Coaching Management 12.2

Coaching Management VOL. XII, NO. 2

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Coaching Management Baseball Edition Preseason 2004

CONTENTS

Vol. XII, No. 2

p. 2

p. 21

LOCKER ROOM

Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 NCAA academic disincentives proposal may have unintended effects for baseball ... Fall ball for seventhand eighth-graders ... Web site promotes baseball at historically black colleges ... Consult numbers, not gut, economists say ... Helping parents keep high school in perspective.

Q&A

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p. 25

Cover Story

Before the Score

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The best coaches not only know how to teach the little things that win baseball games, but how to get their players to think about them.

Your Program

Reducing the Risks

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An athletics risk-reduction expert shows how to protect your players and your program by making injury-prevention a regular part of your coaching.

12

Optimum Performance

Power to Play

George Horton coaches the highest-profile program at a school in a sports-rich metropolitan area.

That’s both a benefit and a burden, he says.

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Are your players building strength the right way? Do you want to start a baseball strength program? A leader in sport-specific training outlines the basics and a sample program for your athletes.

PRODUCT PAGES

ADVERTISERS DIRECTORY

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Nets & Cages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Infield Conditioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Baseball Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Team Equipment/Uniforms & Apparel . 42

Publisher Mark Goldberg

Editor-in-Chief Eleanor Frankel

Editorial Assistant Greg Scholand

Prepress Manager Adam Berenstain

Circulation Director Mark Shea

Associate Editors Guillermo Metz Dennis Read

Production Manager Kristin Ayers

Ad Materials Coordinator Mike Townsend

Asst. Production Manager Kristi Kempf

Special Projects Dave Wohlhueter

Production Assistant Jonni Campbell

Administrative Assistants Sharon Barbell Daniela Reis Amy Walton

Art Director Pamela Crawford Art Assistant Dina Stander Business Manager Pennie Small

Assistant Editors RJ Anderson Kenny Berkowitz David Hill Laura Smith

Cover photo: AP/Wide World Photos

IT Manager Mark Nye

Practice Aids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 More Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Fund-raising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Catalog Showcase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Advertising Sales Associates Diedra Harkenrider, (607) 257-6970, ext. 24 Sheryl Shaffer, (607) 257-6970, ext. 21 Business and Editorial Offices 2488 N. Triphammer Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 257-6970, Fax (607) 257-7328 info@MomentumMedia.com Mailing lists for Coaching Management Baseball are provided by the Clell Wade Coaches Directory.

The Coaching Management baseball edition is published in February, September, and December by MAG, Inc. and is distributed free to college and high school coaches in the United States and Canada. Copyright Š 2004 by MAG, Inc. All rights reserved. Text may not be reproduced in any manner, in whole or in part, without the permission of the publisher. Unsolicited materials will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

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bulletin board NCAA Reforms Alarm Coaches As the NCAA prepares to vote on a proposal to put teeth into the new Division I academic standards, some coaches are raising concerns that baseball may be hit particularly hard by elements of the plan. The frequency with which college players turn pro has some fearing the implication of sanctions tied to low graduation rates, while others point out that tougher continuing eligibility rules could make it difficult for junior college transfers to arrive at four-year schools eligible to play.

The concerns deal with proposed penalties stemming from the first phase of the NCAA’s academic reforms, which toughened standards for continuing eligibility. Student-athletes who entered school in fall 2003 must complete 40, 60, and 80 percent of their degree requirements by the beginning of their fifth, seventh, and ninth semesters to stay eligible (up from 25, 50, and 75). They will be held to higher GPA standards as well; the cutoff at each school varies with its graduation requirement. And all students, not just this year’s freshmen, must now pass six credit hours each semester in order to play.

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as a percentage of the total number of points the team could have earned. Schools are required to provide data to the NCAA to calculate teams’ APRs beginning with the fall 2003 semester.

To evaluate a baseball team’s performance, the NCAA would measure its GSR and APR scores against three other groups: teams in all other Division I sports, all

Southwest Missouri State lost two juniors to the 2003 draft, including Shaun Marcum, above. NCAA academic disincentive plans under review may affect baseball teams whose players regularly are drafted after their junior years.

The APR is based on two factors: whether student-athletes remain eligible and whether they stay in school. Each semester, a student-athlete can earn one point toward the team’s APR for remaining eligible and one for returning to school, for a total of four possible points per year per athlete. At the end of each year, the APR would be calculated

other Division I baseball teams, and the rest of the university’s student body. Sanctions would be handed out only to teams whose scores fail on all three tests.

What constitutes a failing grade, however, has not been determined. “The Working Group recommended that the NCAA measure teams’

GSRs and APRs for 2003-04 and 2004-05 in order to gather enough data to set the cut-offs,” Turner says.

Cut-offs would be determined at the end of the 2004-2005 school year, and penalties under the proposal would be applicable beginning in the fall of 2005.

Under the plan, a team would receive a warning letter the first time it failed to meet cutoffs on all three comparisons.

The second time, the team would face scholarship reductions and recruiting restrictions, and the third time, it would be banned from pre- and postseason play. Programs whose teams regularly fail to meet the standards could be placed on restricted NCAA membership status.

For ABCA Executive Director Dave Keilitz, the proposal raises a serious concern. “If they implement sanctions based on graduation rates, that will affect baseball more than any other sport, because of the high number of baseball players who sign professional contracts after their junior year,” Keilitz says. “It’s not uncommon for a program to lose three to six juniors a year to the pros. Those players may have had great GPAs and been on track to graduate, but under this system, that program is going to be punished.

“We support academic responsibility, but as with any legislation, there are certain things that may not make sense for a particular sport, and this doesn’t make sense for baseball,” he adds.

Keilitz hopes that baseball coaches can convince the NCAA to reconsider the issue. “I’ve already contacted members of the Working Group and voiced my concern about the impact on graduation rates of baseball

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Draft legislation up for approval by the NCAA Board of Directors in April sets penalties that range from warning letters and loss of scholarships to restricted postseason play. Under the proposal, developed by the Division I Management Council Working Group on Incentives and Disincentives, teams would be assessed on two new measures. The first is the graduation success rate (GSR), which attempts to account for transfers in assessing graduation rates, for a graduation

rate the NCAA believes will be more accurate than the federal measure now used.

The second measure, the academic progress rate (APR), would be calculated annually for each team. The APR is designed to be a yearly “snap shot” of a team’s academic performance, according to Todd Turner, Chair of the Working Group and former Athletic Director at Vanderbilt University.

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bulletin board players leaving for the pros,” he says. “We’re working to make sure all our coaches are aware of the issue, and together we’ll be drafting a letter to the NCAA.”

enough to get into a fouryear school,” Federico continues. “We’re here to allow them to take some remedial classes and catch up, but those classes don’t transfer.”

Second on Keilitz’s list of concerns about the academic reforms package is the way it affects junior college transfers. The continuing eligibility rules that took effect last fall apply to transfers and non-transfers alike, meaning that a player who transfers to a four-year institution at the beginning of his junior year must already have completed 40 percent of that school’s degree requirements to be eligible. “There is no doubt that this will be a factor in baseball,” Keilitz says. “I think that coaches will cut back significantly on junior college recruiting.”

The new standards will likely result in most junior college student-athletes taking heavier course loads in summer school—another problem, Federico says. “Our guys need to play and put up numbers in the summers in order to transfer to a Division I school, because the perception is that they aren’t playing against the same caliber of talent as everybody else,” he says.

Ron Polk, Head Coach at Mississippi State University, agrees. “This is going to be devastating to junior college programs,” he says. “Unless a junior college freshman knows exactly which four-year school they want to go to and works with the four-year school to make sure that they’re following all the curriculum guidelines, they have almost no chance of being eligible their first year at that four-year school.”

Academic readiness will be a major challenge for coaches and players, says Mike Federico, Head Coach at Meridian (Miss.) Community College.

“Most 18-year-old freshmen coming to a junior college don’t know what degree they ultimately want to get,” he says. “So the hard part is knowing whether the classes my players are taking are going to end up counting toward that 40 percent or not.

It’s going to be very difficult.

“The reason most of them are coming here is because their grades weren’t good

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Part of the solution is for Division I coaches to work closely with junior college coaches, according to Keith Guttin, Head Coach at Southwest Missouri State.

“We have to educate junior college coaches and their guidance departments about our requirements,” Guttin says.

A formal comment period continues during February.

“Schools can comment directly or through their conferences,” Turner says.

Middle Schoolers Enjoy Fall Ball When freshman ballplayers get to their first practice at Houston (Tenn.) High School this spring, they’ll already have a good idea of what to expect. So will Head Coach Lane McCarter, who last fall created a new league for middle schoolers.

The idea sprang from a threeday summer camp McCarter has run for several years for the age group. “When that camp ended, we had a lot of kids who were excited about baseball, so we decided to start something for them in the fall,” McCarter says. “The

fall in Tennessee is a dead time—we can’t do any coaching with our high school players. But we started thinking, why can’t we get the middle schoolers in here and start teaching them some things?”

McCarter started taking signups on the last day of the summer camp, and continued to publicize the fall league in the local paper and by word

and with us, they got two and a half hours of work with three coaches, so the fee was well-accepted,” McCarter says.

Taking care not to interfere with the middle school athletes’ ability to play other fall sports, McCarter consulted with the middle school football coach. “I asked him what he thought, and he said, ‘These are seventh and eighth graders—the more they do the better,’” he says. “We planned around their schedule; football has Wednesday nights off, so that’s when we met.”

The league met eight times, for four two-hour-long Wednesday night practices and four Middle school athletes practice their Sunday games. “We swings during Houston (Tenn.) worked on defensive High School’s new fall league for skills, cuts and relays, infield stuff, outfield seventh- and eighth-graders, the idea stuff, catching, pitchof Head Coach Lane McCarter. ing—you name it,” McCarter says. “We of mouth. He opened the had five pitchers and they league to seventh and eighth each pitched one or two graders. “We made the deciinnings.” sion not to include sixth graders, because that age Being taught by the high span is too big,” he says. school coach was a great “Developmentally, the sixth motivator for the middle graders are too far behind schoolers. “We’re the coachthe eighth graders and it es they want to play for wouldn’t have been a good someday,” McCarter experience for them.” explains. For the high school coaches, the league was an Twenty-three middle schoolopportunity to teach good ers signed up for the league, fundamentals right from the enough for two teams. “We start. “This was as much like expected to get about 40 a high school practice as it kids, and I’m glad we gets,” he says. “We taught didn’t,” McCarter says. them our bunt defenses, “Since it was the first year, what we do on fly ball comthe smaller number was munication, our catcher’s more manageable.” signs to the pitcher—all of that. And if they didn’t A fee of $200 per child covhustle, we got on them.” ered the cost of T-shirts and coaches’ pay. “Private hitting Competition, however, was or pitching lessons cost parnot the focus of the league, ents $25-$50 per half hour, and McCarter made that

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bulletin board clear from the beginning.

“The goal was exposure,” he says. “It was for everyone to play an equal number of innings and try things they hadn’t tried before. If a kid hadn’t played right field before, he played it. Winning and losing was the last consideration.”

off—at the end, I got great feedback from them.”

McCarter believes the league will also help steer students to his school. “We’ve had some private schools open up in our area, and a lot of times, their athletic facilities are better than ours, and

after a few successful years, have actually started to decline. “Last year, we finished 32-8 and made it to the state tournament, and we’ve had players drafted in the first and second rounds and 22 kids get baseball scholarships,” he says.

“You’d think everyone would

“Kids think, ‘I’m not a great player, I might as well not even try out.’ I think that this league will give more players the confidence to try out.”

Getting parents on board with those goals was a high priority. “We met with them before we did anything else and spelled out exactly what our expectations were,” McCarter says. “I also made sure each parent had my phone number in case they had any concerns. It paid

kids think that’s an attractive choice,” he says. “We want to make sure we keep these kids, and we think their getting to know us as coaches and getting involved in our program early will help.”

He also hopes the league will boost tryout numbers, which

be trying out for baseball, but the opposite has happened. Kids think, ‘I’m not a great player, I might as well not even try out.’ That is the last thing I want to see happening, and I think that this league will give more players the confidence to try out.”

The opportunity for high school players to help coach has been another plus of the league. “They loved it,” McCarter says. “As a player, you can learn so much from teaching, and I expect they’ll put that back into the game when they play this year.”

The biggest benefit, however, has been the chance to preview upcoming talent. “I know what kids we have in seventh grade, and I know what next year’s freshmen are going to be like,” McCarter says. “I know who’s good and who can play at what positions. It’s a tremendous help, because we play a full schedule in the spring and I can’t get out to see the younger kids play very often.

So now I have a name with a face and I know exactly what we’ve got coming.”

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bulletin board Site Promotes Black Colleges After playing baseball as an undergraduate at Coppin State College and serving as pitching coach at Grambling State University, Ruffin Bell III is committed to giving something back to the sport: a Web site unlike any other.

Since going on-line in November 2002, Black College Baseball (www.blackcollegebaseball.com) has received more than 42,000 hits. The site includes schedules, standings, and links to 19 historically black colleges and universities in the MidContinent Conference, MidEastern Athletic Conference, and Southwestern Athletic Conference. It also hosts a message board for discussing

issues of interest, and an archive of news articles about baseball at historically black colleges and universities.

On a page explaining why the site exists, Bell points out that the only black baseball head coach in NCAA Division I is Tony Gwynn at San Diego State. But the site’s agenda is not to increase coaching numbers—it’s to promote the game and give potential recruits a central location for information about going to college, Bell says. He says that many historically black schools aren’t equipped with big sports-information staffs to garner their baseball programs as much attention as athletes and coaches might like. So he tries to include everything the colleges should have on their own Web sites, but don’t.

“I’m trying to do my part to publicize the teams as best as I can,” says Bell, who also runs the Sports Management site at Coppin State, where he works as an Assistant Baseball Coach and Lecturer in Health, Physical Education, and Recreation.

“I’m trying to fill a void. The Web site tries to publicize athletes in HBCU programs to a level where they feel they’re being represented, not just equally, but well.”

Ruffin Bell’s Web site promotes baseball at historically black colleges.

With little mention of HBCUs in the mainstream sports media, Bell urges colleges to think of his site as their own,

and is pleased that coaches have told him that Black College Baseball has already helped them recruit new student-athletes. Entering its second season, the site is still

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modest, with no advertisements, no sponsors, and no official backing from any of its colleges and universities.

At this point, it’s still a oneman operation, and though Bell has plans for growth—he hopes to expand this year’s coverage to include the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association—he also looks forward to a time when the site will no longer be necessary.

