for most points
- Pull up scorecard at the end of the game to fill in chart
- The chart took off when it we published it and rewarded it
- BASE2 system in the summer ball - Big Inning, Answer Back, Score First, Extend the lead, score with 2 outs
- Alpha AB’s - runner at 3B no takes, scoring a runner at 2B with 2 outs
- Nelson Baseball School with Brian Nelson summer baseball
- End practice with some type of game
  - Winner and loser and losers have consequences
  - World treats winners differently
  - Execution game, hitting game, conditioning, some type of competition
- At the end of practice each player needs to fish bump and give coaches handshake
- Jason Ryals Pebble Brook High School @coachryals - prints shirts and money going to his inner city school
- @coachwilliams
- @phsbaseballga
- adamwilliams@pickenscountyschools.org
- Pickens_baseball on Instagram
- 404-353-4688

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Bio

Current Head Coach Urbana HS (MD)
Beginning his 16th year this season
5 Regional Finals
4 Conference Championships (back to back CMC Champions 2017-2018)
2 State Semifinals
2010 Frederick Gazette Coach of the Year
Over 25 players have moved on to play in college. 3 D1 players
Fromer AC at Frederick CC
Former WVU player with a career BA of .324
All state player from Frederick HS

Notes

I learned as I gotten older that its ok if guys are not going to college we are going to teach them the game and teach them the life lessons.
Be patient because athletes will not get it right away
I used to have a long list of rules, now I have a few standards!
Its not all about you young coach!!! Put your ego aside, and teach these kids the game!
Teach them to build relationships!
Texting kids to check in and get them to open up
Walk around the outfield, warm up, and check in with players on a personal level
Practice together with JV and Varsity players
I want the seniors teaching the freshman because when the freshman become seniors they will be teaching.
michael.frownfelter@fcps.org
Urbanabaseball24@gmail.com
240-367-7742

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Bio

Todd Weldon - Head Coach Scotland (PA) Campus Sports Prep team (2018)
- Former pitching coach for Wayland Baptist University
- 27th Round draft pick of the New York Mets
- A dude!!
Josh Edgin - Head Coach Scotland (PA) Campus Sports HS team (2019)
- 50th round pick of the Braves in 2009 (stayed in school)
- 30th round pick of the Mets in 2010
- MLB debut with the Mets in 2012
- One of the best guys you will meet
Jordie Henry - Pitching Coach for Scotland (PA) Campus Sports Baseball team (2019)
- Former Stringer for the Amarillo Sod Poodles
- Former Instructor at the Amarillo Baseball Academy
- Pitcher for Wayland Baptist University 2015-2019
- Tech savvy, young up and coming coach!

Episode notes

Used Driveline programs and added our own touches that work for us
Routines!!
Slow cooked younger guys routines
No velo program based on strength
Movement focused throwing progressions
Individualized drill work
Development first program - we are about helping guys reach their goals
Finding the right fit for the player. Not every kid is D1, D2, or D3 but we figure out what is the best fit for the player
www.scotlandcampussports.com
- Coaches email to the website
- @jordiehenry24
- @SCSBases
The athlete and student development is important but the most important is the development of the individual
We have the privilege of teaching the young men through the game of baseball!

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Bio

Current Head Coach Reservoir High School (started the program in 2002)
Past 7 years in the program they are 128-29
Founder of Leader’s Baseball Camps 2003
2 county and 2 District Championships
Been to 5 regional championships
2014 3A State Championship
3 time MSABC district COY
2014 Maryland State baseball coach of the year
VP of MSABC
One of the best guys you will meet!

Show notes

Consistency of a coaching staff
Varsity and JV coaches switch up and work with each team
Consistent fall and winter coach
Get feedback from the kids
- End of season
- Start planning on next year
Practice
- Learning period (1st/3rd, bunts, double plays, etc)
- Use last guys on staff to throw live at practice in situations
- Use some JV as it depends on the guy
- When time comes JV and varsity take infield/outfield together to help prepare the younger kids
Important to know the first and last names of JV players AND know their parents
- Go out of the way to congratulate a JV player
First Friday after tryouts go to Coach Leader’s house. Eat and speak about goals
- Dave and Busters
- Maryland games
- Fundraisers
- Community service
Full day camp - morning and afternoon session, most stay all day
- Morning - everything baseball (all aspects)
- Afternoon - changes throughout the week (pitcher/catcher, hitting, little things (bunts, pickoffs, run downs, etc)
- Last day - raffle based on punch card when they do well
- Guest speakers - doctors, professional baseball players
Explain the purpose (WHY)!
Email - aleader@hcpss.org

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Bio

Head Coach Shepherd University (July 2013-Present)
- 2018 MEC Coach of the Year
- 2014 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Regional Coach of the Year
- 2014 MEC coach of the year
- As a player, assistant coach, and head coach McCarty has been apart of 278 Ram victories
  - 227 as a coach
  - 51 as a player (2 yrs)
- 15 players move on to the professional ranks including 2011 first round pick Cory Spangenberg
  - Most recently 3 players that went in the 8th, 21st, and 4th round
- Grown the program into a national presence
- Created a special place for players to play
- A winner!

Show notes

Culture has do with the athletic department as a whole
Very competitive based
Request to live together
4 weeks of individual work before full team practice
Relationship with players, and how much they get to know a player through the recruiting process
Accountability is on the players to hold each other accountable. It has a lot more validity to it, and creates a better bond.
Multiple guys at each position to create competition and bond
You are here to win championships, get a degree, and be a better people
Competitiveness is for us to see where our athletes are mentally
Tutoring sessions are done during practice times, so they will miss practice if they don’t get the grades.
A lot of scoring competitions during BP
Weightroom compete with body fat %
“Road to Cary Challenge” - obstacle course style workout and different events to compete with teams and individual
- Baseball activities, strength, endurance, and FUN!
Expectation sheet (no rules, its expectations) our guys sign.
- “Don’t be that guy”
Player self evaluation sheet - personal, academic, accountability
- Grading scale 1-5 to see where you stand
- Be open and honest
No captains - 3 guys are held higher than the other 35. Everyone held to the highest standards
On any great team players hold themselves accountable. Good teams are mostly coach driven
When you have the same team goals, and then the players hold themselves accountable
See if individual goals match up with our team goals
We recruit to needs, not numbers!
Email is best way to contact me! Mmccarty@shepherd.edu
Are you going to want to deal with that in your program? Players and parents
- It's so much more than talent

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BIO

WV state player of the year
University of Minnesota pitching standout
- 26 wins (2nd all time)
Professional career with the San Francisco Giants
Former pitching coach at Ball State, Michigan University, and Ohio University
Former GM and head coach of Winchester Royals (college wooden bat league)
Former Head Coach of Martinsburg HS (AAA) where he won the WV state championship in 2009
Former Head Coach at Mercersburg Academy (prep school)
Private instructor
Lifelong baseball man!!
A baseball guy!

SHOW NOTES

In the summer was about getting at bats, and not getting hurt pitching
Play aggressively, and teach them how to fail
Have your expectations and reinforcing the positives to what you want
The really good ones will take your information and ask you questions. They will work hard, stay late, and come in early
Guys are starting to sleep better, trying to eat better, and hydrate better (WHOOP band).
Better players are having a better mentality
If the kids know you are prepared and you have a plan, and know you are passionate about what you are teaching, then you will get buy in from your players
Routines are in order, expectations are in order (stretching, throwing, bases, speaking to adults, cleaning up the dugout).
Players like to know what to expect
“Tour defense” = gold jersey for the player who makes the best defensive play
Caring about your facility creates more buy in
Communicate often with guys to set expectations
Take BP time to talk to guys and let them know you care about them
Seek counsel as a coach! Just listen and make it usable for what you do

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BIO

Indiana Chargers Baseball Academy and Team founder
Indiana Chargers have become one of the premier travel baseball programs in the Midwest.
Since 2008, 187+ players have gone on from the Chargers organization to play college baseball.
Development both on and off the field is the primary emphasis of the Chargers organization.
Driveline featured travel program in their blog post on October 3, 2017
One of the first programs ever to have TRAQ due to Driveline endorsing them
2005-2011 Westview High School head coach
Former coach at Glen Oaks CC for 10 years, winning over 300 games.
Associate scout for the Orioles and Marlins
A complete developmental coach who cares for kids!

