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Coaching Management VOL. XVIII NO. 2

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CONTENTS

Coaching Management Baseball Edition Preseason 2010 Vol. XVIII, No. 2

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LOCKER ROOM

COVER STORY

Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Oliver vs. NCAA case settled … Competing with a roster of nine … The buzz about Twitter … Players wear high heels for a day … Study shines spotlight on hazing.

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LEADERSHIP

Tom Charbono, Head Coach at Franklin (N.H.) High School, led the Golden Tornadoes to their first state title in 25 years this past season, but it wasn’t an easy road. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Last Line of Defense

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How do you make sure the guys who cover the most ground on defense get to every ball? The keys are getting them to concentrate on fundamentals, instituting effective practice drills, and assuring them of the position’s importance.

Q&A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

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On the cover: Louisiana State University outfielder Leon Landry makes the grab in a game last season. LSU Outfield Coach Will Davis talks about how he emphasizes fundamentals when working with his outfielders in our cover story, which begins on page 14. Photo by Steve Franz/LSU Athletics.

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A longtime high school coach explains why encouraging multi-sport participation is in the best interest of your athletes—and your team.

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With just a few basic supplies, any team can implement a Pilates regimen that improves the balance, flexibility, muscle control, and mindfulness of its players. Infield Mixes & Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Nets & Cages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Baseball Facility Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Team Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Practice Aids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 More products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 web news . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 ADVERTISERS DIRECTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Publisher Mark Goldberg Editor-in-Chief Eleanor Frankel Associate Editors Dennis Read, Greg Scholand Assistant Editors R.J. Anderson, Kenny Berkowitz, Abigail Funk, Kyle Garratt, Mike Phelps

Marketing Director Sheryl Shaffer Business Manager Pennie Small Administrative Assistant Sharon Barbell Special Projects Dave Wohlhueter Circulation Director Dave Dubin Circulation Manager John Callaghan

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The Coaching Management Baseball edition is pub­ lished in February, September, and December by MAG, Inc. and is distributed free to college and high school coaches in the United States and

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LOCKER ROOM BULLETIN BOARD Oliver and NCAA Settle Suit Ending a more than year-long legal battle, former Oklahoma State University pitcher Andrew Oliver settled his lawsuit challenging the NCAA’s no-agent rule in October. While the settlement means the controversial agent rule can stay in place as is, the case raised eyebrows in high school and college baseball communities. Many are advocating for the NCAA to either revamp the rule or clarify it for future players.

BILL MITCHELL/FOUR SEAM IMAGES

Oliver filed the suit after OSU declared him ineligible on the eve of an NCAA playoff start in 2008. It had come to light that shortly after graduating from Vermilion (Ohio) High School in 2006, Oliver had his former attorney present during contract negotiations with the Minnesota Twins. NCAA bylaws allow student-athletes to hire an advisor (usually an attorney) to help them as they consider a possible professional career, but that advisor is strictly forbidden from being present during contact with professional organizations. This, in the NCAA’s eyes, turns the advisor into an agent, which compromises the athlete’s amateur status and thus their collegiate eligibility. (Oliver, a 17th round draft pick out of high school, ended up turning down the Twins’ contract offer and enrolled at OSU instead.) Oliver claimed that the attorney, who had requested to be present at the meeting, did not speak or negotiate with the Twins and that neither the player nor the family had any reason to believe the advisor

was not allowed to be present. Oliver hired a Cleveland attorney, Richard Johnson, who argued in an Erie County (Ohio) court that the NCAA did not have the authority to keep a high school athlete from having his attorney present at meetings with a professional team nor should it be able to interfere with an attorney’s ability to properly represent his or her client. A judge agreed with Johnson prior to the start of the 2009 season, ruling in Oliver’s favor and restoring his full eligibility. But one day before the start of the damages portion of the trial, Oliver accepted a $750,000 settlement from the NCAA. The settlement rendered the judge’s earlier decision to strike down the noagent rule moot. “Without a settlement, we would have won the trial and probably received a very large verdict, and then we would have been stuck in three to five years of appeals,” Johnson says. “Andy needed to move on with his career and life. We could not fight this battle alone forever. Nobody came to our aid, so we did what was in Andy’s best interests, which, unfortunately, is not in the best interests of the other 360,000 or so studentathletes nationally, which I regret.” The settlement pre-empted an expected appeal by the NCAA and means that from a legal standpoint, the decision essentially never happened. “There’s no legal precedent established here,” explains Matt Mitten, Professor of Law at Marquette University and Director of the National Sports

On the Web The NCAA bylaws are available on its Web site at: www.ncaa.org, which also includes separate pages addressing eligibility, amateurism, and agent issues. High school athletes can also get detailed information from the school that is recruiting them.

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Former Oklahoma State University pitcher Andrew Oliver, who was drafted by the Detroit Tigers last August, made his MLB debut pitching for the Arizona Fall League champion Peoria Javelinas in October. Oliver settled his lawsuit with the NCAA that challenged the Association’s agent rule the same month. Law Institute. “And even if the case had not been settled, a state trial court opinion is not a very significant precedent. But it serves as a reminder that this sort of rule can be challenged and that there is at least one judge who says it violated his state’s—and others’—public policy.” Testimony during the trial indicated that the no-agent rule has been routinely flouted in the past. The NCAA even sent out a memo to prospective college baseball players in May saying that the actions

of most advisors in the past probably violated NCAA rules. It warned that continued similar activity could result in the loss of NCAA eligibility. An NCAA spokesperson would not comment about possible changes to the no-agent rule or its future enforcement other than to say the Association plans to enforce the rule “as appropriate.” The private nature of most contract negotiations makes it hard to know who is and isn’t following the rule, but according to Mitten, it’s

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LOCKER ROOM BULLETIN BOARD likely that the NCAA will be on the lookout for violators. “It is a difficult rule to enforce because someone involved in the negotiations has to bring a violation of the rule to the NCAA’s attention,” he says. “It’s virtually impossible to police everything surrounding this kind of rule, but when violations are brought to the NCAA’s attention, they will put it through their enforcement process. “This was a very well-publicized case, so it’s something that coaches and student-athletes—and especially their lawyers—really need to be aware of,” Mitten continues. “The key is to be proactive and prevent violations like this one from occurring in the first place.” Oliver was chosen in the second round of the 2009 amateur draft by the Detroit Tigers, inking a contract with a $1.495 million signing bonus on deadline day, Aug. 15. About a week before the settlement with the NCAA was announced, he made his professional debut for the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League. During the fall, Oliver pitched in 11 games with a 1-1 record and 2.81 ERA. He was also honored with the Arizona Fall League Rising Star award in November.

A Roster of Nine Every team wants to avoid injuries. But last season at Lenox (Iowa) High School, it was less a desire and more a necessity. A week into the season, the Tigers’ roster shrunk from 12 players to the bare minimum when two athletes became academically ineligible and another quit the team.

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Iowa High School Athletic Association Class 1A state tournament in August. How did they do it? “It sure simplified our game strategy,” says Head Coach Steve Westphal. “When we made a pitching change, we didn’t have anyone warmed up, so we just brought them in from whatever position they were playing. They got their eight warmup pitches and that was it.” Strong pitching proved to be a major factor in the team’s success. One pitcher threw a complete game, five-hit shutout in the district semifinal, and another followed with a state tournament record 15 strikeouts in a win. But pitching isn’t everything. Westphal also had to use his other players’ talents wisely. He had last season’s starting first baseman split time

between third base and the outfield. His replacement at first was playing the position for the first time, so practices—though challenging to organize—proved to be very important. “Practices were strange,” says Westphal. “We wanted to work on situations with a full defense but obviously we couldn’t do it because we didn’t have anybody to run the bases. So we had to be patient and spend extra time explaining certain situations.” Luckily, one of the ineligible athletes returned for the final three weeks of the season, boosting the roster to 10 for the team’s postseason run. Along the way to the title game, the Tigers beat perennial power Kee High School in the semifinal. Westphal kept his approach simple, and the bare-bones squad exceeded his expectations.

“Most of these guys were pretty sound baseball players,” he says. “Our goal is always to get to the state tournament and I still thought we could do that with what we had. As the season went on, team pride grew a lot.” Westphal doesn’t doubt that some amount of luck played a role, too. “We were very fortunate with injuries,” he says. “You never know when someone is going to get injured running or sliding into first or colliding in the outfield. But we never came close to having anyone injured. “Playing with this small of a team was something I never dreamed would happen,” Westphal continues. “The kids held together about as well as I could expect. It was not an easy situation, but the players knew their jobs and did them the best they could.”

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TAYLOR HINCKLE

But a roster of nine didn’t stop Lenox from having a successful season. In fact, the Tigers finished as runners up in the

Lenox (Iowa) High School pitcher Ethan Westphal follows through on a pitch in the 2009 Iowa High School Athletic Association Class 1A state tournament. Westphal, one of only nine Tigers on the roster last season, led Lenox to a second place finish while tying a tournament record by recording 15 strikeouts.

More Coaches Using Twitter “So are you going to wait until the rest of the coaches in the SEC are doing this before you actually give it a try?� Camie Bianco asked her husband Mike, Head Coach at the University of Mississippi, this fall. The topic of conversation was Twitter, and Camie was pushing her husband to join the Ole Miss football and basketball coaches who were already using the latest social networking tool. Bianco’s hesitation was for the same reason many other coaches have: a fear of the unknown when it comes to joining the social networking service popular among Hollywood stars and professional athletes alike. “But my wife’s comment really got me going,� Bianco admits.

So on Sept. 16, Bianco took the plunge and created a Twitter account. In his first tweet, he provided a link to a page on the Ole Miss baseball Web site showing off the team’s 2009 Southeastern Conference championship rings. Since then, Bianco has become increasingly comfortable using Twitter as an outlet to share his personal thoughts on the program and his players. Twitter calls for users to write short messages called tweets, which are posted on the sender’s Twitter page and sent to users who have signed up to “follow� them. Tweets, which often contain links to Web pages or pictures, can be posted and read from mobile devices like cell phones or on the Web at: Twitter.com. Users can also send direct messages to specific followers or allow

only approved followers to view their posts.

man. I can get a point across as I originally intended it.�

“We view Twitter as an easy and efficient communication tool that allows us to reach followers of Ole Miss baseball—from fans and parents to prospective student-athletes,� Bianco says. “It’s a quick way for me to inform those people about what’s going on with our program. It’s much easier than continuously updating our Web site.�

Twitter also gives Bianco a channel to provide dugout insight and the type of information that doesn’t typically make the newspaper or an athletic department Web site. “I’m not just sharing scores or box score stats,� he says. “I use it to compliment an unsung player who did something that didn’t show up in the statistics, or spotlight a guy who isn’t getting the media recognition he deserves.�

Bianco says the real beauty of Twitter is that it allows him to share unfiltered thoughts. “Whenever you see quotes from a coach on a Web site or in a newspaper, those words are usually recorded by a sports information director or newspaper reporter as part of a larger story,� he says. “Twitter allows me to share my thoughts without the middle-

Having learned to use Twitter on his own, Bianco says the logistics were easy to figure out. The hardest part is coming up with something creative to share on a regular basis. “There are days when I’m feeling more creative than others and have

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LOCKER ROOM BULLETIN BOARD more to tweet about,” he says. “Though, in all honesty, most of that probably has to do with my own worries and hesitations. I probably need to be less worried about what I’m saying and just tweet more about what’s on my mind.

University of Mississippi outfielder Jordan Henry beats a throw to first base during an NCAA Division I Super Regional win over the University of Virginia last spring. Ole Miss Head Coach Mike Bianco helped drum up more fan support for his team last season using the social networking tool Twitter.

Bianco has posted tweets about being grand marshal at the Ole Miss homecoming parade, donating blood in October, and what the intrasquad competitions dur-

ROGELIO V. SOLIS/AP PHOTO (LEFT)

“I’m learning to treat it more like a text message where grammar and sentence structure is not that important,” adds Bianco, whose goal is to tweet at least once a day. “Sometimes I get a little too caught up in editing what I’m trying to say—the biggest thing is to give people something interesting to read about your program.”

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ing fall ball have been like. All of his tweets are positive—he’s never hinted at a bad practice or disappointing performance, and he’s careful to keep them targeted at a general audience. FOLLOW THEM To follow Ole Miss Head Coach Mike Bianco, go to: Twitter.com/CoachMikeBianco. To read former USC Head Football Coach Pete Carroll’s feed, go to: Twitter.com/PeteCarroll.

So far, the NCAA has said that using Twitter in recruiting is permitted as long as coaches do not violate rules prohibiting comments about specific recruits. But Ole Miss is not using Twitter for recruiting, and Bianco advises coaches to consult their department’s compliance office for guidance

on the dos and don’ts of the social networking tool. Bianco is also careful to post sparingly and isn’t one to tweet frivolously about his day-today chores. “Twitter allows coaches to reveal more of their personality,” says Bianco. “But that doesn’t necessarily mean opening up your personal life and sharing minutia like where you’re driving to or who you’re having lunch with.” A good example of an effective Twitter user, says Bianco, is Pete Carroll, former Head Football Coach at the University of Southern California, who is now coaching the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks. Carroll has over 350,000 followers, including Bianco. “Pete really impressed me with what he did to incorporate video and other technology to share information about the team

while he was at USC,” says Bianco. “He also did some fun things with quotes and providing links to his ‘song of the day,’ which gives it a very personal feel—and that’s what you want.”

