Ahead Of The Curve with Jonathan Gelnar

iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify During this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I interviewed Kevin Davidson, CEO of BaseballCloud. Kevin discusses how BaseballCloud was developed, the problems that it solves, and how data in baseball is not only beneficial, but Kevin also shares the ways in which the game has embraced data. Episode Highlights: How did Kevin Davidson get involved in BaseballCloud? What does BaseballCloud provide to users? Baseball doesn’t get enough credit for being a fast adapter to data. What was Kevin process for finding the right team to develop BaseballCloud? What made Kevin realize that BaseballCloud could fill a void? How are teams using data? What is Kevin’s advice for amateur teams using affordable options? How far back does BaseballCloud capture data on players? What different routes can you go in with data as a player? Have players been intellectually curious about their personal data? How many schools is BaseballCloud working with right now? 3 Key Points: BaseballCloud is integrating players with data. BaseballCloud has data going back five or six years of game data on many different baseball clubs on different devices. As BaseballCloud is capturing data on players, they see the data that represents their performance and go back and see historically where success has been found with that data. Tweetable Quotes: “I’m not your prototypical data guy. That’s for sure.” – Kevin Davidson (01:24) “Essentially, I owe Wes Johnson the core credit for the evolution of BaseballCloud.” – Kevin Davidson (04:43) “What if I created a centralized software system that takes all this data from all of these different sources and automates it, filters it, consolidates it, and turns it into visuals?” – Kevin Davidson (3:45) “I blame the disconnect between the old school and the new school on the selling of it by the new school guys. The new school guys do a poor job of selling what data really is.” – Kevin Davidson (5:29) “Data is not a philosophy. Data is just a result of a philosophy.” – Kevin Davidson (5:59) “Which set of data produces the most optimum results? That’s all that is really happening and that is where data becomes valuable, once you understand, ‘hey, what did I do to create that result?’” – Kevin Davidson (6:35) “I knew that if we just put together some quality visuals and allow the data to interact with each other and tell the story, we were going to be on the right path...and so far so good.” – Kevin Davidson (17:06) “One of the things that we really take a lot of pride in is our database of data. We have one of the largest databases of amateur data in the United States.” – Kevin Davidson (18:17) Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Podcast Twitter: @AOTC_podcast Kevin Davidson: Instagram BaseballCloud: baseballcloud.com

iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and Axebats. Go to axebat.com and use our code AOTC at checkout to save 10% on your purchase of Axe Bat training products including all of the Axe Bat Speed Trainers and wood bats! During this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I interviewed Steve Dintaman, Head Baseball Coach at Sinclair Community College and an Associate Scout for the Texas Rangers. Steve Dintaman shares what he has learned as a head coach at Sinclair for 12 years, what it takes to maintain the team culture with young players constantly coming and going, and what he looks for in players and coaches. Episode Highlights: What is a Tartan? Why did Steve Dintaman get involved in baseball coaching? What is the fall training program over at Sinclair Community College like? How do they indoctrinate new players into their program? What are some things that Coach Dintaman does to build the team culture? How do you balance team chemistry with players coming and going? What does the team do to instill a sense of competition? How is he getting to know his players? How does Coach Dintaman develop coaches? Does Coach Dintaman hire his own coaches? What would make ideal hires for the Sinclair Tartans? How does the typical spring practice plan look like at Sinclair? What does his batting practice setup look like? What are the after-season meetings look like when talking to players? What advice does Steve have for someone who wants to be a head coach one day? Are there things that they do in practice that the players get excited about? What is something that you believe that other coaches might disagree on? Which books or resources does Coach Steve Dintaman recommend? 3 Key Points: Don’t go into a team bragging about how good you are. Let your play do the talking. The core values of the Sinclair Tartans are: sacrifice, confidence, character and brotherhood. Join the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) if you want to become a coach. Tweetable Quotes: “Just lifting during the season, there are still some guys in high school that haven’t done that before. So we are lifting two or three times a week” – Steve Dintaman (09:68) “We are probably practicing anywhere from five to six times a week with an off day built in.” – Steve Dintaman (10:03) “I think my advice for any student athlete going in the fall is: be ready to go and keep your mouth shut and go to work.” – Steve Dintaman (11:43) “The number one emphasis for our program is always going to be player development and the guys understand that our goal is their goal. We want them to reach the highest level they can play.” – Steve Dintaman (22:44) “We are all part-time coaches too. No coach here is a full-time coach.” – Steve Dintaman (33:43) “I think the first thing I would do is if I bring someone in obviously they have had some success and they have some nice pedigree with some references, but that we have the same philosophies.” – Steve Dintaman (37:15) “There is nothing worse than a center fielder trying to track a ball and he’s going near the wall, about to make a catch, and all of a sudden his pitcher just catches it, and your like, “Come on Bro, get out the way.’” – Steve Dintaman (43:44) “The thing I have always told people is, ‘surround yourself with good people and good things will happen.’” – Steve Dintaman (50:20) Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Podcast Twitter: @AOTC_podcast Steve Dintaman: Linkedin Twitter sinclairathletics.com/sports/bsb/index

iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify Go to axebat.com and use our code AOTC at checkout to save 10% on your purchase of Axe Bat training products including all of the Axe Bat Speed Trainers and wood bats! Full Episode Here http://www.aotcpodcast.com/e/36-brett-kay-head-baseball-coach-jserra-catholic-hs-ca/

iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and Axebats. Go to axebat.com and use our code AOTC at checkout to save 10% on your purchase of Axe Bat training products including all of the Axe Bat Speed Trainers and wood bats! During this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I interviewed Jeff Leach, Manager of Hitting at Axe Bat. Jeff Leach shares his wealth of experience as a swinging coach for players as young as 8-years old all the way up to the professional level. Jeff offers tips on various methods of training swing timing, when players should shut down on a swing, and how to find solutions for issues that players may have with their swing. Episode Highlights: How did Jeff Leach get involved in baseball coaching? What does Jeff do for Axe Bat? What is Jeff Leach’s system for developing players when he starts with them? How does he balance his training for players of very different skill levels? What are Jeff’s main goals for the off-season? What tools does Jeff Leach use to evaluate player’s abilities? Where does he start looking first to identify solutions for the problems of players? Are there different ways that Jeff uses to train swing timing? How does Jeff help players to decide when to shut down on a swing? What is Jeff’s advice to players about what to swing at? Is there something that Jeff has learned lately that has him really excited? What is something that his players do in training that they love? What is something that Jeff believes that other coaches may disagree with? Is there anything about his training that would stand out to people? What are some of Jeff Leach’s favorite books and resources that have benefited his coaching? 3 Key Points: Baseball skill tools include arm strength, hitting, hitting for power, speed, and fielding. Jeff’s swinging advice is to look for speed or look for a location. Finding a feel you trust in a competition is probably more important than rehearsing a perfect swing movement. Tweetable Quotes: “I’m the manager hitting for Axe Bat. My role is to engage the baseball and softball community and help players really discover the Axe handle and the benefits.” – Jeff Leach (02:08) “I migrated from an individual to a group training environment. I could train more players more often with more tools.” – Jeff Leach (04:02) “If you are looking at an 8-year-old kid, he doesn’t have a lot of experience in the game. He may not be motivated at a high level to really train and practice at his craft without being pushed.” – Jeff Leach (04:39) “My philosophy basically is that, hitting is an infinite moving problem and I need to give them as many solutions to that problem as possible.” – Jeff Leach (07:35) “I think that every off-season for a player should be, first and foremost, about improving the player’s tools.” – Jeff Leach (10:22) “As far as drills, I really like to work with drills that require the least amount of verbal reinforcement.” – Jeff Leach (11:00) “Adjustability is really what we are talking about when talk about timing. Are you on time? Can you adjust your timing to barrel a baseball when your body is off?” – Jeff Leach (20:00) “I love to throw wiffle balls and have wiffle ball games with guys. I think that's one of the most exciting things that a player can do. The competition level increases when they start competing against teammates.” – Jeff Leach (32:50) Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Podcast Twitter: @AOTC_podcast Jeff Leach: Linkedin Twitter Jeff Leach’s Email: [email protected]

iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify Go to axebat.com and use our code AOTC at checkout to save 10% on your purchase of Axe Bat training products including all of the Axe Bat Speed Trainers and wood bats! Full Episode Here http://www.aotcpodcast.com/e/greg-brown-head-baseball-coach-nova-southeastern-university-fl/

iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and Axebats. Go to axebat.com and use our code AOTC at checkout to save 10% on your purchase of Axe Bat training products including all of the Axe Bat Speed Trainers and wood bats! During this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I interview Jeff Carlson, Ex-Head Baseball Coach at Elk Grove Baseball in Elk Grove, California. Jeff Carlson shares his wealth of knowledge for father’s that are coaches and have kids playing baseball. Jeff also offers valuable tips on how to communicate openly and accurately with players and coaches, how to handle parents that are concerned about their kid’s playing time, and what have been beneficial strategies for fundraisers. Episode Highlights: How did Jeff Carlson get involved in baseball coaching? What advice does Jeff Carlson give to those transitioning from coaching to focusing on family? What has been Jeff’s experience with his two sons playing baseball? What did the conversations look like with Jeff’s sons when he had to critique their playing? Was there ever a time with his sons playing baseball where he had to push them to practice more? What was Jeff Carlson’s experience like at Elk Grove when he first started? What are some different practical ways that Jeff was able to get players prepared to succeed? How did Jeff turn his coaching approach into a system that he could apply? What are Jeff Carlson’s thoughts on the power of communication? What is the fine line between effective communication and something they may not need to worry about? How did Jeff Carlson deal with parents feedback about their kids not playing in games? What hard rules did Jeff Carlson set out each year? What were his teams’ best fundraisers? Did his staff interview with him or through the school’s athletic director? What is something they did in practice that his players loved? What books and resources that have benefited Jeff Carlson? 3 Key Points: Find ways to get your team to spend time together before and after practice, such as having a clubhouse. You can’t coach and communicate the same way with each player. It has to be tailored to their individual personalities. Informal conversations with coaching candidates have been Jeff’s interviewing process. Tweetable Quotes: “For your kids, always try to challenge them. Don’t be afraid that they might fail. When they learn failure at an early age, it’s just going to make them stronger and a better person and player down the road.” – Jeff Carlson (04:15) “As far as building culture, building communication as a head coach, I think that it is important that when a kid makes a mistake, that maybe you put your arm around him and tell him.” – Jeff Carlson (09:22) “My main goal was about developing players, so that they could play at the next level.” – Jeff Carlson (16:21) “My philosophy was, ‘If you’re not hitting, you aren’t going to be able to play at the next level.’” – Jeff Carlson (26:03) “We always brought the kids in and we would talk to them where they are at and tell them their roles. And we tell the kids, ‘We are going to be honest. You may not like what you hear. But, we are going to be honest to you.’” – Jeff Carlson (33:33) “My rule was always, the player can always come to me at the appropriate time and discuss playing time. I was not going to discuss it with the parents, ever.” – Jeff Carlson (40:01) “I think our budget when I finished was about $100,000 to run our program, which is a lot.”– Jeff Carlson (46:00) “Try to surround yourself with the best possible coaches you can find.”– Jeff Carlson (47:30) Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Podcast Twitter: @AOTC_podcast Jeff Carlson: Twitter Jeff Carlson Email: [email protected]

iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify Go to axebat.com and use our code AOTC at checkout to save 10% on your purchase of Axe Bat training products including all of the Axe Bat Speed Trainers and wood bats! Full Episode Here http://www.aotcpodcast.com/e/9-chris-dunn-hitting-coach-and-author-of-the-high-performance-hitter/