Show notes

Good compared to what??!
3 reasons to start
- College exposure
- Compete with guys like you did
- Play college baseball
Pitching protocols are not just pitch counts, training is a part of that!
Driveline helped us build up our pitching protocols and training protocols
Provide the player with the information and let you decide how you will deal with it (pillar of the organization)
Coaching is communicating is a less words as possible!
College weekend series
- Make it feel and be as close to a college experience as possible
- Friday - Sunday - 3 games series between 4 teams
  - BP and in and out before each game
  - Saturday DH
  - Sunday series winners/loser play
Less coaching, and a lot more athletic!
Being athletic leads to good mechanics
If you can become more fluid in your movements and athletic, then your mechanics will be better.
joeljmishler26@gmail.com

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Bio

21st Season as Head Coach of Defiance High School (OH)
- 526-94
- 3 state championships
- 5 state appearances
- 9 players drafted
  - 3 big league players in (Jon Niese, Chad Billingsley, Justin Hancock)
8 years at Bryan High School (164-44)
2012 Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee
2014 Defiance College Hall of Fame inductee
Knows how to teach velo!
Knows how to teach a curveball!
A great guy

Show Notes

3 ball system - tennis ball, softball, baseball into a net
Throwing progression 3 days a week
No matter what you do, you will be judged
Every kid may think they are throwing with intent, but until you put the radar gun up they always have more
Correlation is the most athletic guys are throwing the hardest
Youtube Defiance throwing
Curveball progression everyday
- 45 feet just spinning it

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Bio

Current HC at Cookeville HS in Cookeville, TN.
34 years in baseball
Has spent the last 14 years with USA Baseball
Spent 4 years as an assistant coach at Tennessee Tech
3 years was a special assignment scout for the Kansas City Royals
National speaker/clinician
Truth spreader of the game
Just a dude!!!
Preacher of the game

Show notes

I yearned for consistency
“Rebuilding year” insults everyone in your program
We are going to work as hard as we can, we will find that line, and then work a little harder
I am going to try and find a way to get everyone in the game except the next game starter
The other team is just feedback to see if what we are doing is working or not
If you are talking development, and about development, then your seniors as coaches!
You cannot rush athleticism.
The secret sauce to development is maturity. We push maturity A LOT!
Maturity is a decision.
- Make your bed
- When you go in the classroom you be respectful
- When you get done with lunch throw trash away
- Raise your hand and be responsible
- Teaching manners
Best gauge of your culture is behavior
Players only offer words of encouragement, not criticism
Mature kids learn faster, so athletically they will take off
The elite guys loved being coach!!
No wasted reps, and guys who make national teams don’t waste reps. They don’t make them accidentally
If you don’t have success, how will you recover? Recover after the strikeout.
Parent manual given to my parents at first meeting
Need to be ok with people not liking you and being on your side
Systematic approach to how we develop
Make it more than an activity
- As a coach I can’t strike out
Simple is a skill
chaffinb1@pcsstn.com
Great follow on twitter (when he gets it figured out) @Gawbage29
It's not about me, but it is about me leave fingerprints all over the place
Guardian of the game!

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Bio

Current Head Coach at Eastern Mennonite University to become the 11th HC in the programs 52 years
After graduating from EMU in 2014 he came on the Royals staff to become the first full time assistant coach.
Serves the Fellowship of Christian athletes
A leader among the faculty and staff at EMU that aligns to their Christian values.

Show Notes

Fall has more focus on development and built individual development plan due to given more days with the team
- Assistant coach has title of director of player development
- Baseline testing - on base u (mobility), blast, hitting/pitching rapsodo
- Comparison to the team to develop a plan
3 things to accomplish in practice: compete, mindful, and fun!
You are the bowling ball, we are the guide rails!
Be your best coach!!
Getting strength coach certification to help tailor strength programs
Access google drive for ind development plans (IDP)
Freshman/soph (younger guy) teams development mode in the spring, starters will focus on more approach
Changed the focus of practice from time, to feel and environment!
Fast paced practice, music, and shortened time of team practice
All teaching is done before we get on the field
Guided meditation has been a big success, and is built into practice
Use a guided meditation app, players can pick the GM of the day
Heads Up baseball by Ken Ravizza!!!
I didn’t get physically better, but my mind got sharper!
The breath is the biggest skill that most guys coming into college baseball need!!
What does your routine look like?
What is your release to get your back into green light mode?
Script out the routine, and you don’t get to practice until it is written out
****3 Pillars; Compete for championships, Graduating, and Giving back to the community
What is the process, everyday discipline to get to that point??
If the actions are not aligned with the processes/behaviors we need to switch it up
Get guys to buy into that everyday process (how we take care of our guys)
Week 1 goal and habit assessment
- Goals - what do you want to achieve
- Habits - what does your day look like
The best players for EMU have been people who are about giving back to the community.
adam.posey@emu.edu
@adamposey

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Bio

Current head coach at Gardner Webb University
Former Head Coach at Barton College
2019 Carolinas Conference Coach of the year after leading Barton to the biggest turnaround in D2 baseball
Former Head Coach Lock Haven University where he lead the program to another turnaround from 13-28 to 32-18
He left the Penn State Greater Allegany as the winningest each in their programs history and led them to 6 World Series appearances
Prior to PSGA he was the HC of Mercyhurst Northeast college for 2 seasons (his first HC gig), and was the assistant at Seton Hill University for 2 seasons.
Man of faith serving heavily in the FCA
Always willing to share and help grow the game

Show notes

Program turnaround/success is NOT about me!
Its about our players and coaches
Passion about everything outside of the boxscore
Being selfless, relentless, and blue collar as a leader of the program
Selfless - community service
Relentless - we are about 110% and figure out a way to make it happen, no bad body language
Blue Collar - hard work, get yourself dirty and make it work
Delegate by mapping out responsibilities of each person on staff. Have the coaches tell me “I got it.”
More concerned with AB and approach (charting QAB, barrels, AB)
Love flow and function (a lot of people on the field working together)
Practice plan
- Team prayer
- Warm up band routine
- Dynamic warm up
- Speed segment
- Everydays - position drills
- Throwing program - position specific
- 3 man PFP and lead into pickoffs
- Bunt D or 1st/3rd defense
- BP, extended I/O,
Repetition is huge!
Ron Polk's playbook!!
We created a playbook of everything we like to do at practice
Skeleton of the week (use the prior weeks plans to plan out)
- Everyday meeting detail/refine each day
- Go against the checklist and see what we need to do
- Map out to the minute and groups organized
Culture and makeup trump so much!
Don’t give up on a kid, be passionate about them, and know they will make mistakes, be there at their best and their worst.
Hold kids accountable, tell them what they need to know, and they may not like it, but they need to hear it.
Don’t give up on the kid, and show them you are invested.
Practice is about the coaches preparing the players. The game is about the players performing, and going out as a cohesive unit doing something they have never done before.
If a player messes up a coach needs a mirror
3 inning games - play the 7th, 8th, and 9th
Play at least 2 and most 4 - that is where the game is lost/won
Ed Chief article -
Competitive BP - points per rounds, live
Bunt game
Consider myself a great thief and taylor it to myself
Email - jchester1@gardner-webb.edu
Twitter - @coachjchester

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Bio

Entering 8th season at Glenville State College WV
2015 MEC coach of the year
10 All conference players during his tenure
Served as an assistant coach at West Virginia State (Under Cal) for two years and was a player at WV State
Also serves Salem Community College and Davis & Elkins College

Episode Notes

Cal Bailey really knew how to connect with players
As a baseball coach was a continuous learner, books on the bus, asking questions
Negatives in the office, praise in front of the team
Promised a good college baseball experience, serve the community, care!
Competition is our number one priority (cages, weight room, everything!)\
- Barrels in the cage
Attacking our irrational beliefs
- When an action happens (ump bad call) you react negatively with bad self talk
- “Are you that bad of a player that everything needs to go right for you to win?”
Marketing your brain (whiteboard on a mirror, seeing your intentions)
- A - Activating Event (bad circumstance)
- B - Belief system (my perception of the event)
- C - Consequence
- D - Disputing those beliefs (do I have to have everything go right for me?
- E - Executing the new belief (positive self talk)
Have players create their own processes and release (ownership)
If I talked to you the way you are talking to yourself you wouldn’t like me very much! ~ Cal Bailey mound visit
Classroom sessions are as needed, and sometimes may be just for a player
“Social stretching” - time to just stretch and relax and get the talking out of our system
Use Google Drive to drop in resources for each player, and their specific needs
Given a goal during a practice or consequence after practice (pants in the weightroom)
Daily task during BP
Goal jersey for web gem of the day
Individual skills with start foundational and then work to give players choice to what they need
“Balloon breathing” with trainer that incorporates better movements.
james.mullins@glenville.edu
Twitter @jmullins85
304-549-2952

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Bio

Current Head Coach at Shenandoah University
After being hired in 2003, in 2004 he guided the Hornets to their best second best season (at the time)
Since 2009 season SU has won nearly 400 games
four regular season titles in the USA South and Old Dominion conferences and
Conference championships in both the USA South and ODAC (2015, 2018, 2019)
3 regional titles.
2009 and 2010, Anderson was named as Coach of the Year by both the ABCA and the VA State Sports Information Directors.
Former HC at James Madison University where he won 150 games and had two CAA Tournament championship appearances at JMU.
His 1995 team was an NCAA Tournament participant and the Dukes had the second highest RPI improvement in the nation behind Rice University.
Incredible baseball mind!! A Baseball savant

Show notes

We never do video unless it is live!!
Try to use as many senses as you can
Competition everyday!
Written tests, QAB, and posted results everyday
Everything we do we chart objective data and talk about it with the kids
Team AB, Individual AB, intersquad rule - walk, HBP, sac bunt and last guy who made out is on first and he gets
Stat/chart - how many times did you win??
Objective data to help discuss their role
What a player can do, rather than what he can’t do (what can he bring to the table).
1-6 starters play, 7-9 we are going to play situational baseball
Why we do things first, how the second.
“Coach on the run” - tactical strategy to think on their feet when their are playing.
We want kids to play the game like they are playing whiffle ball!
We play for the big inning with no outs
We get a little aggressive with one out
Have the player color in the field where they hit the ball best
Shade the strike zone to see where they hit the ball best
Our job as coaches is to put them
****P+E+E = R (around 19 minute mark)
****Performance + execution + effort = Results!!
****We emphasize the process!!
We don’t make the first out on the bases unless its a force play
Written tests are huge for us (NCAA rules, explain infield fly rule, history of baseball, etc)
Practice schedule emailed the night before or before practice, and kids should be prepared for practice, we post nothing.
Hitting coach give player What drills work for them need
Pitchers given individual drills to get ready and warmed up to see what works for you
***Warm up (coach em up), form up (coach up a little), time up (shut up) (around 29 minute mark)
Pitchers given questionnaire on their arsenal and how they warm up
Starters 3 different pitches at 3 different speeds
1 inning guy has a elite pitch and let them work with it
Start them off with the worst pitch and get them out with their best!
3 C’s in life - Control, Confidence, Compete
Good kids attract good kids, bad kids attract bad kids
I don’t bring on any kids who I don’t talk to the parents
If they don’t have a disciplined, organized, family value it will be very tough for them in our program
A word we don’t use is CHANGE, we are constantly making ADJUSTMENTS, small adjustments daily.
kanders2@su.edu
Go on www.SUhornets.com to read more about the program
Prospect camp on October 17th at
- Register on SU Hornets or kevinandersonbaseballcamps.com
“It's what you learn after you think you know it all that matters most” ~quoted from Earl Weaver’s Title of his book!