Stepping Up In High Heels Most days, high-heeled shoes aren’t a college baseball player’s first choice for footwear. But that didn’t stop the University of South Florida Bulls from strapping on stilettos as part of the school’s second annual “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” event, which raised awareness for rape, sexual assault and battery, and violence against women. A number of student organiz ations at USF took part, but the baseball team was the

only athletic team to do so. Fourth-year Head Coach Lelo Prado heard about the event through Assistant Athletic Director for Academics and Student-Athlete Development Justin Miller, and immediately knew he wanted his team to be involved. “It’s important for my players to know what’s going on in our community and the rest of the world outside of baseball,” Prado says. “Sometimes in college, guys have big egos and unfortunate incidents can happen between males and females, so the more I can make our players aware of those issues, the better.” According to the National Crime Victimization Survey, which is conducted every two years, almost 250,000 U.S. women were raped or sexually assaulted in 2007. “A lot

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LOCKER ROOM BULLETIN BOARD of kids don’t think gender violence is a big deal, but awareness campaigns can open their eyes,” Prado says. “I thought this was a great experience, and it’s special when studentathletes participate in different campus events.” For the event, members of the team, as well as other participating organizations, walked one mile across the USF campus wearing high heels. The march was inspired by the idea that we can’t truly understand the experiences of others until we’ve walked a mile in their shoes.

The University of South Florida squad donned high heels for the school’s annual “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” event last October, which raises awareness for rape, sexual assault and battery, and gender violence against women. “The more I can make our players aware of those issues, the better,” says Head Coach Lelo Prado.

THE

“I’m always talking to players about how they should treat and communicate with people, and I doubt they knew the extent to which gender violence occurs on campuses around the country,” Prado says. “It was a great thing for

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our young men to be a part of. Hopefully, if they ever see that kind of stuff, they will step in and help somebody out.� Despite the uncomfortable attire necessary to participate in the walk, Prado’s players were enthusiastic about taking part. Miller was in charge of rounding up enough shoes to outfit the entire team, but the Bulls have already vowed to do their own shopping next year. “Believe it or not, when I told them they had to wear high heels, they were excited,� Prado says. “Thankfully, we didn’t have any foot or ankle injuries as a result. The team was the hit of the campus during the walk, but I haven’t seen anyone in heels in the locker room yet.� This isn’t the first time Prado has done something to help

his players become more wellrounded off the diamond. In the past, experts have come in to speak with the squad about the dangers of drunk driving, using recreational drugs and steroids, and proper nutrition. He says making sure the information seeps in and that the right goals are set is all about promoting the right attitude. “The more educated these players are, the better,� Prado says. “Whether someone is coming in to speak with them, if they’re helping out with an event like this one, or if we help coach at a Little League clinic, they embrace it and they have fun,� he continues. “You can be miserable and have a terrible time, or you can go in with a positive attitude, raise awareness, and help somebody else out you may not have otherwise.�

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Hazy Situation It’s easy to assume hazing is not an issue on your team—until something very wrong happens. But hazing is a common athletic experience, according to a 2008 study, “Hazing in View: College Students at Risk,� published by University of Maine Professors Elizabeth Allan and Mary Madden. It found that more than 70 percent of college students had been hazed in order to join or maintain their status on an athletic team or extracurricular club at some point during their college career. And almost half of the college students surveyed first experienced hazing as a member of an athletic team in high school. The findings prompted Allan and Madden to expand their research and send out a second round of surveys, ask-

ing the same group for more information about their high school hazing experiences, the results of which were released earlier this year. Again, athletics was the area hazing was most commonly seen in—47 percent of respondents indicated they were hazed as a member of a high school sports team. The statistic suggests that little has changed since the last major high school hazing study in 2000, which found 48 percent of the high school students surveyed were hazed. Another major finding of the study is that students don’t understand what hazing is. When asked whether they participated in specific activities that researchers classified as hazing, which Allan and Madden defined as “any activity expected of someone joining or participating in a group that

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LOCKER ROOM BULLETIN BOARD humiliates, degrades, abuses, or endangers them regardless of a person’s willingness to participate,” about 55 percent of students answered yes to at least one. However, when asked if they had been hazed, nine out of 10 said no. “There was a tendency to see hazing on a continuum,” says Allan, Associate Professor at Maine’s College of Education and Human Development. “They talked about low-level hazing, with students more likely to intervene only when it reached a higher

level. People ask: What’s the big deal if it’s all in good fun, it’s just some antics, and everyone has a good time? The problem is that it’s likely the low-level behaviors will turn into high risk activities over time.” So what can you do? The consensus among experts is that prevention must involve a strategic plan. Creating an antihazing policy with tough consequences for being involved in an incident is a great start, but simply handing it out a pamphlet doesn’t have lasting power.

Madden, also an Associate Professor at Maine’s College of Education and Human Development, suggests a preseason team meeting that allows for discussion time. “You need to do more than give them a straight definition,” she says. “There needs to be an opportunity for an athlete to ask, ‘What about this specific type of incident? Is this hazing?’” Along with discussion, role playing can be meaningful for student-athletes. “Have your players watch or act out scenarios demonstrating ways to intervene in a hazing incident,” Allan says. “High school students especially don’t understand the power dynamics and coercion involved in hazing. Role playing can bring that out.” The Maine study revealed that 25 percent of coaches or student organization advisors were aware of their group’s hazing behaviors. “One longheld athlete belief is that new team members must earn their place,” says Adam Goldstein, Associate Dean of Students at Florida State University. “Coaches need to take on negative traditions like that directly, or they’re continuing to support a landscape of hazing. They can point to that tradition and say, ‘That’s not okay. The only people who determine if an athlete has a spot on this team is the coaching staff. Your job is to support each other so you can become a better team.’” Page Cotton, Athletic Director at DePauw University, uses his own coaching experience as an example. “I didn’t address hazing for a long time when I was coaching,” says Cotton, who served as DePauw’s Head Men’s Soccer Coach for almost 40 years until 2007. “But when hazing came into the spotlight, I realized that my tradition of having the firstyear players move the goals was a form of hazing. I, as the coach, was hazing our freshmen.

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“So from then on, everyone helped move the goals,” Cotton continues. “That’s a very small thing a coach can do, but addressing those little things can be helpful. Anything that singles out a group like that is hazing, and we, as adults, need to get that concept through our heads.” ON THE WEB

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To view Elizabeth Allan and Mary Madden’s hazing research and published studies, visit: www.hazingstudy.org.

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Q&A

Tom Charbono

Franklin (N.H.) High School

Franklin (N.H.) High School’s 19-win season and state title might lead you to believe the Golden Tornadoes cruised through 2009 with very few, if any, bumps in the road. But Head Coach Tom Charbono’s ride was nothing short of a roller coaster that included a 2-1 loss to Franklin’s main rival, a come-from-behind win in the Class M state tournament semifinal, and a knucklebiting finals matchup. Charbono began his coaching career at the University of New Hampshire, his alma mater, as an assistant coach in 1989. In 1993, he arrived at Franklin as an assistant coach, and two years later, when a head coaching job opened up at nearby Winnisquam Regional High School, he found himself coaching

CM: After reaching the state finals in 2007 and the quarterfinals in 2008, how did you approach this season? Charbono: We had nine seniors, so I was confident we’d be competitive again. Derrick Sylvester, who is now at Boston College, and John Pickowicz, who’s gone to Southern New Hampshire University, are both very good pitchers, and we knew we had a good, solid foundation. We didn’t come out and say, “We want to win the championship,” but we talked about taking care of business, being prepared, and making the playoffs. For the past few years, our motto has been “With A Purpose,” so we had “WAP” on the back of our warmup shirts and we’d say it whenever we all got together.

Franklin’s toughest rival. Over nine seasons, the Bears made the playoffs each year. But when the head coaching job became available at Franklin, Charbono leapt at the opportunity to turn around a losing program. In the six years since, the Golden Tornadoes have improved steadily, reaching the state tournament three years in a row and winning the program’s first state title in 25 years. In this interview, Charbono talks about the challenges of the 2009 season, the importance of developing fundamentals, and working with team captains.

out. Our eighth hitter blooped a base hit, and Nick hit a solid single to right center. Then, with two outs, two strikes, and two runners on, the number-two hitter ripped a double into the gap. We could have easily lost—if that line drive had gone 10 feet to the left, the inning would have been over. But we tied it, and two innings later, Derrick smacked a double over the left fielder’s head to bring in a runner from second, and we pulled out the win. What did you learn at UNH that you brought to coaching at the high school level?

Ninety percent of what I do comes from Ted Conner, who was the head coach when I played and later coached at UNH. He taught me all about the fundamentals: bunting, fielding ground balls, cutoffs, base running, and first-and-third situations. Every day is an opportunity to learn more about the fundamentals, so the guys on the bench get an earful from me during games and practices. I talk a lot with our backup catcher, asking, “Why do you think Sly threw a curve ball there? Was that the right choice?” If you don’t have good, solid fundamentals, you’re not going to get very far.

Alan L. MacRae

In the state semifinal game, you were one strike away from the end of your season. What happened? Berlin High School had a freshman pitcher who’d really baffled us for six innings. We were down 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh with the bottom of the order coming up. You could feel the emotion in the air, and I said, “We’re not going to lose this way.” I didn’t know it at the time, but Nick Gosselin, who was playing first base and batting ninth, pulled our seventh and eighth hitters aside and said, “The pitcher knows he’s facing the bottom of the order, so look for a fastball and hit it hard.” That shows how well he’d learned the game, and sure enough, our seventh hitter made good contact, even though he got

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Derrick Sylvester takes a swing during the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association Class M state championship, which the Golden Tornadoes went on to win. It was the program’s first state title in 25 years.

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Q&A How do you focus on fundamentals with your players? By training them to practice with a purpose and making sure they know exactly what they need to accomplish. A lot of it is repetition, working day after day to get it right.

Knowing your opponent and understanding the game are also important parts of learning fundamentals. So we watch other teams very closely: What are the outfielders’ arms like? Who’s the weakest link in the infield? If we bunt, will the third baseman be able to get to the ball in time? That way, once we get into the game, we’ll know the best strategy to use.

“We broke everything down and said, ‘This is how you do it. This is why you do it. This is why you’re going to give 100-percent effort.’” One of the things I love about scrimmages is how they shine a light on what players need to work on. For example, if the right fielder isn’t backing up on certain plays, you can talk about it all you want, but until you get into a game situation, it may be hard for him to learn why that’s so important. The same is true of taking a good, aggressive lead on the basepath and reading ground balls—things that could pay off down the road with a big win.

What do you expect from your captains? Captains are a conduit for the rest of our players. Over the course of a season, there are going to be issues, whether it’s players unhappy about playing time or coaches unhappy about players coming late to practice. I don’t have a long list of rules for players to follow, but I expect everyone to show up on time and be ready to work. If there’s a problem, I’ll go to the captains and say, “So-and-so doesn’t look like he’s giving his all. Maybe he’s feeling down about something. Can you talk to him peer to peer?” Or the captains will come to me and say, “So-and-so thinks he’s

being treated unfairly. Can you talk to him?” It works both ways. What was the program like when you took over in 2004? The team had a down season the year before, but we had some good ballplayers, and it turned out to be one of my most enjoyable years in coaching. We broke everything down and said, “This is how you do it. This is why you do it. This is why you’re going to give 100-percent effort during practice.” All of a sudden, we were winning games and people were excited. They learned that if they played the game right, they could win. It was a fun year, and we ended up 11-7 and made the playoffs. What do you like most about coaching? I like getting to know the players on a personal level. You see how they react under pressure and what they do when you give them some freedom. Do they keep working, or do they start goofing off? Sometimes, you find the best approach right away, and other times, it might take a year before you discover what works best for each player.

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LAST LINE OF DEFENSE How do you make sure the guys who cover the most ground on defense get to every ball? The keys are getting them to concentrate on fundamentals, instituting effective practice drills, and assuring them of the position’s importance.

Louisiana State University outfielder Leon Landry makes the grab in a game last season. The LSU coaching staff emphasizes fundamentals when working with its outfielders.