“If every college had a fiveperson sports information staff and an athletic site where people could get all the up-to-date information they want, there wouldn’t be a need for this Web site,” says Bell. “But right now, there is.”

Stats Beat Gut, Scholars Say The intentional walk. The sacrifice bunt. Leaving a pitcher in vs. going to the bullpen.

These are examples of situations in which some of the nation’s foremost experts on making decisions say baseball managers are far too cautious.

SCOTT BRUHN

“I think it’s a fair generalization that coaches and managers are often a little too safe in their decision making,” says Steven J. Sherman, a psychology professor at Indiana University studying irrationality in baseball. Sherman is among a handful of experts using sports as a laboratory to examine behavioral economics—the study of how and why people make decisions using objective data.

Sherman and his colleague, Richard Thaler, an economist at the University of Chicago, organized a conference last March that brought together many of academia’s leading experts on rational decision making with figures in the sports community, including

Billy Beane, General Manager of the Oakland Athletics, and Bill James, Special Advisor to the Boston Red Sox. The group spent two days discussing decision making and rationality in baseball, basketball, and football.

So by moving the runner over, the sacrifice results in an out that may prove costly in the not-so-long run. Even though it is a widely accepted tactic in baseball circles, it is not rational behavior, at least as these scholars define it.

Based on their studies, Sherman and his colleagues say managers and coaches are apt to base game-hinging decisions on gut feelings rather than on statistics. “And they try to make the decision that they will be able to defend after the game rather than the one that was best during the game,” Thaler said during an interview on PBS’ NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.

The same holds true for intentionally walking a slugger if a home run will beat you. Giving that batter a free pass does prevent him from hitting a home run, but it also turns him into a hitter who’s batting 1.000. And even in the case of Barry Bonds, arguably the most feared hitter in the game, Sherman notes that statistics show that giving him a free base usually leads to more runs at the end of the inning than one of his at-bats does.

One of the more memorable examples of this is Boston Red Sox Manager Grady Little’s decision to leave Pedro Martinez on the mound during the eighth inning of Game Seven of the 2003 American League Championship Series.

Even though Martinez was struggling, his pitch count was over 100, and statistics showed batters had a .370 average against him after he’d thrown 100 pitches, Little’s gut told him that Martinez was good for one more out.

But Martinez faced two more batters, allowed the two tying runs, and New York went on to win the game and series.

Examples of rational decisions that sometimes lead to bad

Sherman and Thayer contend that when a manager or

Managers think of what the reaction will be, says Sherman, “whether it’s from the media, the fans or the owner of the team. So doing what is usually done is safe, and nobody will criticize you greatly for doing what most people would do.”

ticular situation. But often, a manager will choose to go with a gut feeling and ignore the statistics.

Sherman notes that the same can be true of high school and college coaches and managers who are often under the microscope of parents, fans, and the media, as well as officials from their institution.

“The idea is that if the outcome is good, the decision must have been the right decision. But that’s not always true,” says Sherman. “Sometimes good outcomes are based on bad decisions and sometimes good decisions lead to bad outcomes.”

One strategy that exemplifies Sherman’s point is the sacrifice bunt. “The book says that in a close game, if the first guy gets on, the next guy should try a sacrifice bunt to get him over to second base,” says Thaler. “And the analysis we’ve done says that you actually score fewer runs with a man on second and one out than you do with a man on first and no outs.”

The sacrifice bunt may not be such a productive choice, say academic statistical analysts. results are bringing in a righthanded pitcher to face a right-handed batter, and sending in a pinch hitter to avoid a righty vs. righty or lefty vs. lefty scenario.

In either case, managers often use statistics to weigh the odds of success in a par-

coach bases a decision on the available statistics, that decision is correct regardless of the outcome. “Why would you ignore data?,” says Sherman. “Even if you decide in a situation not to follow it, you should at least know what it is.”

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bulletin board Michigan Program Adds Perspective Of the 453,792 athletes who play high school baseball every year, 9,460—two percent—go on to play at the NCAA Division I level. Only 0.17 percent of high school participants end up playing in the major leagues. That statistic may be no surprise to most coaches, but it’s an eyeopener for many parents, which is why the Michigan High School Athletic Association launched a program called “High School Sports: It’s About Team” for the 2003-2004 school year.

The objective of the program is to educate parents, fans, and others about the true value of high school sports. It

defines them as “educational support programs which help develop tomorrow’s community leaders—not the starting lineups for tomorrow’s collegiate or professional teams.”

“We started seeing more and more cases where the highly publicized success of a handful of elite athletes was being touted as the defining moment of high school sports,” says John Johnson, MHSAA Communications Director. “We created this program to combat that message. The emphasis ... has to be on the experiences and values all players can take away from their high school team.

“Parents are increasingly likely to view playing in college or earning a college scholarship as a right. So they place

all the emphasis on getting their child seen by college scouts, rather than on functioning as part of a high school team. Educating parents about the actual odds that their child will earn an athletic scholarship to a Division I university can help them gain some perspective and change their attitudes.”

high school athletics and about creating participation opportunities for all students that his words ring true,” he says. “We thought it was important to find someone who genuinely believes in what we’re trying to convey, because kids can see right through a fraud.”

A key component of the “It’s About Team” project is a video that was sent to Michigan high schools for use during the 2003-2004 season.

The six-minute video stars Jim Brandstatter, a sportscaster many in the state recognize as the voice of University of Michigan athletics, and his passion is the video’s biggest asset, according to Johnson.

Sam Ellis, Athletic Director at Highland Park High School, says he’s urging his coaches to use the video at preseason meetings, so both athletes and parents can view it. “The values expressed on the video are exactly what our athletes and parents need to hear, and the presentation is great,” he says. “It’s also concise, and that’s important. Otherwise, you start to lose people.”

“Jim feels so strongly about the educational values of

The MHSAA encourages coaches to show it at school

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board meetings as well, so that upper-level administrators can support the theme, and to community groups outside the school, to get fans on board.

“We want this message to not just be preached to the choir—our school people— but to the public as well,” explains MHSAA Executive Director Jack Roberts.

In addition to the video, Brandstatter is featured in six one-minute public service announcements. Coaches were also given full-color brochures outlining the educational values of high school sports for distribution to athletes and parents. Schools can also take advantage of ready-to-print articles offered by the association by including them in monthly school newsletters or game programs.

Odds Are Long The Michigan High School Athletic Association’s “It’s About Team!” promotion includes a tally of the chances high school student-athletes have of participating in NCAA Division I and professional sports. Here are the statistics for major boys’ team sports: Baseball

Football

Basketball

Soccer

453,792

1,023,142

540,874

345,156

9,460

24,747

4,986

5,379

Percent High School To Division I

2%

2%

0.9%

2%

Professional Players

750

1,696

348

240

0.17%

1.7%

0.06%

0.07%

High School Participants NCAA Division I Participants

Percent High School to Pro

Sources: National Federation of State High School Associations, National Collegiate Athletic Association, National Basketball Association, Major League Soccer, Major League Baseball.

For more information on the “It’s About Team” program, visit www.mhsaa.com/aboutteam/index.html.

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George Horton Cal State-Fullerton

With three national championships on its resume, baseball is by far the most successful sport at California State University, Fullerton, and Head Coach George Horton appreciates the tradition.

He’s also done his part to keep it going. Since taking over the program for the 1997 season, his Titans have appeared in three NCAA Division I College World Series and finished third last season, after which he was named the Baseball America College Coach of the Year.

CM: Your teams have a reputation for playing without a lot of mistakes. Is that because of what you look for in recruits, or because of the way you coach?

Horton: We try to recruit guys who are fundamentally sound and have what I would call big hearts—they’re selfmotivated, have passion for the game, and are easy to coach. I’ve been around some legendary coaches, including Wally Kincaid [Head Coach at Cerritos College during Horton’s playing days], Augie Garrido [now Head Coach at the University of Texas and the winningest college baseball coach ever], and Dave Snow [Head Coach for 13 seasons at Long Beach State who went to Omaha four times], and I stole a lot of their fundamental philosophies. The single thing I sell to our recruits is the quality of our practices and our developmental system.

Horton is among nine men to have appeared in the College World Series as a player and as a head coach, having been the first baseman on Fullerton’s 1975 team. His coach then was Augie Garrido, under whom he later served as an assistant coach at Fullerton, from 1991-96. Horton began his head coaching career by winning three California junior college state championships in six years at Cerritos College before moving to Fullerton.

In this interview, Horton talks about the benefits and pressures of the program’s storied past, developing a fundamentally sound team, and relations with professional baseball. He also discusses the challenges of coaching at a largely commuter suburban Division I-AAA school whose success sometimes gets lost in the sports din of greater Los Angeles.

daily—even when you’re facing the best pitchers in the country. Usually you’re going to see that when you get to playoff time. It’s hard to say, “We’re going to sit back and hit home runs or get three or four hits in an inning to break this All-American pitcher down.”

The other big reason is that I think it’s very good for the young men who come though our program to be taught the complete game of baseball. We’ve been told many times that Cal State-Fullerton baseball players, when they move to minor league baseball, are well schooled.

We feel good when we hear that.

There are programs out there that put more emphasis on recruiting a bunch of stud puppies, whereas we get satisfaction out of seeing a guy go from a non-drafted high school player to a highround pick.

Why do you run a West Coast offense, with lots of bunting, hit-and-run, and taking the extra base?

Three reasons. Number one is that by being able to use a combination of speed and skill, results can show up

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

Horton and Pitching Coach Dave Serrano prefer to not tinker with the mechanics of Cal StateFullerton’s pitchers, such as Dustin Miller, a sophomore in 2004.

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&

Another reason is that it helps you defensively. If you’re learning how to run a first-and-third play, or put on a bunt play, or put on a delayed steal or other offensive maneuvers, you’re also learning how to defend those plays. We face teams that run those plays a lot here in the West.

Isn’t it more demanding on the coaching staff and players?

It is. We invest a lot of practice time in bunting, bat-control plays, and things like that. I think young coaches make a mistake by trying to do too much offensively but don’t invest enough practice time in it and their players aren’t able to execute. You can sit there and put on signs and have all these tricky plays to run, but unless you’ve invested time in practice, they are not going to be successful.

Can you teach baseball instinct, or does it have to be there by the time a player reaches college age?

I think you can teach baseball instinct as long as the young person you’re teaching has instinctive intelligence. Quite frequently that’s what we’re trying to learn about each new player. It isn’t until you get to actually see him in a stressful game situation that you can really determine whether he’s an instinctive player. I don’t think you can teach athletic or baseball instincts to a guy who takes a while to get the right answer. But I think a player who comes in without a lot of information but thinks quickly—I think you can educate him to be a more instinctive baseball player. [For more on teaching baseball instincts, see our cover story, “The Little Things,” on page xx.]

Do you work with pitchers’ mechanics or assume that at this stage a pitcher’s form is set?

I think there are some very knowledgeable pitching coaches out there who do too much with mechanics and it works against the prospect. If you take your five favorite pitchers in the major leagues, they all have slightly different mechanics. They’ve got little differences in their delivery or in their windup or set position.

I have a great pitching coach in Dave Serrano, and I basically turn the pitchers over to him. I think Dave is very good at not changing just for the sake of change.

If there’s something we can change mechanically that will help a pitcher be more efficient or prevent injuries, then we’ll certainly look at that.

Do you feel extra pressure at Fullerton because baseball is the highest-profile sport on campus?

We are the flagship program and most of the donors want to be associated with our program because we’re successful, so that adds to the pressure of staying at the highest level. And even last year, when we finished third in the nation, there was some disappointment. That’s okay with me, though. I don’t think I could ever foresee myself coaching at a place where I wouldn’t expect to compete for a national championship.

It’s a good news, bad news thing. You get some little perks, favors, and acknowledgement off the field, but if you get yourself in trouble, that notoriety works against you because everybody knows who you are.

Southern California has a great baseball atmosphere, but does the location work against you in some ways?

There are only so many fans to go around and they get spread a little thin.

That hurts our gate sometimes, even though we’re having success. But we do draw better than most college programs

around, even for the millions of people in southern California.

How do you allocate your scholarships?

We cut ’em up. Nobody’s on a full ride here. I doubt we’ll ever get more scholarships for Division I baseball, and I don’t think it would be good for most programs. Let’s say the limit went up to 20 full rides. After the big boys get done offering scholarships, for the second-tier programs, there are fewer good players left. It would separate the elite from the average program even more. The rich would get richer, in my opinion.

Are there some issues in college baseball that need to be addressed?

I know professional baseball is frustrated with agents and it trickles down into our environment, where they’re all trying to get their hands on prospects at each institution. That doesn’t mean the agents are bad guys. It’s just that nobody’s controlling what they can and can’t do.

[In the post-season], I wish that we would go to a format similar to basketball, where they seed their 64 teams one through 64 and geography has nothing

“We pride ourselves on trying to play the game right and serve as model citizens to the youngsters. I think the moms and dads are aware of that. It’s a more realistic goal for a youngster to think he’s going to be a college baseball player than a major league baseball player.”

in the West, and the unusual thing is it’s not our student body. It’s the youngsters who have become fond of Titan baseball.

We pride ourselves on trying to play the game right and serve as model citizens to the youngsters. I think the moms and dads are aware of that, and sometimes it’s a better example than the major league environment. It’s a more realistic goal for a youngster to think he’s going to be a college baseball player than a major league baseball player.

If we were in a different environment, my getting the Baseball America College Coach of the Year Award might be a front-page story. Instead, the Kobe Bryant story and Kevin Brown getting traded were on the front page of the local paper, and my story was inside in “Tidbits.” There are just too many stories and too many sporting events to go

to do with it. In a perfect world, with money not being a factor, that would be the best way to do it competitively.

Most of all, we’ve heard rumblings that the NCAA may implement a start date and cut back on game opportunities. I’m hoping like heck that they don’t cut back anymore. We’re a sport that needs to be played quite often and we need a lot of time for development with our players. If they were to cut us back, you’d see more players signing right out of high school and not coming to college.

Professional baseball is starting to recognize the value of letting guys go to college for emotional, educational, and skill development, which makes our game even better. But if NCAA rules start cutting things back, I think we’re going to lose that momentum.

COACHING MANAGEMENT

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s dedicated baseball people, most coaches know the importance of the little things. Taking an extra base, advancing a runner, or properly executing a rundown often makes the difference between winning and losing. Some coaches even avoid using the term “little things” for fear that it diminishes the importance of what they believe are actually big things.

Players, however, are another matter.

“Some players grasp the little things and some will never have that ability,” says George Valesente, Head Coach at Ithaca College. “Then there are players in the middle, who have the ability but haven’t exercised it yet. They’ve gotten by with being good enough to succeed by just going out and playing. The key is if you can turn the light bulb on with them.”