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BIO

Current Head Coach at Frostburg State University
Prior to FSU he was the HC at Clarion University
Prior to Clarion he was the HC at University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg (winningest coach in program history)
Was a manager in the Coastal Plain League for the Fayetteville Swampdogs
Worked for the Pittsburgh Pirates analyzing video for the Advanced Scouting Department
Was a former assistant coach at UMBC where he specialized in baserunning and infield play
Started his coaching career at Frostburg as a GA, and this has been a coming home for him
AWESOME GUY!!

Show Notes

Started building the engine of the team, and don’t want to overcoach our team
Do not want to make wholesale changes before we give them a chance to see what they have
Individual plans as we go through the fall
Setting individual goals to help us championship
“GEL” - GRIT, ENERGY, and LEADERSHIP!!
- Values of the program - recruiting, practice, and in games
- Take scores and test to be sure people reflect and see where they are
- Coaches and players take it
I will not ask them to do or be that I would not do or be
Data on different types of groundballs to help them with their plan of weaknesses
Use huddle to use video at practice and share with the players
Foundational drills that everyone does as part of daily work, and then player has the ability to create their own routine
Have a whole day to create their game day routine.
Foundational steps of teaching is to be able to coach to the individual players needs
Measure as much as we can!
Sift through how much we can measure and then to see what correlates
“Over the rubber” days and “over the plate” days - competition days and mechanics days
Gotten back to letting kids do what they do well.
As long as a coach you can check your ego at the door, you can move forward helping kids get better
Damage approach - 11 inch plate; 1 ball off each side of the plate
Gap to gap approach - hunt a good pitch (1 strike)
2 strike approach - 2 strikes; mental and physical change - look away/react in
Mental strategies that players can use in the moment
Compete on the clock a lot with baserunning (speed days)
When guys know their times it brings out the best in guys
Looking for recruits who fit in our offensive model (pressure guys who make consistent hard contact)
Email - anwilliams@frostburg.edu

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Doug Little

Bio

Beginning his 24th season at Potomac State College
746-325-1
18th seasons of 30 or more wins
ABCA Regional Coach of the Year 10 times
4 time NJCAA East District Coach of the year with FOUR trips to the D1 JUCO World Series
2016 NJCAA Hall of Fame inductee
Has produced 5 Region XX pitchers of the year
Numerous players drafted and signed to professional baseball.
Outstanding teacher of the game!

Show Notes

Different style of learning. You can rank 1-25 physically, but mentally the range is much larger
2-3 things a week to be sure we don’t information overload
If you have to motivate in a game your team is in trouble. You need to motivate a lot more in practice.
We need to practice more intensely and in a game like atmosphere to be prepared for the game
JUCO guys are hungry to go to the next level and creates buy in
Emphasize full speed to make game speed smooth
Kids are basically the same they have always been, but our approach has changed in terms of information overload.
Review the game on Tuesday from the weekend
Wednesday: team defense, bunt D, 1st to 3rd, PFP
Thursday: position defense and hitting, P&C pens and conditioning
Friday: BP on the field
Skill meetings with hitters and pitchers and catchers
Telling guys what our philosophy is with 0 outs, 1 out, and 2 outs
Taking care of what goes into your body, and be educated on your nutrition and how to get in shape
Do a lot of background checks to see if the guy really likes to compete, work ethic, body size, good kid, and mental makeup
We pound away at the mental side
- We force them to grow up because we count on them so fast (as fresh/soph)
- We put them in tough situations to get them mentally stronger
- Mini sessions to discuss how people show mental toughness
- Take all players and teach them how to be mentally tougher
- We see something in you, don’t take it personally, we are just trying to make you better
- We take situations in games to praise the mental toughness we want to help guys learn from the failure
We spend so much more time on the mental toughness than we do physical side***
The teams that can handle the adversity better will be in much better shape
We try to take the umpire out of the equation! Not reacting
Email - dalittle@mail.wvu.edu
Cell - 304-813-8438 (text me)
If the players know they can come to you and you will be open then it lends itself a great opportunity for them to grow.

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Bio

The Current and ONLY Head Coach at Jefferson (WV) High School (opened in 1972)
3rd all time in High School victories. 1st in active wins
He has won at least 20 games for 43 consecutive seasons
State record 12 state championships
The State Baseball player award is named after him, 8 of which have come from his program
Coming up on his 50th season as the Cougars Skipper
An absolute legend! Incredible baseball mind

Show Notes

Technology and travel teams have really helped players develop but at times they have hindered and took their focus away from what’s important
Learn the game at this level
There is a certain level of knowledge needed for our level
There is a process that you take to get to the next level
Practice at game speed
45 minutes to hour play situational BP - play the game with different situations
- Get on and off the field as fast as you can
- Game winning situation
- As many outs as we can in a row
You can’t expect kids to do things that you don’t do at practice
2 things to teach your players
- What do you do when the ball is not hit to you?
- What do you know?
Charting rival hitters and keeping history
Anticipate and see moves and what the other team might do
- 3-2 count, 2 outs = back pick move
Teaching the team to play outs
Repetition and being around the game, and be willing to invest the time
It's hard to get money out of the bank if you don’t put money in it.
Starts with the fundamentals and repetition.
Practicing discipline and concentration.
Execution of those fundamental skills
Long term goals and short team goals - you need to work through the short term to get to long term
There have to be values that you take away from the game when we are finished playing
Play a full JV schedule! Be creative and make them feel value

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Bio

Head Baseball Coach of Glynn Academy in Brunswick, GA
National Elite Infield Camp partnered with Trosky Baseball
Creator of Mongero Monday’s
Creator the Dirt Brothers - Elite infielders
26 years as a high school head coach
2017 he guided North Hall to the first ever state championship in school history
3 time Region coach of Year
2 Time Georgia coach of the year
2017 National Coach HS Coach of the year
Author of “Winning Baseball” a book and video series of baseball fundamentals
Incredible teacher of the game!

Show Notes

Kids haven’t changed!!
We set the tone and expectations for kids and kids will respond
If you are organized and they know you care you can build the culture
The big change has been the parents and travel/showcase baseball with a lot more selfishness
Teaching the kids what I want them to know!
What are we trying to get out of this from a personal perspective,
Constantly trying to reinforce what I want them to understand
You can’t assume! You need to teach
Personal goals come behind the team goals
Have a resume with me so I can share with college coaches
Brick by brick - how we build our championship season
Feeling good is overrated!!
If your behaviors are not matching up with your goals, then you need to change your goals!!
Commitment, self motivation, and completely driven
Same consistency on and off the field
I am not intimidated by people that are smarter than me, I encourage it!
The big 5 (routines of core drill work)
Short hops, ozzie drill (knees), 3 step, 5 step, choose your hop
Check out his YouTube channel!
Once you build routines then players can execute without coaches being around
Train them up so they can build their routines
Throwing routines are huge!
Each position has a specific routine to help them get better!
Understand the WHY!! Not just that you saw it on Twitter
The mental game is hugely underrated
We define the 6th tool to train the tough mind
Allow your kids freedom and permission to fail to be free some being tight
Have a blend of giving freedom and your expectations
Facebook “Winning Baseball” - Mongero Monday’s; everything involved with coaching
“Trosky Tueday”
@CoachMongero on Twitter
www.CoachMongero.com
Dirt Brother Baseball
YouTube channel
Sirius XM radio show - complete player development
The dull pencil is better than a sharp mind!

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Bio

Current Mental Performance Coach for Philadelphia Phillies
Creator of the #MentalSweatMonday on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIN
Former Adjunct Faculty member of John F Kennedy University
Mental Performance Coach for SportStrata in New York, New York
Mental Conditioning Coach Intern for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Was a Rehabilitation Specialist for the North Shore Chiropractic and Rehab
Mental Training Intern for the International Junior Golf Academy

Show notes

Who the person is, what works best for them, and how to implement it to help them
Know what to focus and focus on it at the right time
If you have the ability to turn on and off what you want to focus on is a big separator.
It is just as important to turn off as it is turn on
Reset routines (looking at the foul pole, deep breath, visualize) to help focus better
When you change the routine you are messaging your body that something is wrong
Contingency plan (plan when I fail) - being aware of when I am struggling and stop and work your plan
Be whatever you want it to be as long as it has MEANING
INTERNAL MOTIVATION is the biggest factor and separator
Bridging the gap between old school and new school while maintaining confidentiality by creating relationships with players and coaches
Number 1 is build trust with players
Be around, be there to help build trust and show you care about the person first (say hello, how YOU doing), baseball player second
KNOW THYSELF
Growth mindset and fixed mindset, educate people of where they fall, and which one would help their career, and then work to get/keep that mindset
Culture, Coaches, and Players are the priority of mental skills to be part of the lifestyle
Routines, Being in the present moment, Inside your control (process not outcome)
Being in the present moment - self talk, use deep breath,
You can't know what’s in your head without being in your head
Has to be practiced outside of the game
I work myself out of a job!!!
Mental skills need to be danced not wrestled to the ground and forced
Mental skills need to start with the WHY, then HOW, and finish with WHAT
Use the everyday skills (make your bed, brush your teeth) as foundational mental skills to implement in the game
Let’s focus on how we studied versus the grade I got (process versus outcome)
Implementing it on a daily basis
Not having electronics at the table to instill being present!
When you are evaluating yourself evaluate what you can control!!
Refine the mindset to focus on the process not the result - here is why you made an A (I know how hard you worked to get that A)
Praise the process and be consistent
Reward the things that people can control!! Attitude, effort, preparation (control your APE)
Intstagram - HannahHuesman
Twitter @Hannah_Huesman
Be your biggest critic and your biggest fan!