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T

he back of an outfielder’s uniform is something coaches prefer never to see on defense. If you can read an outfielder’s number, it likely means someone has made a mistake and the ball is heading toward the fence. Avoiding a defensive breakdown is not overly complex. Coaches know to practice fundamentals thoroughly, help their players maintain focus, and concentrate on minimizing mistakes. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Many players take an all-toocasual approach to outfield fundamentals. The game can be excruciatingly uneventful for them, and miscues are glaring. But mistakes in the outfield usually cost more than one base. Solid outfield defense is as important as any other part of the game, and you need athletic and heady players to roam the grass. “It may seem like outfielders just catch the ball and throw it,” says Anthony Everman, Outfield Coach at Kansas State University. “But all the hard work, drills, and putting them through competitive situations in batting practice makes a real difference. The time put into making outfielders feel like the last line of defense is important.” Defensive Essentials Most coaches have a similar list of things their outfielders must do well: get a good read and jump, take efficient routes to the

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BY KYLE GARRATT

ball, and throw to the right place. Defensive gems are great, but coaches are generally more concerned with eliminating the other team’s offensive highlights instead. “We don’t expect our outfielders to do anything extraordinary,” says Everman. “We really emphasize dominating the routine play so a single doesn’t turn into a triple or a fly ball that should have been caught doesn’t turn into a double. We hammer out as many batting practice reps as possible to make sure our outfielders have all the angles down. We make sure guys are taking the most efficient routes and staying behind the ball as much as possible.” Good defense starts with being able to instantly tell where a ball is going when the batter strikes it nearly 200 feet away. Rocky Manuel, Head Coach at Bellaire (Texas) High School, has his outfielders start reading a hit even before contact. “We don’t wait to see the ball come off the bat—we read the plane of the swing,” he says. “For instance, if the centerfielder sees a right-handed batter’s wrists while the bat head is back, he knows that ball is going to be hit to his left. If he sees the barrel pointing at him, he knows that ball is going to be hit to his right. We are trying to preKyle Garratt is an Assistant Editor at Coaching Management. He can be reached at: kg@MomentumMedia.com.

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vent outfielders from waiting to break until the ball gets up over the infielder. We want them breaking on contact.” Reading the bat isn’t the only way to get a jump on the ball. The more knowledgeable your players are about the nuances of ball flight, the better defenders they’ll be. “A ball hit low and straight at you is the most difficult to handle, so we talk about using the bill of your cap as a guide,” says Mark Johnston, Head Coach at Bishop State Community College. “If they have to lift their head up when the ball is hit, that ball is probably struck pretty well and they should break back. But if the ball stays below the bill of their cap, it might be softer, so they should look to break in. “A ball hit straight at the centerfielder usually fades a little opposite the hitter,” he continues. “So if a left-handed hitter hits it straight, the centerfielder should do a right drop step because the ball is likely going to fade to left center. For corner guys, the majority of balls

hit at them are going toward the line, so they need to break that way first. But they can’t have all those things going through their mind when the ball is

ball is one of them,” says Tim Riginos, Outfield Coach at Clemson University. “I tell our outfielders to catch the ball above their shoulders and stay behind the ball

“We try to get them to make the mental calculations and understand the arc of the ball. When a ball is hit and you break on it, you should have a good idea where it is going to land. If a player understands that, he will likely take the quickest route to it.” hit—they have to know where to break even if there are two outs with nobody beforehand.” on. If they do that every time during Once an outfielder knows where the practice, they’re not going to drift to the ball is going, he needs to take the quickest ball during the game. They’ll be set up and most direct route. Giving players as in good position and have good momenmany repetitions off a live bat is the best tum going to the ball.” way to hammer home your message for 1/4pg PM Page 1 Perfect efficiently getting to batted balls.1/28/04 3:38 Practice Makes “We talk every year about the things Part of Riginos’s strategy for teaching we should never do and drifting to the his players to run to the ball hard and

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early is getting a good first step. “We do a drill where I get on one knee about five yards in front of a player, who moves his feet back and forth in a scissor motion,” he says. “Then I flip the ball to the right, left, up in front of him, or back over his shoulder to either side and he runs or dives to the ball. I randomly move the ball around so he doesn’t know where I’m throwing it. It really hones his reaction time.” Johnston runs a couple of drills that teach better routes while also allowing his players to do something their Little League coach probably said to never do: take their eyes off the ball. He throws a ball to a player as he does a right foot drop while looking over his left shoulder. He throws the ball behind the outfielder in the area where the player might want to turn his body in and reach across his body. But Johnston makes them turn their head around to the right so their back is to the infield for a split second. “Some guys will say, ‘I took my eye off the ball,’” Johnston says. “Yes, for a split second, but they didn’t lose momentum

or the ability to run straight and fast. You see a lot of guys who try to turn their whole body and stumble, and then the ball goes over their head. “We also get our guys moving by using a pitching machine to shoot fly balls from the left field line to the right field line,” Johnston continues. “We have them run a long way before looking for the ball. We try to get them to make the mental calculations and understand the arc of the ball. When a ball is hit and you break on it, you should have a good idea where it is going to land. If a player understands that, he will likely take the quickest route to it.” It’s also important to improve a player’s athleticism. “We try to make our outfielders the best athletes they can be,” says Johnston. “We work a lot on plyometrics, bounding, jumping, sprints, and core work to get them quick in their first step.” But not all hits into the outfield are fly balls, and while the principles of taking good routes still apply, players need to know how to approach a ground

ball. Manuel, who coached four outfielders at Bellaire who reached the Major Leagues, uses a box technique. “We have our players think of their shoe tops and knees as the four corners of a box,” he says. “We ask them to approach the ball like an infielder, and on a non-throwing play we want the ball boxed-up within those four corners.” Johnston teaches the ground ball approach with stationary balls. “We set up three balls in a triangle, with the point about 15 feet back,” he says. “Players start at one of the closer balls and run out and around the far ball, then they run to the third ball and reach down to grab it as their momentum comes through and sets up the throw.” Getting to a batted ball is only half the battle. The outfielder has to get it back to the infield, and it’s important he doesn’t view this as a chance to make the highlight reel. “Last year, we only threw one guy out at third or home, but we won the national championship,” says Will Davis, Outfield Coach at Louisiana State University. “We know

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that throwing people out is not going to win us a lot of games, but we also know that not hitting the cut-off man will lose us games by putting that man into scoring position.� An ill-advised throw on a runner going from first to third is a pet peeve of many coaches. “The last thing you want your outfielder to do is throw the ball to third base, miss the runner, and allow the batter to go to second,� says Manuel. “We want to make sure we either get the lead runner or keep the double play in order. “We tell our kids that a double play is 10 percent of the other team’s offense in a 21-out game,� he continues. “If our pitchers don’t walk anybody, we don’t make any errors, and we turn one double play, we win the game. That’s why we work on defense and throwing so much.� Practicing fundamentals is less beneficial when done with poor focus, so it’s important to emphasize the need for your outfielders’ undivided attention. Riginos builds focus with every practice.

“Focus is extremely important, which is why we do live batting practice every day,� says Riginos. “We do two defensive rotations, so outfielders have to maintain their focus for 30 to 35 minutes at a time. We practice like we play, so keeping focus in batting practice is key. We have a point system for the outfield during batting practices where they get a plus for a good play and a minus for a bad play. At the end of the day they run for the minuses they’ve accumulated.� “We expect competition and intensity all the time,� says Everman. “I tell our guys, ‘You’re practicing every day to play in games in the spring. Whether you’re going through drills or fungos or a weight lifting session or a game, it matters to our coaching staff and your teammates.’� Come game time, if your outfielder doesn’t make a play for five innings, hopefully, it means your pitcher is dealing. But if an outfielder slips into cruise control, a crucial play in the sixth inning could take him by surprise. There’s an art to managing the uneventful game.

F

ew kids grow up pining to be outfielders. The shortstop and catcher are often the defensive captains and the third and first basemen are typically run producers. “Your average baseball fan thinks outfielders catch fly balls, pick up the base hit, and throw it to the cut-off man,� says Anthony Everman, Outfield Coach at Kansas State University. “Outfielders are perceived as the guys who can’t play infield.� Some players just aren’t good at defense, and the outfield has been seen as a place where they can do the least damage. But coaches like Mike Winters, Head Coach at Farmington

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(Minn.) High School, are working to change that perception. “I think the opposite way,� he says. “Outfielders are like defensive backs. They’re the last resort. If an infielder makes an error, it’s a base hit, but if the outfielder does, it’s extra bases.� Another misperception is that outfielders are less athletic. “One of our outfielders was a first-round draft pick last year and a wide receiver on our football team, so I think people would have a hard time arguing he wasn’t a good athlete,� says Will Davis, Outfield Coach at Louisiana State University. “We remind our other outfielders of that. Obviously, infield and catching require different physical skills than outfielders. Some people were born

to play in the outfield and some were born to play in the infield.� Be it mid-season or off-season, a position change to the outfield may be necessary. You may find a player just doesn’t have the hands for the infield or your team might have a logjam at a certain position. You don’t want to lose a good offensive player because he happens to play the same position as another good player. “We moved one player from second base to left field after our 40th game of the season,� Davis says. “We still wanted his bat in the lineup and he was an athletic kid who ended up being

pretty good in left field. Rome wasn’t built in a day so we just gave him a few points to work on each practice.� Someone has to play the outfield, so if a player is transitioning from another position, it’s important he knows he is not being shifted simply through process of elimination. “Coaches don’t move players around to make the team worse, we do it to make the team better,� says Winters. “I try to get our players to focus on the positive team aspect. And if their attitude doesn’t change, they might end up playing less than if they were in the outfield.�

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“The best thing a coach can do is keep notes on hitters,� says Mike Winters, Head Coach at Farmington (Minn.) High School. “During games, move kids around based on the batters’ tendencies and tell the outfielder if the ball came their way last time. Any cue to keep them ready will help. Also have your infield leaders constantly talk to your outfielders about how many outs there are.� Communicating with your outfielders when they aren’t on the field can also pay dividends. “Don’t get caught up in the game and go five innings without talking to them,� says Davis. “If you’re coaching one of them, coach all three of them. That way, we’re all thinking together and trying to win the game with each pitch.� Even in a game where the outfield doesn’t see much action, players can still be in motion. And that involves more than standard movement with the pitch. “The outfielder’s jersey should be

wringing wet whether he’s been catching fly balls all game or not,� says Manuel. “There are all kinds of backup lanes outfielders need to cover. For instance, if a guy bunts the ball up the first base line, the centerfielder has to get on a direct

remember an outfielder who makes 50 routine plays, but can easily recall a player for one embarrassing error that made the wrong highlight reel. Mistakes in the outfield are easy to spot and best avoided by effective com-

Helping a player get past his blunder is more complicated than telling him to forget about it. “It depends on the individual, so you have to learn about the kid, his personal makeup, and family background.� line between the baseball and second base where there is a potential play he might need to back up.� Escaping Errors A lot of coaches compare outfielders to defensive backs in football because both are the last line of defense. Another similarity is that most people won’t

munication. Most teams employ similar ironclad rules for calling fly balls: Call for the ball loudly and at least three times, centerfielders have priority over corner outfielders, and outfielders have priority over infielders. Riginos has his fielders who aren’t catching the ball call out, “Take it!� Fielders not making the catch should also tell teammates how far

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they are from a fence on foul balls so they can concentrate on making the catch. “We tell our players not to try to overcall it or call it louder than everyone else,” says Johnston. “If the left fielder is standing under the ball and the centerfielder calls it, then the left fielder has to get out of the way. Those are our rules, and we talk about them often. “It’s fun to have the kids call it loud,” he continues. “You get to a point where they call it really loud and get embarrassed, and that’s what I want. I’ll say, ‘I want the catchers to hear this one.’” Even big leaguers have made Little League mistakes. Mistakes happen, but the most dangerous part is when the miscue stays with the player and one error becomes two or more as a result. “When an outfielder makes an aggressive mistake, we don’t get on them because we play as an aggressive team,” says Riginos. “If they make a non-aggressive mistake, like not calling an infielder off on pop fly priorities, then we do get on them. It’s important for them to recognize the wrong.” Helping a player get past his blunder is more complicated than telling him to forget about it. “It depends on the individual, so you have to learn about the kid, his personal makeup, and family background,” says Johnston. “If you have a kid whose mom or dad gets on him all the time and he is a little bit more self-defeating, you have to pick him up more. Other kids are a little better about it and you can chew on them a little more in front of everybody. If they can take it, make an example of them, and the other guys might pay attention better.” Johnston also advocates understanding what caused the player to slip up in the first place. “I had a kid who made a couple of base running mistakes and then dropped a fly ball later in the game,” he says. “I said, ‘I’m not going to get on you about that. You ran a long way to that ball. I expected you to catch it, but did you miss it because you were thinking about me chewing your behind for running the bases, or did you just get over there and miss it?’ “He said, ‘I ran a long way and missed it,’” Johnston continues. “I said, ‘Fine, that’s the right answer. You worked hard to get there and just missed it. But if you were thinking about something else and it affected your play, that’s not good and we’ll need to address it.’” Games aren’t always the right venue for addressing the problem, though. “A game to a player is like a test is to a kid in his math class,” says Manuel. “If the kid fails the test, the teacher then works harder to help them understand the material and pass the next test. When a guy screws up in the game, we just take him back to practice and show him how to do it the right way. We do want the kid to feel bad about his mistake, but we don’t want him to dwell on it. If the coach feels worse about it than the player who made the mistake, you need to get a new player.” If you don’t want to see the back of your outfielders’ uniforms, it all comes back to practice and emphasizing the fundamentals you value. “We always do our defensive work first,” says Manuel. “All players like to hit, so we use it as the carrot and make them practice defense first. But if we only had an hour, we would just work on defense, because we have never lost a shutout.” n

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LEADERSHIP

Multi-sport athlete Matt Szczur plays both baseball and football at Villanova University. In high school, Szczur also earned a varsity letter in track and field.