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and Axebats. Go to axebat.com and use our code AOTC at checkout to save 10% on your purchase of Axe Bat training products including all of the Axe Bat Speed Trainers and wood bats! iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify During this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I interview Drew Saylor, Player Development and Assistant Hitting Coordinator with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Drew provides listeners with an inside look into recruiting and communication strategies, how he is able to maneuver between both of his job roles, how to train players to get their mind and body in sync to respond in game situations, and what it takes to improve timing and rhythm as a hitter. Episode Highlights: How did Drew Saylor get involved in baseball and coaching? Drew Saylor discusses his dynamic relationship with his wife. What were some of the first things he did when he got hired? How are some of the recruiting conversations like when you are a new hire? What are the unique tasks of having two different roles within the Pittsburgh Pirates organization? How can you maximize communication for development from a macro and micro level? What are ways Drew addresses hitting issues? How is the communication successfully executed with players? How can players be trained to develop timing and rhythm? What are ways to help players learn to adjust to various situations in the moment? What are ways to get players excited about training and implementing competition into their training? Which books have had a strong impact on Drew Saylor? What are things that are done in training that his players love? Which additional resources have benefitted Drew Saylor? 3 Key Points: Being transparent and vulnerable add to being a trusted leader. Coordinators aren’t just problem fixers. They are also a higher-level form of overall support and feedback. It’s not about trying to speed up your swing. It’s about trying to give yourself more time for your A-swing to get the contact. Tweetable Quotes: “A lot of what we’ve done is create the culture, create the relationships, and then now we are trying to build out how we view and how we evaluate our people.” – Drew Saylor (10:00) “A lot of what I’ve done as a leader is be able to go, ‘Hey I’ve failed this way. I have messed up this way. I have fallen short of the mark this way,’ and have those transparent moments.” – Drew Saylor (12:15) “For me, what I’ve tried to accomplish as a coordinator is to not lose that feel of that day-to-day.” – Drew Saylor (14:08) “One of my big goals is spending time with the hitting coaches and with the managers, and say, ‘Hey, how is the chemistry of the club? What are some of the hot spots? How can I support you?’” – Drew Saylor (17:19) “I like to think about failure as moving forward.” – Drew Saylor (19:42) “It really starts with their ability to, swing at something they can hit hard.” – Drew Saylor (22:14) (Timing) “I think that when players are not necessarily on time, or they don’t have the ability to get on time, one of the first questions that we try to ask them is, ‘When are you starting?” – Drew Saylor (33:13) “When the idea comes from within, there is more investment. But you’re also helping the player indirectly think through a batting process of their swing.”– Drew Saylor (36:25) Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Podcast Twitter: @AOTC_podcast Linkedin: Drew Saylor Twitter: @DrewSaylor19 Books: “Thinking Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman “The Traveler’s Gift” by Andy Andrews

iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify Go to axebat.com and use our code AOTC at checkout to save 10% on your purchase of Axe Bat training products including all of the Axe Bat Speed Trainers and wood bats! Full Episode Here http://www.aotcpodcast.com/e/7-travis-hergert-head-coach-northern-iowa-area-community-college/

Video Link This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and Axebats. Go to axebat.com and use our code AOTC at checkout to save 10% on your purchase of Axe Bat training products including all of the Axe Bat Speed Trainers and wood bats! iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify Episode Highlights: Why did Justin Willard get involved in baseball coaching? In what ways have the Minnesota Twins changed in recent years? How can you maximize individuals in a team setting? How does Justin Willard access his players? In what ways can a player’s skill faults be fixed? As far as proprioception, does it have to be sport specific? What is Justin looking for in a pitcher? What does communication look like with his players? Are their common problems that Justin sees? How can coaches get players to implement individual corrections? How is the communication system within coaches established? How do we develop command to help pitchers compete in the strike zone? What is Justin’s advice to teach a lefty pick move? What would a week look like for training a pitcher? How can you prepare the pitcher’s body to throw? How does rest and recovery work after a pitcher has been throwing? How can you simplify data to make it accessible to players? The ultimate goal is hit and miss. What is the fine line between having too many pitches and focusing on go-to pitches? What resources have Justin really excited right now? What training routines keep Justin’s players motivated? Are there any books that Justin loves? Baseball is an organism with many moving parts. 3 Key Points: Justin Willard accesses players by rating their proprioception, mobility, stability, and mental capabilities. 70% of our brain is optical power. The training goal is to ‘feed the flaw,’ which is to help players feel what their flaw is and overcorrect it. Tweetable Quotes: “The people aspect is something that we as coaches often overlook. Helping people grow is a huge, huge aspect of coaching.” – Justin Willard (01:38) “I’m going to put you in the best position to see the ball. That’s what we as humans do. We want to see.” – Justin Willard (09:07) “If you can’t throw a change-up, it’s probably because you can’t get a proper extension of your arm. So, let’s work on the things that will help you get there.” – Justin Willard (20:55) “You need to have all your information and your ability to communicate in one kind of central location.” – Justin Willard (22:09) “I’m very big on restraint-based training, understanding and manipulating the organism, the task, and the environment.“ – Justin Willard (25:59) “Throwing should be the easy part. Getting our body warm and ready and sweating, that happens before throwing.” – Justin Willard (36:41) “I would rather have a guy with an 80-grade pitch and no command than a guy with a 40-50 grade pitch with phenomenal command.” – Justin Willard (40:07) “If you boil down this whole player development process, you can’t just look at one sphere.”– Justin Willard (51:1) Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Podcast Twitter: @AOTC_podcast Linkedin: Justin Willard Twitter: @JustWillard2

iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify Go to axebat.com and use our code AOTC at checkout to save 10% on your purchase of Axe Bat training products including all of the Axe Bat Speed Trainers and wood bats! Full Episode Here http://www.aotcpodcast.com/e/5-wes-brooks-head-coach-oxford-hs-al/

Video link This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU. iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify During this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I interview Donegal Fergus, Associate Head Coach at University of California at Santa Barbara. Coach Fergus describes his deep and eventful journey toward getting into baseball coaching. Learn from Donegal Fergus’ experience with gaining trust in his team players, training them to think on their feet for themselves, and how to train properly for having great timing as a hitter. Episode Highlights: Why did Donegal Fergus decide to get into baseball coaching? What are the typical fall training routines for Coach Fergus’ team? What is the process of getting to work with training after establishing trust with the team? What were the main goals for Coach Fergus to make his team successful? What are habits that good players do on a typical basis? How does Donegal Fergus go about training for timing? What does the phrase ‘bat or barrel’ mean to Coach Fergus? How does Coach Fergus handle batting practice? What is the latest think Donegal Fergus has learned that has gotten him excited? Are there things during practice that his players can’t get enough of? What are some of his favorite resources? 3 Key Points: Kids have a strong sense when adults aren’t authentic and are pretending to be something they aren’t. Hitters should learn how to ‘dance with the pitcher’,’ meaning sync up and feel the rhythm of the pitcher’s throws and movements. A hitting exercise of having players miss a hit on purpose is a way to train their bat path and timing. Tweetable Quotes: “I tell our guys almost every day, ‘Hitting is really hard.” We are going to have days, no matter how good you are, that you aren’t very good.” – Donegal Fergus (07:55) “One of the biggest things with building relationships is that it has to start from a baseline of safely, with a safe environment, where you aren’t afraid to share, and you aren’t afraid to collaborate.” – Jonathan Gelnar (10:30) “I don’t want to get boxed into what my guys need.” – Donegal Fergus (19:33) “We went into it with sort of the blank slate of getting with our guys and letting them lead us where we need to go.” – Donegal Fergus (22:59) “The less that I have to be involved from a hand-holding standpoint the better. The more I can take myself out of the equation the better, creating curious learners that ask questions, versus asking for the answers.”– Donegal Fergus (23:30) “We need to figure out what we’re seeing and what our body does in reaction to that, and rewire it sometimes.“ – Donegal Fergus (28:26) “Don’t swing at his pitch, swing at your pitch…if it’s not your pitch then it is a ball in our mind.” – Donegal Fergus (39:52) “Why certain CEOs or politicians are so successful is because they stopped worrying about external expectations or external social ques. It doesn’t affect them.” – Donegal Fergus (51:04) Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Podcast Twitter: @AOTC_podcast Linkedin: Donegal Fergus Instagram: @donegalfergus Twitter: @coachferg

iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify Full Episode http://www.aotcpodcast.com/e/4-tyler-gillum-assistant-coach-south-mountain-community-college/