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Bio

Current Infield Coach for the Baltimore Orioles
Former Assistant coach for University of Memphis
- 2nd in School History .974 Team Fielding Percentage 65th in Nation
- 53 Team Errors, 2nd in School History for Fewest Errors in a Season
Former Assistant coach with the Milwaukee Milkmen
Former Assistant coach at the University of Hartford
- School Record Fewest Errors in a Season (45)
- School Record .975 Team Fielding Percentage, 49th in Nation
- 2 Infielders taken in MLB Draft

Show notes

Hand shake distance (visual out in front)
Know your player to know how much they need to know
- Some guys need more, some less
All about relationships
- Ask guys and open communication
- Just need to talk
Understanding the learning style - verbal, picture, kinesthetic
Know how much you care before they care how much you know
They need to trust me with their career and show them they can trust me
Have a plan with open communication
Get feedback after a drill about how they feel and if it work for the players
Foundation is the relationship with the players, and its not about ME!
Once base skills are there then go position specific
Corner guys lower and different groundballs
Middle guys more lateral and different groundballs
Base skills
- See it in (hand/eye drill)
- Glove isolation
- Play catch
- Hip hinge and knowing your body
First basemen
- Cuts and relays
- Pick work
- Approach to bag
- shifting/positioning - every step towards 4 hole you take one step in
- Tags
- Starting double plays with accurate throws
Good first baseman and good catcher will prevent a lot of runs and will not lose games for you!
Playing multiple positions to perform different movements to help with athleticism
Wall drills!
- Throw over shoulder
- Throw bag down and first baseman steps to bag and picks
- Shuffle off bag and catch groundball off wall
Instruct it first, model it, and be there, and then float and let them go
Make a checklist of everything you want to cover as a group
Make a checklist of everything you want to cover as individual (position)
Spend time on the things that happen in the game more frequently
Stick to your time and just end it!
Angles towards the base or ball. Be deliberate on the practice that they do more frequently
Collect data that will help you design practice and specifically get better
Pay attention to angle taken
Pay attention to the time needed to make play
Where are they consistently making errors? Chart that so you can practice their errors
Good infielders have:
- Footwork -
- Proper way to play catch
- Develop arm strength and proper arm angle
- Hands
If there is a problem with their body that is symptomatic of them making errors then you have to put in the time to determine when to work on it
Foundationally kids catch the ball one handed and we have to teach them to put the other hand there, so let them be free and promote one hand more
Catcher, pitcher, and first baseman are all one handed catchers.
High IQ as an infielder
Keep the game slow, can slow the game down, control their breathing
Fail more in practice
Short memory - take glove off, turn around, and then come back to the hitter when you are ready
Practice each moment and those time you are trying to stay under control
Practicing even in your life, not just in baseball
Put a success rate on a drill, high or low difficulty to allow them to push themselves
At intersquad every batter is 3-2 count to create game like atmosphere and chaos!
Twitter - @DeJohn_5

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Bio

Current Head Coach at Millersville University
even PSAC Eastern Division Championships,
PSAC Championship
2 NCAA Atlantic Regional titles
4, 40-win seasons
8 NCAA Tournament appearances.
The Marauders have reached seven consecutive NCAA regionals
2016 Marauders finished as the NCAA Division II Runner-Up
2016 ABCA main stage presenter
Well respected and Amazing guy!!

How did you guys deal with the shutdown period?

How does the fall look for you guys?

What has been a key part of your success at Millersville?

What has changed since you started at Millersville?

What has stayed constant since your time at Millersville?

How do you develop the mental skills it takes to be a champion?

What have you consistently seen in the top players?

Show notes

App to record approach to generate pitch recognition along with hard hit balls
Functional batting practice as game like as possible
Game like in terms in of location
Kids tell you what their approach is, and go to work on it during BP
Knowing the hitters weakness and acknowledging it so you incorporate into batting practice
Groups based on development skills (connection, bat speed, exit velo, etc) in the fall
In season groups are same skill guys (bunters, mashers, ballplayers)
What is symptomatic and asymptomatic to a swing. He could have bad hip mobility but he rakes
Know your players really well to see if a change is truly necessary. Have the data available
Be slow in order to make a mechanical changes
You can be clearly uncertain, especially in term of mechanic
Develop an assessment of pitcher. Take an iphone video to check red flags and mechanics
Full Reps in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania partnered to work and take on assessment and work on pitchers
Stick to our values “make it better” - start with the staff
Find kids who fit your mold and your values
LOVE the game!!
Player values and coaching staff values
Coaching values - we do what we expect the kids do and then some (more values, higher standard).
Be very clear on what it looks like to be selfless and relentless.
Purposeful groups (veterans and rookies)
What do those values look like in the classroom, practice, and games to be CLEAR
Full week talking about culture
FIRED and HIRED happens due to your VALUES!
The guys will know if a kid fits your team before the coach will!
We read two books every year
- 5 dysfunctions of a team - Patrick Lencioni
- Ideal team player
Veterans reading it find truths and see what guys are the dysfunctions
Keep the service part at the forefront when managing the staff
Create clarity within the staff just like we do with the players
Stick to our guns from a values and standards aspect, but give room for our assistants to work
Scrimmage each day to put them into game like situations (20 minutes to and hour 30)
Game like reps!!!
Play up for the first round of BP
Skills based groups help with training for what the game needs to do
Traits of good players that have stuck out - BASERUNNING & COMPUTING A SIMPLE, EXTERNAL PLAN!
6th month objective - what do we need to improve on
Email: jshehan@millersville.edu
Twitter - @coachshehan

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Bio

Mental Skills Coordinator for the Baltimore Orioles
Licensed mental health professional
Was the mental skills coach for the University of Rochester men's soccer team
Masters Degree in counseling and sports psychology at Boston University
Played soccer and graduated from University of Rochester

Show Notes

Weekly skill focused
- Monday mindfulness
- Friday guest speakers
How to teach the mental skills
- What the mental skill is
- Example
- Exercises
- Incorporate the skill within a game/activity
- Homework related to baseball and in everyday life
A lot of skills can be taught and helpful outside of the game
Switching to scenarios (responses)
Preparing for adversity that is going to happen and plan for our response
Having a deep breath and helps them to reset
Kicking the dirt to reset and breath to get back to compete
Identifying your growth mindset voice and fixed mindset voice
- Self talk
- Triggers - coach yelling, good pitcher (to find a trigger do a daily checklist of when you were fixed or open to find reoccurring events)
- Trying new skills - “neuroplasticity”
Recurring theme is self awareness - if you are not aware of yourself we can’t make changes
Daily notebook/journal reflecting on the day and how they are successful
“Ideal” mindset to incorporate self awareness
When you are playing your best versus not playing your best, and then attack skills and build behaviors to get you closer to playing at your best
Mental routines part of the players plan to know the player
“Not thinking” may be a bodily feeling (relaxed, pre game routine, etc)
What happens when your routine gets messed up? Have a response!
Why are you doing the routine? Own the routine, not just do it because someone says
Mindfulness and being aware in the moment of what you can and cannot control have helped beyond
Mindfulness meditations to help be in the moment and be aware. Guided and practiced
Around 10 minutes of guided meditation
Started with the coaches and then the players to get buy in
Give real life examples as to why mindfulness is so important.
- Golf
- Driving and thinking where you are going not where you are
- Examples in their game/area
Guided deep breathing visuals on Youtube
kvrowe23@gmail.com

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Bio

Current Head Coach at Hagerstown Community College
Over 600 wins at HCC averaging 32 wins a season in his 20 years
2008 made a World Series appearance at Grand Junction going 2-2, and finishing top 5 in the country
Winningest baseball coach in HCC history
Over 1000 wins in his career as a coach
in 38+ years of coaching he has never had a losing season
Hall of Fame member of the Maryland State Association of Baseball Coaches

EPISODE NOTES

Parental influence and delusion is a lot higher now
Never hand out guarantees, a lot can change, and what motivation is that going to give them
Be true to yourself, don’t try to be someone else
Be fair and have standards and hold guys accountable
Each player accountable and coach needs to hold the best player to the standard to the weakest
Believe in the baseball gods where if you take care and do the right thing, the game will reward you!
Day to day do the right thing will reward you
Some guys need longer rope, and some guys you need to be on. Need to understand the kid
How they adjust to failure will dictate their successful
Learn how to channel the frustration of the failure into understanding of how to handle themselves and respect themselves and not draw negative attention
You need to take something valuable away from them to get the point across
The longer you coach you understand how other coaches manage - get on umpires, small bunt, big inning, etc
Treat each game more special than the other, treat each game the same and on an even keel
Press those buttons when it is necessary to get the team going.
You can do everything you can do as a coach, but if the kid doesn’t perform, there is nothing we can do
Trust your gut, and be willing to live with the consequences
You play the odds, but you can’t be consumed by the odds (surprise factor)
Baseball teaches life lessons
Kids maturity not only shows up in athletics but in life or academics, and just handle themselves better
Good players have allowed us me to be consistent
You try to get good player, good kids, and academics, and hopefully we get 2 out of 3.
Success breads success - expect to win, teach players to win. NOT hoping to win
Don’t fear your opponent, Respect your opponent!
Have to have a formula (standards) and hold your guys accountable
I have to be able to trust you (the player) to give you the ball
If we know the result won’t happen, then it is dumb to go with the play
Email sbjennings@hagerstowncc.edu
www.leaguelineup.com/hcchawks