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E

A longtime high school coach explains why encouraging multi-sport participation is in the best interest of your athletes—and your team.

very region of the country is proud of its homegrown athletes who go on to make a name for themselves at the collegiate or professional level. Here in the Chicago area, two athletes I especially enjoyed watching develop were Cliff Floyd and Antwaan Randle El. Granted, I wasn’t thrilled to see Floyd come to the plate against my team with the

bases loaded, and I’m sure area football coaches were stymied when trying to stop Randle El from scoring another touchdown. But we all developed great respect for them as athletes and competitors. Floyd and Randle El come to mind because they are part of a quickly disappearing era—that of the multi-sport athlete. Floyd was an all-state basketball and baseball player before moving on to professional baseball. Randle El starred

in three sports in high school and continued to compete in all three at Indiana University before playing in the NFL. Both of these athletes came through high school when kids were encouraged to play two or three sports. That emphasis on diversifying one’s talents seems to be all but gone now, and in my mind, that is a negative. I believe we are doing a disservice to today’s young people by steering them toward sport specialization. And I

Jim Fornaciari recently retired as Head Coach at Glenbard West High School in Glen Ellyn, Ill., a suburb of Chicago, where he continues to serve as a history teacher. His teams went to the state finals in 2002 and 2003 and his program produced a number of college and professional players. He can be reached at: James_Fornaciari@glenbard.org.

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also believe that as coaches, we should play a prominent role in bringing back the multi-sport competitor. Better Athletes? There is little doubt that modern training and weightlifting programs have helped produce stronger athletes. There is also no question that earning a starting spot on a high school sports team is more difficult than in years past. So it would seem to make sense for an athlete to spend his or her primary sport’s offseason lifting weights and concentrating on sport-specific skill development. But doing so comes at a price. The benefits of competing in different sports—with different coaches and different teammates—are many. When added up, they trump the plusses of an athlete spending all his or her time focusing on one sport alone. One major positive of going multisport is that the athlete will become a stronger competitor. Take, for example, a pitcher in a late-inning bases-loaded scenario. If he faced the same type of pressure situation a few months earlier on the basketball court, he can use that recent competitive experience to mentally overcome it. Although that pitcher did not work throughout the winter with a private pitching instructor, the confidence he gained by participating on a competitive basketball team will pay far greater dividends. Becoming a stronger competitor also entails taking risks and learning to fail, which doesn’t happen much in a weightroom, says Steve Stanicek, a former Major League Baseball player and current Head Baseball Coach and Assistant Football Coach at Lockport (Ill.) High School. “I do not see enough kids dealing with failure very well,” he says. “Even more importantly, I don’t see them taking the risk to give 100 percent every time—even though it might result in failure.  “They feel better in a safe environment like a pitching lesson, rather than getting on a wrestling mat and taking the chance they might get their tail kicked,” Stanicek continues. “The good thing about getting their tail kicked is they have to try to figure out how to not let it happen again. If they are competing in only one season a year, it’s tough to learn how to do that.” Our student-athletes can also receive important team building lessons through playing other sports. A few years ago, my 24

Coaching Management

top pitcher found a way to help make everyone on the team feel valuable. The previous fall, he had completed his senior football season as a little-used backup quarterback. Despite seeing limited playing time, he still felt valued by the football team’s leaders. When the baseball season started, he brought this experience to our team. He understood that even though he was going to be one of our key players, he needed to appreciate every member of the team. That, of course, bolstered team camaraderie in a huge way. Even negative experiences can help an athlete in his or her next sport. If our basketball team struggles through a difficult losing season, the lessons learned about perseverance and holding one’s head high can be used in whatever sport is waiting for those athletes come spring. Another benefit is increased athleticism, which is what you want when your outfielder needs to make a leaping catch. “Learning how to move your body the way your brain is telling it to when you have to make adjustments on the fly is crucial to being a great athlete,” says Stanicek. “Today’s kids are bigger and stronger and faster than in the past, but they have a hard time moving their bodies in subtle ways.” Scott Lawler, Assistant Baseball Coach at the University of Notre Dame, sees this as he recruits players for the Fighting Irish. “Multi-sport athletes train different muscles in their body and seem to be more athletic than athletes who play only one sport,” he says. “One-sport players have trained their body to do sport-specific movements, but so many movements cross over in an actual athletic contest.” Single-sport athletes also risk developing an injury through overtraining. The American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness recommends two to three months off per year from any one sport. And most professional baseball players shut their arms down for at least four months during the off-season. So it’s difficult to

understand why some high school baseball players are encouraged to throw on a year-round basis. One more nod for the multi-sport athlete can be seen in attitude. As a baseball coach, I always looked forward to the arrival of winter sport athletes to our early season practices. My experience was that boys coming off a long basketball season or a tough wrestling campaign were often much more excited to start our practices than boys who put in monotonous hours in a batting cage all winter. The kids who played a different sport in the winter seemed energized by a change in their athletic routine. Developmental Benefits Athleticism, competitive drive, teamwork, and enthusiasm are all things

Parents are often the main culprits behind specialization, so it’s important to educate them about the benefits of multi-sport participation. Take time during preseason meetings to broach the topic and then continue communicating the message throughout the year. coaches want to see in athletes. But there are additional benefits for the multi-sport competitor as an individual. The first is that it allows a young person the flexibility to follow more than one interest. In high school, it wasn’t clear whether Randle El was best at football, baseball, or basketball. He was encouraged to compete in all three sports until he could figure out where his passion lay. Playing several sports also teaches a young person how to use their talents in more than one way. In our changing workforce, most employers want to hire individuals who can adapt to changes and develop new skills with ease. The experience of shifting gears to a different sport each season is great preparation for the working world. For example, the backup quarterback/star pitcher I mentioned earlier learned the lesson of appreciating everyone’s value during the football season. What a great life lesson he could then bring to so many situations! Had he played fall baseball and missed the limited snaps he received on the football CoachesNetwork.com

LEADERSHIP

field, he would have missed an opportunity to grow as an individual. Finally, let’s think about what we really want kids to get out of sports. In most cases, we want them to have positive educational experiences that help them mature. By playing different sports for different coaches, they will have a vast array of experiences and thus more opportunities to learn and grow. They will also meet more people, which can open new doors. Adding variety to a student’s experience helps them to emerge as balanced young adults. Culture Shift For Coaches There are many factors that have played a role in the disappearance of the multi-sport athlete, which is why there is not just one solution. Overall, it will take a change in the attitudes of a lot of people. And it starts with us as coaches. One of the main reasons for sport specialization is the influence of coaches who believe winning comes through a year-round commitment. Can we change our tune? Can we tell our athletes that

off-season training is optional and playing another sport is encouraged? And can we show them we sincerely mean it? One way to do this is for coaches to work more collaboratively. As a head coach, consider being an assistant coach in another sport and asking head coaches in other sports to serve as your assistants. Multi-sport coaches are in a great position to help foster the right culture and attract more students to play more sports. It can also be helpful to discuss this topic as coaches. Formal and informal meetings are a good place to talk about the benefits of multi-sport participation and build bridges between coaches of different sports. Newly hired coaches may need to be educated on the importance of encouraging multi-sport participation. We can turn to our athletic directors to help us with meetings on this topic. We also each need to do as we say, since it can be easy to send mixed messages to athletes. For example, a basketball coach who publicly talks about the benefits of playing a spring sport but coaches a club team during the spring

sends a confusing message. Coaches should also consider special recognition for multi-sport athletes. Some schools give out patches or awards to student-athletes who play several sports during the school year. Educating Parents Parents are often the main culprits behind specialization, so it’s important to educate them about the benefits of multi-sport participation. Take time during preseason meetings to broach the topic and then continue communicating the message throughout the year. Along with explaining all the physical benefits, talking about scholarships will often get parents’ attention. Many think the path to a scholarship is through specialization, but more college coaches are looking for multi-sport athletes. “I often rank kids who play more than one sport at a higher level on my recruiting list because I know they stay competitive all year long,” Lawler says. Some college coaches are also concerned that a young person who has been

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specializing for several seasons has already reached his or her ceiling. While the athlete who played multiple sports might be raw in some areas, college coaches can foresee tremendous growth once that athlete gets their coaching at the next level.

along with their accomplishments in their other sports. Athletes On Board Of course, we must also get the message across to our athletes. I found it worked well to simply talk about multi-sport participation. In practice I referenced examples of mental toughness or physical preparation in a sport other than baseball. From time to time, I gave my players brief reading assignments that focused on being competitive, and many of the stories highlighted contemporary athletes who made a multi-sport commitment in high school. Coaches also need to walk the walk. For example, we can attend games of our athletes in other sports, which shows everyone we really encourage our players to be on other teams. And your athletes will appreciate the fact that you made an effort to support them. Transition times—when one sport season is coming to an end and a new

We can attend games of our athletes in other sports, which shows everyone we really encourage our players to be on other teams. You can also emphasize the importance of multi-sport participation to parents through any communication you put out. As a head baseball coach, I produced e-mail newsletters three times a year to keep parents and community members informed about our important team news. With each issue, I was sure to provide a list of all of our multisport players involved in my program,

one is beginning—present more opportunities to show your belief in multisport participation. I observed a veteran girls’ softball coach make a great statement last spring by canceling an indoor batting practice in favor of having her squad watch a basketball tournament game. Her message of support for a multi-sport culture was clear. One last example I learned from a rival coach. During the fall and spring sports seasons, this basketball coach clipped local newspaper articles about his players competing in other sports. He then sent the articles along with a positive note to his players highlighted in them. Although this communication was not done on a public level, it sent a very powerful message to the athletes. There is certainly value in working with private instructors during an offseason. There is also benefit that can be found by working in the weightroom. However, encouraging these activities at the expense of playing an actual sport is not in the best interests of young people. Let the kids play! n

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opTIMUM PERFORMANCE

PILATES APPROACH With just a few basic supplies, any team can implement a Pilates regimen that improves the balance, flexibility, muscle control, and mindfulness of its players.

T

STOTT PILATES

BY KERRIE LEE BROWN

he growing popularity of Pilates as a tool for enhancing athletic performance is no accident. More and more athletes are adopting Pilates because it’s a versatile way to train without overstressing the body, the benefits are well documented by research, and, quite simply, users say the results speak for themselves. So why isn’t every athletic program taking advantage of what Pilates has to

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offer? One reason may be the belief that Pilates involves very intricate moves only dancers can execute, or that it requires large equipment that’s bulky, expensive, and hard to obtain. But in reality, while Pilates can involve complex movements and can be performed with the help of machines like a Reformer, neither is a necessity. Pilates is a holistic approach to movement, muscle development, and concentration, and it includes a broad spectrum of activities—some of which

require only a few basic props, such as toning balls, bands or straps, and mats. Pilates offers many physical and mental health and performance advantages. Once you see how easy it is to introduce basic Pilates exercises to your athletes, Kerrie Lee Brown is the Vice President for Communications at STOTT PILATES®. She has written on health and fitness topics for more than 10 years, and can be reached at: kerrielee.brown@stottpilates.com.

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opTIMUM PAgE PERFORMANCE Top Head

you might consider making it a part of their performance enhancement, injury prevention, and conditioning programs. If you do, I’m confident that before long, your athletes will thank you for it. Why Pilates Works Athletic success depends on a unique balance of mental and physical skills. But how often does a traditional training program address the mental side of athletic performance? Part of the value

of Pilates is that it enables athletes to develop greater mind-body awareness, creating new insight into the connection between the physical and psychological components of movement, strength, and agility. Athletes achieve this through a focus on breathing, concentration during movement, and engaging multiple body systems simultaneously. Pilates develops an athlete’s kinesthetic awareness, or where the body is in relation to itself and the world around it.