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU. iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify During this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I interview Adrian Dinkel, Head Coach at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida. Coach Dinkel shares his wealth of experience in developing his team culture of accountability and not being afraid of opening up to players and setting firm expectations. Adrian also explains how he keeps his modes of baseball training competitive, builds up his player’s levels of responsibility, and establishes a respect for hard work. Episode Highlights: Why did Adrian Dinkel decide to get into coaching? How does a typical week come across in Adrian’s system? What are some ways that Adrian Dinkel gets training elements done faster? Does Coach Dinkel rely on older guys helping the younger guys? What are some things that players are doing when everyone is present in training? How do they keep training competitive? What are the different standards Coach Dinkel implements for the team culture? How is Coach Dinkel developing his players and his assistant coaches? What is Adrian looking for in staff during the interview process? What are the rules that people need to do to be successful on the team? How does Coach Dinkel prioritize individual development within players? Are there ways to get the players to regulate themselves? What does a typical week look like during the season for a starting player? How does batting practice operate? What are the routines for the weight room? What does a post-season meeting look like with a player that is returning? How can you communicate difficult feedback? What advice does Coach Dinkel have for first-year head coaches? What is the latest thing that Coach Dinkel is excited about using? How has Adrian gotten creative with his resources? Which resources does Adrian Dinkel find the most useful? 3 Key Points: Coach Dinkel gives players more live randomized training instead of block training with instructions yelled out. Coach Dinkel gets to know his players personally by sharing his personal life and having an open-door policy with them. There has to be an expectation to be great every day. Tweetable Quotes: “We assume that everybody knows nothing every single day. And so, we are constantly on them and sooner or later it becomes a routine and they start to hold each other accountable for it and they turn it into a game.” – Adrian Dinkel (05:07) “We are trying to just teach them to be competitive and to support one another through selfless acts, whether it is picking trash or whatever we do.” – Adrian Dinkel (10:30) “Your culture is set by your coaching staff and your players that are returning from the year before, sure. But it’s going to change with the 20 new transfers you have in the door.” – Adrian Dinkel (11:31) “Number 1 is I want people that want to work, that aren’t afraid of work. I don’t want a guy that wants to be in the office at 9 and be out by 5.” – Adrian Dinkel (15:13) “When you get into college baseball there are three things. You got your social, you got your academics, and you got you athletics. One of those has to disappear. Which one you think it’s going to be?” – Adrian Dinkel (20:47) “We also make sure that we are communicating with them daily on, how do you feel? How does the body feel? How much work can we get in?” – Adrian Dinkel (29:36) “Don’t be afraid of discipline. Don’t be afraid to hurt someone’s feelings.” – Adrian Dinkel (34:47) “I think the number resource still to this day is pick up the phone and call other coaches.” – Adrian Dinkel (40:04) Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Podcast Twitter: @AOTC_podcast Twitter: @AdrianDinkel Email: [email protected] Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify Full Episode Here http://www.aotcpodcast.com/e/3-flint-wallace-director-of-player-development-texas-baseball-ranch/

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU. iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify Summary: In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I have a really useful discussion with Lance Spigner, the Baseball Coach at Horatio High School in Horatio, Arkansas. Coach Spigner walks us through his 28 years of coaching experience, shares how he goes about training his players for success, and what types of competitive efforts and events keep his players embracing a winning attitude and having fun on the field. Show Notes: Lance Spigner introduces himself and shares his background What new challenge is Lance going to take on in his retirement What does Coach Spigner’s fall training program look like What is involved in the competition that Lance calls the “Dirt Bag Olympics’ How does their bat speed training methods work What are some different competitions that Lance’s players engage in How does the strategy of stickers for hit by pitches work What are some different fundraising efforts that Lance’s team has used What are rules and standards that Lance’s team implements for players How many players are in Lance’s program What does his BP set-up look like and how are they are grouped together How does he get his team ready to peak at the right time What advice would Coach Spigner give his younger self What has Lance learned lately that has gotten him excited Which resources have been beneficial to Coach Spigner What training efforts are kids enthusiastic about Set up your training program systematically and measure the results 3 Key Points: Coach Spigner’s team is known for winning with underdogs, player development, and trying to get the most out of everybody. Coach Spigner’s team embraced the identity of ‘dirt bags’ to help their country and rural area kids utilize a tough mindset. Enjoy the journey because suddenly you will blink, and it will be time to retire. Tweetable Quotes: “Everything we do, if we can, we turn into some kind of competition, because competition is fun, and that’s what you want out of your players.” – Lance Spigner (8:20) “We’re going to be ‘dirt bags.’ And one of the things that is involved with that for us is we try to think that we’re tougher than you are.” – Lance Spigner (15:00) “Our community has been spectacular and our administration too as far as supporting our program.” – Lance Spigner (16:59) “We’ve found the easiest thing to do a lot of times with our fundraising is to go with some of the online fundraisers.” – Lance Spigner (19:06) “The more written rules you have, the more rope sometimes you leave people to hang yourself.” – Lance Spigner (21:54) “We throw all of our bullpens at the start of practice. We’ve done that now for I guess three or four years, and it has worked out really well for us.” – Lance Spigner (26:26) “Make the ‘big time’ where you are.” – Lance Spigner (39:42) “We love base running. The StealBases.com website and information that they have put out is tremendous.” – Lance Spigner (43:48) Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Podcast @AOTC_podcast Twitter for Lance Spigner: @Spigner23 Facebook for Lance Spigner Lance Spigner’s Email: [email protected] StealBases.com ABCA.org Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify Full Episode Here http://www.aotcpodcast.com/e/2-ryan-faer-arizona-performance-coordinator-cleveland-indians/

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU. iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify During this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I interview Dave Therneau, Pitching Coach at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida. Coach Therneau has been named Collegiate Baseball’s Pitching Coach of the Year in 2018, and shares the advice that he has found beneficial in recruiting great pitchers, training players to be their best, and enhancing his hard-working team culture through internal motivation. Episode Highlights: Why did Dave Therneau decide to get into coaching? What does day one look like during Dave Therneau’s program? How does a typical week come across in Dave’s pitching system? What are the most common problems that Coach Therneau notices? Which player elements stand out positively to Dave Therneau during recruitment? What exactly is the “hatter?” How does Coach Therneau go about developing the culture of the team? How does Dave motivate and keep his players competitive during training? How does Dave Therneau prioritize individual development in a team setting? What makes a good bullpen setting? How does he develop command of the pitch? What does a typical week look like during the season for a starting player? What is the latest thing that Coach Therneau is excited about using? Does he have fun traditions that his players enjoy engaging in? Which resources does Dave Therneau find the most useful? 3 Key Points: Video of Coach Therneau’s pitchers helps to improve their delivery. Pitchers are only as good as their strike zone. Self-motivation can be accomplished by getting players to compete against themselves. Tweetable Quotes: “I always talk to them about conditioning the arm. They don’t play catch. I don’t believe in that…I don’t like using that term hear.” – Dave Therneau (10:04:) “If you are trying to go ‘full go,’ whether it be on the mound, roaming short stop or center field…and you do that for a few games, and then you are not training in between, I think it puts kids at risk.” – Dave Therneau (13:38:) “If you want to be a hard-working, tough group, which is what we are trying to build here, we’ve had that, you have to bring those types of kids in.” – Dave Therneau (20:18:) “I try to get these guys to compete individually against themselves.” – Dave Therneau (23:02:) “You are pretty much using 25-27 guys, If you think about a major league roster, I think it’s around that, 25-27. All of those guys are contributors and important pieces to the team.” – Dave Therneau (27:06:) “Every pitch has a purpose.” – Dave Therneau (34:02:) “If something works for a guy, I like to study why.” – Dave Therneau (45:34:) “Teach the game and teaching routines, and I just hope that that is a focus, from all of us responsible for that in baseball, because as a college coach, sometimes we get kids that are unprepared.” – Dave Therneau (52:33:) Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Podcast Twitter: @AOTC_podcast Dave Therneau’s Contact: gohatters.com/staff.aspx?staff=140 Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify Full Episode Here http://www.aotcpodcast.com/e/1-butch-chaffin-head-coach-cookeville-hs-tn/

