Ahead Of The Curve with Jonathan Gelnar

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Lance Spigner- Head Baseball Coach, UA Rich Mountain and Former Head Coach at Horatio HS (AR) Jun 20, 2019

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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: LanceSpigner@gmail.com 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

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Cleveland Indians Performance Coordinator Ryan Faer on weight room management, in season lifting, and simplification. Jun 17, 2019

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Full Episode Here

http://www.aotcpodcast.com/e/2-ryan-faer-arizona-performance-coordinator-cleveland-indians/

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Dave Therneau- Pitching Coach, Stetson University (FL) Jun 13, 2019

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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

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Cookeville HS Head Coach Butch Chaffin on building leaders. Jun 10, 2019

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Full Episode Here

http://www.aotcpodcast.com/e/1-butch-chaffin-head-coach-cookeville-hs-tn/

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Matt Denny- Head Baseball Coach, Mountain Pointe HS (AZ) Jun 06, 2019

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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: mdenny@tempeunion.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

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Andrew Wright- Head Baseball Coach, University of Charleston (WV) May 30, 2019

Show notes

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

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Nunzio Signore- Strength and Conditioning Coach, Owner of Rockland Peak Performance (NY) May 23, 2019

Show notes

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

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Tanner Swanson- MiLB Catching Coordinator, Minnesota Twins May 16, 2019

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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

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Rob Benjamin- Hitting Coach, Riot Hitting (NY) May 09, 2019

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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: rob@riothitting.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

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Marty Smith- Head Baseball Coach, The College of Central Florida May 02, 2019

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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: Baseball@CF.edu 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

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