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BIO

Current MiLB Hitting coach for the Baltimore Orioles
Owner of Patrick Jones Baseball where he specializes in player development
Host of the Patrick Jones Baseball podcast
Hitting coach for the Lima Locos, of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate league
Served as an Assistant Coach at Madeira High School in Cincinnati, Ohio
Spent time as a player in the Pecos league and Empire League
Played collegiately at Xavier University
Follow on Twitter @pjonesbaseball
Check out his website - www.patrickjonesbaseball.com

Show notes

So much of coaching is timing
- When to get on more, less based on who they are
Send the client a questionnaire to know the player better
Before you have a relationship with a player a player does not feel comfortable, so the questionnaire helps that relationship
Making visuals for players - gifs, powerpoints,
Video is still the best place for players to see what they are doing
Ask questions about what happened in the game to get context because that matters most
Helping kids get recruited because no player of mine should not have to hire a recruiting service
Game footage of hitter from a good angle
Coach needs to help and be honest with the college coach
PBR (prep based reports) is good for a baseline sophomore/junior year
Good fit and best fit rather than getting hung up on division
Grades are super important to make it easy on yourself
Killer mindset #1 tool for a good hitter
With a killer mindset it will get you out of a slump earlier!
Coming up with content for clients to be able to access to get into their headspace
Be less negative instead of more positive when you are struggling so you can “get to neutral”
Anything time you say out loud it is 4 to 5 times more impactful!
~Don’t say stupid stuff to yourself out loud!
Are we giving guys time for the player to get ready, guys need freedom to find what works for them
Better to incorporate killer mindset in team setting
- Leaderboards
The great players have a plan, approach, and not freaking out, and not giving away at bats
In the cage they are clearly working on something
Fixed mindset versus growth mindset players
“It takes what it takes” by Trevor Moahwad
Quick tuneups don’t work - it takes time to be great! You have to practice way more than seeing a private instructor or team practice
Deliberate practice
- Locked in and focused
- Have a purpose
- Accomplishing a specific task
It's not about how much time, it's about the quality of time spent!

Follow on Twitter @pjonesbaseball

Check out his website - www.patrickjonesbaseball.com

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For all the show notes - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kiFmVfuBTI6R9z2Y5wvVaRiRuZ7Q2EEI1q19XJ59nNA/edit

SHOW NOTES

Consistency of people involved to get some great people around
Intentional about our standards and values
Behaviors are congruent to the values
Continuous improvement
After action reviews
Exit meetings
Courageous conversations
- Helping you
- Hurting you
Get away from the “feel” questions to can you teach it to someone else (Accountability partners)
Vulnerability and trust allow us to have conflict and get through it to get more commitment rather than compliance
Am I holding my teammates accountable, peer leadership tend to better results
Veteran intentionally invited, had dinner, made good decisions with a rookie as a person to hold accountable
Spreadsheet of kids to check in on partners to see if everyone is trying to include everyone
Exit interviews to see what the kids learned from and gained from relationships
Don’t commit “assumicide!”
DWYSYWD - Do what you say you will do!
Feedback from student athletes more frequently, not waiting for just exit interviews or until they are struggling.
BP sides - go on the side to work defensive skill work, warm up to what will happen during BP
Pre work opposite of BP side
Post work after practice
Charting our defense work from sides, BP, and then put up on team board to show
Has not changed in coaching tenure
- Attention to detail. Small things always matter.
- Fundamentally sound with sound pedagogy
- Continuous learners!
- Daily lesson plan
- Lifelong reader!
Go to a non baseball practice to see how we can coach baseball better
Clock work (giant timer) to help with transition, periods in practice,
Serve and clean breakfast to the homeless and have seen a big transformation of attitude
Theme each year - player of the game will sweep the dugouts
Classroom sessions to talk about it, show it, ask questions, and then do it
Confidence comes with skill acquisition and demonstrated performance (results)
If a kid asked you what is going on then you need to look at yourself as a coach. Frontload and prepare them so they never ask.
45 minutes of early/pre work
Know your why - tell your players
Email - rrsiers@salisbury.edu
Twitter - @rrsiers

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Coach Brian Femi Bio

33 seasons as Head Coach of St Michaels HS in St. Michaels MD
5 State Championships
10 regional championships
2 Bayside Championships
Maryland State Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer Class of 2011
National Regional Coach of the year twice
National HS coach of the year finalist for BCA and ABCA

SHOW NOTES

Kids want structure, discipline, and teamwork
Consistently stay on kids about grades, behaviors, citizenship
High expectations of our kids
Demand 100% attendance and be good people
The sign of character is how you act when no one is watching
Classroom sessions during rainy days
- Motivational videos
- Florida and oklahoma when coach pulled number 4 and had a great at bat and the starter was the first one to congratulate the sub
- Mindfulness
Rehearsal procedure during BP - at bat, on deck, and in the hole
3 types of players
- Average player who competes
- Great ability that goes through the motion with average work ethic/mentality
- Great ability with great work ethic and mentality
1B, 2B, 3B baserunning
- 1B - steals, returns, 1st/3rd, delays, how far can you get in the OF
- 2B - groundballs (island reads), vault leads
- 3B - reads, contact, squeeze, tags
- OF - flyballs and getting reads from the OF (0 outs, 1 out)
Competitive BP
- Hitting group, baserunning group, shag/defense
- 1st team INF, 1st team OF, 2nd team INF, 2nd team OF - always need INF and OF on defense
- Points for offense, defense, and pace of play
- Every Saturday (once or twice a week)
Quality at bats - no average, just QAB
“Family first” AB - AB for the team!
Bunting has stood the test of time.
- Bunt on a little league field
- Baserunnig read while they wait to bunt
- 1st and 3rd safety squeeze
- Points the bunting game
- Get them to love to bunt
- Batter signs to the baserunner to let them know bunt is on
Practice planning
- Stretch
- Baserun
- Play catch with positions
- Throwing work
- Position group
- Defensive breakdown (from what coaches want to do from the day before)
  - Inf, of, catcher, and pitcher bullpen
- Team drills (1st/3rd, double cut, etc)
- Play of the day (defense) - getting something done at 90%
- BP or competitive BP
- Pressure time! (offense) - one thing with something on the line
Kids need to know how to compete, not just showcase.
Kids pick teams of who to pick for the pressure time!
Baserunning times to 1B
Pressure on the defense!!
In game data
- QAB
- Baserunning at 1B
- 1st pitch K, leadoff batter out, BB strikes, FB strikes
Changed to 1 of 2 first pitches for strikes - no less than 1-1.
Verbal for a pitch out - need to rep it out!!
Baserunner goes and then stop when he sees a slide step
Stealbases.com baserunning reads
The beat coaches are open minded and build relationships with their kids
3 things I want kids to believe (Are we doing those 3 things??)
- Believe in us
- Trust us
- We will always be there for them
Contact - bfemi@talbotschools.org

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Bio

Current Coach at Auburn University
Former pitching coach and associate head coach at Mississippi State College
Coach Thompson has turned 31 pitchers who went undrafted out of high school into MLB draft picks, including the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, Casey Mize.
2006 Fellowship of Christian Athletes SEC Coach of the Year
2014 Baseball America and American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) National Assistant Coach of the Year
serves as the large-school representative for the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association, and is the All-American committee member representing the South region for the ABCA.
Servant leader who is a mentor to many.
Just an incredible person

Show Notes

Pitchers pitch 2 out 3 phases, big rest on the 3rd phase
Start on yourself before helping others (put your mask on first when they fall)
Ethos (their character) to build up
Bring in speakers to help build guys up
- 3 new words after listening to the speakers
- Confidence -
- Committed -
- Unified -
Book studies
Attack, Legacy, Vision
- Attack - offensive, be our default
- Legacy -
- Vision -
Legacy by James Kerr
Change while you are on top to avoid decline and extend growth
Evaluate yourself as a coach when your player no longer needs you after they leave you!
Ask why, so the players own it and empower the players.
Experience has taught me that I did not give them enough skills to be their best coach
This has taught us balance, and perspective on what really matters. Good time to pause and reflect
Do as good a job with a balance and perspective as possible
Went to see Chad Bradford to learn about submarine pitching
Peacock feathers of a pitching staff (all different arm angles)
Same ratio between arm and shoulder/elbow, it is just a bend at the waist (hinge)
Do a ton or core and stability because you go to weaker position (bent over)
Stay down and stay in it
Body organizes itself
Back spike in the ground, no weight in the toe
Have a plan to get the opposite hitter out!
Not always mechanical, but sometimes just pitch sequence (change up after a slider)
Autograph a piece of paper 50 times and you can’t sign your name the same twice
Repeatable mechanics are not obtainable
I’ve had success in a certain flaw so I will pair and look for that.
The mind is the most important tool
Overboard on mechanics and takes away from developing the mind (BALANCE)
Mechanics improve by working your guts out
You take a big step when you pitch who you are! (IDENTITY)
Your working to get to auto pilot (no thought)
It is important but if it dominates your thought you can never get to that autopilot moment
Know where you are trying to get to. Where the AHA land is!
My focus is on taking off yourself, and focusing on taking away from the hitter
Video behind them to show what really matters. Let’s go find your game!

Contact

Email - butchthompson@auburn.edu

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Bio

Drafted out of Smithsburg HS (MD) in 2009
Drafted by the Chicago Cubs out of Coastal Carolina in 2012
Played in the Cubs organization from 2012-2017
Finished his degree at Coastal Carolina and assisted in daily pitching work where he got to see how to manage the pitching staff, and was the bullpen coach.
Hired as a developmental coach for the Baltimore Orioles where he developed advanced reports, and acted as the bullpen coach, and helped the pitching coach.
Currently the pitching coach for the Frederick Keys A ball affiliate in the Carolina League.
Wise beyond his years!