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU. iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify Summary: In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I interview Matt Denny, the Head Baseball Coach for Mountain Pointe High School in Phoenix, Arizona. Matt walks us through what his typical training sessions look like, how and why he developed a ‘hard-nosed’ culture in his baseball program to integrate consistency into his team, and methods for coaches to get players to overcome their fears and mistakes. Show Notes: Matt Denny introduces himself and shares his background What does a typical week during fall training look like How do they go about grouping players for training needs How many coaches does Matt have in the fall Which internal competitions does Matt integrate into training How is Matt developing a hard-nosed culture for his team What does Matt look for in his players on a regular basis How does he bring his players closer together as a team Matt walks through their weekly training plan during the season How do their BP sessions work in practice What data does Matt track besides BP and defense How does he get his team ready to play in the post-season What is meant by the belief that ‘fear is a liar’ How does the summer program operate What advice does Matt Denny offer to first-time coaches Be fair and be consistent What gets Matt excited the most lately Which training drills get the most enthusiastic reaction from Matt Denny’s players Matt Denny shares his biggest baseball resources Be a part of coaching associations 3 Key Points: Coach your players to be leaders so the program can lead itself. Players are more likely to listen to you when you develop trust and open communication. Talk to your team about other programs that are worthy of being state champions. Tweetable Quotes: “You can’t move on to anything else that we’re doing until you can do things exactly how we want them to be done.” – Matt Denny (5:05) “To have a culture like that (hard-nosed) it’s not just something you can talk about and it happens, it is something that has to happen over time.” – Matt Denny (17:20) “Every single mistake that they make, my coaches and my assistants are instructed to talk about every single mistake.” – Matt Denny (18:24) “’We have a sign that just says, ‘Do Things Right,’ and it’s kind of has been our mantra this year, D.T.R...” – Matt Denny (21:00) “As hard as we are on them, it is because we love them and there are times when things aren’t going our way and we are all in it together.” – Matt Denny (23:16) “Preparing for the post-season, in my opinion, starts the day you lose your last game the last year.” – Matt Denny (34:36) “To beat the best you have to be ready to play the best.” – Matt Denny (36:24) “Fear is not an actual thing. It is something you choose to do. You’re choosing to be nervous. You’re choosing to be scared.” – Matt Denny (36:42:) Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Podcast @AOTC_podcast Matt Denny’s Email: [email protected] Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify Summary: In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I engage in a discussion with Andrew Wright, the Head Baseball Coach and Assistant Athletic Director for Recruitment and Retention at the University of Charleston in West Virginia. Coach Wright generously shares his wisdom regarding how to not only evaluate players, but also ways to empower the coaching staff as well. Find out what Andrew Wright’s training methods typically consist of what valuable advice he has benefited from along the way. Show Notes: Andrew Wright introduces himself and shares his background How does player development and evaluation work in his program Which types of information do they measure and evaluate What are his players competing against and which skill metrics are involved It is one thing to identify problems, it is another to offer assistance to fix them What daily routines and drills do they do to establish a productive team culture A lack of education, empowerment, or accountability lead to the process breaking down How can you convey problems to players without shattering their confidence Don’t let players feel let down, put down, or shut down How do you get all of your coaches on the same page What does your coach development process look like What are some great interview questions for recruitment Being a super stubborn coach is a disservice to your team When you think kindly of someone, where is that coming from What are some unique things that Andrew’s organization is doing that others aren’t How is this spring’s practice plan shaping up What does Andrew suggest to head coaches or assistants that want to be head coaches It is important to respect how your ideas get results When pitchers get behind, it is typically because of their fast ball What is something that Andrew Wright has learned lately that he is excited about Which resources are useful that have come up in staff meetings 3 Key Points: Don’t just bog the players down with the details. Show them how to apply them. Team culture is a product of your belief, behavior, and experience. Learn how to listen and how to manage your reaction when addressing issues. Tweetable Quotes: “In a given year we have anywhere from 47 to 55 players for whom we are responsible. So, we have to get very creative.” – Andrew Wright (2:49) “At the Division 2 level, you can’t just recruit your wins, you have to recruit and develop them.” – Andrew Wright (4:24) “Unless we are willing to share the information, and be very transparent about what we are doing, we can’t really prove our worth. It’s just an opinion at that point.” – Andrew Wright (5:54) “We probably gather more information than we can actually process at this point. But the beauty is in the application.” – Andrew Wright (9:54) “We want to be candid with each other, and we want to be vulnerable, and we really want to be real with each other.” – Andrew Wright (13:53) “If we don’t have daily conversations about what it is supposed to look like, and hold each other accountable, then it is not going to work. You are doing it for show.” – Andrew Wright (31:32) “I want people who are willing to hold their own opinions as accountable as they hold someone else’s.” – Andrew Wright (37:01) “Be authentic. People see right through you when you are not.” – Andrew Wright (52:07) Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Podcast @AOTC_podcast Andrew Wright Twitter: @UCWV_awright ICGoldenEagles.com Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU. iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify Summary: In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I welcome Nunzio Signore, athletic trainer, Owner of Rockland Peak Performance in Sloatsburg NY, author of the book Pitchers Arm Care, Director of the Pitching Lab and a contributing writer for such publications as Inside Pitch Magazine, Elite Baseball Performance and Stack Sports. Nunzio Signore shares his wealth of knowledge about how to properly access the needs of players during training, how to assist players with strength and velocity, and strategies to help them recover in a healthy manner. Show Notes: What made Nunzio transition from soccer to baseball What is the first step that Nunzio would take to train a 16-year player How does Nunzio undergo his player assessments What are some of the things that most kids have problems with How does the core velocity belt help players What is the strength-speed continuum program What will players get out of the pitching lab training Which three things are the top issues that Nunzio is looking for in players How does Nunzio feel about when is it right to give players time off What makes up a great bullpen setting Which factors bring about an unstable pitch Breathing, a good night sleep, and water are fantastic for player recovery What tools and strategies does Nunzio use for his assessments Until velocity of a player increases, he doesn’t add more weight to a player’s weight training What are the biggest new training elements that Nunzio is excited about Why do Nunzio’s players love jump profiling How can you make nutrition a proper part of their training Which resources does Nunzio recommend 3 Key Points: Everyone should sequence their pelvis, thorax, elbow extension, and shoulder internal rotation. The pitch lab aims to produce the complete pitcher by merging pitching inside the nets and strength training. Instead of paying for showcases, pay to develop yourself as a player. Tweetable Quotes: “People are hungry out there to make sure the kids stay safe and we can increase velocity and command and control safely.” – Nunzio Signore (1:49) “The assessment in our facility, that’s the cornerstone of what we do at RPP. I honestly believe that it’s the way to create a blueprint for an athlete.” – Nunzio Signore (3:01) “You don’t want to add strength to disfunction.” – Nunzio Signore (4:57) “If you can feel it, you can do it.” – Nunzio Signore (9:09) “I just don’t ever think that we should get out of the pattern of throwing.” – Nunzio Signore (24:51) “Don’t take mechanical solutions to athleticism problems.” – Nunzio Signore (33:35) “I don’t really believe in trying to get rid of soreness by running. I don’t really feel like running for a pitcher is something that we would do at all.” – Nunzio Signore (35:54) “My recovery for my athletes is breathing.” – Nunzio Signore (36:17) Resources Mentioned: Aotcpodcast.com Twitter: @aotc_podcast Linkedin: Nunzio Signore RocklandPeakPerformance.com “Starting” Strength,” “Diagnosis and Treatment of Movement Impairment Syndromes,” “Ultimate MMA Conditioning” Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU. iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify Summary In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I talk with Tanner Swanson, minor league Catching Coordinator with the Minnesota Twins. He shares about his journey of coaching and teaching and how that has led him to this point in his career. He shares incredible insight into the importance and mechanics of solid catching techniques, and brings a wealth of insight to the catching position. Episode Highlights: Tanner grew up playing baseball in a small town and had positive experiences and connections with coaches. Gained an interest in teaching and coaching in college. Shares about how catching has shaped his career, and how he got to spend focused time on teaching the catching program at the University of Washington. Tanner talks about the parallel of the catching position and middle linebacker, as opposed to the quarterback analogy typical used. Tanner shares about the importance of framing metrics in the catching position. There's more complexity to stances than just 2 stances. Tanner shares some insight into a variety of positions for different situations, and how varying setups and hand positions affect outcomes. A deep dive into receiving position Important to understand the pitcher's mix and qualities Discussion on varieties of extension styles and manipulations 3 keys to high level throws Importance “on the field” communication for catchers. Discuss next phase of motion technology 3 Key Points: When you step back and look at anything from a distance, it allows you to question and see things from a different perspective. Developing a versatile, well-rounded skill set needs to be the foundation. We need more voices to come forward and push the catching position forward. Tweetable Quotes: “Coaching is teaching, and they parallel each other.” – Tanner Swanson “Good ideas, inspiration, and creativity are drawn from asking the right questions.” – Tanner Swanson “A catcher has to be very instinctive, very reactive, and has to have really advanced perceptive skills to be able to read, react, and respond to a lot of different variables in a really short amount of time.” – Tanner Swanson “It's important to start prioritizing your training economy based on what actually happens in competition” – Tanner Swanson “Not a single catcher in baseball is a better pitch framer from a big, active secondary stance.” – Tanner Swanson "The key to the strike zone is down, being able to dominate the bottom of the strike zone is critical." - Tanner Swanson "Down is better than up, right is better than left." - Travis Swanson "We should be promoting what we want pitchers to do, not what we want them to avoid. - Tanner Swanson Resources Mentioned: "Dare to Lead" - Brene Brown "The One Thing" - Gary Keller "The Culture Code" - Daniel Coyle D1 Catching Website Tanner Swanson Email Tanner Swanson Twitter D1 Catching Twitter Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU. iTunes Stitcher Google Play Spotify Summary: In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I welcome Rob Benjamin, a highly experienced baseball hitting trainer at R.I.O.T. Hitting based in the New York City area. Rob Benjamin discusses how to help players break out of their stiff batting routines, and become more adaptable to real game situations. Rob also expresses important processes to assist hitters gaining movement solutions and degrees of freedom in their swings. Show Notes: Guest: Rob Benjamin, baseball hitting trainer at R.I.O.T. Hitting Rob Benjamin shares his upbringing in Puerto Rico and New York City playing baseball His journey towards coaching began in the early 2000s Who is the player, what is their hitting experience, and what are their parents’ concerns Video review includes dissecting major league hitting swings Recreate the unpredictability of the real game in the batter’s box Playing sound effects of loud crowd noises helps players prepare for game distractions Player assessment involves using video to help evaluate them How does Rob Benjamin help clean up player’s movement patterns Many players have been overcoached to the point that their body’s move too robotically Players need to trust you to communicate what they need How do you coach the timing of hitting The swing starts as soon as the foot lifts off of the ground What should be the focus when using videos for training Do players have too many degrees of freedom to their swing Bridge the gap between training information and the experience of movement solutions What are training drills that Rob Benjamin’s players love Watching his own children develop is an enlightening experience for Rob Look for challenges and obstacles, and embrace failure 3 Key Points: Having a successful bat swing includes the launch, the barrell, and de-excelleration. Techniques during hit training include: throwing screens up, ball drop drills, and two pitchers throwing at the same time. Know what your players’ goals are. Tweetable Quotes: “I want to see these players adapt.” - Rob Benjamin (10:21) “Being the ‘teacher king,’ I don’t want to do that. I want the environment to do that for me.” - Rob Benjamin (12:27) “Some kids have been so over-coached that a lot of the athleticism has been stripped from their bodies.” - Rob Benjamin (26:53) “It’s important that you create a foundation of trust so they can talk.” - Rob Benjamin (29:10) “I want them to make one choice...hit the baseball.” - Rob Benjamin (36:32) “Figure out how players learn with respect to stable components of their swing.” - Rob Benjamin (41:47) Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Podcast @AOTC_podcast Instagram: @RiotHitting Twitter: @riothitting Books: “Dynamics of Skill Acquisition” “The Rise of Superman” “Talent Code” “Game Changer” “Outliers” Email: [email protected] Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU. iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify Summary: In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I welcome Marty Smith, the Head Baseball Coach for the Central Florida Patriots at the College of Central Florida. Marty Smith is overflowing with essential experience, going into his 25th season, and having won two FCSAA state championships, rewarded twice as FCSAA Coach of the Year, and is also a five-time Mid-Florida Conference Coach of the Year. Gain some applicable training advice, ways to personalize methods to players, and what it takes to shape a successful team culture. Show Notes: Guest: Marty Smith, Head Baseball Coach at the College of Central Florida What has Marty Smith’s career in baseball consisted of How has Marty put his training team together What are some intentional things that Marty Smith has done to built the team culture? What are the expectations that Marty has for his players How does his fall training structure look Marty gives players the chance to eat during practice How are players trained to address individual issues What numbers are they tracking for their players to monitor success How is his typical spring training program look Which baseball machines does Marty Smith utilize for his team What machine did Barry Bonds use that Coach Smith has learned from What advice would Marty Smith give to his younger self and current coaches Dive into useful Twitter feeds and keep reading about strategies to get better Don’t be afraid to make mistakes...and learn from those mistakes “The Performance Cortex” is a heavy book that Marty Smith is reading now What are the training drills that Coach Smith’s players love 3 Key Points: Establish the work ethic, credibility and respect that will last beyond your time on the team. If you had a bad game, let your team know that it wasn’t because you didn’t work hard. Be a coach for the love of the game and keep making yourself valuable. Tweetable Quotes: “Last year, breaking our records for home runs, it was crazy. We hit 95 home runs in 46 games. Our record before that was like 55.” - Marty Smith (07:39) “I’ll take the credit for being smart enough to trust my assistants.” - Marty Smith (10:22) “We want our culture to be a happy, content, smiling fun group to be around that want to play for each other, whether we win or lose.” - Marty Smith (11:21) “When you’re winning and your hitting home runs, and all of your guys are 90+ throwing. And you know that they’ve developed and have gotten better, and they are going to go to good schools from here. That’s kind of the culture we want.” - Marty Smith (12:08) “Be on time. Go to class. Work hard. Lift hard. Be a good guy.” - Marty Smith (14:58) “There is a fine line between killing your confidence and getting some confidence.” - Marty Smith (38:18) “You can move up by being a smart guy, and being a nerd, and getting jobs in pro ball because you know things that other guys don’t.“ - Marty Smith (41:11) Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Podcast @AOTC_podcast Central Florida Patriots Email: [email protected] Twitter: @GoCFBaseball Books: “The Performance Cortex” Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