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That may sound like an abstract concept, but it’s an essential component of every move we make. Athletes with a greater understanding of how their body travels through planes of movement have an advantage over their opponents in efficiency, balance, and coordination. Pilates also complements weight training by enhancing functional movement through coordinated exercises that target both the core muscles and local stabilizers. These are key for promoting joint stability, which is often compromised by repetitive high-demand training. The coordination and awareness athletes gain through Pilates can improve their movement control, leading to enhanced performance. Furthermore, the focus on postural alignment in Pilates reduces unnecessary strain on the muscles and joints. Specific strengthening exercises help balance opposing pairs of muscles that support the joints, and once athletes incorporate these concepts into their training regimen, virtually every aspect of conditioning becomes more effective and healthier. John Garey, owner of John Garey Pilates in Los Angeles and a STOTT PILATES® Master Instructor Trainer, 10:14:21 AM has worked with many competitive athletes, including members of the USA Rugby national team. He says athletes who start using Pilates often tell him it makes them think about the body and its function in a whole new way, which translates into improved performance. “Whether they’re cyclists, golfers, or rugby players, athletes find they transfer what they’ve learned in the Pilates studio to their sport—often subconsciously,” Garey says. “They find themselves thinking more about their ‘center,’ or core. “Pilates makes athletes get back in touch with their basic training principles,” Garey continues. “The benefits are absolutely amazing—they experience increased power, strength, and mobility.” Another reason for implementing Pilates is the way it enhances injury rehabilitation protocols. Matt Nichol, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs, says Pilates teaches rehabbing athletes to be more mindful of their movements—integrating their pelvis, trunk, and shoulder girdle in a safe, progressive system. “Pilates can be a very effective supplement to an injury rehabilitation program,” Nichol

opTIMUM PAgE PERFORMANCE Top Head

says. “It provides athletes with a challenging workout without excessive impact or weight bearing.” Injuries such as torn ligaments or the breakdown of joint structures like the meniscus are normally caused by an extrinsic factor (a collision or sudden pivot) or an intrinsic factor (repetitive strain or overtraining). An athlete will often compensate for lost function in an injured area through movements that disrupt the proper sequencing of their neuromuscular system. If the deeper stabilizing systems do not fire properly, big muscles are recruited to do the work of small muscles. By emphasizing movement efficiency and stabilization, Pilates addresses this problem. Pilates can assist in injury prevention as well. The exercises in a Pilates workout develop core strength while promoting a controlled lengthening of the muscles. They enhance the overall flexibility of the lower back, hamstrings, and shoulders—three body areas where injury is often linked directly or indirectly to a deficit in range of motion.

When athletes perform the exercises described in this article, and any other Pilates exercises, they should remember these points of emphasis.

Breathing. Make sure to breathe through each movement. In any exercise, holding one’s breath has detrimental effects. Breathing consistently increases oxygen supply to the muscle, reduces strain, and promotes fluid movement.

n

Alignment. No matter what part of the body is working, the entire body should maintain the best alignment possible. If body segments are misaligned, tension increases and

n

individual joints and muscles are more susceptible to stress.

Visual focus. Keeping eyes focused forward helps ensure that the head and neck are properly aligned. This reduces neck and shoulder tension, improves mental focus, and can also help alleviate neural issues in the upper body.

n

Less is more. Slow, controlled movements are sometimes harder to perform, but patience is a virtue and control is important. Performing exercises deliberately allows greater focus and helps ensure that each movement is executed correctly.

n

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Finally, Pilates heavily emphasizes breathing, which provides athletes with a physical and mental edge. Whether it’s a basketball player preparing for a clutch free throw, a swimmer hoping to optimize the timing and depth of her breaths, or a golfer looking for an extra measure of focus and concentration while putting,

ment facility. Ab Prep. This exercise challenges all three levels of abdominal muscles: the local stabilizers, global stabilizers, and global mobilizers. The athlete begins lying on their back with feet hip-distance apart and flat on the mat, with the spine in a neutral position. Toning balls, rough-

“The ab prep exercise also challenges upperbody strength while relaxing the hip flexors, which are well developed in many athletes, but often too tight to support optimal movement.” greater awareness of breathing developed through Pilates can pay important dividends in virtually any activity. Hitting The Mat Now, let’s get into some specific Pilates exercises that can benefit athletes. Each exercise described below requires no advanced Pilates training or knowledge, and the equipment can be found in almost any fitness or athlete develop-

ly the size of apples and weighing one, two, or three pounds, are placed under each hand with the palms facing down. As the athlete inhales, they nod their head forward slightly. As they exhale, they curl the upper body off the mat until they can see their toes without pressing the lower back into the floor. They simultaneously let the toning balls roll toward their feet as their hands move forward. On the second inhalation they

hold this position, then while exhaling, slowly lower the shoulders and head back to the mat and roll the toning balls back to their original position near the hips. In this exercise, the hands on the toning balls allow for a more neutral position of the shoulder joint, providing a proprioceptive tool to engage the shoulder musculature. It also challenges upper-body strength while relaxing the hip flexors, which are well developed in many athletes, but often too tight to support optimal movement. Breast Stroke Prep. This exercise strengthens the upper-back erector spinae without overworking the lower-back musculature. The athlete begins lying on their stomach, legs slightly apart, with the front of the hips flat on the mat and their nose hovering slightly off the ground. The elbows are bent so that the hands are near the shoulders on either side of the mat, with palms down. Once again, each hand is placed on a toning ball. On the first inhalation, the athlete stabilizes their shoulder blades and contracts their abdominal muscles, creating

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Figure One: Ab Prep

Figure Two: Breast Stroke Prep a slight arch with the upper body while keeping the hands and toning balls still and the bottom ribs in contact with the floor. As they exhale, they maintain this spine position and move the hands forward and outward (rolling the toning balls underneath), away from the torso.

On the second inhalation, they bring the hands and toning balls back in, still maintaining the upper-back arch and shoulder stability. While exhaling, they lower the upper body and return to the starting position. The toning ball under each hand

challenges the shoulder girdle as the base of support by creating instability. As the arm is challenged in extension, the upper spine extends, and the movement strengthens the latissimus dorsi and posterior deltoid. In addition, by observing the athlete during this exercise, you can easily see strength imbalances between the left and right sides of the body, since the base of support is unstable. Obliques Prep. This exercise focuses on strengthening the rectus abdominis to bring the upper body into flexion. The athlete begins lying on their back with knees up (femurs at roughly a 45degree angle from the ground) and feet flat on the mat. The spine is neutral, feet are hip-distance apart, and hands are behind the head. A toning ball is held between the knees. As the athlete inhales, they nod the head slightly forward. Then while exhaling, they curl their upper body off the mat, rotating the left shoulder toward the right knee. On the second inhalation, they lower the body to the starting position, then repeat the movement with the

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opposite shoulder while exhaling. The hands behind the head in this exercise create a longer lever, which increases the challenge to the abdominals while supporting the head and neck in a neutral position. The obliques are strengthened as the spine rotates, and the toning ball between the knees strengthens the adductor muscles at the same time. The upper spine is forced 1/28/08 3:39 PM planes Page 1 through two of motion while the pelvis is challenged to remain neutral, a

movement pattern that increases biomechanical efficiency. Hip Rolls. In this exercise, sequential articulation of the spine begins at the spine’s base, challenging coordination and neuromuscular facilitation. The athlete begins with knees off the ground and feet hip-distance apart, with a toning ball placed under the arch of each foot. The spine is neutral and arms are at the sides, with the hands near each hip, palms down.

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The athlete inhales without moving, then while exhaling, they start at the tailbone and slowly peel the spine off the mat until the torso is in line with the femurs and body weight is resting between the shoulder blades. On the second inhalation, the athlete keeps tight abdominals and holds the position. While exhaling, the spine slowly returns to the mat from the top down, as the athlete returns to the start position. This exercise provides an excellent strength, mobility, and stability challenge by placing the toning ball under each foot—the muscles of the foot, ankle, knee, and hip must work to maintain a neutral position as a result. Meanwhile, the back extensors lengthen, which trains balance in the posterior musculature. Side Bend Prep. To work the lateral musculature and strengthen the deltoids, obliques, and gluteus medius, side bends are invaluable for athletes. For this exercise, the athlete begins sitting on their right hip, with their right hand on the mat. The knees should be bent and together, and the top forearm should rest against the top thigh, with the hand holding a toning ball. While the spine will feel out of alignment in this position, the shoulder blades should be held stable. After inhaling, the athlete exhales while lifting their lower hip off the mat, distributing their weight evenly between the hand on the mat and the lower knee. They contract the inner thighs, abs, and glutes, and extend their top arm (with the toning ball in-hand) over the head. Then, while inhaling, the athlete slowly lowers back to the starting position. Controlled breathing is key in this exercise Implementation Athletes new to Pilates may be surprised at how challenging these movements are, and the number of reps can be adjusted in response to their feedback. A typical session might use the five exercises described above as a warmup routine, with the athlete completing five to eight repetitions of each. It’s important that your athletes perform the same number of reps on each side for each exercise. An ideal warmup prepares both the mind and body to act succinctly to create movement. A Pilates progression

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opTIMUM PAgE PERFORMANCE Top Head

achieves this by activating all the major muscle groups, joint structures, and energy systems, while instilling a focus on controlled movement, breathing, and mental focus. It also lowers blood pressure and improves blood flow, which increases cardiac output—an awesome benefit for athletes. When mind and body are working in full coordination, athletes achieve large gains in strength, skill, neuromuscular balance, and biomechanical efficiency. In addition, the enhanced body awareness and mental acuity they develop through Pilates can provide a performance edge they—and you— never expected. By incorporating mat work into your athletes’ training regimens, they’ll find that even the simplest movements can have profound effects on their performance. n

Figure Three: Obliques Prep

Figure Four: Hip Rolls

A version of this article was previously published in Training & Conditioning, a sister publication of Coaching Management. More articles from T&C can be found at: www.Training-Conditioning.com.

Figure Five: Side Bend Prep

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infield mi xes

Turface MVP

These premium infield mixes provide a consistent playing surface that’s firm yet soft, with great drainage and color.

BEAM CLAY Regional Infield Mixes

These mixes for every state and climate are blended at bulk plants nationwide.

BEAM CLAY Pitcher’s Mound Clay

Extra-firm and medium-firm mound and batter’s box clays are available in all-natural red, orange, brown, tan, and grey. Also available are mound and batter’s box bricks and red polyurethane pads that give the feel of natural clay but are buried two inches below the surface to eliminate 95 percent of maintenance.

BEAM CLAY Red Warning Track Surfaces

These products produce premium long-lasting warning tracks—firm yet crunchy, with low maintenance, great drainage, and excellent color for a perfect finishing touch.

Customer Portfolio: Boston Red Sox Chicago Cubs New York Yankees Tampa Bay Rays Toronto Blue Jays

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and improving soil.

Turface MVP absorbs moisture, improves drainage, and fights compaction to keep infields safe and playable. Its larger particle size is excellent for topdressing

Turface Pro League and Pro League Red

Turface Pro League, a smaller-particle infield conditioner, absorbs moisture to improve footing on skinned and turf surfaces. It’s available in rich red or natural buff color.

Turface Quick Dry

Turface Quick Dry clears up puddles on skinned infields. Absorbing its weight in water, you just dump and rake to make infields safe and playable.

Turface MoundMaster Blocks

Fight wear with Turface MoundMaster Blocks. Easily molded clay blocks deliver lasting performance and are sized perfectly for building boxes and mounds from the ground up.

Customer Portfolio: Chicago Cubs Boston Red Sox Seattle Mariners Minnesota Twins Cleveland Indians

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INFIELD MI XES

Quality Underfoot

Natural Sand Co.

724-530-2298 • www.naturalsand.com DuraEdge Infield Mix

DuraEdge infield mixes are manufactured using engineered soil technology (EST). Get field dependability when you use the mix engineered for playability.

FieldSaver Infield Amendment

FieldSaver is the only custom amendment that conditions, adds clay content, and binds infield skin in one application. FieldSaver is your prescription for playability.

DuraPitch Mound Clay

DuraPitch is moisture-balanced clay that’s ready for play right out of the bag.

Customer Portfolio: San Francisco Giants New York Mets Pittsburgh Pirates Georgia Tech Minnesota Twins

GameTime Athletics

877-891-2476 • www.gtathletics.net RedField Infield Conditioner

RedField is a red scoria lava, maroon in color and specifically sized for use on infields. Excellent for improving aesthetics, Redfield reduces compaction and crusting caused by the hardening of clay, silt, and limestone, especially in high-traffic areas. With its natural color, Redfield will not fade or permanently stain uniforms.

RedField Warning Track Mix

RedField’s particle size also makes it an excellent performer on warning tracks. This 100-percent natural aggregate provides an excellent transition zone between the turf and the fence, making the ball more visible from a distance and serving as an effective warning for players. Redfield can improve the aesthetics, playability, and manageability of any field.

Stabilizer Solutions, Inc.

800-336-2468 • www.stabilizersolutions.com Hilltopper Infield Mix

This premium surface allows you to play during rain, snow, or drought. It saves hours in maintenance and watering.

Stabilizer “Pro Red” Infield Mix

Trusted by professionals, colleges, high schools, and youth leagues for more than 20 years, “Pro Red” lends strength and consistency to your infield.

Stabilizer Ballyard Infield Mix

This regional infield mix is designed for baseball. It is premixed with Stabilizer, and is a perfect blend of sand, silt, and clay.

Stabilizer, The Original Natural Binder

This organic powder acts as both water manager and binder, turning your existing infield mix into a consistent playing surface.

Customer Portfolio: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Philadelphia Phillies Cleveland Indians Florida Marlins Arizona Diamondbacks

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Coaching Management

CoachesNetwork.com

Swing Away Cages*Plus

M.A.S.A., Inc.

Primary Advantages: Cages*Plus offers affordable and durable cages, all of which come with an L-screen. Schools enjoy using them as an extra indoor hitting station with quick assembly and disassembly. All cages come with a one-year money back guarantee. Cages*Plus offers excellent customer service.

Primary Advantages: M.A.S.A. has improved and expanded its selection, offering five grades of netting to meet the demands of every level of play and prices to meet any budget. Regardless of which grade you choose, rest assured you will be getting the highest quality.

