Swing Angry Live: Recent Episodes

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Collin is a current hitting coach for the Downeast Wood Ducks in Kinston, North Carolina. The Wood Ducks are an affiliate of the Texas Rangers organization. Collin also owns a baseball and softball training facility and recently worked as the former hitting coach at the College of Central Florida.

In this episode, we discuss topics including:

Playing and Coaching Background

Exercise Science background and developing hitters physically

Acquiring long-term strength vs temporary strength

Age-appropriate strength training

In-season lifting routines to maximize performance

Lifting on game days

Journey as a hitting coach

How do we develop hitters that compete when pitchers are trying to get them out?

Putting your hitting development in the right places

Long term training for youth hitters

Relationships and training environments with your hitters

Skill blended hitting development - movements and striking

Scaling the challenge of hitting inside your training

The feel or 6th sense when working with hitters of all ages

The hitting development process at the College of Central Florida

Practice design for the hitters

Swing data and batted ball data

Matching batting practice to the different arms you face in games

Maximizing team BP drills and setups

Creating pitch profiles and angles that hitters will face on game day

Building efficient swings that work different ways

The simple message of Hitting Strikes Hard

Stop "talking nerdy" - the balance of soft skills and technical skills

Advice for players coaches and parents

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Jeff is the driving force behind HITFORTH, a premier hitting facility in Texas. Coach Leach is a nationally recognized hitting coach, sought out for his ability to develop elite hitters who hit for average and power.

In this episode we discuss various topics including:

Beginning of HitForth in Austin, Texas

The impact of technology and objective data to aid in coaching hitters

Evolving as a hitting coach and instructor

The ABCA & John Mallee's Hitting Presentation

HitTrax Data Launch Angles and Line Drives

Helping youth hitters reach their full potential for the bigger fields

How to make sure training transfers to game success

Optimizing training environments for different hitters

The Sweet Spot of training hitters

Keeping kids engaged in the game

Improving plate discipline and swing decisions

Wiffle Ball - Sandlot Ball

Travel ball pros and cons

Connecting with your players

Typical structure of a lesson at HitForth and feedback for the hitter

Helping hitters unlock their potential bat speed and power

Adjusting swing path for age-appropriate pitching

Fear of swing and miss

Relationships with hitters - sometimes they just had a bad day

Why do we lose so many players at 13-15 years old?

Finding the right bat to use

Using training bats to optimize bat speed and swing path

Evolution of bat fitting

Today's hitters vs today's pitchers

Improving pitch recognition and hitting velocity

Adjusting the training sessions as we get ready for in-season play

Teaching hitters to hit with a good plan and approach

Giving your hitters the freedom to hit and maximize run-scoring

Hitting vs reacting

Myths and truths - bunting and hitting development

Optimizing the chance players make the team at the tryout

Contact Jeff at

Twitter: CoachJeffLeach

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In this episode, we break down the topic of bunting in baseball and softball. 

We discuss how to maximize bunting as a weapon to score runs without sacrificing the long-term development of youth baseball and softball hitters. 

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Robert Kravitz is the Head Baseball Coach at Parrott Academy in Kinston, North Carolina. Robert played at the collegiate level and also spent some time in independent professional baseball. His coaching career started at 22 years old and began with an amazing run of 9 consecutive state championship appearances and 6 titles. On the show we discuss the following topics:

Background as a player

From construction and remodeling houses to teaching and coaching at 22 years old

The importance of a good assistant coach

-constructive arguments, practice plans, and game plans

The journey of a record 9 consecutive state championship appearances and 6 titles

Scheduling the tough games to prepare for the post-season

Growing as a coach - learning - and adapting to your players

Experience as a player and connecting with the current players you have

The dynamics of private school baseball and the variety of ages that participate

JV 7th - 9th

V 10th - 12th

Getting on the big field for the first time

Growing young 7th and 8th graders into experienced high school players.

Finding the right fit for the younger kids to maximize their long term development

Pro's and Con's of having the "middle school" age kids playing against older players

Helping young kids handle failure early on and continue growing through the game

Building on strengths and working backwards towards their weakness

Mapping a journey for players and letting them know it's not always a straight path

Building player and coach relationships with each player

Player relationships - older players mentoring younger players

Peer to peer instruction

Helping the younger kids transition to the BBCOR -3 bat

Maximizing your time to be comfortable with bigger bats

Advice for athletes who want to have a significant role on their high school teams

Practice performance matters

Recognizing what you're good at and where you're not good at - bridge that gap

Using lessons and private instruction wiseley

DUKE University player's work while you wait mentality

What do you do with your 24 hours?

Weight room and multi-sport athleticism

Playing time - work ethic - and various talent levels

Being a good person/student vs being a good athlete and a good person

Roles and opportunities for every player

Self Reflection and awareness as an athlete

Private Instructor / High School Coach Relationships

Ensuring the private instruction benefits the performance of the player at practice/games.

What have you changed or added as a coach in recent years?