Episode 4 video This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU. iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify Summary: In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I proceed forward in the discussion with Craig Hyatt, the Hitting Coach at East Valley High School in Yakima Washington, and Doug Latta a hitting trainer from Bally Yard based in Northridge California. This fourth episode covers topics related to drills to improve movement of the heel and foot kicks during the swinging process. Gain some guidance on how to create more consistent hitters that can self-correct their process. Show Notes: Guests: Craig Hyatt, the Hitting Coach at East Valley High School in Yakima Washington, and Doug Latta a hitting trainer from Bally Yard based in Northridge California Craig and Doug discuss a beneficial heel drill How to create a backside drive into a front side brace What is the “kick drill” for swinging Any move that doesn’t allow your foot to release will jeopardize your line How do you fix holes in your swing What is a good process to hit a baseball How many different body types do they see in high school Hitting the ball hard is a myth Get consistent in your hitting path Learn how to self-correct your swing Avoid cookie-cutter coaching advice Move forward from mistakes Getting upset and emotional makes a player unbalanced 3 Key Points: It is natural for the body to want to kick during a swing. All we can do as a hitter is go on time, find a good balance point, and take a swing. Vision and timing are a part of balance. Tweetable Quotes: “If the front foot comes up underneath my hip, I carry athletically.” - Doug Latta (2:45) “I’m going to keep the foot, knee, and hip together, even in a practice.” - Doug Latta (3:54) “A lot of people say ‘keep that foot down’ Don’t you dare, that’s an anchor.’” - Doug Latta (8:12) “You’ve got to be able to do damage on any pitch.” - Doug Latta (10:14) “He just missed that pitch. Don’t throw it again because he won’t miss it twice.” - Doug Latta (11:40) “Why do people quit playing baseball? Because they can’t hit. This game is no fun when you can’t hit.” - Doug Latta (14:13) “Strength compliments a swing. It doesn’t define a swing.” - Doug Latta (16:50) “The key is, the more they understand their body and feel it, they're going to be able to fix.” - Doug Latta (19:22) Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Podcast @AOTC_podcast Craig Hyatt Twitter: @HyattCraig Doug Latta Twitter: @LattaDoug Ballyard.net Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

YouTube Video This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU. iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify Summary: In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I continue the discussion with Craig Hyatt, the Hitting Coach at East Valley High School in Yakima Washington, and Doug Latta a hitting trainer from Bally Yard based in Northridge California. During this third installment of our talk, we get into the importance of developing a natural, clean hitting setup and establishing a fluid hitting range. Show Notes: Guests: Craig Hyatt, the Hitting Coach at East Valley High School in Yakima Washington, and Doug Latta a hitting trainer from Bally Yard based in Northridge California “The Two Hand Under” move is explained by Craig Hyatt and Doug Latta What has helped Craig become trained to see proper swings Typically only hits and home runs are showcased, not the consistency level of a hitter How do kids pick their hitting set-ups What can we learn from the sound decibels of hits What is the importance of having an effective range of contact Which training drills are very beneficial for hitters What is the movement called “moving into the staircase” You have to have front side resistance to have back side Every hitter has to operate on their own terms 3 Key Points: Swing clean, free, and fast, but not necessarily harder. Sound is loud and long at the point of contact during a hit. A good miss is having a good position, with your energy driving towards the pitcher. Tweetable Quotes: “One major leaguer that I assembled some video for, who just ordered one season. I had 80-some videos of him, just in one season.” - Craig Hyatt (1:12) “There is no ABC, 123, cookie-cutting way to make a hitter.” - Doug Latta (2:32) “New hitters are going to grow. Even big leaguers change. But, there is not ’this is the perfect swing.’” - Doug Latta (2:48) “People ask me all the time, with all the videos I’ve seen, ‘who is your favorite?’ I don’t know. My favorite is the player’s best swing.” - Craig Hyatt (2:59) “I don’t fix swings. I fix setups.” - Craig Hyatt (3:48) “If we get in a good set-up, it will create a good first move, that will get the balance, and everything takes care of itself after that.” - Craig Hyatt (5:00) “My shoulders need to stay very level in my move in order for me to have balance. Because if my shoulders go downhill, I’m going to fall, I’m going to rush, and I’m going to come in and out of the zone.” - Doug Latta (13:30) “It is not easy to spin, which is not a natural move for the body.” - Doug Latta (22:25) Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Podcast @AOTC_podcast Craig Hyatt Twitter: @HyattCraig Doug Latta Twitter: @LattaDoug Ballyard.net Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

Episode 2 YouTube Link This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU. iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify Summary: In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I join in on the discussion with Craig Hyatt, the Hitting Coach at East Valley High School in Yakima Washington, and Doug Latta a hitting trainer from BallYard based in Northridge California. We break down the impact of balance in leveraging the power and abilities of the human body, and how to break bad habits that are hurting hitters. Show Notes: Guests: Craig Hyatt, the Hitting Coach at East Valley High School in Yakima Washington, and Doug Latta a hitting trainer from Bally Yard based in Northridge California How do they define balance and why do we need it What is the biggest grind move Describe what people mean by “get into the ground” How can coaches get their players moving more effectively Why can tennis drills improve hitting How can hockey slap shot drills benefit baseball hitting Backspin is built in when you hit through a spin How does tennis showcase how players create power Homes runs come from being smooth and productive with your body You have got to have consistency What is a the hitting strategy called “shut piece” How prevalent is the analysis of high school player stats and data You have to hit through each pitch What does it mean to have a soft entry into the zone Don’t hit your pitches with your front arm Video and data can show a hitter what their body is doing 3 Key Points: The body works better from a position of balance. Tennis drills offer players the chance to feel proper body movement when hitting. One hit every two weeks, at the big league level, is 20 points towards your average Tweetable Quotes: “I have a very strong bias for balance. I think it is elemental to the way bodies move.” - Craig Hyatt (01:35) “I really think tennis and actually throwing are the best ways that really exemplify how our bodies should move when we hit.” - Doug Latta (13:18) “We really hit balls in a line and in a rectangle.” - Doug Latta (17:38) “The thing with tennis, all the bodies are different. So there is variation of how guys create power, but they also need to be consistent, they need to hit the ball in a certain direction.” - Craig Hyatt (21:08) “‘I worked really hard to hit that home run.’ No, you hit that homerun because you were clean and efficient with your body.” - Craig Hyatt (22:37) “Most young hitters and a lot of professional hitters have big shoulder moves. And if we don’t get those out of them, they aren’t going any farther.” - Doug Latta (24:36) “Once we get down to balance, the one key I want and give people is, you have to hit through every pitch you see.” - Doug Latta (30:33) “Train young hitters so that they have the same basic moves that they’re going to have up the latter, and their adjustments become internal.” - Doug Latta (31:40) Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Podcast @AOTC_podcast Craig Hyatt Twitter: @HyattCraig Doug Latta Twitter: @LattaDoug Ballyard.net Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