Show Notes

Its not about what just worked for you, but what works best for the player!
If you let the guys have a identity you get the most out of them
The Orioles do a great job not only with player development but coaches development
Advanced reporting done through trackman and learn how to attack hitters
Can’t be information overlord, and let the guys have a plan to help them move forward
There is not one way of doing it, and do what works for!
I need to do what I am good at, but chip away of the things I am not good at
The player needs to be his best coach!
Its about creating the relationship to build trust!
Pitchers labeled by color based on who they are (yellow guy)
Put my ego aside, and ask about what other guys did to help them succeed.
Progression takes years
Player plans are fluid and need tweaked as necessary
Identify what the pitcher has
- Movement profile
- Location
- Best Combination of pitches
Stand behind the guy and shoot some clips to show him the action
- Arm at release
- Combination of everything based on the pitcher
Arm action will tell you a lot about what the ball should do
How is the body moving
Do you have success horizontally or vertically in the zone? That will help you find what will be good sequence of pitches
Work from the plate backwards - if you aren’t landing it on the plate, “is it useful?”
Buckets of pitcher
- Vertical guy - up in the zone with high spinning BB.
- Sinker guy - two seam guy who lives in the bottom of zone with sweeping slider
Who you are, Who the hitter is, and attack with your strengths
Where you are at physically, and what pace you are growing, not only physically but mentally.
Have to have the internal drive to put the work into it, and make it happen
Working hard won’t guarantee you to play in the big leagues
Best players:
- Have a routine
- Huge sense of detail
- Know how to take practice and translate it into the game
- Self confidence that cannot be touched
- BIGGEST thing - they learn from mistakes and get better! STOIC
See the difference between the high rising fastballs by studying video with the data
Test yourself with the data to see if your eyes are seeing what it really is
Common Language between you and the players to when a players “feels good” when he does something well
We need to get it to where YOU (the player) understands it. The player needs to own it and be his own!
Lessons have given me an opportunity to give players what they need. Foundational work, and movement profiles, and get coaching reps, and be a better communicator.
Contact by email - joshconway0211@gmail.com

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Show Notes

After you win a championship no one cares
Servant club called WAR - Christmas time going and volunteer, doing something for veterans
Who are you going to serve?
We need champions for kids
I can’t find a good story, nothing positive.
Kids follow the model that we set for them
Going to a Unified sports meet
2 minutes at the beginning or end of the practice to set the mood (mentality)
2 hour vacation from life
Make an error, take your hat off, and when your ready put it back on
The kids changed me as I discovered their stories
RELATIONSHIPS
Its not black and white - its not
Restorative justice
Normal is what you know
Each week is a theme
“Season of Life” book by Joe Urman
- Why do I coach
- Why do I coach the way I do?
- What is it like to be coached by me?
- Two other questions
How can you project a kid ability?
Everyone is a pitcher until they are not
Be unusual - usual gets SMASHED
Most guys are not 90 mph kids so they should
Power, crafty, funky, arm plane (sidearm, submarine), hide the ball, timing wrecker, one pitch guy
Know your kids and the better relationship with the kid the easier it is to put them in a role
How are the kids feet? Good feet and footwork = good arm plane guy
When the pitcher shows you their pocket, hitter shows you their pocket
Sidearm - be quick, great movement, emulate the hili paddle (throw with a bent arm)
Keys of pitching - Location, velocity, movement, deception
How well do you know the kid?
Go find good coaches, and study them!
2 worst things are pop ups and strikeouts
More games are lost than won
Slashing is helping give us a chance to stay out of the air and not strikeout
Ball, close, and a strike and you better be swinging at 2 of them!
Mindset that is self made and self motivated, and have to want to do it! Finding ways to make himself better. I want to be better!
Contact info:
- coachfranklin@yahoo.com
- www.mike-franklin.com
- Twitter - @AuthorCoachF

View Details

Wes Brooks

Bio

Current HC at Oxford High School in Oxford, Alabama for 16 years
21st year coaching baseball
Started coaching at alma mater Wellborn. 2002 became head coach in 2nd year
Jacksonville state college
USA Baseball Coach
Brian Cain Mental Performance Master
ABSOLUTE STUD!!

Contact info

Twitter - @OldGoldSports
wbrooksOH@gmail.com

Notes

Do things the right way the wins will be there
Individuals zooms with each player to evaluate each player
Indy score and team rank
Each coach has a comment about a kid and join in with the evaluation
STUD Day - non mandatory days
Faith, Family, Fun - 3 Pillars of the program
Culture has a heartbeat
The Oxford Way
Same mission for 4 years to give consistency for HS
Telescope and microscope goals
2 days of speed work in the weightroom - do everything as fast as we can do it
2 days of max effort day
Different percentages of swings to feel the differences
Increase max speed to increase average speed
Stimulate the nervous system
Good relationships with the summer coaches, and vice versa (if its about the kids)
70% strike zone command
+1 -1 for swing decision.
Specific days for their principles “Accountability Day”
Break it down - team on 3, tell someone you love em on the way out
When the kids can teach it, we are in a good environment (Know it, do it, and own it)
Your best players are the hardest workers
Define what it means to “play the game the right way”
Find out what works for each kid to become leaders of themselves
Old School, New School, Hyrbrid - old school still wins, but showing guys why
Winning the day starts the day before when we prepare for the next day
“Opportunity Clock” not an alarm clock
Older guys need to know the program inside and out to know what to expect and been taught
Go back to the first step! Fundamentals and paying attention to details
His last guy is better than your last guy
Helping create a players toolbox so when he is in the game he goes and make it whatever way he can
Bernstein principle - the body will organize it based on the goal
Friday 5-0 - every friday a copy comes in to talk to the team
Wednesday - FCA
Community day where a speaker comes in to talk to the team that is successful
Person over the athlete and the person has a little more buyin
The game of life, of baseball, and God will reward you when you are ready to be rewarded
Get it and make it your own
Alpha at bats - big time at bats
Met with people all over the program to go over the processes

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How have you gotten better during the quarantine?

Trying to connect with a lot of people
Training online/classes online
Zoom calls

You came up with a goal of connecting a million people

Wanted a crazy goal for people to say wow!
Put it on the board in 2017 and hasn’t changed yet
Connections will get me the results as effect of those
Kind of became my mission and learned how to treat people due to it

How are you working on your Communication

Oklahoma accent
Being conscious and self aware of my accent and being vulnerable of it
Growing as a coach - when to yell and how to cue
Self reflecting on how to teach better and figure out how to use visual verbs
Sticky language (language) - short to the point analogies
Create stories and tell stories about people

Story from a guy you have motivated and helped develop.

“Stretch” LHP
Project kid who wanted to get better
Picture in january freshman year, and transformation january sophomore year
Developed in all 9 areas!

RE 1-9 - relentless effort through 9 areas of life - faith, man, son, teammate, academics, game, practice, S&C

Growth toolbox (Growth U) - classroom session hourly weekly session to discuss the 9 areas of a person’s life.

Improving our program with what we can control
Taking program to the next level
Fall of 2015 - January 2016 ABCA speech
Start with Goal setting (telescope and microscope)
Telescope - big goals (north star)
Microscope - daily habits/routines
Players make them, and then send them to coach
If there is a discipline issue we pull out the goal setting exercise to put it back on the kids to hold them accountable
Pre-hab instead of rehab
Time management always comes up as one of the best days of growth toolbox

How do you balance the life of being with the bananas and at South Mt?

Just take things off the plate of the head coach

You have 9 years of being an assistant coach, and have a staff of your own with the bananas, so what do you feel makes a great assistant coach?

Loyalty
Doing more than what you are paid for
Learning from other coaches and being self aware of what the team needs
Flexibility and adaptability
Keep improving
Be the good cop

What is the green light special?

Bucket leads (old school, lean, momentum (new school), walking)
Teach one of them a day and rep it (3 at the most)
Bucket pitcher tendencies
Courtesy runner in charge of tendencies or running subs and they spread the news

How are you communicating your baserunning system so clearly that each year with a new bunch of guys they can jump right in the system?

Good players that buy in
Great coaches who I have stood on their shoulders
Play fast, be aggressive, nothing has ever been achieved by being passive
Educate kids every day
Create the environment for them to thrive (Talk to kid and not yell at him and see his thought process)
Windows of opportunity
Working on it daily

Offensive System

Hit
Work within an offense (bunt, hit and run, manufacturing runs)
baserunning

What have been your top takeaways from all of the Infield U happy hour zoom calls?

Simplicity
Having one liners
Creating systems!
Vision verbs!
Catch play! Game like and increase body awareness

What traits have you seen in the best players?

Internally motivated
Big vision goal
Discipline themselves
Hold themselves to a higher standard
Hate to lose
Daily habits
Never have to get on the guys to get their reps
Confidence and positive self talk

What is the best way for people to contact you if they have any more questions for you?

Twitter @Gillum13
tyler.gillum@southmountaincc.edu
602-370-7649
www.gillumbaseball.com

NOTES

Where can I grow and make the most connections?
Transition from senior to first year of college are extremely important!
Groups that compete all throughout the fall
Grand junction challenge where there is 30 events to compete
“Can you guess the telescope goal based on the logged activities for 3 days?” Do your daily habits match your telescope goals.
Hero, highlight, hardship - share your hero, share a highlight of your career, and hardship in your life
Learn from highly successful people
Pressure bursts pipe
Forgetting curve - map it out to teach it multiple days
2018 ABCA green light special
USA baseball virtual clinic on green light special
Daily vitamins - knee work, groundball progression, picks with different hops, start with blocked and move to random
Infield camps
Quit listening to yourself, and start talking to yourself

View Details

What advice are you giving your players during this pandemic?