Reach out to Robert

Twitter: @Rkrav007

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Zac Cole is the pitching coach at College of Central Florida, one of the top-ranked NJCAA programs in the nation. As a former player, his career started at the JUCO level and eventually took him to Tennessee Tech and to the Baltimore Orioles organization as a right-handed pitcher. On the show Zac shares his expertise in a variety of areas including:

Playing and Coaching Journey

Experiences through playing and coaching and using it to guide the players you're coaching

Recruiting Advice for players and families

Social Media commitments are temporary celebrations

-Every path is unique for every kid/family

-Financially, socially, academically, spiritually, athletically, find your fit

-My friend early committed as a freshman or sophomore - what about me?

-Don't be complacent at any given time

The reality and truth of playing college baseball

You have to be good enough to help programs win

Character matters - reliability and talent help programs win.

Intangibles are important, but ultimately are your physical skills good enough at the college level?

Second chances through the game of baseball

Resources available to get better as an athlete

-free resources coaches are sharing through social media platforms

-benefit from good information that instructors and coaches are posting for free

-Tread athletics - Driveline - KineticPro - and more

Pitching development and managing workloads

Arm care tips

Today's kids have an advantage with the information and player development tools they are exposed to

Mastering his craft by educating himself through asking questions and learning from others

Having technology vs understanding how to use the technology and the data to make players better

College of Central Florida program development - technology combined with coaching experiences

Yakkertech- players have access to practice and game data

Motus arm sleeve > Pulse - capture throwing volume and stress for workload and arm care management

Properly on-ramping players to build their arm to the workload required in the season

Active rest periods - adjusting the volume of throwing and intensity

Planning your throwing for your season - calendar year

Multisport athletes to manage their arm care before their season starts

Are breaking balls the problem with arm injuries?

Pitching lessons during the season and arm health

Listen to your arm/body - rest/recovery is important

Shadow bullpens - and mental game work on off days

Putting yourself in situations mentally before the game

Getting better on your non-throwing day

Every pitcher is different - throwing journals - food - sleep

Every pitcher's day should not be exactly the same

Coaching accountability for what you ask of your pitchers

Pitch counts are unique for each player

Recovery - when I'm done pitching - how do I get ready to pitch again

Effective mechanics that create a good pitch vs how it looks a certain way

Using summer baseball for long term development and building relationships with players and coaches

Is it more important to train or play in the summer?

Biggest advice for parents in amateur and youth coaching

Take ownership of your development and put your time in the right places.

What academics say about you to a college coach

Benefits of watching college baseball and developing physically in the weight room

Feel free to reach out to Zac at the following:

Twitter: @ZacCole_

Email: zscole21@gmail.com

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In this episode, we discuss two-strike hitting. We take an in-depth look at two-strike hitting data from college baseball and Major League Baseball and examine the effectiveness of traditional two-strike hitting philosophies. In this episode you will learn more about:

1) two-strike hitting data across MLB and collegiate baseball

2) 5 tips to improve hitting with two strikes

3) how to cut down on strikeouts without sacrificing power

4) how to effectively track your ABs

5) timing strategies with two-strikes

6) the importance of swing decisions

7) remaining confident and reducing the fear of striking out

For more information on two-strike hitting please reach out:

Twitter: @Bmatt0416

website: www.bmatthewsbaseball.com

email: bmatthews16@gmail.com

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Coach Mandi Balduf joins Swing Angry Live to discuss her current role with National Scouting Report and provide transparency related to navigating the recruiting process. In the show, Mandi talks about several key topics including:

1) Myths and truths related to being recruited 2) The importance of being proactive in the recruitment process 3) Academics 4) Putting your time in the right places 5) When to start recruitment processes 6) Emailing college coaches 7) Key steps in the recruitment process 8) Attending the right camps 9) Using social media and video to aid recruitment 10) Travel ball - tournaments - and key metrics 11) Biggest advice for you

For more information or to reach out to Coach Mandi Balduf check out the following: https://www.nsr-inc.com/how-to-get-recruited?lead_origin=Mandi%20Balduf&sport_img=softball&fbclid=IwAR0jCHhNOKo13Qd2MOgP1h2AIuvKjmw4G9hrN6pOLoCyWDJS-o66dvFdBBo Twitter: MandiBaldufNSR Email: Mbalduf@nsr-inc.com Instagram: m.balduf_nsr

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Special guest Chas Pippitt is the Owner of Baseball Rebellion in Durham, North Carolina and the creator of the Rebel's Rack.  In the episode, we discuss how Chas got started in hitting instruction and made some drastic changes to his teaching methods. He discusses the idea behind the Rebel's Rack and how it has allowed his hitters to experience faster success through rotational skill training. We also talk about the new ideas and services that are being offered through Baseball Rebellion, including BR Insider, and his new book that includes a 30 day Learn to Turn program. Topics also include: transitioning from the small field to the big field as a youth athlete, skills that help players make their middle school team or high school team, and much more.

Check out Chas and Baseball Rebellion at: @Chas_Pippitt @BRrebellion www.baseballrebellion.com