866-475-9148 • www.cagesplus.com

CUSTOMER PORTFOLIO:

Fort Lupton High School, CO Loftus Middle School, TN • Bellarmine University North Dakota State University McMichael High School, NC

PRODUCTS: Cages*Plus Portable batting cage with L-screen

800-264-4519 • www.masa.com

CUSTOMER PORTFOLIO: M.A.S.A. nets and cages are used all over the U.S. at youth, high school, college, and professional facilities. Go online or call the company for expert help in choosing a net or cage that is best for your organization and budget. PRODUCTS: Pitcher’s L-Shaped Screen The framing of this screen is constructed of 1/2inch heavy-gauge steel tubing, and assembly is very easy. Pro Model Backstop Batting Cage Flo-coated steel construction makes this giant backstop extremely durable. Pro Series Batting Tunnel This pro industry workhorse is constructed from #36 nylon that has undergone a 320-pound breaking test. Batco Batting Cage The unique design of this product means excellent portability and storage. It weighs just 45 pounds.

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Netex

800-936-6388 • www.netexnetting.ca

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SPI Nets

866-243-6387 • www.spinets.net

Primary Advantages:

Netex has over 120 years of net-building experience, with five full-time net builders offering design and installation services. It is a true turnkey company with installations in Asia, Canada, and the U.S.

Customer Portfolio:

Primary Advantages:

SPI Nets offers a full range of nets for your training needs. The quality and excellent pricing are matched only by SPI’s outstanding service. The company’s products and customer service are carefully monitored to ensure that you receive maximum value for your dollar.

Briarcliff University University of Richmond Vancouver Canadians Whalley Little League, BC

Customer Portfolio:

PRODUCTS: Batting Cages

PRODUCTS: Premium Batting Cage Nets

Netex offers custom fabrication and installation of ropebordered net which are built by the company’s own crew.

Engineered Backstops

Certified in all states, these units feature steel poles up to 120 feet high and pole spans of 23 feet wide.

SPI Nets are used all over the United States at youth, high school, college, and professional facilities.

SPI Nets’ premium cages offer top quality, lots of features, and some of the best prices available.

Deluxe Practice Screens

Barrier Netting

SPI Nets practice screens are among the highestquality screens in the business, and they’re available at very competitive prices.

Pitching Screens

Custom Netting

Nylon, polyethylene, and Spectra nets are custom-built with 3/8-inch perimeter rope borders and nationwide installation. Custom-built to customer requirements, choose #72 or #96 nets with an aluminum #40 1 3/4-inch frame and eight-inch pneumatic wheels.

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CoachesNetwork.com

SPI Nets can fully customize your nets to meet your exact specifications at an affordable price.

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Nets & Cages

Memphis Net & Twine Co., Inc. 901-458-2656 • www.memphisnet.net Primary Advantages:

Memphis Net & Twine manufactures its products in the United States—custom-made batting cages and backstops that are produced to meet customers’ exact specifications. Custom sizes are the company’s specialty. Call the company or visit its Web site to request a free 48-page catalog.

Customer Portfolio:

Customers include major and minor league baseball teams, NFL teams, and college, high school, and youth programs throughout the U.S.

PRODUCTS: Batting Cages

Four different twine sizes are available to meet any budget, and custom cages can be manufactured to customers’ exact specifications.

Backstops

Four different twine sizes are available to meet any budget, and custom backstops can be manufactured to customers’ exact specifications.

Protector Nets

These protector nets are manufactured to customers’ exact specifications.

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C&H Baseball

800-248-5192 • www.chbaseball.com Primary Advantages: C&H Baseball’s products are built to last. The company’s all-welded fielding equipment has set the industry standard since 1968. C&H also knows the meaning of customer service. Its customers’ satisfaction comes first. C&H Baseball supplies only the highest-quality products. Customer Portfolio: New York Yankees • New York Mets San Diego Padres University of Michigan Oklahoma State University PRODUCTS: The “Original” Ball Caddy This rolling ball caddy holds close to 150 baseballs and features all-welded construction. CAG100 - The Pro Cage This cage was designed in 1968 and is still an industry leader, with all-welded construction. Custom Dyneema Backstop Systems With more than 300 stadium projects, these custom designed and built systems are an industry standard. Custom Wall Padding C&H Baseball padding is built using only quality products and workmanship. All sizes and applications are available.

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Nets & Cages

Swing Away

Osborne Innovative Products 800-264-4519 • www.masa.com

Primary Advantages:

Osborne Innovative Products screens are made in the U.S.A. with #72 braided nylon and heavygauge Flo-Coat galvanized steel frames for unequalled durability. Features include compact storage, legs that swivel, fold-and-slide convenience, and a flip-top “L” that locks into place.

Customer Portfolio: Arizona State University UCLA University of Texas Chicago White Sox St. Louis Cardinals

Gourock

877-803-5123 • www.gourock.com

Jaypro Sports, LLC

800-243-0533 • www.jaypro.com Primary Advantages:

Primary Advantages:

Gourock provides reliable commercial-strength netting applications featuring top-notch craftsmanship and excellent service. Fast turnaround and multiple twine/mesh size combinations are available. The company specializes in providing high-quality materials and expert design and production. Its products can be customized to any dimensions.

Jaypro is an industry leader in high-quality equipment for baseball, softball, and athletic field maintenance. Whatever equipment needs you may have, the company can meet them, while exceeding your expectations for service. From protective equipment to permanent and portable backstops, Jaypro has got you covered.

Customer Portfolio:

Montana State University • University of Wyoming DePauw University Oklahoma City University Lindenwood University

PRODUCTS: OIP Versa “L” Pitcher’s Screen

This is one of the most versatile full-size pitcher’s “L” screens ever made.

OIP “Original” Porta EZ Sock Screen

This multi-use screen is perfect for pitching, throwing, and hitting.

OIP Softball Pitching Screen

This product enhances player protection and provides increased usefulness on the field.

OIP Porta Front Toss Screen

This option is perfect for drills including front toss, side toss, and soft toss.

PRODUCTS: Little Slam Batting Cage

PRODUCTS: Batting Cage Nets

These nets feature commercial-strength DuPont 66-728 nylon and can be built to any dimensional requirements.

Designed for collegiate and high school use, this cage measures 17’6” W x 12’ H x 12’ D and is constructed of two-inch heavy wall aluminum.

High-quality DuPont 66-728 nylon is used for these customized barrier nets in several twine/mesh combinations.

This versatile 7’ x 7’ L-shaped net accommodates leftand right-handed pitchers and works well with both pitching machines and live-arm delivery.

Barrier Nets

Soft-Toss/Impact Nets

American-made DuPont 66-728 nylon impact nets feature high abrasion resistance, multi-sport adaptability, and custom sizing.

Protective Screens

Commercial-strength protective netting screens are built pillowcase-style and can be customized to fit existing frames.

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Professional Pitcher’s Safety Protector

Professional Portable Backstop

This top-quality backstop features heavy-duty rear wheels that swivel for easy mobility over grass and dirt.

Retractable Baseball Batting Cage

This versatile product isn’t just for baseball—it can be used for golf, tennis, soccer, and other sports that need to come in from the cold.

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Memphis Net & Twine Co., Inc. Made in America

The Original Iron Mike™

Free Catalog Call 800-238-6380

Our top quality nets are custom made to your specifications. • Baseball Cages, Backstops, Protector Nets & Pitching Machines • Golf Driving and Barrier Nets • Soccer and Tennis Nets • Lacrosse Backstop Nets, Windscreens and much more!

Accept No Imitations. See our Web Page at: www.memphisnet.net or e-mail us at: memnet@memphisnet.net

www.masterpitch.com Circle No. 135

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Coaching Management

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11/8/06 10:08:14 AM

BASEBALL FACILIT Y EQUIPMENT All the Essentials

Fair-Play manufactures a complete line of electronic LED baseball scoreboards, including accessories, for high schools and municipalities, colleges and universities, and professional sports teams. Along with giving spectators all the essential game information with this model BA-7126-2 baseball scoreboard, get the total package for your facility by adding electronic team names and custom cut-out signage. Promote school spirit in your own unique way. Catch the spirit of FairPlay. Fair-Play Scoreboards 800-247-0265 www.fair-play.com Circle No. 516

Restore and Maintain

The PR72 Pro Groomer™ infield drag levels infields by cutting off high spots and filling in low areas. It keeps infields level, well-groomed, and in safe playing condition. It can be used to mix in new material or to break up hard-compacted surfaces, and it saves labor, reduces water puddling, and removes weeds. The unit is six feet wide and there’s no need for hydraulics or a three-point hitch—you can pull it with a variety of towing machines. No tools are needed to adjust it, and it’s available with manual or electric lift. As a new feature, the electric lift version is now available with wireless remote control. Heying Co. • 712-756-8847 www.infield-drag.com Circle No. 517

For a Diamond that Sparkles

When player safety comes first, look to Bannerman. The company manufactures groomers that shape, level, and provide maintenance care for baseball diamonds and softball fields. The B-BP-4 Ballpark-4 (shown) and the B-BP-6 Ballpark-6 models each have five tools: a ripper blade, a rake, a leveler, a roller, and a brush. Available accessories include a wing brush kit, a top link kit, a 50-gallon water tank kit with a spray nozzle, and the new highway transport kit. Bannerman Ltd. 800-665-2696 www.sportsturfmagic.com Circle No. 518

A Smart Choice

M.A.S.A. has welcomed the Fence Guard Lite to its family of fence guards. Fence Guard Lite is priced for the tightest budgets. It protects against chain-link fence injuries, increases fence visibility, and can CoachesNetwork.com

Make Your Diamond Sparkle add beauty to any field. With the addition of Fence Guard Lite, M.A.S.A. now offers three grades of Fence Guard: Premium, Standard, and Lite. All three feature exteriorgrade UV-resistant polyethylene construction that is maintenance-free and designed to last for many years. Call or go online today for more information. M.A.S.A., Inc. • 800-264-4519 www.masa.com Circle No. 519

Faster Field Prep

Foundation mats are an economical solution for controlling “dig-in” and resultant puddling. Fewer rainouts and reduced field labor are achieved from Little League to collegiate ball. MarkSmart foundation mats are made with recycled rubber to provide a durable, easily installed mat that delivers “French drain” capability on critical field areas. Markers, Inc. • 800-969-5920 www.markersinc.com Circle No. 520

They Stay Put

Now offered in 11 standard colors at the same low price, Wind Weighted® Baseball Tarps are the patented mound and base rain covers used by Major League, college, and high school teams throughout the U.S. With 100-percent edge weighting with galvanized steel chain for the perfectly engineered ratio of fabric to ballast weight, they stay down even in very high winds. The 100-percent double lock-stitched edging cannot unravel like competitive chainstitched tarps. This product is available from the very best sports equipment dealers. Aer-Flo, Inc. • 800-823-7356 www.aerflo.com Circle No. 521

Safety First

Little League Rule 1.06: Leagues are required to ensure that first, second, and third bases will disengage from their anchor. This rule was put in place to reduce sliding injuries. When a runner slides into a disengaging base, the base releases from the bottom mat and moves with the motion of the runner, thus absorbing the impact of the base runner’s slide. When the base is stepped on by a runner or fielder, it stays in place. The Breakaway base (BB-700) can be used at all levels of play because it is extremely durable and cost-efficient. Jaypro Sports, LLC • 800-243-0533 www.jaypro.com Circle No. 522 Coaching Management

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Directories Circle No. Company

101. . . . . 106. . . . 143. . . . . 130. . . . . 120. . . . . 142. . . . . 138. . . . . 115. . . . . 113. . . . . 133. . . . . 139. . . . . 134. . . . . 137. . . . . 124. . . . . 102. . . . . 114. . . . . 103. . . . . 108. . . . . 141. . . . . 119. . . . . 129. . . . . 146. . . . . 145. . . . . 111. . . . . 105. . . . . 118. . . . . 135. . . . . 136. . . . . 126. . . . . 132. . . . . 110. . . . . 112. . . . . 122. . . . . 144. . . . . 121. . . . . 128. . . . . 131. . . . . 107. . . . . 127. . . . . 104. . . . . 100. . . . 117. . . . . 125. . . . . 109. . . . . 123. . . . . 116. . . . .

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DIAMOND PRO

®

Red Infield Conditioner Gray Infield Conditioner Professional Vitrified Infield Conditioner Calcined Clay Drying Agent Calcined Clay Top Dressing Calcined Clay Professional Clay Bricks Home Plate / Mound Clay Professional Mound Clay Athletic Field Marking Dust

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Advertisers Directory

Page No.

Aer-Flo (baseball products). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Aer-Flo (Tuffy Windscreen) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 AthleticBid.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Bannerman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 BASEBALLANCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Beam Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 BetterBaseball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 C&H Baseball. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Cages*Plus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 CoachesNetwork.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 California University of Pennsylvania. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 customInk.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Diamond Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Extra Innings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Fair-Play Scoreboards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Game-On Field Conditioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 GameTime Athletics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Gourock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Heying Company (Infield Drag). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Hoosier Bat Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Human Kinetics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Informed Choice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Jaypro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BC K&K Insurance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 M.A.S.A. (field maintenance). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Markers, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Master Pitching Machine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Memphis Net & Twine Co.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Muhl Tech. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Netex Sport Netting Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Osborne Innovative Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Prep Gear. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Pro’s Choice Sports Field Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 ProGrass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC ProPlay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Registry for Excellence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Save-A-Tooth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Seating Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Southern Athletic Fields. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 SPI Nets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Sports Attack. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC Sports Tutor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Stabilizer Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Turface Athletics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 White Line Equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Wizard Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Products Directory

Page No.