Many coaches believe that teaching the finer points of baseball is an important part of their job. But unlike the basic skills of hitting, throwing, fielding, and running, many of these finer points have less to do with athletic ability than with the ability to recognize the right action to take. Below, some top coaches explain how they teach their players the “little things” by identifying them constantly, teaching them in game-like situations, and stressing their importance.

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

dle infielder is next to me, I might say, ‘Did you see where their tandem relay guy wasn’t in the right place and the ball skipped on him and we were able to move up another base?’”

While live action may carry the strongest impact, there are other examples you can use to show players the little things they should do. Several coaches say that the 2003 Major League postseason provided plenty of opportunities for discussion with younger players.

“This was a great World Series to sell the little things to the kids,” says Eric Kibler, Head Coach at Horizon High School in Scottsdale, Ariz. “Once we get the kids back in the spring we’ll say, ‘Hey, remember this situation in the playoffs when they didn’t get this done?

BEFORE running it out to first on a pop up or groundball to the pitcher.

“We had a situation last year where there was a pop up between the third base line and the mound, and the ball went off our player’s glove,” he continues. “The opposing team’s hitter was still standing in the box. Had he run, he would have been safe and they would have been in a much better position to score, but instead we got the first out of the inning. That showed our players more than I could ever tell them.”

Eric Leary, Head Coach at Southwest Onslow High School in Jacksonville, N.C., tries to get his players to watch the game the way he does. “You really want them to be a spectator of the game,” he says. “We want them in there watching the game, talking about the game, and seeing everything that’s going on in the game all the time. We don’t want them in the dugout talking about what Sally said during lunch or what they plan on doing this weekend.

We want them focused on the game all the time, watching it, and recognizing what’s happening.

“So I’ll call attention to things that I see, especially to a guy who plays that same position,” he continues. “If a mid-

They went home and the other team went on.’”

Kibler finds that he’s had to fight a “web gem” mentality where players constantly see the flashy play on television and begin to think about making the big play while ignoring the importance of the routine ones. “We emphasize that the web gems happen, and we’re glad when they do,” he says. “But we don’t consider that something you work on. They’re just nice things that happen to you.”

While much of the media attention is focused on the spectacular highlight, there are plenty of positive big-league role models for younger players to follow. “We use them both,” Kibler says.

“Out here, we can watch Craig Counsell play and he’s a great example of the way you play the game. He hustles all the time. David Eckstein in Anaheim is another guy who plays hard and does all the little things. So we bring up those guys who are out there working hard on a daily basis.”

There’s also an often overlooked ally you can use when teaching players the Dennis Read is an Associate Editor at Coaching Management.

AP/WIDE WORLD PHOTOS

Teaching By Example One of the most effective ways of instilling in players the finer points of baseball, coaches say, is by pointing them out whenever the opportunity arises. It’s much easier for a player to learn from what he sees than from what he has to imagine.

At Marlboro (N.Y.) High School, Head Coach Dave Onusko constantly points out both good plays and bad to his players when they happen during a game, rather than waiting until the next day to go over them. “I’ll point it out right then and there on the bench, but always in a way that the other team or the fans won’t hear it,” he says. “Anything visual you can use with kids at this age is so much easier for them to understand than when you just talk about a theory.”

Valesente does much the same at Ithaca College. “I’m a firm believer in

using games as a teaching tool,” Valesente says. “Some coaches just stand there and let the kids go and play.

When I was a player, I learned from my coach [and predecessor], Bucky Freeman, that if you write down the mistakes and talk about them the next day, it’s too late. So there’s a lot of talking and teaching going on during our games.”

It’s not hard to find teachable moments. Onusko uses what appear to be mundane plays to point out where a little change could make a big difference. “We’ll occasionally see where an opponent doesn’t take the extra base or get a proper lead from second,” he says. “Sometimes we’ll see where they’re not rounding the base at all. It can even be something as small as not

COVER STORY

Having a feel for baseball’s little things is what separates good players from great ones— and championship teams from also-rans.

The best coaches know not only how to teach these details, but how to keep their players thinking about them.

BY DENNIS READ

the Score

COACHIING MANAGEMENT

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COVER STORY

little things: their teammates. An older player who has a good feel for the game can sometimes reach a younger player in a way his coaches can’t.

“Probably the best way to teach these things is to have an experienced player who has been in the heat of the battle take the young sophomore playing varsity for the first time aside and say, ‘This is a different level, and this is what you’re expected to do,’” Kibler says.

“I’ve found that the more the players teach each other, the more successful we’re going to be, because they respond more often to a player they admire on the team,” Onusko agrees.

“Sometimes it’s just nice to hear from someone other than their parents or a coach. When they hear it from an older player, it’s probably going to be more effective.”

Valesente says the same holds true at the college level. “Leadership from the upperclassmen is really an important part of this,” he says. “If they support and teach these young kids, then

the younger players will feel like they’re a part of the program and they’ll want to learn and get better. It may be something as simple as a senior going up to them and saying, ‘Just listen to what Coach is saying. I went through the same thing, and it helped me a lot. Just listen to him and pay attention.’”

Practice, Practice, Practice To be effective, the little things must become ingrained in a player’s mind so he can do what he needs to without thinking about it. In most cases, if players have to stop to think about what they should do, the chance to do it is gone. (See “Avoid Overthinking” at right.)

“You don’t win the big games on Friday or Saturday. You win based on what happens in practice on Monday or Tuesday,” says Gordie Gillespie, Head Coach at Ripon College. “You have to be very demanding. Human nature being what it is, players don’t always want to work hard, and it’s your job to

push them every day. My approach is to be a drill sergeant during the week, but always with a positive approach, and then I’m their friend after practice and during the games.”

Coaches can also set a tone by emphasizing certain parts of practice.

Everyone likes taking batting practice, but working on relays or rundowns usually doesn’t create the same excitement. “We’re probably more intense in practicing the little things,” Kibler says, “because we know as coaches that ignoring the little things can keep you from achieving your goals.”

It’s also important to make sure the skills that are most important to you are practiced on a regular basis and not just covered during preseason practice. For example, Onusko puts a premium on base running and works on it for at least 15 minutes per practice in addition to longer sessions twice a week.

“We’ll talk about getting out of the batter’s box and running through first base so they stutter step and hit the

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COVER STORY

base properly,” he says. “Then we work on breaking down properly as they go past first, so they can react immediately if the coach sees an overthrow. Or when a ball is hit to right field, taking the proper turn, facing the right fielder with your back toward home plate and staying aggressive, so the outfield is constantly on the defensive. If the ball is to left center or left field, we work on keeping pointed toward third and taking a longer lead because the throw is obviously longer. We go over going from first to third and cutting the corner properly. We talk about three different leads from second base depending on the number of outs.”

While this might sound very structured, Onusko will change the things he works on based on what he sees on the field. “If we find we’re getting into a rut and making more mistakes in a certain area,” he says, “we’ll spend more time on that.”

Making It Count Making the little things an ingrained part of a player’s repertoire requires more than just going through the motions in practice. Knowing the right thing to do and doing it during practice are much different from doing it during a game. This makes it very important for coaches to simulate game conditions during practices.

“It’s not easy to create that game-like feeling in practice,” Valesente says. “But what we do is carry over some of our game rules, such as you don’t walk when you’re on the field, you always run.

“If you’re taking fungoes as an infielder during batting practice and turning double plays, you’re doing so at game speed,” he says. “Playing 10 balls at game speed is far better than 25 at half speed. The outfielders are placed in their positions, and the pitchers are stationed deep in the gaps or down the line to shag balls the outfielders can’t get. The outfielders are expected to sprint and try to catch every ball in the air. If they don’t do that, then they hear it from me. We’ll also have another group working on base running and they have to execute based on what the ball does, and they have to do it at full speed.

“I always demand excellence from that standpoint, and I’m always pushing

them all the time. It has to be demanded by the coaching staff.”

Other coaches take an environmental approach to making the practices feel more like a game. “We’ll turn the scoreboard on and say, ‘It’s the seventh inning and the winning run is at first base. Let’s bunt him over,’” Leary says.

“We’ll also do a defensive victory drill with a runner on second base and two outs. We’re only going to face one batter in this drill situation, and when it’s over we act like we would when a game is over. We shake the pitcher’s hand and give each other high fives. It’s a celebration at the end of practice because we did the little things right and won the game again. If you’re not successful in a drill, and the same situation comes up in a game situation, you probably won’t be successful then, either.”

Kibler sets up specific scenarios, such as being down a run in the sixth inning with a runner on first, to help players deal with game situations. “The more times you can work on something in practice, the less likely they are to panic in a game,” he says. “We run into some

pretty intense game situations where we need to get something done, and we tell the players, ‘This is why we’ve practiced this. Let’s get it done.’ They even say, ‘Well, we’ve been here before.’”

It can also help to have a little bit at stake during practice sessions. Some coaches have the losing side of a drill run an extra set of sprints while others, like Leary, take a more light-hearted approach. “It’s certainly not the same as winning or losing a game,” he says, “but I might have the losing team sing ‘Take Me Out to the Ballgame’ to the winning team or something like that.”

Part of the process is setting up the right situations to stress the little things.

At Ripon, Gillespie emphasizes situational hitting during batting practice, whether in live BP sessions held on the field or soft-toss indoor sessions.

“We have a regular routine they go through that includes two-strike hitting, bunting, and hitting out of a sacrifice stance,” he says. “When we say ‘twostrike hitting,’ the batters choke up and think about hitting up the middle. This keeps their head in longer and helps

AVOID OVERTHINKING

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any of the little things coaches teach players are more mental than physical. Hitting the cutoff man or properly rounding second base has more to do with the brain than with arms and legs. But there’s a danger of overanalyzing to the point where the mental process detracts from the physical performance.

“If players are thinking too much, then they’re not moving, and their bodies are not working the way they should be,” says Dave Onusko, Head Coach at Marlboro (N.Y.) High School. “I tell them to leave practice at practice and just perform. ‘Do what you have to do on the bases and then we’ll talk about it later if it’s a mistake.’ If they’re running the bases and thinking, ‘Okay. He’s going to his right. He’s going to pick it up. Can he get me with a good throw?’ then they’re done. They have to see it, react, and move.”

Players who are afraid of making the wrong decision will often make no decision at all.

They need to be shown that mistakes are going to happen and are part of learning the game’s complexities.

“For some players it’s a fear of making someone unhappy with them,” says George Valesente, Head Coach at Ithaca College. “I say, ‘It’s okay. You’re going to make mistakes. But you’re going to have to learn to deal with them and learn from them. It’s not going to affect our relationship or upset me unless it is something you continue to ignore. Let it happen, because otherwise you’re only getting about 75 percent out of your ability, and you’re not going to stay in the lineup doing that.’”

Players can also be confused by in-game suggestions, such as to raise their hands or keep their hips square. Eric Kibler, Head Coach at Horizon High School in Scottsdale, Ariz., says that he tries to keep his ingame instructions simple and clear so players don’t have too much to think about.

“Pitching and hitting are so over-coached during games that it gets sickening,” he says. “I’ve seen coaches give a clinic from the third base box, and if I was that hitter I’d be paralyzed at the plate. I think coaches can harm players by over-coaching, especially in games, so we don’t do that. I’ll say things like, ‘See it big. Hit it hard.’ instead of saying, ‘Get your hands back’ after every pitch.”

COACHIING MANAGEMENT

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COVER STORY

them make contact so they don’t strike out. We also work on opposite-field hitting, because a lot of guys aren’t great opposite-field hitters.”

Valesente runs hitters through a regular progression during batting practice where they work on bunting and hitand-run before taking the bulk of their swings. But he’s stopped doing specific work on two-strike hitting.

“We’re always focusing on making a good swing—properly turning on the ball when we should,” he says. “So when I throw batting practice, I throw pitches inside and outside and make sure they hit the ball to the opposite field. If they’re continually hitting lazy fly balls to the outfield I’ll stop and say, ‘When are you going to make an adjustment here? You just hit five fly balls. Are you going to continue to do that or are you going to make a change here to hit a line drive?’

“I like to ask questions and challenge them mentally because in this game you have to think a little bit,” Valesente continues. “So instead of just saying, ‘Here’s what you do in this situation,’ I’m trying to get an answer from them.

My focus is whether they can feel and understand what they’re doing wrong so they can correct it. If they can’t feel it or understand it, then that’s where I have to come in.”

lege coaches hold the ultimate power— playing time. “In the majors, I don’t think any manager is going to sit Barry Bonds down if he hits one off the wall and ends up at first base,” Kibler says.

“We have a little more punch because we can say, ‘That’s unacceptable. You have control over your effort. You might not control whether that ball went off the wall or the guy caught it, but you need to be at second base or getting into second base when it happens.’”

“The coach holds the trump card in playing time,” Valesente says. “The most successful teaching tool in sports is the bench—being denied playing time because they’re not getting it done. I’ve told players, ‘You’re not playing to your capabilities mentally and physically. It’s time for you to take a rest. When you’re ready to play, then you come and tell me, and I’ll give you another try. But if you continue to play the way you have been playing, you’re coming back out.’”

The Personal Touch As in any subject, some players will require a different approach to learning the little things. While some methods will work well for most players, there will always be a few who need to be approached in their own way.

Valesente, for example, says that some high school stars bristle at being criticized in college. “They may never have heard it before, and they take it as showing them up in front of the rest of the ball club,” he says. “So I try to do it in a way that I’m directing my conversation directly at them. But if a player continues to do the same thing to hurt himself and the performance of the team, and I know he’s capable of adjusting, then he deserves to be embarrassed because he has an obligation to everybody else.”

While professional managers may be limited in their ability to dictate whether players are doing the little things correctly, high school and colCircle No. 15 COACHIING MANAGEMENT

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COVER STORY

The coach can also set the tone that even those who don’t get in the game can contribute in little ways of their own. “We really applaud the little things our kids do in a team meeting,” Kibler says. “When we evaluate a game, we say, ‘Remember in the third inning when Travis picked up the signals off the coach, and we knew every pitch after that? Joe knew a fastball was coming. You know what, Travis?

That’s because of you.’

“All of a sudden, you’ve got a bench guy who feels like he won the game,” he continues. “I’ll even talk about it with a reporter who’s covering a game, but they usually don’t print that. So we’ll laugh about it as a team and say, ‘Hey, Travis. You’re not going to be in the paper tomorrow, Joe is.’ But it keeps him thinking, ‘I did something and Coach knows it and he said it in front of the whole team.’ Or maybe a kid pinch ran and scored after making a great base running decision. I think it’s a mistake if we don’t acknowledge that kid.” ■

BY THE RULE BOOK

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here are so many nuances to certain rules and unanticipated situations that even umpires sometimes have difficulty coming up with the right ruling off the top of their heads. But coaches agree that players who know the rules have an advantage.