Building the next team
Group me chat to build rapport with current commits and returners
Build the team through the summer

How have you been growing yourself during this time?

On the phone so much that its hard not to
Asking what guys are doing with their staff

What are some of your best strategies for connecting people?

Fighting for empathy with the other person - get on the other side of the conversation and see where they are coming from. Try to see it through their eyes
At the core of feel is empathy and living in the other people shoes! ***
Invest time, energy and focus into other people
Don’t let 15 seconds feel like 15 seconds!! ***
Work on it with the gas station attendant

I hear you saying my name consistently, communicating effectively, How are you helping create better communicators?

Traveled around with my dad who was a motivational speaker
Control a crow and flow of good conversation
Funny moment, right into serious moment - that’s where you know you are in control
Test the room, and see where you got the room, and hammer on what has them and find how to get them.
Be more efficient with my words
Feel, constant evaluation mode
Shifts in body language, eye contact
Recruiting - get closer and engaged when they were hearing the speech
More concise and crystal clear - eliminating grey talk, no assumptions to control the narrative.
Deliberate choice with your language

You have interviewed and been around coaches of all levels from around the country, what are the top things that you took away from the thousands of hours of interviews/conversations you have done?

There is a system, and figured out what works for them
Tough thing to build a great team, and to do it consistently in incredibly hard
We are all chasing elite greatness, and we need to work at being really really good today!

How do you prioritize what are the most important things to implement into your program?

Always listening and always intrigued and curious
You take it and your rooted philosophy and take the information boil it down to the simplest form
You can’t change your philosophy every year
These things work for me, for our kids, and for our program
If your trying to build consistency then coach needs to be consistent

What is your system?

Still building ours
What got you to the middle point? Still good and bad
It's been really good. What are the missing points?
Where can I fill the gaps. Empowering the coaches
3 year system, less gaps year 2 and 3 -
Does not stray away from trust and love

How are you developing the culture of trust and love at GCC?

You can never land on being short sighted!
Call all 30 players and have 30 different conversations
Build back the exact same message
Deliberate message - get on you at 10, but love you at 20!!**
You don’t have to be perfect but you need to be deliberate **
Culture is a measurement of the environment you have created**
Championship teams do it this way…
Be the example of those expectations
Willingness to be vulnerable! **

How are you developing your players both menally and physically at GCC?

Meet in the classroom and teach
Call me “Sheets”
Use the classroom to make a big impact
Be mindful of helping each player rewrite their own story - rewire and give them responsibilities
Talking about stuff other than baseball

Do you believe that if you players are better people they will help you win at GCC?

100%
The kids knew when I was making selfish decisions to get a better job
Servant leadership and not about me, it's about the players
The person, the student, the player and in that order of development

Do you look for specific traits in recruits? Turn ons and turn offs?

Live in the transfer world
Want people to leave who feel they are GCC guys
Vetting them on the phone
- Talking with prior coach
  - Who is he? Baggage?
Get who you want, but get who we are! ***
What is important to you? Winning, being on a great team? Personal development?
Specific measurables we are looking for
Being coachable

You have seen great players from all over the country at all levels. What do those great players have in common?

Same as coaches, open minded and wanting more
Every championship team has a good catcher, arms, defense, and hitters that came through in certain moments (situationally executed)
They did not hate each other, generally they like to be together, and no dysfunction
Intrinsically motivated, desire to figure out the best version of themselves
They want more
Sacrifice is required!

You have also seen so many great coaches from all over the country. What do those great coaches have in common?

Curious
There thoughts are always moveable
Always willing to test their theories/processes
Open minded to hear it for what it is
Listened to get better, not to respond

What is the best way to contact you?

@coachsheets3
sheets@stickandballtv.com
502-767-7680

Notes:

Come from a centered place! Can’t make a decision from the highs and lows, and always come back to center to make decisions
Stay away from recruits who blame others and wired from young age
The person, the student, the player and in that order of development
Find the courage to act on their own thoughts and ideas
At the core of feel is empathy and living in the other people's shoes! ***
Don’t let 15 seconds feel like 15 seconds!! ***
The people change the game!

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BIO

Currently assistant coach/recruiting coordinator at University of Maryland (8th year overall)
First 5 years he was Director of operations for the Terps
During Swope’s time in College Park, Maryland has boasted nine All-Americans, two academic All-Americans and 32 Major League Baseball draft picks.
The Terrapins advanced to their only two Super Regionals in school history (2014, 2015) and advanced to two conference tournament championship games.
The UMD Alum was drafted in the 2002 MLB Draft by the Montreal Expos after a great career at Maryland
A great follow on twitter for some great hitting content
A very loyal Maryland guy who breathes crabcakes and Old Bay!

How are you still helping your guys during the quarantine?

Zoom calls, facetime
Talking weekly or specific info
Find ways to workout and challenge based on what they have

What is something you have been learning during the quarantine?

Professional development - over 80 hours with over 200 slides on hitting
Being clear and concise
Driveline certification
108 certification

What lessons do you think will come from this quarantine?

Break it down just in the slides
Film myself to be clear

You have been a part of Maryland getting better and better, what do you think has made you guys successful?

My heart is in MD
Fully funded, over 200K fundraised
Super regional and upgraded facilities
Consistent people who are personally invested and passionate
Good senior leadership and compulsive competitor

Describe the kind of players who have helped you along the way.

Competitor
Care about the details

Describe the kind of players who you have gotten in the way of your guys success.

Bad senior/junior leadership
Non-competitive
Complaining about things instead of encouraging to keep moving forward

How are you developing competition?

Brought in “The Program” & Brian Cain
Growth Mindset, Toughness, and Ownership
Pillars are reinforced consistently
We have standards not many rules
Last 5 minutes weightlifting competition
Outside time is compete time
Team practice competition
Games with hitters
Forcing competition

How are you keeping the focus on the team while individualizing?

Better talent, recruit better players
First 3 weeks - collect data, film, some constraints,
After 3 weeks - individual program
- 3 exercises per day - every day for 2 weeks for 5 weeks
Help you become your best coach

What has changed in the way you teach hitters since you started coaching?

Timing and balance - speeding up may not be best for the athletes movement pattern
Specific way to load the machine to get the guys on time and be sure to promote good movement pattern

What are you doing to promote good movement pattern?

Philosophy is timing and balance in a good movement pattern
Start slow to get on time with your movement pattern
Control your timing and how you start your move
Categorize loose and tight movers -
- Loose movers - most athletic, high leg kick, lot of movement in swing
  - Know why you leg kick and how you leg kick
  - Front foot under the front hip
- Tight mover - super efficient and tight, small moves at the plate
  - Tight turn - trunk and pelvis closed to provide force to middle of field
  - Hinge position

How do you program the decel, next move after contact?

Frisbee
Exaggerated scissor - striding closed and back foot comes in front of front foot
Blocked med ball toss - constraint to throw med ball
Reciprocal movement

You have been a part of some great teams, and great players, what are the traits of the best players you have been around?

Self motivation and an internal drive with a competitive edge
Guys like to be together
Recruiting classes are organizing their own zoom calls

What do you look for in recruits?

Look for the position and how they move and do they have a certain movement pattern
Characteristics of guys at certain positions
Cross decisions and collaborate on all recruits - get judgment from each coach
No such thing as a one man RC
Competitive!
Multiple sports, how communicates, social media

How much are you working on the mental game?

Meditation at the start
Write down the routine - know all the routines so know what kids needs at that time
Release routines to get out of red lights (when umpire makes a bad call)

Has there been some mental skills that have helped with the transition to college?

We need failure
Be consistent

How do you hold that line and be an example for your players?

Be authentic so players know what to expect
Be clear and consistent with how you handle yourself

Best way to contact you

“Maryland Made Hitting” on Twitter/Instagram
Go to UMterps.com for all Coach Swope info!

Notes

We are playing offense, not hitting. We are playing offense to score runs
Write down each players routines
Loose and tight movers
Good teams don’t have rules, they have standards
movements/mechanics off the field, competition on the field
Recruiting classes doing their own zoom calls
Being vulnerable allow to build relationships

View Details

Joey Miller Notes

Bio

Current trainer for Crucible performance in Frederick, MD
Has a full time (40 hour) hitting lesson schedule full of loyal clients
Played and graduated from Frederick Community College
National Player of the year runner up while at D2 Concord University
Set individual records at Concord University 28 HR’s and 140 RBIs
Played professional independent baseball for 4 years from 2014-2017
Overcame knee surgery after second season to become a 2X All Star
Played independent ball for:
- Roswell Invaders
- Washington WildThings (frontier league)
- Trois Riveries Aigles (Can Am) “Twa Rivi-air Egg-lays” - French for 3 Rivers Eagles (Quebec)
- Windy City Thunderbolts (Frontier League)
- Salina Stockade (American Association)
Check out his ‘Heavy Hitter” Podcast
Player made career!! Knows what it takes to get better!!

How are you encouraging your clients during the quarantine?

Group Zoom meetings - up to 60 kids
Tuesdays and thursdays
Indy zoom meetings based on the hitters needs
Making us better coaches, and players opportunities to connect with other people

What is your process when taking on new clients?

5 tools to develops
Interview - What do you want to do with this game?
2 years ahead of the age level
What does that athlete need 2 years from now?
Create hitting logs and personal logs
- 6 questions at beginning of the month
- Calendar where player writes down notes of how they got better each day
- Log the results of their game
Some video analysis based on the person needs

What is your program all about?

Don’t rush growth
Trust their coaches, but be a person clients can lean in
Want to give that kid inspiration to go dominate it!

How do you assess your hitters?

Figure out the mindset I can help develop

What is something you used to do that you no longer find value in?