Episode 1 YouTube Link This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU. iTunes Stitcher Google Spotify Summary: In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I welcome Craig Hyatt, the Hitting Coach at East Valley High School in Yakima Washington and Doug Latta a hitting trainer from Bally Yard based in Northridge California. Craig and Doug have an informative discussion about how to perfect batting swings through balance, posture, vision, timing, coverage, and body awareness. Learn how to identify and break the cycle of flaws that hitters often carry along into their careers if not stopped early on. Show Notes: Guest: Craig Hyatt, Baseball Coach and Doug Latta, What is Craig Hyatt’s training currently focusing on Doug Latta has been working on trying to match posture with control You don’t really need a lot of space to hit the ball How can you determine when your posture breaks What does it take to create a hitter with body awareness and balance What are some of the problems that hitters face Get awareness of your body along with your swing 90% of what you do as a hitter is not swinging, but preparing to swing Hitters are losing coverage and time through body moves that they think are strong If your shoulders are up you are out of your legs and are shoulder-driven Tennis is a better overlay than golf for how your body should swing a baseball bat A good swing should feel effortless without the body grinding The bat will do what your body does At some point your repeated flaws will bring your game to a grueling halt Even the best are always working on their game With the right dynamics you can put your full body weight into your swing Pitch recognition is important to technique You want your heels down as long as they can be during your swing 3 Key Points: If you throw a baseball slow motion you control it with the back leg. When the brain is off balance it fires muscles against what the body is trying to do. Many of the big league problems with hitters come from timing of their swing. Tweetable Quotes: “We are really trying to concentrate on doing a good forward move...but finding out the muscles that really achieve that move so we can control it.” - Craig Hyatt (00:22) “We’ve got to try to match our alignment, our posture, on the move at the same time.” - Doug Latta (03:24) “Some hitters are great enough to survive flaws. Well, 99.99% of the people aren’t going to.” - Craig Hyatt (4:51) “Our move to 50-50 is a lot easier if I’m in balance and my posture holds.” - Craig Hyatt (6:38) “The minute my posture breaks a little bit, lots of things go wrong.” - Craig Hyatt (6:45) “If you can create a hitter that has total body awareness, but they know what move and what muscles is going to get them to that spot, you can create consistency over a long period of time.” - Doug Latta (9:38) “There is game time, and game time in adjustments.“ - Craig Hyatt (11:05) “I want to hit through every pitch I see.” - Craig Hyatt (24:08) Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Podcast @AOTC_podcast Craig Hyatt Twitter: @HyattCraig Doug Latta Twitter: @LattaDoug Ballyard.net Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU. iTunes Stitcher Google Play Spotify Summary: In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I welcome Jeff Sherman, the Head Coach of baseball at Marcus High School in Flower Mound, Texas. In our discussion, Jeff Sherman imparts the wisdom he has accumulated over his seven years at Marcus, methods of addressing deficiencies in players, and preparing players for real game scenarios. Coach Sherman also focuses how to turn players into productive citizens to excel beyond the game itself. Show Notes: Guest: Jeff Sherman, Head Coach for baseball at Marcus High Schoo Four years of being a financial planner prepped Jeff Sherman for baseball coaching Sherman’s fall training plan improves movement, cognitive abilities, flexibility, and team mentality People scout you. People know your deficiencies. People don’t like you. Learn how to respond in a “jungle mentality” to evolve out of the safe, controlled “zoo mentality” The pitcher/batter confrontation in baseball has a clear winner/loser dynamic to see who lets their team down “The Pack” is family, unity, selflessness, and serving others A young cancer patient watches the team place to gain strength and hope Serving the community teaches the team that life is bigger than baseball The culture of Marcus baseball is building strong relationships with others If kids are struggling at something, make it harder for them Coach Sherman handles the hitting and infield work for personal development training Recreate the movement that will happen in a real game Games are lost, not won, based on base running Half hour movement and hitting training feature drag bunting, infield, outfield, and hitting the center of the baseball Batting practice includes power ground balls, line drives up the middle, and batting cages Lay out and getting dirty creates a strong live game mentality Data helps track pitching and hitting Be honest with players and don’t mislead them Self-motivation declines when you aren’t playing Parents are a huge part of what makes a coach successful with their players All sports have about 5 million unpaid coaches, 2 million each year of which are new “Development night” every Thursday sharpens up players and coaches You live once, what will be your impact? 3 Key Points: Experiment, always be learning, and understand what failure is. “Jungle mentality” is understanding how to respond and survive compared to “zoo mentality” of a controlled environment. When you work hard and give all you've got, you are always a winner. Tweetable Quotes: “Failure is something that we want them to experience.” - Jeff Sherman (4:04) “For my guys, its a win or a loss.” - Jeff Sherman (10:53) “There is something very, very cool about watching a pitcher and a hitter. That’s like awesome watching that battle between the two, because, there is a winner and a loser.” - Jeff Sherman (14:59) “I want them to be bold leaders and speak up when things aren’t right, and serve others.” - Jeff Sherman (18:35) “It’s not about you, it’s about the relationships that you build with others.” - Jeff Sherman (20:53) “I always thought a negative plus a negative equals a positive.” - Jeff Sherman (23:02) Resources Mentioned: Twitter: @JeffSherman26 Marcus High School Baseball Email: [email protected] Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU. iTunes Stitcher Google Play Spotify Summary: In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I welcome Dave Coggin, former Major League Baseball player, author, and owner of PFA Fitness. Dave Coggin talks about the best practices to intensify pitching and create more command over the ball. Dave also shares own his personal journey from a professional athlete, to his inspiring evolution as a performance trainer and owner of PFA Fitness. Show Notes: Guest: Dave Coggin, former Major League Baseball player, author, and owner of PFA Fitness How did Dave Coggin get involved in baseball from being a three-sport athlete What major league baseball teams did Dave play for Where did Dave Coggin’s involvement in injury-prevention and performance stem from Volunteering, even after playing professionally, opened up new opportunities for Dave Arm path and mechanics are popular areas that athletes come to PFA Fitness for Pitching habits need to be addressed before you can improve them Understand how the body has to act to move properly What are the most common problems Dave sees with arm path Which examples of major league pitchers does Dave Coggin use for examples Your arm is like a whip when you are pitching What are the physical assessments that PFA Fitness conducts on players How has PTA Fitness been intentional about building their culture What is Dave’s advice to make individualized plans for pitchers How do you develop velocity and command of the pitch If you control intensity, you can have more volume What would a typical week look like for players training with PFA Fitness Find ways to keep things competitive for your players 3 Key Points: Be humble and don’t burn any bridges because you may need to cross them in the future. Look for flaws in pitching habits, the best arm paths, and then make up drills to improve habits. When the elbow is right at armpit height, goes into the lay back,’ and stays in that level, that’s the sweet spot for almost effortless pitching power. Tweetable Quotes: “I never treated anyone differently that was either the president of a major league team, down to the club house of a Single A team.” - Dave Coggin (05:31) “I don’t rarely ever talk about my resume. I just try to make sure I do what I do, the best I can do.” - Dave Coggin (09:25) “The most important part that everybody kind of comes to me for is the arm path and mechanics side of things.” - Dave Coggin (11:07) “I always tell these kids, 95% of your throws are not on a mound. So, 95% of your habits, good or bad, are in that place that you call your warm-up or your throwing.” - Dave Coggin (12:00) “We want the efficiency to be enhanced by the athleticism.” - Dave Coggin (16:28) “Success leaves clues.” - Jonathan Gelnar (1:08:33) Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Podcast @AOTC_podcast PFA Instagram: @pfastrong1 Twitter: @PFABaseball Books: “Complete Athlete,” “Great Teams," “Competing Against Luck” Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU. iTunes Stitcher Google Play Spotify Summary: In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I welcome Dr. Peter Fadde, pitch recognition expert, Chief Officer and Co-Founder of gameSense, and Associate Professor of Learning Systems Design & Technology at Southern Illinois University. Dr. Peter Fadde breaks down the science of pitch recognition and the valuable methods of training hitters to achieve this skill. Coach Sherman also explains occlusion training, and ways that his pitch recognition product at gameSense is preparing players and coaches to implement it into their training regimens. Show Notes: Guest: Dr. Peter Fadde, Chief Officer and Co-Founder of gameSense, and Associate Professor of Learning Systems Design & Technology at Southern Illinois University Dr. Fadde explains the benefits of occlusion training Dillan Lawson’s presentation at Slugfest used a soccer player kicking a goal with the lights turned off 2/3 of the way to teach occlusion training What is “pitch recognition” and how is it different from “plate discipline?” Dr. Fadde’s occlusion training offers the batter’s view point facing the pitcher with a maximum possible score of 250 Video cued tee work is tee work that includes the timing off of the pitcher Hitting baseballs is not like hitting golf balls or baseballs off of a tee Vision training focuses on visual skills like dynamic tracking, acuity, peripheral vision, and focus Pitch recognition should help hitters get the feel of the pitcher’s wind-up If you aren’t looking at a pitcher, then it isn’t really pitch recognition Live drills for hitters to call out “yes” or “no” on a particular pitch type before the ball hits the catcher’s mitt strengthens pitch recognition The best form of pitch recognition is standing in the bullpen Mike Schmidt wrote a fantastic books on hitting Attention occlusion drills should keep the batter focusing on the pitcher, not the catcher gameSense certified their first hitting coach Coach Killian at Elite Velocity in St. Louis, Missouri Softball is getting a boast again from entering into the Olympics 3 Key Points: Pitch recognition is the perceptual skill of making an actionable meaning out of the pitch you see. Your eyes can’t track pitch speeds over 83 miles an hour all the way into the bat. Visualize the pitcher. Visualize the pitch. Visualize hitting that pitch. Tweetable Quotes: “If you can test it, you can train it.” - Dr. Peter Fadde (4:53) “Human beings, and other animals, can learn incredible things with repetition, immediate feedback, and progressive difficulty.” - Dr. Peter Fadde (5:04) “When we say, ‘somebody has a great instinct for it,’ well, that’s where we now say, ‘ok, let’s try to figure out exactly what that is.’” - Dr. Peter Fadde (6:32) “Some guys like to have success at every level and build it up. And some guys just like to identify the wall they want to go through and then start smacking it.” - Dr. Peter Fadde (14:41) “The best way to practice recognizing pitches is to look at pitches.” - Dr. Peter Fadde (30:56) “A softball hitter really focusing on and getting good at pitch recognition could be looking at at a 20 or 25% improvement.” - Dr. Peter Fadde (51:20) Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Podcast @AOTC_podcast peterfadde.com gameSense Sports Twitter: @DrFadde Email: [email protected] Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU. iTunes Stitcher Google Play Spotify Summary: In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I welcome Reed Peters, the head baseball coach at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, California. During the course of this discussion, Reed Peters puts a strong emphasis on the importance of ‘the mental game’ of baseball. Coach Peters equips listeners with an overview of his practice drills, why focusing on the players makes you a better coach, and how to prevent past success from making your team lazy. Show Notes: Guest: Reed Peters, Head Baseball Coach at San Joaquin Delta College They discuss David Smith, a former player of Reed Peter’s was also a former coach of host Jonathan Gelnar Coach Peters won National Coach of the Year for the Pacific Division and the 2018 California State Championship His team went from having a chip on their shoulder from losing the previous year to becoming champions Players are trained in all facets of baseball so no one player is burdened with carrying the team Teams will be bring their best game against you when you are coming off of success while entering a new season It isn’t just about champions, it’s about reaching toward the next level of your career California teams are limited to 12 hour practice weeks so Wednesday is the team’s recovery day off Training days include academic study halls, mental baseball class, conditioning, throwing program, defense training, hitting, and the weight room. Saturday is for playing other teams to see how they compare The competitive culture is instilled by making players compete for their playing time Calvin Riley, a very competitive player, was shot and killed and is used as a reminder for players to stay focused After college, Reed played major league baseball with the Angles and the Giants Coach and author Ken Ravizza inspired Reed on improving the mental game of baseball The spring practice plan is less intense and includes, conditioning, throwing, hard dirt skill training, offense, defense, swing drills, and competitive games Coach Peters would rather see a ‘live arm’ so they don’t use pitching machines on the field Your career as a coach is as good as that of your players’ Lead with your heart and your God-given gifts--not with punishment Competitive point games keep the players interested and excited The biggest reward is to stay in contact with players and hear that you have been a positive influence on them 3 Key Points: Coach Peters’ team was: 1st in runs,hits, and on-base percentage, 2nd in doubles and stolen bases, 3rd in home runs, and had an overall .315 batting average. Every year the players have to invent their own mission statement to have something to hold each other accountable to. Realizing his success is based on his players’ success and having positive relationships with them made Reed Peters a better coach. Tweetable Quotes: “I think we ended up having, I think, nine guys move on to Division 1 schools.” - Reed Peters (1:13) “Whatever our opponent gives us, we have to be able to take advantage of.” - Reed Peters (3:32) “Our philosophy is ‘pass the baton.’ No guy has to carry the team.” - Reed Peters (3:58) “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” - Reed Peters (4:43) “We make no promises to anybody. All we are going to promise to them is that they are going to have to compete, and fight for a job and fight for their playing time.” - Reed Peters (9:03) “I think what we do more than anybody else is really focus on the mental game.” - Reed Peters (12:46) Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Podcast @AOTC_podcast Delta College Email: [email protected] Book: “Lead...for God’s Sake” by Todd Gongwer Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU. Summary: In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I welcome Chan Brown, a coach with 24 years of experience, currently working in Lilburn, Georgia as the Parkview High School head baseball Coach, physical education teacher, and the 15u Team USA coach. During our discussion, Chan Brown walks us through his typical summer and fall training practice procedures, and how things change once the team is formed. Coach Brown graciously gives plenty of useful advice to not just help shape fantastic players, but to make great people out of the young guys he trains.

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU. Summary: In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I welcome Deskaheh Bomberry, a highly experienced pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Sacramento City College. Our discussion delves into how Deskaheh first became involved in not just baseball as a player, but also his conversion into coaching and the initial moves that brought him to Sacramento City College. Deskaheh provides ample advice for preparing players for strength and mental game training.