“As coaches, we have a responsibility to make sure that kids know the rules,” says Eric Leary, Head Coach at Southwest Onslow High School in Jacksonville, N.C. “We don’t want to say at the end of the game, ‘You shouldn’t have done that. It’s your fault.’ It’s really our fault if we haven’t let the kids know what the rules are.”

“If the infield fly rule is called and the players don’t know what they’re doing, it can cost you a game,” says Eric Kibler, Head Coach at Horizon High School in Scottsdale, Ariz. “In base running, sometimes you see people get confused and go back to the same base or crazy stuff like that and they’ll say, ‘I didn’t know I couldn’t do that.’”

Gordie Gillespie, Head Coach at Ripon Col-

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lege, used to give his players a rules quiz.

Gillespie focuses on areas where players are most likely to run into trouble, such as obstruction.

Leary works his lessons into practice. “If we’re working on base running, we’re very aware of the obstruction rules,” he says. “In rundowns, we heavily stress getting out of the way once they give the ball up. When working with our left-handed pitchers on their moves to first, we emphasize the 45degree angle.”

Kibler finds it is important that players learn not just the whats of the rules, but the whys as well. “If you just tell them the whats, they really haven’t learned it,” he says. “So we’ll ask our kids to repeat what we said and explain why we would do that in that situation. I need to know that the kids know what they’re doing and why.

“If one really quirky situation comes up, they might be able to figure out the right thing to do,” he says. “Because if they don’t do the right thing, they’re going to say, ‘Well you never told me what to do.’”

YOUR PROGRAM

Reducing the Risks

BY DR. RICHARD P. BORKOWSKI

Keeping athletes injury-free gets easier when you make safety a routine part of your coaching. It can also protect your program from legal battles.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY CHRIS MURPHY

T

his article concerns the most boring subject there is in sports: safety. It’s boring, that is, until an athlete suffers a serious injury.

The implementation of solid safety rules will not guarantee your athletes freedom from injury, but it will lower the chances of both common and serious catastrophic injuries. Decreasing the chance of injury lowers the chance of facing expensive, time-consuming, programshattering lawsuits.

The following are your legal responsibilities as a coach. They are based on a consensus of those in athletics, an ongoing review of court cases, and my experience as an athletic risk manager. They are also what a good coach does—offer a worthwhile athletic experience that manages the risks of participation.

However, when in doubt about your duties, seek the advice of your school’s

legal counsel. Do it before an accident happens in your program.

The Right Attitude The first step in lowering risks is to make safety important by constantly making it a priority. Correct safety problems immediately. Say, “No, we won’t play,” if a situation is hazardous.

Sell safety in your actions and speech. Work with your athletes on making the dugout, on-deck circle, and batting cage safer. Avoid terms such as “suicide” drill. Remind your athletes of their responsibility for the safety of themselves and others.

Point out that while baseball is a noncontact sport, it remains a high-risk

activity. Baseballs, after all, are projectiles whether batted or thrown. Remind players that bats are potentially dangerous. Teach the habit of checking that no one is nearby before taking warm-up cuts. Never let an incident of bat-slinging go without addressing it.

When you preach safety, athletes are less prone to risky behavior. When parents see you take safety seriously, they will trust your judgement, even after an injury. When you make safety a priority, you will spot hazards more easily.

Warn of Risks Some coaches believe that if you inform student-athletes of potential injuries, they will stop participating. This

Richard P. Borkowski, EdD, CMAA, is a sport safety consultant based in Narberth, Pa., who served as the Director of Physical Education and Athletics at the Episcopal Academy in Merion, Pa., for 33 years. His most recent book is titled Coaching for Safety, A Risk Management Handbook for Coaches, published by ESD112 in Vancouver, Wash.

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has proven to be untrue. In fact, warning and obtaining an informed-consent form from players and parents is an established duty, and informing people about the potential risks of participating in any activity actually reduces injuries.

Informed-consent forms help spell out just what the potential risks are. The form should include pertinent words in large print, such as “Warning,” “Attention,” and “Please Read.” The heading on the form should also be in large print. The form should cover all phases, sites, and timeframes. Your legal counsel should review the informed-consent form. After it has been signed, give a copy to each student-athlete’s parents, and keep the original.

It is important that the recipient and his parents understand the seriousness of the consent form. Have a parentinformation meeting to discuss the risks and benefits of participation. Ask parents and players if they have any questions and if they understand what they are signing. They should know that signing the form is voluntary, and that by doing so, they are agreeing to accept the risks that come with participation.

After the form is signed, warnings and reminders should be issued. They should be frequent and given within the context of normal instruction.

Super Supervision Lack of supervision is the most-cited complaint against coaches. The coaches’ presence is the first line of defense against potential problems. Permitting players to remain on the field for extra unsupervised work is not an option.

Being there, however, is only the first step. Supervision means controlling the situation through your knowledge and planning. A big part of this is foreseeing potential problems. Dr. Frederick Mueller, the well-respected analyst of catastrophic athletic injuries, suggests that serious baseball injuries happen in one of three ways: ■ A player being hit with a ball. Two ways to appreciably decrease the chance of this causing serious injury are properly fitted helmets and using screens during batting practice.

■ Players colliding with one another.

You can limit this problem through clear instruction regarding the responsibilities of defensive players. Teach and 22

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practice calling for fly balls, including communication among teammates who are running while watching the ball.

■ Sliding head-first. One source I’ve seen says that 75 percent of the 1.7 million base running injuries occur during sliding. Teaching how to slide and the use of bases that give will help lower these statistics.

Position yourself to see as much of a practice situation as possible. Learn to continually scan the activity. Avoid dis-

tractions. While you’re supervising a drill is not the time to talk with others.

Appropriate Equipment Equipment lasts for only a certain length of time. Replace it before it is no longer functional.

It would be considered a breach of your duty as a coach if you did not provide batting helmets that fit properly and offer adequate coverage. But go further: Make rules that any offensive player venturing onto the field during play for any purpose—including the on-deck circle and the coach’s box—is to wear a batting helmet.

Other protective equipment is essential, such as protective athletic cups for fielders, and at least a mask for bullpen and warm-up catchers. Use protective screens for batting-practice pitchers, and make sure the batting cage stops balls properly. Make players waiting their turn aware of the dangers of standing too close to the batting cage.

Equipment should be purchased only from established and reputable companies. I would avoid new “state of the art” equipment until it becomes “established.” Training devices should be proven safe before they are used.

Avoid modifying equipment or using it for any activity other than for its

intended purpose. For example, years ago a coach attached a rope to numerous balls to use in a hitting drill. The idea was players would kneel on the ground and twirl the rope like a lariat, with teammates taking their cuts as the ball swung around. The invention was scrapped when several of the kneeling players were hit in the eye by the ball or received neck burns from the rope.

Check Facilities We’ve all seen an outfielder run into something while trying to chase down a fly ball. The goal is to avoid or soften such collisions. The majority of field architects recommend a soil and sand mix for warning tracks as well as making them a certain width, typically 6 feet.

Outfield fences should be shock absorbing. Consider using “breakaway” or “impact” bases.

Also, be sure you have appropriate buffer zones. Unprotected spectators and players on the bench or in the bullpen are risk management concerns.

Assign someone to check the field and other practice facilities on a daily basis.

Look for holes and debris, and check the bleachers. A good field or piece of equipment can change overnight due to vandalism. Consider guardrails.

Practicing in weather that creates a sloppy field is dangerous, as is remaining outside during a lightning storm.

When practice is moved inside, there must be planned and controlled use of space. A ball becomes a more dangerous projectile because of walls, lighting and glass.

Inside or out, avoid loose balls during practice.

Any sport becomes dangerous when played at unsuitable sites. A parking lot is not a place for practice. It is the coach’s duty to inspect the site he or she is going to use. If there is a problem, correct it. If it cannot be corrected immediately, adjust the activity and report the problem. Stay current with facility recommendations made by local, state, and national governing bodies, and stay in communication with the maintenance department.

Know The Rules There is no excuse for not staying current with all rules and regulations.

You must fulfill the requirements of the national and state associations. Read

YOUR PROGRAM

the rulebook every season. Attend state and local meetings. Never ignore any regulation that pertains to safety. Follow your athletic department rules. Talk with your athletic director at least once a year about safety.

Know the basic rules of health safety.

You are not expected to know all that an athletic trainer knows, but do stay current on the major guidelines. For example, it would be considered a breach of your duty as a coach if you prevented your players from taking water breaks during practice, or if you suggested heat for a recent acute injury.

If you recommend nutritional supplements, be sure there are absolutely no risks to taking them. Know proper warmup and cooldown techniques.

Planned Progression A key part of risk management, one recently at issue in the courts, is the coach’s role in instructing his or her athletes in a progressive, safe manner.

You have a responsibility to develop a sequence of progressive practice sessions and offer game preparation and strategies that result in a worthwhile and safe experience for students.

This begins with your strength and conditioning program. Progression is the key to proper conditioning, and rest is a key component of progression.

Overuse injuries, particularly among pitchers, can lead to a risky situation.

While the responsibility lies ultimately with you, explain to pitchers that knowing their own limits is in their self-interest. Always check with your team physician and athletic trainer before implementing a new idea. Trying to do too much too soon is a bad mistake coaches sometimes make.

Progression is just as important in teaching skills. Don’t ask your players to dive for a ball if you haven’t taught them—and had them practice—how to protect themselves. Correct sliding cannot be overemphasized. Coaches who do not teach and practice how to slide turn this baseball skill into an inappropriate activity. Teach your athletes to be particularly attentive to both not catching their own spikes on a base or playing surface and not getting spiked on the hand when sliding.

Another part of proper progression is to keep competitions as equal as possible. Skill, experience, maturity, height,

weight, age, mental state, and the activity itself all play a part in avoiding competitive mismatching. A freshman third-baseman may not have the reflexes to play the hot corner against varsity batters, and the first-year second baseman may be no match for a husky senior trying to break up a double play.

Thorough Instruction Along with progression must be appropriate instruction. You not only

have a duty to instruct your athletes to play well, but to teach the proper techniques to lower the chance of injury.

The repetition of fundamental skills is one of the major and often neglected ways to lower risk. Demonstrate the skill and let players practice it in various ways before using it in a game. Teach before you test. Never place an athlete into a situation he is not prepared for.

Ask yourself if you are running an activity in an acceptable manner. Coach

Circle No. 17

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only that which you really know.

Improve your knowledge at workshops.

After the Injury Regardless of the excellence of a risk management program, injuries will occur. A coach is expected to have basic knowledge of what to and not do.

Most importantly, you must know how to implement your emergency plan. Do you know what to do at an away game when there is a serious injury?

Whom do you call? Do you have a cell phone? Where is the nearest gate opening? Practice your emergency game plan before an emergency happens.

Coaches should have training in basic first aid and CPR. Obtain an AED and make sure someone present knows how to use it. Maintain a first aid kit that includes individual emergency medical forms. Obtain a higher level of medical care as quickly as possible.

Protect the player from further harm, and comfort the athlete. Do not offer medical assistance beyond your ability.

Remember the golden rule of injury

assessment and first aid care: Assume and treat for the worst possible injury.

Report and document the incident as soon as possible. Reports should be factual and to the point—do not editorialize. Avoid post-injury discussions with anyone but your supervisor or medical personnel. An athlete should not return to play without a completed “return-to-play” form.

Along with knowing first aid care, the most important thing you can do after an athlete suffers an injury is show his parents you care. Parents are less apt to take a coach to court if the coach seems genuinely concerned about the welfare of the student-athlete.

Maintain Records As often as possible, put things in writing and keep records. This includes checklists, practice plans, training plans,

medical examination forms, the athletic handbook, informed-consent forms, and return-to-play agreements. A written plan lowers the chance of forgetting an issue, demonstrates your professionalism, and saves time in the future. Check with your administrator as to how long to retain these records. My sources suggest four to seven years.

The records must reflect what you actually did. If your rules state athletes cannot practice without passing a physical but you permit a student to play who hasn’t, you may be found negligent.

On A Daily Basis The best defense against injuries and possible lawsuits is to understand, appreciate, and meet your legal duties as a coach. You may have noticed that they are the same as the basic duties of a good coach. ■

Versions of this article have appeared in other editions of Coaching Management.

For more articles on risk management by Dr. Borkowski, please visit our Web site at www.AthleticSearch.com and type “Borkowski” into the search window.

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE

BY VERN GAMBETTA

POWER NCAA PHOTOS/JAMIE SCHWABEROW

Every coach wants players with the strength to execute, but haphazard workouts can leave your athletes working hard while accomplishing little. Here are some tips on how to develop an effective strength-training program.

to Play

F

ew baseball coaches today question the need for strength training. Many, however, wonder about setting up a strength-training program.

While big-time college programs like Arizona and Florida have staffs of strength coaches dedicated to making bigger and quicker baseball players, most high school and smaller college programs make do with whatever knowledge coaches have picked up.

Just as a strength coach would struggle with designing a defense to stop a squeeze play, many baseball coaches are

uncomfortable designing a strength program. Meanwhile, much of the information available on the topic is littered with a barrage of fads, myths, and misconceptions.

While simply copying a program you used in college 20 years ago may be the quickest solution, it’s not the best. In this article, I’ll provide practical pointers that will lead you step-bystep through the development of an effective strength-training program.

The Principles To get off on the right foot with your program, you need to understand and

Vern Gambetta is the President of Gambetta Sports Training Systems, in Sarasota, Fla., and the former Director of Conditioning for the Chicago White Sox. He can be reached through his Web site, at www.gambetta.com.

COACHING MANAGEMENT

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embrace certain sound principles of strength training. They can be summed up in the following six points: Develop sport-specific strength. The most important principle, this should be the goal of any strength training program. The goal is not to increase the athlete’s ability to lift heavier weights, but to develop strength that the athlete can use in his sport.

Strength training is a spectrum of activities. Under my umbrella of strength training, I include body-weight exercise, core training, plyometric training, free-weight training, machine training, Olympic lifting, and power lifting.

Train movements, not muscles. The central nervous system (CNS) is the movement command station. It calls for programmed patterns of movement that can be modified in countless ways to react appropriately to outside forces.

Each activity is refined and adjusted by feedback from the body.

For this reason, it’s critical that we think of movement not as an isolated event, but as a complex event that involves multiple factors working together. Movement does not occur in an anatomical position, and choosing exercises that isolate specific muscles does not appropriately address multidimensional strength development.