What is something you have done since your first lesson?

What mechanics of the swing you try to teach?

Do you teach your clients about approach?

Know your job and be prepared to do your job
External goals based on the kids
Internal goals based on the kid
On deck, in the hole, this is how we prepare

What is the mentality of a great hitter?

Based on where they are developmentally and then grow that need

How do you challenge your clients?

Present challenges through the adjustments we are trying to make
Work through feel and exaggeration

How do you teach kids to play one pitch at a time?

What trait have you seen in the best players you have played with or clients you have helped?

Perseverance - kids who have dealt with a challenge and be able to keep moving forward

What is the best way for people to contact you?

Social Media - Facebook and Youtube - @CoachJoeyMiller
Instagram & Twitter - @CoachJoeyBats
Crucibleperformance.us
coachjoeybats@gmail.com
joey@crucibleperformance.us

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BONUS EPISODE!!

4 of my former players who are currently playing college baseball discuss their perspective on the quarantine, the difference between high school and college, recruiting, and so much more!!

Big Thanks to:

Joey Schwartz - Shepherd University

Ryan Bywaters - Radford University

Noah Allen - Flagler College

Cameron Kutchey - Lock Haven University

Click here for the NOTES on the episode!

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What is the best thing you do to create better men in your program?

Combination of things
How you do anything is how you do everything
Culture - standards set and standards met
Everything you do - everyday relentless job
Core covenants - every decision is based on those
Model behavior with having our families around

When do you start implementing your Success Leaves Clues program?

Helps instill our core covenants
Classroom for his athletes
Monday, tuesday, and friday
Teach life skills and leadership skills
Advisory board - faculty rep and student rep
Fall - speakers, Winter - MVP, Spring - baseball
Mentor program - extend invitation to mentor program and honor mentors at a game
Intentional seating with veterans surrounding rookies

How do you teach the mental side of the game?

Introduce in the fall
Practice routines and releases
5-10 minute at the start of practice: breathing, visualization, self affirmation

How do you manage all your staff members?

Understand the standards and give them parameters and let them coach
Coach my coaches (sit it on meetings, etc)
First thursday of the month touch base at IHOP
Give them a research project

What is the best thing you do for your staff?

Get together as a family
Give them gear

What does your toughness coach do?

Toughness program
- Fire academy special forces branch
- 12 week curriculum every friday starting in the fall
- 6 weeks - individual oriented; last 6 weeks - team oriented
- Each lesson had a theme
- Tshirt made up with tough friday

How have your practices changed over the years?

Building failure into practice
Charting everything
Game like competition
Practicing things that really matter
Weighted vest to wear during Bad Body Language
Rivalry team to go run poles to create chaos and make them slow themselves down

What is something that you have never stopped doing to develop your players?

Playing catch - throwing progressions and drill it
20 minutes to practice - MOVE AND PLAY CATCH
Attention to detail

What would you consider your biggest strength as a coach?

Putting it all together, attention to detail

How were you helping your players during this quarantine?

Still coming into small groups
Sent them a plan
Sunday night Zoom call
Bring in former players
Call or facetime each player
Provide them with resources (character coach, toughness, etc)

How do you develop players while still keeping the focus on the team?

Indy work before practice
230-315 early work for individuals

Development plan? Phases?

10 Phases
Phase 1 - strength, speed, movement, toughness, assessments (6 weeks)
Phase 2 - fall skills incorporate throwing program and hitting program (6 weeks)

What have you noticed between the great players and the average players during your time?

Young guy has not developed the mental side (how to fail)
Resilience - in their training, routines, game, consistently show up

Other points

Grade players every 11 games
Shell practice schedule on Sunday
Detail out the night before
Quality at bats and OPS for hitters
“Quality control” - walks, HBP and strikeouts
Walks, HBP, opponent errors (plus or minus) - big innings happen with those walk/HBP/errors
8 categories offensively -
Dirtbags - team game goals
Email you at cbox@hartfield.org
Find him on twitter - @chuckbox1969

BIO

Currently the Head Baseball Coach at Hartfield Academy in Flowood, Mississippi
700-321 career record
10 Years coached at Jackson Prep in Mississippi
He spent eleven years as a college head coach at Freed-Hardeman University and Itawamba Community College compiling 363 wins
Inducted into the Freed-Hardeman Hall of Fame in 2010
13 players selected to play professional baseball
Served as an Assistant at Mississippi College
Been a guest on multiple national podcasts - ABCA and Dugout Chatter
Always willing to share and help
An absolute DUDE!
Email you at cbox@hartfield.org
Find him on twitter - @chuckbox1969

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Another great interview PACKED with information. Coach Tom Eller, hitting coach with the Baltimore Orioles, discusses how he has grown from a college coach to working with professional hitters in the Baltimore Oriole organization.

Coach Eller's main talking points:

How he and the Orioles are getting better during the quarantine
The differences of when he worked and build great college hitters to how he is building great professional hitters
What hitters spend too much time on, and what they should spend more time on
What he would look for in the best recruits
Traits he has seen in all of the best players
SO MUCH in our conversation!!!

How are you getting better during this quarantine?

Weekly themed zoom meetings
Book club, Navy Seals, special guests
Calls with certain hitters and specialists

How are you helping players during this quarantine?

Hitters meeting
Go over player plans
Based on last years stats and assessments based on what I knew about them
Swing decision and swing characteristic and mobility

You were a great recruiter at Hartford, what were the things you looked for in your recruits?

Single tool that stood out
Ball player who can do a little bit of everything
Want to move on and have a growth mindset
Willing to learn and get better
NO EGO!

What mental skills, qualities in a person, have you seen in the best professional players?

Growth mindset - wants to learn
Why things are happening, and be sure to ask why it is happening
Deliberate practice - why are we doing what we are doing?
Reflective and self awareness
Don’t know everything. Humble and know when they need to get better

How much programming of individuals do you do on your team?

Swing decision
Swing characteristic
Movements
Train fast - rack used to move body fast and stop body fast
- Kinetic Chain
- Check swing - promotes decel
Different bats to train fast
Mobility test and work on deficiency
Tight mover assist to open the up
Lose mover assist to brake and stop movement
Buckets of deficiencies - bat speed, bad movers, bad direction, etc. Be creative in your groups and work

How has your hitting system changed throughout the years?

Clean up problems (not rotating)
Clean up path and fine tuning
- Too steep
- Scap too early
- Head moves forward too much
- DIRECTION
  - PVC
  - Skip stone
- Dissociation from hands and hips
Not everyone can do the same moves
- I have to teach every guy differently
- Individualized plans
What do hitters do well
What do hitters suck at

What do you think kids should spend more/less time doing as hitters?

Less

Write it down on what went well and what did not.

-what you hit well

-write down your results

-challenge yourself and making it more game like

-Swing less!

-worrying about feeling good during BP!

What do you think coaches should spend more/less time doing with their hitters?

Less

-failing more! Game like

Blocked versus random practice

-worrying about feeling good in BP

What people don’t know is how well you guys stole bases at Harford. How were you guys so successful on the bases?

Hitting and running works together. When you worry about baserunning you force bad pitches, and when you hit really well you lose focus on the run game
Leads! Knowing where you are and how many steps it takes to get into the lead
Who is good at running - label runners and go off the pitchers time. Didn’t worry about catchers because most are the same.
Pick up pitchers tells, counts (3-0)

What is the best way for people to contact you?

Twitter - @CoachTomEller

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This week I get to interview Brian Cain, an international best selling author, a professional Master of the Mental Game. He discusses several ways how to live your best life. You will hear a number of concrete ways to better men and better ballplayers.

Please see the show notes below!! There are so many takeaways that I am sure you will find some value!

Corona Season - How will you come out of it?
For me , not to me
NO BCD - Blaming, Complaining, Defending
Have a plan and execute it (where confidence lies)
Gratitude is the antidote for negativity and entitlement
ETE - Entertainment to Education ratio. How much of your day is spent on your ETE?
Confidence comes in execution
4 optimal ways of living - Eat, sleep, move, mindset - set a plan to get them done each day
Success Hotline Dr. Rob Gilbert - 3 minute call to get the JUICE flowing - 973-743-4690
Preference vs Principle life - the boy lives out of preference, the man lives out of principle
Mission and Vision - they work together
What do I want (resume) is the VISION
Who do I need to be (gravestone) is the MISSION
Core principles - no right or wrong just choose one and start living it (choose discipline, you will be more disciplined.
- Athletes - 3 areas of vision are baseball, school, personal -Baseball - Go Division 1 or become all conference -School - get at 3.5 -Personal - make my bed everyday
- Adult - 3 areas of vision are energy, service, family -Energy - exercise at least 30 minutes a day -Service - do one podcast a week to spread value -Family - spend undisturbed QT with my wife and kids each day
- FREE Athletes course on www.briancain.com
- FREE Coaches Course on www.briancain.com
- 30 days to mental master course for athletes at www.briancain.com
- Mental Performance Master Coach’s Certification at www.briancain.com

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Jimmy Jackson, the Associate Head Coach of James Madison University, just gave some incredible advice to being your best coach, and getting yourself prepared to get recruited, as well as what you should be doing during your weekly throwing. We exceeded all my expectations for this interview and I know you will get something valuable from it.

**CORRECTION from the episode. Jimmy coached at Archbishop Spalding. He graduated from Old Mill High School.

Sorry about that.

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The first podcast we will give concrete content about:

Elite and Average mindset
- how to track it
- growth plan
Arm Care routines
- activation
- throwing
- recovery

I hope you find value in it.

Keep getting better!

Better Men, Better Ballplayers: Recent Episodes

Trey Cobb

1 in the country

BMBB gear - https://stores.bjscustomcreations.com/better.../shop/home

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