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU. iTunes Stitcher Google Play Spotify Summary: In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I welcome Dominic Robinson, experienced coach, mentor, and Founder/Director of 3D Sports Performance and 3D Gold athletics. During the discussion, Dominic dives into his past experience playing baseball and football at Florida State University, and NFL professional football for the St. Louis Rams. Also, the jewels of knowledge he has learned from playing for some of the worlds best coaches like Mike Martin and Bobby Bowden, and how 3D Sports Performance can bring out the best in young athletes. Show Notes: Guest: Dominic Robinson, past football and baseball player, coach, mentor, and Founder/Director of 3D Sports Performance and 3D Gold Dominic fell in love with baseball as an adult He loved basketball growing up and played football professionally Played football at Florida State University and the St. Louis Rams Played for some of the greatest coaches ever Football player Marc Bulger raised the bar for excellence by wanting passes to hit their intended target, even on successful completions Pay attention to details that matter 3D Sports Performance Dominic began training athletes about 10 years ago Speed training isn’t all he has to offer 3D Sports Performance grew into a baseball program Each training season has a sub-season for preparation for 3D Sports Performance athletes. Identify: When did an athlete finish? When are they starting back up? When do they need to be their best? Why go to athletic showcases if you have nothing prepared to showcase? Warm-Ups The warm-up, before the weight room and pre-practice, is a place where you can establish your speed development program, flexibility, and mobility. Have at least three distinctive warm-ups. Make sure your athletes know what it is to be fully recovered Advice for Coaches Have athletes on the clock during sprint training Sprint full speed Uphill sprinting Understanding recovery Favorite Competitions for Training Pre-game dodgeball Get players thinking outside of the box with games without structural rules Changes? Simplifying to get players to automatic levels of movement Make goals and expectations clear Customize training to your players Goal-setting Final thoughts There is no bad teaching, just bad receptions of the teachings 3 Key Points: Being respectful to people, honoring the game, and taking care of teammates all come before winning. Attention to detail has got to be the expectation. The starting point for every athlete is establishing a foundation of fitness and movement. Tweetable Quotes: “At one point I was ranked number one in baseball, and number four in football.” - Dominic Robinson (4:45) “If we say ‘we care,’ let’s show it.” - Dominic Robinson Johnson (13:24) “I’ve now got players from 17 different states, all across the country.” - Dominic Robinson (24:08) “There is no ‘off-season.’ We call it the training season.” - Dominic Robinson (26:03) “I couldn’t tell you how paramount I believe the warm-up is.” - Dominic Robinson (36:03) “You don’t throw to warm-up, you warm-up to throw.” - Dominic Robinson (39:28) Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Podcast @AOTC_podcast 3D Sports Performance @3DRobinson @3DSportsPerformance Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU. iTunes Stitcher Google Play Spotify Summary: In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I welcome Max Weiner, a former pitcher who started his own player development center called the Arm Farm. Max is formerly an MiLB player development coach with the Cleveland Indians and is now the Pitching Coordinator for the Seattle Mariners. Show Notes: Guest: Max Weiner, ArmFarm creator and MiLB pitching coordinator with the Seattle Mariners How Max improves his pitchers in the offseason Why it is important to take time off in the offseason Problems high school players are encountering and what they can do about it What is the perfect balance of self-exploration and coaching techniques How data factors into game decisions How does the use of data affect player's confidence How can high school coaches create a bullpen program comparable to those of the pros Why the mental side of the game is just as important as the physical side Advice on how to fit specific drills to certain schemes or to fit certain players´ inefficiencies How can teams incorporate a developmental program into their team and private settings How mobility, stability, strength, and mechanics make baseball coaching difficult What Max has learned after a year with the Indians Why Max focuses on his ability to speak Spanish 3 Key Points: Pitching in the offseason looks different for different players. Data plays a huge role in factoring into game end decisions and it can affect players´ confidence. The mental aspects of players are just as important as the physical. Having a developmental program is beneficial for players. Tweetable Quotes: ¨You have to assess what's going on. That's the first thing, and at that point, what you can pretty much do is determine what their movement quality is, whatever is present, and then make the prediction of what their general movement capacity would be like, what's their total potential? .” – Max. “You'll hear a lot of mental performance or sports psychology coaches always say, anytime you're going into a game, it shouldn't be the first time you've been there, right?” – Max. “Creating familiarity whether that's at home or on the road is key.¨–Max “You have to be a great communicator. And that means speaking and listening..¨–Max “I think the number one thing to do is humanize the data.¨– Max “If you can coach the environment and pick out the right internal schemes and understand like, what sort of constraints you're looking for, and how you want to tear those out and understand those from like a long term versus short term standpoint, you can almost say, Okay, I'm expecting this player's performance to go down here for two weeks, while we're working on this ultimate goal.¨–Max Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Max Weiner Twitter Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU. iTunes Stitcher Google Play Spotify Summary: In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I welcome Brad Gore, head baseball coach of the Enid Plainsmen. Coach Gore emphasizes the importance of developing competitiveness on his team , the importance of older players leading the younger, and building practice schedules around team energy during the spring. The value of connecting with players as people beyond baseball is noted as something that Coach Gore has increasingly appreciated the importance of over the course of his twenty-five year career. Show Notes: Guest: Brad Gore, Collegiate Baseball player turned Coach How a high speed of practice at Enid is important and shouldn’t be any different than the speed of games Team dinners and community sports mentoring help build team culture “Playing hard” and leading by example are important to Coach Gore’s ethos How important it is to show players that their coach cares about them as a person as well Players at Enid have to be students first, with older players holding younger accountable The importance of communication within the program Building competition into practice can help build an exciting and competitive team culture; competition can cause quieter players to open up How coaching during the season can encompass things like noting problem areas during games and working on them prior to the next day’s game. What batting practice looks like for Coach Gore’s team How practice timing during the season can be based on team needs because of things like travel schedule and timing The importance of nutrition for the success of weightlifting How the realization of the importance of a relationship beyond baseball grew over the course of Coach Gore’s career How Coach Gore gives Assistant Coaches independence to coach their way as well as responsibility for that independence, and the opportunity to see the non-baseball related parts of coaching 21 Outs can be a fun and competitive practice exercise 3 Key Points: Competitive spirit in a baseball team can be developed through competitive practice. Taking the time to understand players on a level beyond baseball has become increasingly valuable to Coach Gore over the course of his career. A culture of older players mentoring and holding younger students accountable is important to the team dynamic at Enid. Tweetable Quotes: ¨I played baseball at Oklahoma State, my brother played baseball at Oklahoma State, he made it to AAA, so it’s one of those things that’s been in our family for a long time, and after my playing days were over I just didn’t want to get away from the game, and I wouldn’t change a thing.” – Brad (1:15) “We practice extremely fast and we move around and there’s really not much downtime, and that’s really one our things: to beat us you’re going to have to outwork us.¨ – Brad (5:20) “We hold our kids accountable for everything they do, whether it be on the field or off the field it’s all the same to us. – Brad (11:20) “If I have a really talented Varsity 2nd baseman that’s extremely competitive and I’ve got a little young freshman just trying to find his way, we call it peer coaching, and I totally believe in that. – Brad (14:20) “[On assistant coaches] I don’t look it as I’m their boss as much as I’m their peer in coaching.¨– Brad (36:30) “You can put junk in your body and lift as many weights as you want and you’re not going to get any dividends but if you put the right stuff in there and do the right amount of lifting, it’s really going to pay off.¨– Brad (33:00) Resources Mentioned: #FridayFielders Brad Gore [email protected] Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU. iTunes Stitcher Google Play Spotify This week we've got 2 bonus episodes that I got from the Oklahoma Baseball Coaches Association. I’ve broken them up into a college episode and a high school episode. We will still have our regular episode on Thursday and that will be Enid HS Head Coach head coach Brad Gore. For Bonus Episode 2 we’ve got several outstanding Oklahoma high school baseball coaches from varying levels across the state. We’re going to start with Union head coach Shawn Newkirk who is also my head coach and 2018 state champion. Then we will go to Vici Head coach Kris Webb, Heritage Hall head coach Breck Draper, Edmond Memorial Head Coach Luke Yost, and the closer will be Sante Fe Head Coach Ryan Phillips. Shawn Newkirk (1:43) on his hall of fame reflection, what his 4 pillars are at Union, and what being a mule means Kris Webb (18:00) on promoting higher level thinkers and what his Big 5 are Breck Draper (28:00) on Pre/Post season meetings and his “baseball test” Luke Yost (45:00 on winning a state championship his first year, and what his 3 C’s are. Ryan Phillips (59:00) on controlling the baseball and empowering assisting coaches Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU. iTunes Stitcher Google Play Spotify This week we've got 2 bonus episodes that I got from the Oklahoma Baseball Coaches Association. I’ve broken them up into a college episode and a high school episode. We will still have our regular episode on Thursday and that will be Enid HS Head Coach head coach Brad Gore. So for episode 1, were joined by Air Force Assistant Coach CJ Gillman, South Mountain Assistant Coach Tyler Gillum, Wright, Stealbases.com and Wright State Assistant coach Matt Talarico, ORU Head Coach Ryan Folmar and Oklahoma State's James Vilade. CJ Gillman on getting one percent better in BP every day AND we even touch on bunting…(1:30-32:36) Tyler Gillum on the Growth Toolbox, infield play, and a little bit of green light special (32:40-56:00) Matt Talarico on all things base running (56:06-1:17) Ryan Folmar on building culture in your program (1:17-1:25) James Vilade on a coaches number one job. (1:25-1:34) Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU. iTunes Stitcher Google Play Spotify Summary: In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I welcome Pat Bailey. Pat started coaching right out of college both high school baseball and football. He focused on becoming a part of programs he aligned with philosophically. He took over as head coach at Oregon State and shares with us common practices that make his team successful season after season. Show Notes: Guest: Pat Bailey, Teacher and Coach The transition from assistant coach to head coach and how to make it smooth Practical ways to reinforce expectations with the players and team How Pat integrates competition into each practice The benefits of vision training and why it is emphasized on Pat’s team How Pat incorporates vision training into his daily practices The power of using data in baseball practices How perfecting the launch angle can improve batting The college recruiting process according to Pat Individual development tactics at Oregon State How to build professional relationships with the players What Pat intentionally does differently than other teams to be better How to practice being a better decision maker The practice that the team always loves and how to keep players engaged 3 Key Points: Pat Bailey has a different approach to coaching than others. Starting young as a coach he shares how he became the coach that he is and emphasizes how his experiences as a student as well as having his own kids caused him to shift his coaching focus. Vision training is an important part of Pat’s training program. Just like the other muscles in our bodies our eyes need to be trained to work together and see the fast balls. More than anything, Pat recognizes the impact a coach has on a child’s life. He focuses on building character, and in the process the winning piece takes care of itself. Tweetable Quotes: “I would not have taken an assistant job if it wasn't with somebody that I really felt that were similar philosophically.” - Pat Bailey (4:26) “We're here to build man of character. And that's number one mission that we have as as coaches. Iit's the most important thing we do.” - Pat Bailey (5:27) “He introduced me to his vision training staff, and one of the things he said, man, it really made sense and there's a lot more to it than what I'm going to share here, but what he said to me was that, “your eyes are muscles, and why would you not train your eyes just like you go and lift weights?” And, of course, you can get both your eyes to work together.” - Pat Bailey (17:33) “It's not about you winning as a cause. It's about helping them become men and helping them become good teammates and helping them to really just and enjoying care for one another, then the winning part takes care of itself.” - Pat Bailey (35:35) “I bet you the time you spent with your players on a daily basis is more time they spend with their parents.” - Pat Bailey (39:24) “I just hope the coach is really buy into what I talked about in terms of this being a relation building business and we're here to build that because it's going to make our country better. We have coaches buying that because we have a huge impact on young people's lives.” - Pat Bailey (54:49) Resources Mentioned: Reach out to Pat: [email protected] Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud. iTunes Stitcher Google Play Spotify Summary: In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I welcome Steve Roof, Head Coach at Madison Central in Richmond, Kentucky. Steve emphasizes the importance of making the team family. At the end of the day, we can lift weights and do more drills, but when the culture rallies around family, there are incredible benefits for the team. Show Notes: Why bringing the team together like a family is important How the team reads a book together How Steve generates leadership by having the seniors lead weights sessions Why Steve is intentional about spending time with his team Doing more drills isn't the only thing that can strengthen your team Steve shares his multi-prong approach to developing a well-rounded team Fall schedule includes 5-day a week weight training Fall is where the team-family starts Competition is a year-long thing for Steve´s team Scrimmages, batting practice, and weight training competitions What a typical practice looks like for Steve´s team Base running, individual defense, and team defense are huge focuses The practice plan is there if they need it Why family, attitude, and hard work are key rules for the team 3 Key Points: It is important that baseball players develop camaraderie and a sense of family with one another. A typical week in fall will contain 5 days of weight lifting. The fall is the best time to start creating a strong team dynamic. Key values Steve keeps in mind while structuring a well-rounded team are family, attitude, and hard-work. Tweetable Quotes: "Our kids believe in in-season lifting. I think it gives them confidence and it obviously helps them stay strong. We've seen positive gains definitely.” – Steve (15:00) “That's where I use social media and I'll take pics or whatever and just send it to our guys and say, Listen, this is what the best are doing. And it really makes it easy to sell what we're trying to do.¨ – Steve (16:20) “I think it's it's only going to make us better as coaches just because we do have to do our research and not just do what we were taught to do, which may or may not have been the right thing.¨–Jonathan (17:13) “We have three standards, family, attitude and hard work. We're not going to blame the officials. We're not going to blame each other, hey, you might have to overcome my mistake. So a positive attitude and and we're going to work hard. We're going to be one of the hardest working groups around and that's a hard 90 that's running on and off the field.¨–Steve (29:06) “God, Family and the next thing is going to be about trying to learn and get better.¨– Steve (34:02) “You can work really hard and have fun doing it.¨–Steve(40:00) Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Steve Roof [email protected] The Carpenter by Jon Gordon Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud. Summary: In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I welcome Steve Johnson, Founder/CEO of LegKickNation. We discuss Steve’s method of rejecting the model of the ‘teacher king’ in order to foster a curiosity-provoking learning environment in which students take responsibility for their own progress, as well as how he teaches methods to reach the state of ‘flow’. We also discuss the practical details of teaching in this new mode and ways to apply them to baseball.