Movement occurs in reaction to gravity, ground reaction forces, and momentum, and must be trained as such.

Train core strength before extremity strength. A strong, stable core consisting of the hip, abdomen, and low back is the cornerstone of a good strengthtraining program. Without a strong, stable core, loading the extremities will be very risky and limited by the lack of core strength. The core transfers force from

GETTING THEM STARTED This is an introductory program for newer baseball athletes. It is suitable for all positions, although pitchers should progress to additional arm and shoulder work.

Emphasize body weight the first two weeks, then increase sets with each workout as the athletes progress.

MONDAY/THURSDAY: Emphasis is on total body and legs Mini-band routine: sidestep, walk forward and back, carioca, monster walk, dynamic protraction/retraction, dynamic scarecrow, back stroke, backhand.

Medicine-ball basic rotations: tight rotation, wide rotation over the top, figure eight, chop to ankle, and woodchop with a twist. Do 10 reps of each exercise on each leg.

Balance shift: shift right, left, forward right, forward left, back right, and back left.

Single-leg squat: perform in three positions (straight, side, and rotation) and hold each position five counts. Do two sets of five on each leg (2x5).

Dumbbell high pull: 3x6 —> progress to 5x6 Body-weight squat: 2x20 —> progress to 5x20 Body-weight lunge: 10 on each leg —> progress to 5x20 Body-weight step-up: 10 on each leg —> progress to 5x20 Jump squat: 3x10 —> progress to 5x10 Medicine-ball rotations and twists: standing full twist, standing half twist, half chop, solo med-ball sit-up (both left and right). Do 10 reps of each exercise on each leg.

TUESDAY/FRIDAY: Emphasis is on upper body Mini-band routine: same as Mon./Thurs.

Medicine-ball rotations: same as Mon./Thurs.

Balance shift: same as Mon./Thurs.

Incline push up: 3x10 —> progress to 5x20 Incline pull-up: 3x8 —> progress to 3x15 Front pull-downs: 3x8 Arm step-up: 2x20 Medicine-ball wall throws: overhead, soccer throw, chest pass, standing side to side (cross in front), standing face to the wall (throw right and left, down the side), and standing back to the wall (alternate throwing right and left). Do 10 reps of each exercise on each leg.

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the lower extremities to the upper extremities and vice versa.

Train body weight before external resistance. This entails being able to overcome gravity in traditional bodyweight exercises like the push-up, pullup, and body-weight squat before adding weights. Such work will help strengthen the tendons and ligaments as well as the muscles in preparation for external loading. It will also ensure good joint stability.

Train strength before strength endurance. Traditionally, strength-training programs have started with circuit training in order to build a foundation of strength endurance. But, in order to build strength endurance, it is first necessary to build strength. Only when a base of strength is established can you add an endurance component.

Asking Questions Using these principles as a guide, the next step requires asking lots of questions of yourself, your assistant coaches, and your athletes. The first group of questions includes the following: What do you hope to achieve with a strength-training program? What are the team’s goals? What are the individual’s goals? How can strength training help realize these goals? The answers are based on three factors: the position, the athlete, and the environment.

The Position. Most people recognize that a football player should not have the same strength-training program as a baseball player. But don’t overlook the fact that an infielder should have a different program than an outfielder. To figure out how to make the strengthtraining program best match the position, consider these next questions: ■ What are the strength requirements of the position?

■ What muscle groups are used?

■ What are the movement requirements?

■ What is the direction of the application of force?

■ What is the range of movement?

■ What kind of resistance does the athlete have to overcome?

■ What are the common injuries?

The Athlete. In looking at the individual athlete, carefully consider growth and development factors as well as previous injuries. Questions include the following:

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■ What is the athlete’s medical history? Along with addressing any past injuries, carefully consider any postural defects. Problems with posture must be addressed before moving any further.

■ What are the athlete’s unique qualities? Does he need to develop in an area that is slowing him down? If he cannot do a certain exercise, substitute a simpler, more remedial exercise.

■ Is the athlete an early or late developer? Biological and chronological age

are often quite different, so it’s important to take into account an athlete’s maturity as well as his age. Cognitive and emotional development should also be considered, as they are quite important to the athlete’s ability to accept coaching and learn exercises and routines.

The Environment. From a coaching and teaching perspective, it is important to consider outside factors that will affect the program. Answering these questions will put you on the right track:

■ Can you teach and supervise the exercises properly to ensure safety as well as proper training? If your staffing does not allow a full-blown program, it’s better to scale the program back to match the resources available than to risk injury.

■ Is lack of time a factor? If so, consider the “weight room without walls” concept, where strength training is integrated within the location and time frame of the actual practice session.

This is accomplished using the natural environment, body-weight exercises, medicine balls, and stretch cords. This may seem like a compromise, but it’s better than nothing.

■ What facilities and equipment are available? Do not let facilities or equipment be a limiting factor in beginning a program. A few quality exercises done consistently can yield terrific results— especially when beginning a program.

Design Rules Now that you understand the important principles and have answered the pertinent questions about your athletes, you can start designing a program. Here are some guidelines: Time of year. The greatest emphasis on strength training should be during the off-season and the preseason. But it is important to also develop a manageable program that can be continued throughout the season.

Progression. Progress from bodyweight exercises to external resistance exercises both within the workout and through the training year. Within each workout, perform balance/stability work and core work first. Start with simple, easy-to-perform exercises, then progress to complex movements. The key to progression is mastery. If you allow the athlete to proceed further before the exercises have been mastered, there is a higher risk of injury.

Frequency. There are basically two alternatives, both of which work quite well. The first option is to train the entire body on alternate days three days a week. The second option uses a split routine; for example, you might train the legs and total body on Monday and Thursday and train the upper body on Tuesday and Friday.

Number of exercises. It is best to limit the number of exercises. I have Circle No. 20

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OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE

found that too many exercises dilute the training effect. Find a few essential “need to do” exercises so athletes can focus on the workout and not on learning new exercises.

Duration. Generally, it is best to keep the entire strength-training session in the range of 60 to 90 minutes.

The closer to one hour, the better the results.

Evaluating results. The traditional evaluation of a strength-training program has been the ability to lift more during weight-training exercises or perform more repetitions on bodyweight exercises. In an absolute sense, that is still valid, but I think we need to go further and carefully observe the carryover to the actual sport movement. While this is much more subjective, it is the ultimate goal of any strength-training program. Closely observe whether the athlete’s ability to start and stop has improved, whether he is hitting with more power, and whether there has been a reduction in injuries.

Selecting Exercises You have a variety of exercises at your disposal, but it is important to consider the qualities of the exercises. Here are some tips: Make them multi-joint. Use as many joints as possible to produce—and reduce—force.

Avoid isolation exercises. Skip exercises that put unusual stress on one joint. They cause confusion because the muscle is asked to do something different in strength training than it must do in movement. Thus, exercises like leg extensions, leg curls, concentration curls, and pec deck flys have no place in a functional strength-training program.

Control speed. Incorporate speed of movement that is safe and that the athlete can control.

Work proprioceptive demand. The proprioceptors assist the system in generating movement in a form appropriate to the demands placed upon the system. Thus, it’s important to challenge the joint and muscle receptors to provide feedback regarding joint and

limb position and then reposition accordingly. This ensures that the strength will transfer to performance.

Minimize machines. Considering the above criteria, machine training should play a minor role in strength-training programs. There is a mistaken notion that it is best to begin a strength-training program by using machines. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Because machines provide so much stabilization, they give a false sense of security and stability that does not transfer to a free, gravitationally enriched environment. Various rowing and pulley machines are acceptable, but even those should be only a small part of the program.

As you can see, the variables are endless. The key to program design is to take a proactive approach by paying attention to all the factors, both big and small. Know the goals, understand the principles, and pay attention to the individual athlete and sport. Then, choose your timing and exercises consciously and carefully. ■

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Circle No. 22 COACHING MANAGEMENT

29

BUILDING CHAMPIONS Announcing the 2004 Hammer Strength Baseball Player of the Year Award This fourth annual awards program honors high school baseball players for not only making a difference on the field, but off it as well.

The Award Winner receives a trip to Yankee Stadium to meet All-Star first baseman and Hammer Strength athlete Jason Giambi. They are then honored at a pre-game ceremony and presented with a trophy by Giambi.

"The event was one of the greatest experiences of Will’s life—the chance to go to New York City, stay in a hotel in Manhattan and meet Jason Giambi. The weight equipment that our school received as part of the award has been great for our baseball program. I would encourage all high school coaches to nominate their deserving players for the Hammer Strength Award.”

Pat O’Neil, head baseball coach for Will Reynolds, Brownsburg, Ind., 2002 winner "Jason Giambi is such an inspirational athlete, and meeting him and having him present the award to me on the field before a game was such a thrill. I had a lot of great experiences as a baseball player last year, including being selected in the Major League Baseball Draft, and winning this award ranks right up there as something I will never forget."

Ian Stewart, Garden Grove, Calif., 2003 winner

1st Place Winner Receives: • A trophy presented personally by Jason Giambi • A profile in the September issue of Coaching Management and the October/November issue of Athletic Management • A free piece of Hammer Strength equipment for the player’s school

Up to 5 Runners-Up Receive: • A certificate of achievement and Hammer Strength T-Shirt • Recogntion in Coaching Management and Athletic Management magazines

Award Criteria • Work Ethic: exhibits a devotion to the game, commitment to conditioning, and strong practice habits.

• Leadership: sets examples for teammates, takes charge on the field, and boosts team morale.

• Consistency: delivers in clutch situations, productive on the field.

• Academic Honors: achieves excellence in the classroom.

WINNERS will be selected by Hammer Strength and MomentumMedia.

To nominate your player for the award: Please complete the form below and attach a 500-word description of the student-athlete’s qualities and achievements, including why you feel your athlete stands out from the crowd in terms of work ethic, leadership, consistency and academic excellence.

The deadline for receiving your nomination is May 1, 2004.

The winners will be announced on June 1, 2004.

2004 Hammer Strength Baseball Player of the Year Award NOMINATION FORM Name of Player: ________________________________________________________________________________________ Player’s Hometown: _____________________________________________________________________________________ Your Name and Phone No.: _______________________________________________________________________________ High School: __________________________________________________________________________________________ Street Address: ________________________________________________________________________________________ City: _______________________________________ State: ________________________ Zip: _______________________ Send nominations to: 2004 Hammer Strength Baseball Player of the Year Award MomentumMedia 2488 N. Triphammer Road Ithaca, NY 14850 Or fax your nomination to (607) 257-7328. If you have any questions, call (607) 257-6970, ext. 11. Thank you.

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OProducts & Features Portable batting cage with L-screen. Affordable by all. Can be used both indoors and outdoors.

OMaterials Knotted nylon netting, made in the USA. Meshes are 1 3/4”, not 1 7/8” as some are. UV treated, black in color, high tenacity, very durable. Lasts for years.

OPrimary Advantages Cage is portable. Assembled by two people in about 30 minutes, with team help in minutes. L-screen included. Netting is over frame, not attached to frame anywhere.

Advantage to this technique is longevity of net. Since net is not attached, it can give upon impact by a hard hit ball. Thus, less abrasion and wear and tear on the net.

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BEACON BALLFIELDS 800-747-5985 WWW.BALLFIELDS.COM OProducts & Features Indoor Tensioned Batting Cage by Beacon Ballfields is designed to be used indoors and goes up in 10 minutes! With its unique threepulley system, the cage can be raised and tensioned as needed.

No permanent frame or overhanging cable structure remains in the facility when the cage is removed.

OMaterials The Indoor Tensioned Batting Cage starts with a Beacon Premium Batting Cage Net. The net has special fiber cables made from lowstretch material that run along the top and center of the net for special reinforcement.

OPrimary Advantages The Beacon Indoor Tensioned Batting Cage, with its three-pulley system, is used to raise and slightly tension the cage and can be put in place or removed in 15 minutes. The transition requires no tools, and when the cage is down, there are no cables left in the facility.

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KWIK GOAL 215-536-2200 WWW.KWIKGOAL.COM OProducts & Features The Oversized L-Screen from Kwik Goal, provides more protection for the pitcher during batting practice than the standard L-Screen, while being light enough to be moved on and off the field with ease.

OMaterials The Oversized L-Screen is 7.5’ x 7.5’, weighs 48 pounds and has a 3C12 net.

It features an angled cutout, 1 3/4” O.D. aluminum frame and swivel feet.

OPrimary Advantages The screen is lightweight (48 pounds) without compromising strength and carries a five-year warranty. Call for a dealer near you.

Circle No. 58 on Reader Inquiry Card M.A.S.A., INC. 800-264-4519 WWW.MASA.COM OProducts & Features Backstop Batting Cages: portable; indoors or outdoors ... Batting Tunnels: indoor and outdoor installation kits available ... Protective Screens: portable; indoors or outdoors ... Custom Netting: custom netting for any application.

OMaterials Cages are constructed of knotless nylon net; Tunnels are available in heavy-duty nylon or polyethylene nets.

Protective screens are constructed of 1 1/2” heavy-duty square galvanized steel frames and knotted nylon sewn into a pillow case style slip. All netting is fully weather-treated and UV protected.

Nets & Cages OPrimary Advantages M.A.S.A. is number one in customer service. M.A.S.A. still believes in old-fashioned values and building lasting relationships with our customers. Our goal in 2004 is to consistently exceed your expectations of enduring service, quality and value while providing the convenience of today’s technology. You can now shop our catalog on-line 24 hours a day, seven days a week on our new Web site.

Circle No. 59 on Reader Inquiry Card MASTER PITCHING MACHINE 800-878-8228 WWW.MASTERPITCH.COM OProducts & Features Master Pitching Machine’s “L” Screens and Protective Screens both feature a heavy-duty, galvanized steel pipe framework and a #60 weight pillowcase-type net.

OPrimary Advantages These are the only screens on the market that include a #60 weight net as a standard item. All screens are easily assembled, lightweight, and portable.

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VANTAGE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL 800-244-4457 WWW.VPISPORTS.COM OProducts & Features All screen nets are pillowcase style for double protection and longer net life. Our batting cage nets are made of twisted poly that is the best available net for outdoor use. Both good for indoor use too.

OMaterials We offer netting in a #21 (2.0 mm) or a #36 (2.5 mm) polyethylene fiber, which is extruded black, 100-percent waterproof, UV treated, and abrasion-resistant. We also offer custom netting in any size of gauge needed.