523.... Aer-Flo (Tuffy Windscreen)............................................................................................................... 41 521..... Aer-Flo (Wind Weighted Tarps)......................................................................................................... 39 518..... Bannerman (Ballpark-4/Ballpark-6).................................................................................................. 39 524..... Bannerman (Diamond Master).......................................................................................................... 41 541..... BASEBALLANCE............................................................................................................................... 44 505.... Beam Clay ......................................................................................................................................... 35 547..... BetterBaseball (9 Hole Pitchers Pocket).......................................................................................... 44 551..... BetterBaseball (Bullet L Jr. Screen).................................................................................................. 45 515..... C&H Baseball..................................................................................................................................... 37 510..... Cages*Plus......................................................................................................................................... 37 532.... customInk.com.................................................................................................................................. 42 504.... Diamond Pro ..................................................................................................................................... 35 516..... Fair-Play (BA-7126-2)........................................................................................................................ 39 527..... Fair-Play (CaptiVue)........................................................................................................................... 41 502.... Game-On (DiGeronimo Aggregates)................................................................................................ 35 508.... Gametime Athletics (nets and cages)............................................................................................... 36 528.... GameTime Athletics ......................................................................................................................... 41 556.... Gourock............................................................................................................................................. 38 517..... Heying Company (Infield Drag)......................................................................................................... 39 540.... Hoosier Bat Company....................................................................................................................... 43 542.... Human Kinetics (Play Ball)................................................................................................................ 44 533.... Human Kinetics (Sport Nutrition for Coaches)................................................................................ 42 522.... Jaypro (Breakaway base).................................................................................................................. 39 534.... Jaypro (JPXTM baseballs)................................................................................................................ 42 557.... Jaypro (nets and cages).................................................................................................................... 38 554.... K&K Insurance................................................................................................................................... 46 519..... M.A.S.A. (Fence Guard Lite)............................................................................................................. 39 511..... M.A.S.A. (nets and cages)................................................................................................................ 37 520.... Markers, Inc....................................................................................................................................... 39 555.... Memphis Net & Twine Co., Inc.......................................................................................................... 37 543.... Muhl Tech (Advanced Skills Tee)...................................................................................................... 44 549.... Muhl Tech (Power Bag)..................................................................................................................... 45 507.... Natural Sand Co. .............................................................................................................................. 36 513..... Netex Sport Netting Systems........................................................................................................... 37 512..... Osborne Innovative Products........................................................................................................... 38 538.... Power Systems (Power Stepper)...................................................................................................... 43 531..... Power Systems (Reflex Ball)............................................................................................................. 42 535.... Prep Gear........................................................................................................................................... 43 503.... Pro’s Choice....................................................................................................................................... 35 525..... ProGrass ........................................................................................................................................... 41 544.... ProPlay............................................................................................................................................... 44 553.... Registry for Excellence..................................................................................................................... 46 536.... Save-A-Tooth..................................................................................................................................... 43 530.... ScoreComm....................................................................................................................................... 41 526.... Seating Services ............................................................................................................................... 41 539.... ShopExtraInnings.com...................................................................................................................... 43 501.... Southern Athletic Fields ................................................................................................................... 35 514..... SPI Nets............................................................................................................................................. 37 550.... Sports Attack (E-Hack)..................................................................................................................... 45 545.... Sports Attack (Hack Attack)............................................................................................................. 44 548.... Sports Tutor (HomePlate).................................................................................................................. 44 552.... Sports Tutor (TriplePlay Pro)............................................................................................................. 45 509.... Stabilizer Solutions Inc...................................................................................................................... 36 546.... The Pitching Pad................................................................................................................................ 44 506.... Turface Athletics................................................................................................................................ 35 529.... White Line Equipment....................................................................................................................... 41 537.... Wizard Sports ................................................................................................................................... 43

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Make Your Diamond Sparkle Built for the Long Haul

Made of Vipol Matrix mesh, Tuffy is one of the world’s toughest windscreens. With over 50 percent more microfibers than competitors, it is virtually tearand puncture-proof. It is the only windscreen with lock-stitched ends and corners, eliminating the unraveling problem of conventional chain-stitched competitive products. Now available in 15 colors and with Chroma-Bond multicolor imprinting, Tuffy will upgrade the longevity and appearance of any baseball, softball, or tennis fencing. It’s protected by a four-year factory warranty. Aer-Flo, Inc. • 800-823-7356 www.aerflo.com Circle No.523

All the Right Tools

Restore your diamond’s luster in 20 minutes or less. Bannerman manufactures groomers that can level and provide maintenance care for baseball and softball diamonds, warning tracks, and walking trails. The B-DM6 Diamond Master has five grooming tools: a ripper blade, a rake, a leveler, a roller, and a finishing brush. Available options include an extension wing brush kit, a hydraulic tractor top link, a 50-gallon water tank with a spray nozzle, a long-tine “fluffing” rake, and the new highway transport kit. Bannerman Ltd. 800-665-2696 www.sportsturfmagic.com Circle No. 524

Extend Your Season

Find out why ProGrass has been selected as the synthetic turf for several NCAA Division I baseball teams. The durable baseball surface can be used 24/7 with virtually no maintenance. It drains well and can extend the baseball season. This system simulates natural grass characteristics on an ideal field. ProGrass: Do it right the first time, every time. ProGrass, LLC • 866-270-6003 www.prograssturf.com Circle No.525

Extra Comfort

Seating Services is proud to announce the newest product in its seating line, the Eagle Model Series 1000 plastic bench seat module. This seat is designed to be bolted to existing or new bench seating to provide a more comfortable individual seat for your spectators and create enhanced VIP seating that can be sold to raise revenue for your complex. Seating Services Inc. 800-552-9470 www.seatingservices.com Circle No. 526 CoachesNetwork.com

BASEBALL FACILIT Y equipment “Wow” Your Crowds

Communicate with the baseball fans in your community by adding a CaptiVue Sports display from Fair-Play. It will be the crown jewel of your sports complex. CaptiVue displays inform sports fans of upcoming events, promotions, and game times. Display community news, public service announcements, and time and temperature. ProLine software for CaptiVue allows users to display superhigh quality pictures, images, graphics, and animations in astounding detail. Catch the spirit of Fair-Play. Fair-Play Scoreboards 800-247-0265 www.fair-play.com Circle No. 527

Special Offer on Freight

GameTime Athletics is your premier resource for baseball equipment. The company has your team covered. Find hundreds of baseball products and accessories online or call toll-free for a free estimate. Order $2,500 in bleachers or benches, or order three or more protective screens, and get free freight—just mention this ad. GameTime Athletics • 877-891-2476 www.gtathletics.net Circle No. 528

Lines of Respect

White Line Equipment Co. carries a large selection of heavy-duty White Line Markers that are constructed for a lifetime of use. The company’s All Star Pneumatic Wheel version is its topselling liner, offering durable construction and unique features to meet even the toughest demands. For more than 20 years, White Line Markers have been respected as some of the most accurate and durable liners available. For more information, call the company or visit its Web site. White Line Equipment Co. 877-717-2892 www.whitelineequipment.com Circle No. 529

Score Big

Check out ScoreComm’s SCM-340 baseball scoreboard. This 14’ x 5’ scoreboard features all the important scoring functions in a heavy-duty galvanneal steel cabinet with a premier powder-coat finish. ScoreComm offers a large variety of baseball/softball scoreboards, which can be customized for your specific needs. Many of the models can be ordered with conversion kits for playing other sports on the same field. Call or go online for more information. ScoreComm • 888-618-7744 www.scorecomm.com Circle No. 530 Coaching Management

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Te am equipment

Everything You Need

Follow the Bounce

The Reflex Ball is the perfect tool to develop hand-eye coordination and reaction time. Due to its unique shape and design, it bounces erratically and requires the user to adapt and adjust. The Reflex Ball comes in two sizes: The four-inch Jumbo Reflex Ball has a softer bounce and larger size, making it easier to catch, while the three-inch Reflex Ball offers a faster and more dynamic bounce. Power Systems, Inc. • 800-321-6975 www.power-systems.com Circle No. 531

Your Complete BaseBall supplY Headquarters

Look Your Best

Stand out in your very own custom tees. Show your team spirit while displaying your team name and logo. Create your own design, or have CustomInk create a design for you. From basic cotton to wicking tees, you’ll find the perfect shirts to display your team name. You’ll also enjoy free shipping and expert design help that’s available seven days a week. When you order, use voucher code CM0210 to save $10 on your order of six or more shirts. customInk • 877-803-5883 www.customink.com Circle No. 532

Fuel for Performance

Sport Nutrition for Coaches by Leslie Bonci is a complete resource for coaches looking to ensure that athletes achieve optimal performance through proper nutrition. In its practical and easy-to-understand format, this text supplies a wide range of information, with topics that include balancing nutrients, monitoring supplement use, and dealing with disordered eating. Planning tools will help you put the information and strategies to use. Human Kinetics • 800-747-4457 www.humankinetics.com Circle No. 533

We specialize in secure online sales of sporting goods and sports equipment for individuals, teams, and schools. n n n n

Netting Baseballs Bags Bats

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Bases & Plates Batting Cages Pitching Machines Training Aids / Books / Videos

Quick service and quality products are our trademark. In business since 1993, we have 10,000 customers and would be honored to add Y-O-U.Most orders shipped within 24 hours by UPS. Come join our team and play BetterBaseball!

800-997-4233

www.BetterBaseball.com

Balls for All

JPXTM baseballs are available for professional, high school, practice, senior, and youth league play and have a leather cover with raised seams and wool windings covering a cork core. Official play softballs, available in two sizes, (11 and 12 inch), have a tacky leather cover with raised seams and a polyurethane core. Designed for long-lasting use, choose the ball that fits your program’s needs. Jaypro Sports, LLC • 800-243-0533 www.jaypro.com Circle No. 534

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Coaching Management

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TE AM equipment

Everything You Need

TESTIMONIAL

Factory-Direct Value

In five short years, Prep Gear Headwear has become a national leader in factory-direct headwear products for high schools and institutions. At Prep Gear, each hat is assembled from scratch using the highest-quality materials and expert craftsmanship. In today’s economy, why pay an extra markup when you can buy premium products direct from the factory? Call or go online for more information. Prep Gear Headwear • 800-279-7060 www.prepgear.com • Circle No. 535

Because Time Matters

Without proper care, a knocked-out tooth begins to die in 15 minutes. The Save-A-Tooth emergency tooth preserving system utilizes Hank’s Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS) to not only preserve, but also reconstitute many of the degenerated cells. The patented basket and net container are designed to protect tooth root cells. This is the only system that keeps tooth cells alive for up to 24 hours. Save-A-Tooth® • 888-788-6684 www.save-a-tooth.com • Circle No. 536

Carry in Style

New Wheeled Custom Bat Bags are now available. Wizard custom bags are some of the most durable and affordable bat and equipment bags on the market. They are manufactured in the U.S. and built to last, with heavyduty 600D nylon featuring a PVC backing and a limited lifetime warranty. You will not find a better-quality bag at a lower price. All bags are made in your team colors and decorated to include your team name, number, and logo. Wizard Sports Equipment • 888-964-5425 www.wizardsports.com • Circle No. 537

Need Explosiveness?