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud. iTunes Stitcher Google Play Spotify Summary: In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I welcome Matt Kosderka, Head Coach of D3 Lewis and Clark College Baseball team. Matt shares how he keeps his players motivated and successful in the game of baseball and the game of life. Show Notes: Guest: Matt Kosderka, professional baseball player who now teaches and coaches college baseball. What a typical fall training week looks like for Matts team How Matt recruits key players and strives to get them to the next level How Matt builds the culture of his problem and what sets his team a part from anyone else Why Matt uses coaches pillars in his coaching How competitions can be integrated into practices for the betterment of the team How to prioritize individual development on a team Why communication is important and how Matt encourages open communication within his team What many high school players are doing wrong and how we can improve it What a typical practice looks like for Matts team How Matt sets up his BP Why it is important not to rush practices How Matt uses data with his team How to balance data and player relationships What Matt wishes he knew before he became a head coach How Matt prepares his assistants to become head coaches if that is in their goals Why Matt makes changes each year in his programs and how it benefits his players How Matt learns from his mentors How using mindful apps daily has made a difference in his life What are the players favorite aspect of practice 3 Key Points: Coaching a D3 school can pose unique issues for baseball players. Matt develops intentional training programs, communication, and unique competitions to keep his players engaged. Matt emphasizes why it is important not to get stuck in the kids and their different upbringings. It is important to teach baseball but it is even more important to teach life. Tweetable Quotes: ¨I think of the best ways to help our players is to have a high expectations and hold kids accountable to them.” – Matt. (46:25) “I think that its normal, regardless how old you are, to love to compete. And so there's two things that I think we probably do that they like the most One is we call for spotlight base running. And so we put a base runner at every position we put to first base, just to have an extra guy there. And then we put a defense against them, and in each hitter gets two swings, to get the ball and play.¨ – Matt. (39:09) “My career ended because I couldn't handle the failure. So now I want to help my players with that.¨–Matt (38:20) “Spend your off season studying one element of the game that you want to get better at.¨–Matt (35:50) “Adjust the culture to develop your identity as a program and we use pillars to teach those things to our guys. And I think that definitely helped last year.¨– Matt (34:40) “When I started out as a coach 20 years ago, I would say that I had a different definition of success.¨–Matt (29:36) Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Headspace Compound Effect Above the Line by Urban Meyer Matt Kosderka Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud. Summary: In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I welcome Dr. Greg Rose of OnBaseU and the Titleist Performance Institute. We discuss the OnBaseU philosophy and program for improving the efficiency of baseball swinging and pitching, along with various data-based methods for improving baseball practice regimens. We also discuss the way data is becoming increasingly important baseball as it did in golf, and the possible reasons for the different approaches to data in these sports.

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud. iTunes Stitcher Google Play Spotify Summary: I welcome Robert Woodard, pitching coach for the University of North Carolina. Robert walks us through what the training program at UNC looks like while sharing some of his best practices and he also shares what they look for on the recruiting trail. Show Notes: Guest: Robert Woodard, Professional Player turned Coach Robert reveals how he develops his players and what a typical week looks like for his team How Robert shuts-down pitching players The analytics Robert is using to measure players against one another as well as themselves Why the culture is important in a program and how you can build the leadership, team, and culture to be in alignment How Robert recruits players to play in college Important factors for a player to have: Time management, Responsibility of themselves, and Knowing how to fail. Why Robert ¨messes with timing¨ with his pitching players How Robert structures his recovery program The importance of conditioning and how you need to structure it around your season The best ways to develop ball command Changes that are being incorporated into Robert´s program Fun practices incorporated into each practice for the players 3 Key Points: Robert´s experience with professional baseball and later coaching enables him to share baseball best practice with us. When recruiting players for college, the soft skill like time management, being able to failure, and responsibility are just as important as skill. It is always important to implement change into a program and reinvigorate players with new ideas and methodologies. Tweetable Quotes: ¨I don't really draw any hard lines. I keep an open mind and communicate with each pitcher. We need to communicate with each pitcher in terms of what his vision for his personal processes are.” – Robert (11:00) “We trust our players. We give them a lot of leeway in terms of policing themselves, and maintaining our team standards, and maintaining that culture.¨ – Robert (20:40) “The most successful players are the ones that look at failure as an opportunity to grow. They look at challenges as another opportunity to grow and they are open to trying new things as opposed to just getting somewhere and being stuck. Every player is going to fail or be challenged at some point in their career and you have to you have to be equipped to to handle it and embrace it.¨–Robert (24:14) “[Messing with pitching timing] It's just another weapon that guys can use to get hitters out.¨–Robert (29:06) “(On bullpens) It's not necessarily scripted, but it is it is ironed out. Whether it's establishing the fastball or their primary off speed pitch. Then we’ll finish with simulating counts.¨– Robert (36:50) Command is a daily mindset. Every single throwing session our guys have they to throw targets, or to the glove, or it's checkpoints on the body.¨–Robert (44:18) Resources Mentioned: Ahead of the Curve Robert Woodard Twitter: @rwoodard20 Email: [email protected] Reading Resources Sabermetrics Article Ahead of the Curve by Brian Kenny Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud. iTunes Stitcher Google Play Spotify Summary: We start with St. Christophers head coach Tony Szymendera, then we have Randy Tomlin, Former MLB player and now head coach at Liberty Christian, from there we move to Benedictine Head Coach Sean Ryan, Newly named Fredericksburg Christian head coach Jeff Petty who is also the president of the EVO Shield canes, and we end with Menchville head coach Phil Forbes. Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud. iTunes Stitcher Google Play Spotify Summary: In this episode, I get the opportunity to introduce several college baseball coaches, and the man behind behind the mic at the ABCA Jeremy Sheetinger. We start with Randolph Macon head coach Ray Hedrick, then move to Jeremy Sheetinger and we end with the entire staff at Paul D Camp which include head coach David Mitchell, hitting coach Brandon Matthews, and pitching coach Pat Stafford! Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud. iTunes Stitcher Google Play Spotify Summary: If you are not a fan of analytics, launch angle, exit velocity and spin rate, this episode may not be for you. Tom and I discuss how he is using these to provide individual player development plans for all of his players, and he gives us a ton of practical advice on HOW he does it. Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud. iTunes Stitcher Google Play Spotify Summary: In this episode, I of speak with Virginia Commonwealth head baseball coach, Shawn Stiffler. I did not know much about Coach Stiffler before we got the opportunity to chat, and I was completely blown away by his attention to detail, the culture he has built, and what he is doing to make his players better on and off the field. His presentation was over “finding your difference” and you will love this episode. Website and Social Media sites for the show www.aotcpodcast.com Twitter @aotc_podcast Facebook Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group Instagram aotc_podcast