OPrimary Advantages VPI’s nets are hung on the square “like a tennis net,” which virtually eliminates the sag of the net. VPI now offers the Big Bubba Professional Portable Batting Cage, a premium choice for all playing levels at considerable cost savings. The heavy-duty aluminum construction, easy portability and collapsible-design make it the perfect backstop. Unique dolly assembly with 16” pneumatic wheels at rear makes one-person maneuvering easy. It is 10’W by 22’D by 12’H and collapses to only 5’ high for easy storage.

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TURBOSTATS TM

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1-800-60-STATS TurboStats Software P.O. Box 144 Towaco, NJ 07082

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Basketball, Football, Soccer and Volleyball Avail.

Computerized Batting Orders 300 Righty/Lefty Batting, Pitching & Fielding Stats Practice Planner Pro Package with PC Software $159.95

CHECK OUT OUR WEB SITE: www.turbostats.com

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Circle No. 24 COACHING MANAGEMENT

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Infield Conditioners DESIGNER DIRT 800-447-3214 WWW.DESIGNERDIRT.COM

DIAMOND PRO 800-228-2987 WWW.DIAMONDPRO.COM

OProducts & Applications Infield Mix: Produced for the skinned areas of baseball and softball fields, it is used to construct new infields or raise existing low infields. Infield Conditioner: Specifically developed for use on the skinned areas of baseball and softball fields, it reduces infield compaction, increases the surface drainage, keeping your players out of the mud.

OInformation & Product Support Designer Dirt's experienced staff is available by calling toll-free 1-800-447-3214.

Please visit our Web site, www.designerdirt.com, which was developed to support our customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our solutions extend from the professionalism of our employees to the credibility of our partners. When looking for the right company to put your trust in, consider Designer Dirt for complex solutions made simple™.

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OProducts & Applications Infield Conditioner: A vitrified clay product applied to the skinned area to enrich color, reduce rain delays, reduce compaction, and improve safety. Calcined Clay Professional & Top Dressing: A calcined clay product used as a conditioner on the infield. The Professional grade is a more consistent uniform particle size and the Top Dressing is a larger particle size.

Calcined Clay Drying Agent: A calcined clay product used to absorb excess water quickly. Mound/Homeplate Clay: A richly colored screened clay, easy to use, binds and tamps into the holes providing greater durability. Mound/Homeplate Clay Bricks: An unfired compressed clay, perfect for building or repairing high-stress areas. Athletic Field Marking Dust: Perfect for marking all athletic fields. It is bright white, improves aesthetics, and meets or exceeds professional and NCAA standards.

Infield Mixes: Infield clay used as a base material for the skinned area. Warning Track Mix: Several mixes available for safe, welldraining track material. Soil Additive Products-Athletic Field Conditioner: A vitrified clay product used in the root zone to reduce compaction and improve water, air, and nutrient control.

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Infield Conditioners OFields Using Diamond Pro Products Little League World Series (Williamsport, PA), Rosenblatt Stadium (Omaha, NE), Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves OInformation & Product Support Diamond Pro is a strong supporter of education in the sports turf, groundskeeping field. Along with our knowledgeable staff, we have extremely educated and dedicated distributors across the country for personal assistance. Strong relationships with the true professionals in the industry keep us well informed and up to date on new techniques and ideas. This relationship is also passed on to the customer through our literature and our Web site.

Circle No. 64 on Reader Inquiry Card EAGLE PICHER (PLAY BALL®) 800-228-3865 WWW.EAGLEPICHER.COM OProducts & Applications PLAY BALL® Regular Grade: Stabilized diatomaceous earth mixed 10 percent in play surface controls moisture and compaction. PLAY BALL® Fine Grade: Stabilized diatomaceous earth absorbs 140 percent of its own weight in water for puddle and mud control.

OFields Using Eagle Picher Products Seattle Parks and Recreation Department (Seattle, WA), City of Hillsboro (Hillsboro,

OR), Salem Volcano’s Stadium (Salem, OR), Utah State College (Provo, Utah), Western Washington University (Bellingham, WA) OInformation & Product Support Rake or till 10 percent by soil volume in top two to three inches of play surface. On-site consultation is available in most parts of the country.

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PARTAC/BEAM CLAY® 800-247-BEAM E-MAIL: PARTAC@GOES.COM OProducts & Applications Beam Clay® Baseball Diamond Mix: Pro infield mix that provides a firm, consistent playing surface with great drainage and color, plus regional mixes for every state and climate. Beam Clay® Pitcher’s Mound Mix: Extra-firm mound clay in four colors. Mound and Batter’s Box Bricks: Base for mounds and batter’s boxes. PermaMound™ and Safe “T” Matts: Patented poured red polyurethane pads install 2” below the surface, reduce 95 percent of maintenance, and feel like properly packed clay.

Beam Clay® 3/16” Red Warning Track, 3/16” Red Brick Track, 1/4” Red Lava Track: Firm, yet crunchy with great drainage. Beam Clay® Infield Conditioner/Top Dressing: Uniform red aggregates to firm infield when wet yet prevent “baking in” when hot and dry.

Continued on page 36

Baseball Tarps That Stay Put in WIND & Rain WITHOUT Stakes or Sandbags SM

WIND WEIGHTED™ BASEBALL TARPS NO STAKES or SANDBAGS ARE NEEDED. Wind Weighted™ Baseball Tarps are virtually wind-proof because they’re self-ballasted. Chain weights are built into their outer edge, so wind can’t get under. They stay put.

DURABLE CONSTRUCTION. Wind Weighted™ Baseball Tarps are constructed of high quality 14 oz. vinyl-polyester fabric that is water-proof, UV and mildew treated, and virtually tear-proof. Repairable if spiked. Factory warranty.

QUICK & EASY TO INSTALL. Wind Weighted™ Tarp INSTALLER allows installation in less than 30 seconds with as few as two people. This self-contained lifting and rolling device also enables convenient storage on-site.

CORRECT SIZES. Covers for pitcher’s mound: 18 or 20 ft. diameters. For home base area: 26 or 30 ft. For bases: 10 or 12 ft. For bullpens or benches: Custom sized and shaped to fit. For equipment: 6 or 8 ft. squares.

PATENT PENDING. This solution to baseball’s longstanding need for tarps offering QUICK INSTALLATION and superior WIND RESISTANCE is so unique that we are patenting it. But don’t worry, we are offering these probelm-solving tarps at a surprisingly competitive price. And the INSTALLER is a bargain for the drudgery it saves.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO ORDER, Visit our Web Site, www.windweighted.com OR Call Customer Service at 800-823-7356 "Wind Weighted” is a trademark of AER-FLO, Inc., Bradenton, FL • Dealer or licensing inquiries welcomed.

BASEBALL TARPS THAT STAY PUT IN WIND & RAIN WITHOUT STAKES OR SANDBAGS Circle No. 27 COACHING MANAGEMENT

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Infield Conditioners Pro’s Choice®: Calcined clay infield conditioner in four grades and three colors. Pro-Mound®: Extra-firm moist dark grey mound clay and bricks. Diamond Pro®: Vitrified clay infield conditioner in two colors and grades, plus Mound/Home Plate Clay and Bricks. Red Brick and Lava Dust: Infield conditioners to firm wet fields and relieve compaction. Stabilizer®: Infield conditioner to firm sandy and dusty infields. Hilltopper® Mound/Home Plate Compound and Hilltopper® Infield Conditioner: Polymer enhanced to reduce dustiness and watering. Diamond Dry®: The original and most absorbent infield drying agent is now redder and granular— quickly dries wet infields. We also offer regional infield and warning track mixes for every climate and state.

OFields Using Beam Clay Products Over 20 Major League teams, such as the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, and Toronto Blue Jays, plus over 150 Minor League teams and over 700 college teams.

OInformation & Product Support We sell more than 200 infield products. We find the best value for each customer’s conditions, location, and budget. We offer detailed instructions and are always available by telephone for free consultations.

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PRO’S CHOICE 800-648-1166 E-MAIL: PROSCHOICE@OILDRI.COM OProducts & Applications Soilmaster®: This thermally optimized soil conditioner absorbs excess water, manages moisture, and reduces compaction on your infields. Soilmaster® Select: Our premium soil conditioner with small, uniformly sized granules to make the perfect infield top dressing. Rapid Dry®: This drying agent quickly absorbs water and improves soil consistency to keep your field in top playing condition, even after a rain. Pro Mound®: This unique, durable blue gumbo packing clay forms a solid surface to allow players to establish footing on the mound and in the batter’s box.

OFields Using Pro’s Choice Products St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, Florida Marlins, Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers.

OInformation & Product Support The Pro’s Choice nationwide network of experienced distributors

www.designerdirt.com PRODUCTS

ABOUT US

CONTACT US

HOME

Products - Sports Overview Our solutions extend from the professionalism of our employees to the credibility of our partners

Solutions Infield Conditioner Mound Clay Clay Bricks Calcined Clay Top Dressing Calcined Clay Drying Agent Athletic Field Marking Dust Warning Track Mix Infield Mix Infield Mix Blend Turf Conditioner Designer Dirt Top Dressing and Specialty Sands Sports Equipment Catalog Field Maintenance Equipment Sports Field Diagrams

Solutions

Designer Dirt’s Infield Conditioner is specifically developed for use on the skinned areas of Baseball and Softball Fields. By reducing infield compaction, increasing the surface drainage and keeping your players out of the mud, you are creating a safer all-around playing environment. Our product’s great color has been designed to complement infield clays.

Reduce your rainouts and allow your infield to dry faster by applying Designer Dirt Infield Conditioner.

Call us at

1-800-447-3214 or email

contact@designerdirt.com for more information.

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Infield Conditioners can work with you to select the perfect combination of products to build and maintain your athletic fields. In addition to our staff, we have assembled an advisory board, made up of professional groundskeepers, to keep up with industry trends and share their knowledge at local training clinics. Our clinics provide informal exchange with our staff, distributors, and groundskeepers about product application how-to’s. Application instructions are also provided in our literature.

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SOUTHERN ATHLETIC FIELDS, INC. 800-837-8062 WWW.MULEMIX.COM OProducts & Applications Marmix: A naturally blended material with the right texture to ensure consistent playability with a great red color. Mound Clay: Red in color, used by professionals throughout the country to construct/renovate high stress areas. Conditioners/Drying Agents: Mulemix brand of calcined clay conditioners and drying agents. Warning Track and Infield Topdressing Materials. We also offer a full line of field accessories and used turf equipment.

OFields Using Southern Athletic Fields’ Products Tropicana Field, Brooklyn Cyclones, Louisville Bats, Birmingham Barons, Memphis Redbirds, Chattanooga Lookouts, and Lexington Legends.

OInformation & Product Support We offer both detailed technical information and hands-on direction.

Circle No. 68 on Reader Inquiry Card STABILIZER SOLUTIONS, INC. 800-336-2468 WWW.STABILIZERSOLUTIONS.COM OProducts & Applications Hilltopper Mound & Homeplate Clay: A polymer-coated soil, which is dustless and waterproof, easy-to-use right out of the bag. Just tamp and play.

OFields Using Stabilizer Products Anaheim Angels, Indianapolis, Ind., University of Southern California, University of Miami, St. Louis Cardinals.

OInformation & Product Support We have a toll-free number as well as regional distributors that give hands-on instructions and help.

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3TADIUM #HAIRS "LOW -OLDED OR )NJECTION -OLDED 0(/.% &!8 WWW SEATINGSERVICES COM

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Baseball Field AER-FLO, INC. 800-823-7356 WWW.WINDWEIGHTED.COM

BETTERBASEBALL 800-997-4233 WWW.BETTERBASEBALL.COM

Wind Weighted™ Baseball Tarps are virtually wind-proof. Patent-pending covers for mound, home base, and bullpens feature built-in ballast weights to keep them down in wind. No spikes or sandbags needed. Installer device allows installation in 25 seconds with only two people. Tough, waterproof 14 oz. vinyl-polyester fabric is UV and mildew treated. The tarps come with a factory warranty and are competitively priced.

Wind Weighted™ Baseball Tarps and Installers take drudgery out of the game.

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Betterbaseball is a total baseball supply house, specializing in custom cutting of any size net or batting cage you might want.

The company provides quick, friendly customer service. Betterbaseball supplies everything from bases, plates, mounds, gear, hardware, and it can all be found at betterbaseball.com or by calling the company.

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BANNERMAN LTD. 800-665-2596 WWW.SPORTSTURFMAGIC.COM Restore your diamond’s luster in 20 minutes or less. Bannerman Ltd. manufactures groomers that will level and care for baseball diamonds, warning tracks, and walking trails. The B-DM-6 Diamond Master® has five grooming tools, including: Ripper Blade, Rake, Leveler, Roller, and Finishing Brush.

Options available: Extension Wing Brush Kit, Hydraulic Tractor Top Link, 50-gallon Water Tank with spray nozzle, and Long Tine “Fluffing” Rake.

Circle No. 72 on Reader Inquiry Card When your players’ safety comes first, look to Bannerman Ltd., which manufactures groomers used to shape, level, and care for baseball diamonds.

The B-BP-6 Ballpark-6® model has five grooming tools, including: Ripper Blade, Rake, Leveler, Roller, and Brush. Accessories available: Extension Wing Brush Kit, Hydraulic Tractor Top Link, 50-gallon Water Tank with spray nozzle, and Long Tine “Fluffing” Rake.

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WEATHERBEATER® BY COLORADO LINING INTERNATIONAL 888-546-4641 WWW.WEATHER-BEATER.COM The big tournament is this weekend.

You’ve been planning for months.

Hundreds are expected. And rain is forecasted for the next few days. What you need is WeatherBeater’s Workhorse Baseball Field Cover.

Fabricated from 12 mil White Tarpaulin with userfriendly perimeter rope hem and gusseted lift loops, it’s the best field cover on the market. “WeatherBeater…anything less is just a tarp!” For more information, please contact your WeatherBeater Specialist.

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EARTH & TURF PRODUCTS 888-693-2638 WWW.EARTHANDTURF.COM The Earth & Turf MultiSpread™200 spreads a variety of materials—topdressing for athletic fields, infield mix for baseball infields, chips on pathways and saltsand or grit on sidewalks and driveways. Capacity is 15 cubic feet; spread width up to 60”.

Available in ground drive or hydraulic drive (shown). Optional loading chute facilitates loading with buckets up to 66 inches wide. Available wing kit for the rear shield

permits easy control of spread pattern width and direction. Another Earth & Turf “Simple, well-built design.”

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MARKERS, INC. 800-969-5920 WWW.MARKERSINC.COM Markers, Inc. has introduced SmartCap™ and SmartScreen™. Unlike many fence capping products, SmartCap won’t crack or break and stays soft for years. Its bright yellow color also serves to heighten player awareness. It is available in easy to install 25-foot rolls.

The companion SmartScreen is offered in rolls of three or six-foot high by 25-foot lengths.