Develop strong first-step quickness with the Power Stepper. This is a great tool for building strong lateral movement for fielders and base runners who want to enhance their game. Start with intermediate resistance to teach and perfect skill, then graduate to advanced and elite resistance. The padded ankle cuffs are extra-long to accommodate more users. Each unit includes a 10-inch tube and padded cuffs with Velcro™ straps. Power Systems, Inc. • 800-321-6975 www.power-systems.com • Circle No. 538

Coupon Code Saves You More

ShopExtraInnings.com is your one-stop shop for all things baseball and softball on the Web. The site features an outstanding selection of baseball and softball equipment, apparel, and accessories from the top brands at the lowest prices available. Coaching Management readers can save 10 percent off their first purchase by using the coupon code “coach.” Log on to this new Web gem and get the gear you need today. ShopExtraInnings.com • 877-SHOP-EI-1 www.shopextrainnings.com • Circle No. 539

Many Colleges and Universities Choose Jaypro Sports Jaypro Sports offers a large line of field and maintenance equipment to satisfy any baseball or softball program’s needs. Some of the company’s products include bases, home plates, pitching rubbers, dryline field markers, foul poles, backstops, batting cages, protective screens, and player and spectator seating. Here’s a list of some programs that have used Jaypro’s quality products: University of Connecticut Murray State University Southern Connecticut State University Northwood University Weber State University Southwestern Oklahoma State University Connecticut College Providence College Salem State College Northern Essex Community College Southern Maine Community College Southern Vermont College Western Wyoming College Westwood Softball Association Fairfield National Little League Brooklyn Little League Stanford Middle School Point Pleasant High School Pasadena Unified School District Georgetown Visitation Prep School

Three Woods, One Bat

Hoosier Bat Co. makes all-ash bats used by many Major League and minor league players. The company’s patented three-piece wood bat, the WoodForce 2000, is now NCAA-approved. With ash in the handle, hickory in the sweet spot, and maple on the barrel end, the WoodForce 2000 provides a solid sweet spot that will not flake while retaining the same look and feel as a traditional all-ash bat. All of Hoosier’s bats are made from quality wood and are crafted to exacting standards. Hoosier Bat Co. • 800-228-3787 www.hoosierbat.com • Circle No. 540 CoachesNetwork.com

Jaypro Sports

976 Hartford Turnpike Waterford, CT 06385 800-243-0533 Fax: 800-988-3363 info@jaypro.com www.jaypro.com

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PR ACTICE A IDS

Helping You Excel

True Innovation

The Baseballance is the first crosscurricular baseball training aid. Designed to accelerate learning through feel and muscle memory, it also emphasizes and improves dynamic balance. Here’s one of the many specific ways it isolates movements for every player at every position and through every baseball act: the Baseballance allows the hitter to see and feel when he is loaded while also allowing the pitcher to see and feel the load or the power drive position. The Baseballance forces athletic position and athletic, flowing movements. Baseballance • 540-383-3848 www.baseballance.com Circle No. 541

Energize Your Practices

In Play Ball: 100 Baseball Practice Games, ABCA Coach of the Year Tom O’Connell presents over 100 of the best practice games ever created. The skillbuilding competitions cover fielding, pitching, catching, and hitting; they also prepare players for every situation from bunt defense to rundowns. With full practice plans based on the games included, it’s an ideal resource for coaches. Human Kinetics • 800-747-4457 www.humankinetics.com Circle No. 542

Feedback Matters

Want to give your hitters instant feedback? Look no further than the Advanced Skills Tee (AST). The tee of choice for more than 3,000 high school and college programs, the AST’s unique forward arm design and outside barrier give instant visual and physical feedback. Eliminate casting, looping bats, and dropping shoulders with this portable and extremely durable batting tee. It comes with a two-year warranty. Muhl Tech • 888-766-8772 www.muhltech.com Circle No. 543

Seeing Is Believing

ProPlay LLC offers a hand-sized highspeed video camera that allows coaches to instantly review their athletes’ performance. This immediate visual feedback complements the verbal instruction already being given to the athlete. In addition, the ProPlay Scratch software allows coaches to gain a more in-depth analysis by drawing lines, circles, and squares as well as editing and e-mailing the videos. Call or go online to learn more. ProPlay LLC • 866-800-9433 www.proplaysports.com Circle No. 544 44

Coaching Management

Eye On the Ball

The exclusive design of the Hack Attack baseball pitching machine allows the hitter to see the ball clearly all the way through the feeding motion, acceleration, and release, just like with a live pitcher. The Hack Attack throws unmatched right- and left-handed major league fastballs up to 100 mph, and all breaking pitches, by simply changing the speed of the wheels with three dials. This eliminates the need for time-consuming adjustments of the throwing head. Sports Attack • 800-717-4251 www.sportsattack.com Circle No.545

Like Clockwork

The Pitching Pad is a complete training system designed to make pitchers’ workouts more effective. Using the markings on the Pitching Pad as reference points, pitchers are forced to focus on location, and by seeing exactly where each pitch lands, they’re better able to make needed adjustments. The numbers are laid out like a clock, allowing the pitcher to perfect a 12-6 curveball or a 10-4 sinker. Suggested daily workouts, a pitching chart, and simulated game instructions are included. The Pitching Pad • 210-232-8392 www.thepitchingpad.com Circle No. 546

More Than a Screen

BetterBaseball’s 9 Hole Pitchers Pocket practice screen is ideal for evaluating a pitcher’s accuracy. The nine pockets provide a range of targets that help pitchers improve and evaluate their accuracy around the strike zone. It’s like having a catcher that tells you exactly where each pitch was thrown. BetterBaseball.com • 800-997-4233 www.betterbaseball.com Circle No. 547

Programmable Pitching

The HomePlate pitching machine is the first programmable pitching machine designed for both batting cage and on-field use. You can store up to eight different pitches—including fastballs up to 90 mph, curveballs, changeups, sliders, and more—in eight different programs, with only seven seconds between pitches. The programmed pitches in the HomePlate can be thrown sequentially for specific hitting drills, randomly for game conditions, or in a way that simulates an opposing pitcher. Choose the 80-ball auto-feed model at $6,595, or the hand-feed model at $5,295. Sports Tutor • 800-448-8867 www.sportsmachines.com Circle No. 548 CoachesNetwork.com

Helping You Excel All In the Hips

Hitting for power? Try the Power Bag from Muhl Tech. It was designed to teach hitters to use their lower half when hitting the ball—not just to rotate the hips, but actually to use them as a power source when driving through the ball. The Power Bag allows the hitter to power through contact and finish the swing. Use good point-of-contact mechanics and the bag will swing higher (visual reward). Use lazy hips, rolled wrists, or swing around the ball and the bag will not move nearly as much. Muhl Tech • 888-766-8772 www.muhltech.com Circle No. 549

Timing, Timing, Timing

The new E-Hack pitching machine is computerized and programmable. It throws fastballs, curveballs, change-ups, and any other pitch in any sequence, just like live pitching. All this comes from the Hack Attack with its proven vision, velocity, breaking ball, reliability, durability, and performance, combining to bring you one of the best pitching machines ever created. This innovative training tool will be at the ABCA and in clinics across the country this spring. Sports Attack • 800-717-4251 www.sportsattack.com Circle No. 550

PR ACTICE A IDS

Sturdy and Versatile

The Bullet L Jr. Screen is made from high-quality 1 5/8-inch tubular steel. It features #42-grade nylon netting and can meet the needs of both baseball and softball programs. BetterBaseball.com 800-997-4233 www.betterbaseball.com Circle No. 551

Two Great Pitchers

Simply push a button on the TriplePlay Pro pitching machine to choose the type of pitch you want. It can automatically throwfastballs, curves, sliders, and sinkers. The pitch speed is adjustable from 40 to 90 mph in five-mph increments and is digitally displayed. TriplePlay Pro utilizes a three-wheel pitching mechanism so the baseball is visible from the time it leaves the feeder’s hand until it is pitched. TriplePlay Basic offers the same three-wheel advantage as the TriplePlay Pro, with pitches adjustable from 30 to 80 mph. No AC power available? TriplePlay Basic features AC/DC capability. Sports Tutor • 800-448-8867 www.sportsmachines.com Circle No.552

Make an Informed Choice! INFORMED-CHOICE is a supplement testing and certification organization that works closely with responsible nutrition companies by screening their products for banned substances against the World Anti-Doping list. Our mission is to provide athletes, coaches, advisors, parents, etc. with an INFORMEDCHOICE with regard to supplements, as part of a general approach to risk management. While it’s NEVER possible to guarantee that any product is absolutely free of contamination, the choice is simple: If you choose to take a supplement, ensure that what you take has been tested for contamination using appropriately accredited tests Log on to www.informed-choice.org to learn more about the organization and the companies who are testing their products for banned substances. Make sure your athletes are well INFORMED and download a FREE copy of our “Athlete’s Guide To Nutrition” and pass it onto your athlete’s today!

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WEB NEWS

MORE PRODUCTS Special Recognition

Ad No. PR72-E-166,c

Ad Specs:

1/6 Page 4-5/8” wide

The Registry for Excellence system consists of a custom-made seven-inch cast award plate. The plate is designed with your school’s or organization’s name and is intended to hold meaningful achievement medallions or custom engraving. Skillfully hand-painted with high-gloss acrylics and attractively packaged for display, it’s (B &for Wathletic - 1/6 pg. MVPs, Horizontal perfect awards, scholar athletes, donor recognition, halls of fame, or to commemorate a special event. - Black & White Registry for Excellence x 2-5/16” high 800-395-3551 www.reg4ex.com Circle No. 553

Get Answers to Your Sports Field Care Questions

The online home of Pro's Choice Sports Field Products offers information on the company's complete product lineup and step-by-step installation instructions. Visitors can also find articles about high-profile users and facilities that have made Pro's Choice the choice of champions. Click over to the "Ask an Expert" section for answers to all your product-related questions, or visit the "Field Days" page to find out when a hands-on training event will be happening near you. Didn't find exactly what you were looking for? Request more information or contact Pro's Choice directly through the website.

Ad)

Advertiser: Contact: Insure Your Success Randy Heying your Ave. organization withIowa K&K’s 51003 Heying Co. Protect 515 6th Alton, insurance programs for sports camps, Phone (712)clinics, 756-8847 Fax associations, (712) 756-8849 teams, leagues, instructors, and events. Coverages include general liability including participant legal liability, participant accident medical, equipment and contents coverage, and more. Sign up with the leader in sports, leisure, and entertainment insurance today—online quoting and immediate purchase is easy. K&K Insurance • 800-426-2889 www.sportsinsurance-kk.com Circle No. 554

Infield Drag NEW! Now available with Wireless Remote Control!

www.proschoice1.com

New Site Offers Advanced Features and User-Friendly Function

www.Infield-Drag.com

The PR72 Pro Groomer keeps infields level, well-groomed and in safe playing condition. 6 ft. wide. Also breaks up hard infields. Control Weeds, Deter Water Puddling, & Save Labor! Manual or electric lift available. Complete info on our web site. PR72-E,166,c

www.Infield-Drag.com

Heying Co. 515 6th Ave. Alton, IA 51003 Ph. (712) 756-8847 Circle No. 141

4-5/8”

M.A.S.A. is proud to announce its newest Web site. This enhanced site offers extensive search fields, highquality photographs, and of course all the latest field maintenance, baseball, softball, football, soccer, field hockey, lacrosse, and multi-sport accessories. Whether you’d like to purchase a gift certificate, get info on the pool truck program, find up-to-date info on M.A.S.A.’s next show or demo, get a quote, or just place an order, the new site is sure to get you what you need. The company would also love to hear 2-5/16” on how to improve and suggestions make your experience even better, so check out the customer service tab and share your thoughts and ideas.

www.sportsadvantage.com

Good For Your Budget, and the Environment

Musco Sports Lighting’s Web site allows you to learn how LightStructure Green can help you achieve top-quality lighting while reducing your life cycle operating costs and spill light by half, and eliminating 100 percent of your routine maintenance costs for 25 years. Compelling project success stories, customer testimonials, and project photos attest to Musco’s ability to make it happen. You can see upcoming televised events using Musco lighting, view project references, locate your local sales representative, or ask for assistance in planning your sports lighting project.

www.musco.com Circle No. 142

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CoachesNetwork.com 12/30/08 11:38:50 AM

Use links and tools on AthleticBid.com AthleticBid.com is a free service designed to help you research products and contact companies in an easy-to-use format.

Simplify & Speed your Product Research on the Internet

Looking for a specific product? You can use the Buyer’s Guide to search “By Product” and locate prospective suppliers. Each of the suppliers has a listing that can be reviewed. Some listings include basic contact data, but others have additional information to help you learn about the products or services and their company. Another option available on AthleticBid. com is to place an RFP. When you already know your specs and are looking for price quotes from a variety of vendors, this is a great tool. Input your information and within three days you will receive e-mailed responses from all interested suppliers.

Finally, if you’re just interested in reviewing some of the new products that have been introduced on the market—

It used to take hours to contact dozens of companies to research products and plan purchases. But by using AthleticBid.com, it now only takes minutes.

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check out the “Product Connection” section with brief descriptions and photos of products and contact information for the companies that sell them. Learning More About Suppliers and their Products As mentioned earlier, a number of the company’s have enhanced listings that include additional resources to help you better evaluate them and their products. Once you locate an individual company’s listing, you are able to: l View complete product lines, seeing all of the products offered by the company. l View catalog pages or spec sheets with detailed product information. The information is stored as PDF files so you can view them on-line or print them out for easy reference. l Read a profile or description of the company or a company representative. l Request to be contacted by the company using an e-mail link direct to the company. l Ask for a catalog and sales literature from the company­—again using an e-mail link direct to the company. Take advantage of the wealth of information and resources available on AthleticBid.com to increase the information you gather, while also saving valuable time.

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WEB GEMS

Look Who’s On

Coaches Network! Interact with coaches like these...

To sign up for your free profile and join these and other coaches, go to:

www.CoachesNetwork.com 48

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Great For Anybody’s Game! Company Description ProGrass LLC is a relationship driven company specializing in the design, manufacturing, installation and service of synthetic infilled turf systems.

Product Description ProGrass should be your first choice when deciding to use synthetic turf on your baseball field. ProGrass can create a product tailored to your needs. ProGrass can also mimic the natural transition from the outfield to the infield by using two turf heights. Call ProGrass when you want a superior field.

960 Penn Avenue, Suite 810 Pittsburgh, PA 15222 1-866-270-6003 www.prograssturf.com Circle No. 144

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