Unlike woven poly windscreen materials, this P-E-M extruded and molded PVC product won’t unravel and is designed to perform for years. Its dark green color is UV stabilized so fading isn’t a problem.

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MILLCREEK MANUFACTURING 800-311-1323 WWW.MILLCREEKMFG.COM Wet material is notoriously the most difficult to spread because of its tendency to clump and clog spreading equipment.

Millcreek Manufacturing Co. has introduced the Turf Tiger™, a large capacity topdresser that applies sand/peat topdressing, compost, infield mix, soil conditioners, and other bulk materials even when wet. The Turf Tiger has a 7,500pound capacity, and features a patentpending SaberTooth™ spreading mechanism that applies wet material in a uniform 8’ to 12’ wide pattern, depending on material conditions.

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PROMOUNDS, INC. 877-227-4824 WWW.PROMOUNDS.COM Find everything you need for your baseball field or your training facility at ProMounds, Inc., makers of portable pitching mounds and platforms, spike proof turf products and quality field equipment. The company sells new and used artificial turf.

ProMounds also has batting cages and

Baseball Field protective screens, pitching machines, field covers/screens and any field maintenance equipment. Visit its Web site or call to find the baseball field product to meet your need.

Circle No. 79 on Reader Inquiry Card

install, and maintain. The chairs have been designed for installation on concrete or steel/aluminum grandstands. Seat widths can range from 18” to 22”. A wide variety of colors and options make these an excellent way to make the fans comfortable, and provide VIP seating that can be used for fund-raising.

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course bunkers, baseball diamonds, or flowerbeds. Additional blades can be added to edge sidewalks, curbs, driveways, and to cut in drainage or install all sorts of edging. Depth control can be easily adjusted up to four inches. The Edge-R-Rite is built with a solid-steel frame and a traction-assist drive.

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SEATING SERVICES 800-552-9470 WWW.SEATINGSERVICES.COM

TURFCO MANUFACTURING 800-679-8201 WWW.TURFCO.COM

The University of Wisconsin-Stout needed reasonably priced, low-maintenance stadium chairs. Seating Services provided the solution with its Series 3000 Cardinal Model.

These blow-molded chairs are gravity tip. They have no springs and/or pins. This saves money in three ways: less expensive to manufacture,

Unlike traditional rotary edgers, the Turfco Edge-R-Rite’s unique oscillating blade cuts turf without throwing debris, making it safer to use in high-traffic areas and easier to clean-up after. The edger eliminates spade or shovel edging and leaves a professional-looking edge. The right angle blade edges golf

Turfco’s Mete-R-Matic XL tow-type top dresser features a mid-range hopper capacity for larger turf areas on sports fields. The Mete-RMatic XL features the proven Mete-RMatic patented design, the patented chevron belt, a ground drive system and Turfco’s industry-leading 3-year warranty. The Mete-R-Matic XL’s mid-range hopper capacity is 2.25 cubic yards, or 60.75 cubic feet, and it can carry a maximum load weight of 6,000 pounds.

Circle No. 82 on Reader Inquiry Card

MarkSmart with TM

SAFER A

Outfield Fence Cap & Windscreen Materials • High Visibility Yellow Capping • Dark Green or Blue Windscreen • Easy Installation • No Cracking, Breaking • Stays Soft for Years

B

QUICKER A SmartCap

TM

B SmartScreen

TM

Only $115.00 / 100 ft.

NEW PRICE

Only $150.00 6 x 25' Roll Only $75.00 3 x 25' Roll (includes Tie Straps)

Ask us about more Windscreen Products!

Plastic Coated Woven Fabric 50-60-70% Block

Pro-Block Woven Poly 70-85% Block

Call For Catalog: 1-800-969-5920 33597 Pin Oak Parkway Fax 440-933-7839 Avon Lake, OH 44012 www.markersinc.com Circle No. 32

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ATEC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Axiom/Omni . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Bannerman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Beacon Ballfields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 BetterBaseball. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Cages Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Challenger Industries (Transport Bleachers) . 47 Designer Dirt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Diamond Pro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Dynamic Team Sports . . . . . . . . . IFC Earth & Turf. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 eFundraising.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Gagliardi Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Gatorade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Granada Pitching . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Hoosier Bat Company . . . . . . . . . . 44 Jaypro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Kwik Goal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 M.A.S.A. Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

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Markers, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Markwort Sporting Goods. . . . . . . 43 Master Pitching Machine . . . . . . . . 44 Metalwood Bat (W. Virginia Bats) . . . . 10 Millcreek Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . 8 Partac/Beam Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Play Ball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Power Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Pro’s Choice Field Products . . . . . . 20 ProMounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Rotor Twin (Funtastic Sports) . . . . . . . 34 SafeTGard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 SDSM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Seating Services, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . 37 Smart-Hurdle (Train To Play) . . . . . . . . 29 Southern Athletic Fields . . . . . . . . 10 Sports Attack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Sports Tutor (HomePlate) . . . . . . . . . 24 Sporturf. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Circle No. 34

Cobra II Combo Pitching Machine Manufactured by Axiom Sports

• Speed Range: 40-95+ MPH • Throw fastballs, curveballs and sliders with pinpoint accuracy

• Throws baseballs and softballs (dimpled & leather)

• Easily adjustable to throw fly balls, ground balls and all types of pitches

• Includes two sets of legs (for baseball & softball)

• Portable (includes transport wheels) The Best Combination Baseball & Softball Machine Available on the Market

800.529.6664 Ext. 125 800.766.9144 fax www.omnisportstech.com ostsales@fitecgroup.com

Your #1 source for everything you will ever need for your baseball and softball program.

Batting Cage Nets, Frames, Pitching Machines, Balls, Field Equipment, Custom Nets, and More!

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Stabilizer Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Swift Stik (PIK Products) . . . . . . . . . . . 36 TurboStats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Turface Athletics (Profile Products) . . . BC Turfco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Vantage Products Int’l. . . . . . . . . . 6 WeatherBeater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Wind Weighted Tarps (Aer-Flo) . . . . 35 Xvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC Zingbat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

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COMPANY

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Aer-Flo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

ATEC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Bannerman (Ballpark-6) . . . . . . . . . .

Bannerman (Diamond Master). . . . . .

Beacon Ballfields . . . . . . . . . . . . .

BetterBaseball. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cages Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Designer Dirt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Diamond Pro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Dynamic Team Sports (Elite Series) .

Eagle-Picher (Play Ball) . . . . . . . . . .

Earth & Turf. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . eFundraising.com . . . . . . . . . . . .

Funtastic Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Granada Pitching . . . . . . . . . . . .

Hoosier Bat Company . . . . . . . . .

Kwik Goal (batting cages) . . . . . . . .

Kwik Goal (Speed Training Pack) . . . .

M.A.S.A. (batting cages) . . . . . . . . .

M.A.S.A. Products (Cleat Cleaner) . .

Major League Muscle . . . . . . . . .

Markers, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Markwort (C-Flap guard) . . . . . . . . .

Markwort (Glove Locker) . . . . . . . . .

Master Pitching Machine . . . . . . .

Metalwood Bat (W. Virginia Bats) . . .

Millcreek Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Mueller Sports Medicine . . . . . . .

Partac/Beam Clay . . . . . . . . . . . .

Power Systems (Balance Disc) . . . . .

Power Systems (catalog) . . . . . . . .

Power Systems (Pro Wrist Roller) . . .

Pro’s Choice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

ProMounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SafeTGard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Seating Services . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Southern Athletic Fields . . . . . . .

Sports Attack (Hack Attack) . . . . . . .

Sports Imports (Track Attack) . . . . . .

Sports Tutor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Stabilizer Solutions . . . . . . . . . . .

Swift Stik (PIK Products) . . . . . . . . . .

Train To Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

TurboStats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Turfco (Edge-R-Rite) . . . . . . . . . . . .

Turfco (Mete-R-Matic XL) . . . . . . . . .

Vantage Products Int’l. . . . . . . . .

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Wind-proof tarps banish stakes and sandbags New Wind Weighted™ Baseball Tarps have steel chain built into their outer edge. Wind cannot get under. Stakes or sandbags are not needed. With optional INSTALLER, two people can easily install our mound or home base cover in 25 seconds. Tarps and Installers are patent pending.

Though Wind Weighted Tarps and Installers were just recently introduced at the Jan. 2-4, 2004, ABCA Convention, All levels of baseball have quickly embraced these innovative time and labor savers.

It’s as good as live pitching “My coaches used to resist using pitching machines and relied on using live throwing arms. However, the Hack Attack, is a great training tool for our hitters and catchers. The Hack Attack is as good as live pitching with its vision and timing. It throws accurate breaking pitches, it’s indestructible and it’s easy to operate and move. We use the Hack Attack in our practices and camps year round.”

Paul Mainieri, Head Baseball Coach University of Notre Dame

Superior products for a wellmaintained field Diamond Pro® professional groundskeeping products are used by thousands of professional sports teams, schools, municipalities, and youth leagues across the country.

Professionalism, superior products, and outstanding customer service are just a few of the many reasons Diamond Pro has reached this level.

“Diamond Pro gives me first class quality and look.”

Jeff Kershaw Louisiana State University “Diamond Pro has helped in building one of the best infields in baseball.”

Trever Vance Kansas City Royals

Some of the many teams already using Wind Weighted Tarps / Installers are:

Billy Ryan H.S., Denton, TX Bloomingdale H.S., Valrico, FL Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, CA Canyon H.S., Anaheim, CA Coastal Carolina Univ., Conway, SC Grayson County College, Denison, TX LA Dodgers-Dodgertown, Vero Beach, FL Mandeville H.S., Mandeville, LA NY Yankees, Legends Field, Tampa, FL Mansfield University, Mansfield, OH Manatee Comm. College, Bradenton, FL Normal West H.S., Normal, IL North H.S.-Bakersfield, CA Polk Comm. College, Winter Haven, FL Prosper H.S., Prosper, TX Rose Hulman Institute, Terre Haute, IN So. FL Comm. College, Avon Park, FL U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM Univ. of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN Wharton H.S., Tampa, FL

“This is the first machine that performs like it was designed by a coach. My hitters see the ball early; the timing element is almost human. They sure don’t mind setting this machine up every day.”

Gary Powers, Head Baseball Coach University of Nevada, Reno “I have been in baseball almost 50 years both as a major league player and college baseball coach. I have seen a lot of changes. The Hack Attack leaves all other pitching machines behind. With its ball visibility, accuracy, fungo ability, and portability, it will not sit in the shed.”

John Oldham, Former Cincinnati Reds; Head Coach University of Santa Clara

“We play 31 games over nine days, rain or shine. Diamond Pro fulfills that commitment.”

Jim Scott Little League Baseball, Inc.

Diamond Pro professional groundskeeping products deliver long-lasting performance and quality while enhancing the look and feel of a well-maintained athletic field.

Wind Weighted™ AER-FLO, Inc. 1904 44th Ave. East Bradenton, FL 34203 800-823-7356

Sports Attack P.O. BOX 1529, VERDI, NV 89439 800-717-4251 info@sportsattack.com

WWW.WINDWEIGHTED.COM

WWW.SPORTSATTACK.COM

Diamond Pro 1341 West Mockingbird Lane Dallas, Texas 75247 800-228-2987 diamondpro@txi.com WWW.DIAMONDPRO.COM

Team Equipment HOOSIER BAT COMPANY 800-228-3787 WWW.HOOSIERBAT.COM Hoosier Bat Company makes an all ash bat, used by many major and minor league players, and a patented three-piece wood bat, the WOODFORCE 2000 that’s

now NCAA Approved. With ash in the handle, hickory in the sweet spot, and maple on the barrel end, this bat provides a solid sweet spot that will not flake, while retaining the same look and feel as a traditional all ash bat. All of our bats are made from quality wood and crafted to exacting standards.

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MARKWORT SPORTING GOODS 800-669-6626 WWW.MARKWORT.COM Glove Locker™, from Markwort Sporting Goods, is the complete ball glove break-in

GIS

and maintenance kit, as it hugs your glove uniformly with the ball secure in an inner pocket. The result is Pocket Perfection™. The Glove Locker is made of stretchable and washable neoprene that is super light yet durable. The Glove Locker kit also comes with a supply of Glove Lube™, which is applied to the glove before wrapping the Glove Locker around it.

Circle No. 86 on Reader Inquiry Card

M.A.S.A., INC. 800-264-4519 WWW.MASA.COM Cleat Cleaner from M.A.S.A., Inc.—Finally, a solution to cleaning all athletic shoes with cleats. Cleat Cleaners quickly remove mud and dirt, improve footing and mobility, reduce injuries and promote cleaner dressing rooms. Whether you are pitching,

fielding or running the base paths, clean, lightweight cleats give you the firm secure footing you need for quick starts and stops, particularly when playing on a muddy field.

Circle No. 87 on Reader Inquiry Card

TURBOSTATS SOFTWARE 800-60-STATS WWW.TURBOSTATS.COM TurboStats Software has released Version 11.0 for Baseball/Softball, which combines the same proven stat tracking technology used by over 10,000 teams, with innovative new features like spray charting, stats by count, and pitching history reports. Coaches' jobs are made easier by combining a practice planner, scorebook page designer, league scheduling, computerized batting orders, and a drag-n-drop lineup card designed with live

Gagliardi Insurance Services, Inc. Your Sports and Entertainment Specialist

When all you can afford is a winning team 1-800-538-7061 www.insuranceforsports.com Circle No. 36

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

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Team Equipment game scorekeeping on a Palm OS. With Version 11.0, coaches can now view stats by pitch count, pitch type, and location and can even print color coded spray chart-diagrams. The statistical information can be manually entered or imported directly into the Palm OS. TurboStats also released Version 6.0 of ScoreKeeper that now includes pitch charting along with live game scorebook-style data entry and spray charting. TurboStats ScoreKeeper has been helping teams win championships for several years since it has been introduced and is endorsed by Ken Griffey Sr. In addition, TurboStats has also released a new scouting tool called TurboScout, which creates batter vs. pitcher and pitcher vs. batter reports for all pitch types, locations, and outcomes.

TurboScout retails for $69.95 Circle No. 88 on Reader Inquiry Card

SWIFT STIK 877-845-STIK WWW.SWIFTSTIK.NET

WEST VIRGINIA BATS 304-586-3730 WWW.WESTVIRGINIABATS.COM

Swift Stik is the fastest way to improve your swing. This simple-to-use lightweight training bat is great for baseball and soft-

The Original Metalwood Bat, from West Virginia Bats, combines four attributes in one bat – playability, durability,

ball and gives you hundreds of extra swings per day. You get results fast. It improves hand-eye coordination, builds muscle memory, isolates the sweet spot, and increases bat speed. Endorsed by professional hitting guru Mike Epstein, “This is, without a doubt, the best training tool I have ever used.” It is available in 34” and 30” sizes with a patented, adjustable foam “sweet spot”. It is packaged with an instructional video and four small polyballs. Use it with tennis, wiffle, or soft foam balls. Special coaches’ pricing is available.

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affordability, and safety – that until now were mutually exclusive. “The Original Metalwood Bat brings together the best qualities of both wood and aluminum bats. The metal handle is strong and comfortable, allowing you to cast the barrel. The wood barrel makes it mandatory that you take a major league swing.”—Merv Rettenmund, Toronto Blue Jays Hitting Instructor.

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YOUR “ONE-STOP SOURCE” FOR AMERICA’S BASEBALL & SPORTS TURF SURFACES & SUPPLIES!

THE PROFESSIONAL'S CHOICE . . . SINCE 1922

USED BY OVER 100 PRO TEAMS! PLUS 8 OF THE LAST 10 WORLD SERIES CHAMPS, OVER 700 COLLEGES, AND THOUSANDS OF TOWNS & SCHOOLS WORLDWIDE!

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908-637-4191 / FAX 908-637-8421 REGIONAL INFIELD MIXES & WARNING TRACKS BLENDED FOR EVERY STATE & CLIMATE FROM OVER 20 BULK PLANTS NATIONWIDE! “The best infield mix I’ve ever used!”

— GEORGE TOMA Circle No. 38

Circle No. 39 COACHING MANAGEMENT

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Team Equipment POWER SYSTEMS, INC. 800-321-6975 WWW.POWER-SYSTEMS.COM The Balance Disc, from Power Systems, Inc., is a functional air filled cushion that can be incorporated into workouts for enhanced balance and core training. Build core strength by using one or two cushions for push-ups, lunges, squats or incorporate into throwing or hitting drills.

Enhance balance techniques by doing sitting, standing and lying exercises. Made of pliable, durable PVC with a pebbled top and a smooth bottom.

Circle No. 91 on Reader Inquiry Card Strong wrists and forearms are essential to any baseball player’s success at the plate. Power Systems’ Pro Wrist Roller will enable players of all levels to build a powerful grip, wrist and forearm strength.

Gone are the days of the broom stick and string, this strong tubular steel wrist roller

with padded handles and plate attachment will allow your workouts to take off. By gradually adding weight to your wrist/forearm workout, you train just as you do any other body part or exercise.

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and numbers are dyed directly into the fabric. This eliminates the weight of embroidery and won’t fade, peel or crack the way sticky silkscreens can. Dynamic guarantees to never discontinue your uniform so fill-ins are always available. For more information, contact your team uniform supplier.

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DYNAMIC TEAM SPORTS 800-437-6223 WWW.DYNAMICTEAMSPORTS.COM Dynamic Team Sports has introduced its Elite line of custom uniforms for baseball.

The Elite Series offers an unlimited number of color combinations from which to choose. Team names, logos

Dynamic Team Sports offers a revolutionary line of custom uniforms called the Elite Series. The Elite Series has one very unique feature; all the artwork, logos, and numbers are sublimated into the garment’s lightweight and breathable fabric. This eliminates the heavy, sticky silk-screens that will peel, crack and fade. With an endless array of color combinations, Elite uniforms are personalized for your team. This means a world of possibilities for teams with unusual color combinations.

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HOME RUN, LLC d/b/a

HOOSIER BAT COMPANY Fast becoming THE name for bats.

We have what the players want!

WOOD FUNGO Guaranteed Never to Flake!! With No Taping Required!

GAME BATS Major League Stock • Minor League Stock

WOODFORCE 2000 Hickory Hitting Area – No Taping Required Game Use Approval for: Short Season A and Rookie League NCAA BESR CERTIFIED

28 B.P. 3-Piece Bat for One Hand, Soft Toss and T drills

ORDER YOURS TODAY 1-800-BAT-ERUP (1-800-228-3787) FAX (219)465-0877 • e-mail: baseball@netnitco.net

www.hoosierbat.com Circle No. 40

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

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Practice Aids FUNTASTIC SPORTS 877-375-0315 WWW.FUNTASTICSPORTS.COM The Rotor Twin, from Funtastic Sports, is a swing trainer/hitting station that players enjoy using because it provides a realistic hitting sensation and feedback on every swing. With proper swing plane and solid contact, it spins like a top. Poor swing or contact produces an erratic spin.

Use it indoors or outdoors and take it anywhere. The height is adjustable. It’s durable, safe, and affordable. Find out why many coaches agree that it’s the best swing trainer they have used.

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GRANADA PITCHING WWW.BATTINGPRACTICE.COM GRANADA@BATTINGPRACTICE.COM Granada baseball and softball pitching machines offer a true pitch indoors and outdoors. No nets are needed. The

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Granada system has been proven to increase a batter’s hitting on the field and in laboratory testing.

Good batting practice should include at least 200 cuts a day without fear of the ball. Aggressive hitters will get 1,000 or more cuts a day. Granada has been improving hitting for more than 40 years.

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SPORTS TUTOR 800-448-8867 WWW.SPORTSMACHINES.COM The new HomePlate machine from Sports Tutor is the first programmable pitching machine designed for both batting cage and on-field use.

The HomePlate machine can simulate almost any pitcher you are likely to face. It can throw a 90 mph fastball, followed by a 75 mph curve, followed

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by a change-up, followed by a slider, with only seven seconds between pitches. You can store up to eight different pitches in each of eight different programs. The programmed pitches can be thrown either sequentially (for specific hitting drills), or randomly (to simulate game conditions).

HomePlate models start at $2,995.

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KWIK GOAL, LTD. 215-536-2200 WWW.KWIKGOAL.COM With speed becoming more important every season, it is imperative for coaches to train their players with various speed training exercises. To help coaches with their sessions, Kwik Goal now offers the Speed Training Pack. The pack includes a Speed Ladder, the new Speed Hurdles, Speed Rings, and Disc Cones.

The equipment in this pack will allow players to improve both their speed and agility.

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D D EE SS II G G N N .. .. ..

CAGE CUP/ATHLETIC SUPPORTER COMBO FEATURING THE FIRST COMFORTABLE PROTECTIVE CUP:

• Protects Like Hard Cup With Reduced Weight • Ideal For All Contact Sports • Available In 3 sizes: Child, Youth & Adult Sizes • Micro-Encapsulated Air In Foam Provides Comfort And Flexibility Against The Skin • High-Impact, Shatter Resistant ABS Plastic Cage Absorbs Impact Shock Instead of

Transferring Transferring To To The The Body Body

• Testing Performed By Southern Impact Testing Center Knoxville, TN • Patent Pending

1-800-356-9026

P.O. Box 1468 Golden, Colorado 80402

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

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Practice Aids MAJOR LEAGUE MUSCLE 330-620-1511 WWW.MAJORLEAGUEMUSCLE.COM The Buster Forearm Developer by Major League Muscle was designed to develop the most overlooked area of any player, the forearms and hands.

Exercise and condition the top and bottom of both forearms simultaneously with constant resistance. Pitchers will increase velocity and by changing their grip on the ball develop secondary muscles used for different pitches. Improve throwing, hitting and fielding quickly and easily while preventing injury. Visit the company’s Web site for more details.

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SPORTS ATTACK 800-717-4251 WWW.SPORTSATTACK.COM Sports Attack offers the Hack Attack Baseball Pitching Machine. This exclusive design allows the hitter to see the ball clearly all the way through the feeding motion, acceleration and release, just like a live pitcher. This visual arm action signals

the hitter when to stride, giving him an actual live arm sense of timing and location. The Hack Attack will throw unmatched right and left-handed major league fastballs and breaking pitches, including curve balls, sliders, sinkers, and knuckleballs. All this is accomplished by simply changing the speed of the wheels with three dials, eliminating timeconsuming adjustments of the throwing head. It instantly switches to fungo work, pivoting in any direction, throwing grounders, long fly balls, deep line drives, towering infield popups and popups back for your catcher with real game-like back spin.

Circle No. 100 on Reader Inquiry Card Sports Attack is introducing the Track Attack Vision Training Machine, a quality year-round major-league training tool for hitters. Track Attack uses soft, limited flight pitching machine balls that are 20-percent small-

er than a baseball. It is a valuable hitting station forcing hitter to track and focus on the center of the ball. It makes the head stay down, causing the front shoulder and hips to stay in. Use it on any surface, indoors or out, in the gym, on the field, or at home. A ball feeder is also available.

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ZINGBAT 866-ZINGBAT (946-4228) WWW.ZINGBAT.COM Zingbat™ has recently introduced the new “16 oz.” one hand isolation trainer. The batter can now practice lead arm and top hand drills to isolate proper arm path and hand action. With each swing, the isolation trainer forces the arm to take the correct path, keeping the hand inside the ball.

The wrist must snap the barrel at the correct instant or the patented Zingbat “click” will occur before contact. Coaches and players across the country are welcoming this new addition to the Zingbat line. Call for a free instructional video or see a demo on the company’s Web site.

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Does Your Grass Need Plastic Surgery?

Sporturf has all the options !

• Full TrueGrass Synthetic Fields • Artificial Turf Halos • Over 3500 International Dealers

1.866.224.8452

• Baseball and Golf Stance Mats Buy Direct at

www.sporturf.com/factory-outlet Circle No. 43

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More Products MARKWORT SPORTING GOODS 800-669-6626 WWW.MARKWORT.COM

MUELLER SPORTS MEDICINE 800-356-9522 WWW.MUELLERSPORTSMED.COM

SAFETGARD CORPORATION 800-356-9026 E-MAIL: SAFETGARD@QWEST.NET

Markwort Sporting Goods debuted several new products at the ABCA convention, including the C-Flap guard and Heart-Gard.

The C-Flap features an innovative design that helps prevent facial injuries to batters. It easily mounts to the ear flap of the batting helmet, covering the side of the face exposed to the pitcher, without obstructing vision or air flow. The Heart-Gard is a small (6” by 6”) polyethylene protective guard that absorbs impact energy and forces it away from the heart.

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This tapered elastic elbow sleeve from Mueller Sports Medicine helps protect elbows and forearms from abrasions and turf burns. Turf Sleeve is 11 inches long for extra protection.

The lightweight, breathable fabric provides comfort and mild compression, and is also ideal as a shin sleeve. Reinforced edges add durability. Turf Sleeve is sold in pairs, is available in black or white and comes in two sizes, LG and XL. Circle No. 106 on Reader Inquiry Card

SafeTGard has a newly patented design in an athletic supporter hard cup for male athletes. The CAGE CUP is 40 percent lighter than traditional hard cups and out performed traditional cups in the mph breaking point testing done by an independent testing laboratory. Real comfort comes from having a soft molded polyfoam interior against the body rather than hard plastic. The CAGE CUP deadens the blow with air and foam where other hard cups transfer the impact energy to the body though hard plastics.

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Check out www.AthleticBid.com to contact these companies.

Circle No. 45 COACHING MANAGEMENT

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More Products TRAIN TO PLAY 608-824-0068 WWW.TRAINTOPLAY.COM Introducing the NEW SMART-HURDLE™ SYSTEM, from Train To Play, that features four different training hurdles for improving mobility, agility, strength, and power for all sports. The SMART-HURDLE™ features: Four different sizes, two that are adjustable in height; Threepoint basing for improved stability on all surfaces; bright yellow and black makes hurdles stand out; durable, yet light for easy carrying, and able to fold flat for storage.

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FUND-RAISING eFUNDRAISING.COM 866-224-8452 WWW.EFUNDRAISING.COM Try World’s Finest Chocolate $2 Straight Packs for your next fundraising campaign!

Your supporters will love the creamy taste of these huge candy bars, and with up to 50% profit, your group will love the huge profits! Choose from Milk Chocolate with Almond Bars, W.F. Crisp Bars, Continental Almonds, or Fund Raisins! Less work, more profits: who could ask for more?

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Netting And More

CATALOG SHOWCASE POWER SYSTEMS, INC. 800-321-6975 WWW.POWER-SYSTEMS.COM Since 1986 Power Systems has been a leading supplier of sport training, health and fitness products. The company prides itself in being the one resource for all of your training needs. Its new 2004 catalog has a new look with better graphics and photos.

Included areas are core strength, medicine balls, speed, plyometrics, agility, strength equipment, strength accessories and flooring. You will find the catalog full of hundreds of new products and dozens of products available exclusively from Power Systems. The company has also lowered some prices to enable the customer to get premium products at great prices. Go online or call Power Systems to request a free 2004 catalog today.

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On The The Web Web $275

www.BetterBaseball.com OR CALL us @ 800 99 SHADE (74233) Circle No. 48

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

ADJUSTABLE WEIGHTED VEST

Voted “Best of the Best” in Testosterone Magazine “We have used the Xvest and have found it to be the best, most comfortable and effective weight vest.

We have seen measurable improvements in range of motion, strength & power.”

Gene Coleman, Ed. D. Strength and Conditioning Coach

Houston Astros

The Xvest is considered by many of the Major League strength coaches to be an essential tool for “the edge”.

Xvest can be used in your strength, conditioning, speed, agility, plyometric and sport specific drills or training. You will see dramatic improvements in speed and power as well as conditioning and strength.

The Xvest is used by top professional athletes and trainers in the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB and also both winter and summer Olympians. It’s also used by the military, police and fireman for safe and effective condition training.

A few Major League Baseball Teams using the Xvest: 2002 World Champions Anaheim Angels Houston Astros (Divisional leader) Chicago White Sox (Divisional leader)

Lance Berkman Houston Astros

If you want to play XPLOSIVE, you have to trai n

XPLOSIVE !

Call 800-697-5658 281-693-4034 Email Info@TheXvest.com www.TheXvest.com Circle No. 46

MOST PLAYERS WOULD PREFER TO LAND ON TURFACE Serious competitors at every level–from major leagues to city rec–want the freedom to perform to their fullest.

And that’s exactly what Turface® delivers, through wet springs and dry summers on more fields across America than any other brand. For over 40 years nobody’s done it better.

prevent rainouts and maximize safety on any athletic field. You’ll also be connected to the industry’s largest network of sports field knowledge.

Become part of Turface Athletics and dramatically improve your playing surface–guaranteed. You’ll get a broad range of infield and soil conditioners to

Start today by ordering your FREE Sports Field Safety Audit, a 52-point examination and report from an authorized sports field specialist, to achieve on-field excellence.

CALL 1-800-207-6457

The most widely used field conditioners in America baseball • softball • soccer • football • golf Circle No. 47

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