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Coaching Management BASEBALL PRESEASON EDITION 2004 VOL. XII, NO. 2 $5.00 Risk-Proof Your Program Smart Strength Training BEFORE THE SCORE Teaching players the details of winning

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Page 1: Coaching Management 12.2

Coaching ManagementB A S E B A L L P R E S E A S O N E D I T I O N 2 0 0 4

VOL. XII, NO. 2 ■ $5.00

■ Risk-Proof Your Program

■ Smart Strength Training

BEFORE THE SCORETeaching players the details of winning

Page 2: Coaching Management 12.2

Circle No. 1

Page 3: Coaching Management 12.2

CONTENTS Coaching ManagementBaseball EditionPreseason 2004

Vol. XII, No. 2

COACHING MANAGEMENT 1

p. 21 p. 25

LOCKER ROOM Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2NCAA academic disincentives pro-posal may have unintended effectsfor baseball ... Fall ball for seventh-and eighth-graders ... Web sitepromotes baseball at historicallyblack colleges ... Consult numbers,not gut, economists say ... Helpingparents keep high school inperspective.

Q&A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12George Horton coaches the high-est-profile program at a school in asports-rich metropolitan area.That’s both a benefit and a burden,he says.

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

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

p. 2

Cover StoryBefore the Score . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14The best coaches not only know how to teach the little things that win baseballgames, but how to get their players to think about them.

Your ProgramReducing the Risks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21An athletics risk-reduction expert shows how to protect your players and yourprogram by making injury-prevention a regular part of your coaching.

Optimum PerformancePower to Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25Are your players building strength the right way? Do you want to start abaseball strength program? A leader in sport-specific training outlines the basicsand a sample program for your athletes.

Cover photo: AP/Wide World Photos

ADVERTISERS DIRECTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

PRODUCT PAGES

Advertising Sales AssociatesDiedra Harkenrider, (607) 257-6970, ext. 24Sheryl Shaffer, (607) 257-6970, ext. 21

Business and Editorial Offices2488 N. Triphammer Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850(607) 257-6970, Fax (607) [email protected]

Mailing lists for Coaching Management Baseball are pro-vided by the Clell Wade Coaches Directory.

The Coaching Management baseball edition is publishedin February, September, and December by MAG, Inc. andis distributed free to college and high school coaches in theUnited States and Canada. Copyright © 2004 by MAG, Inc.All rights reserved. Text may not be reproduced in anymanner, in whole or in part, without the permission of thepublisher. Unsolicited materials will not be returned unlessaccompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope.Coaching Management is printed by Banta PublicationsGroup, Kansas City, MO. POSTMASTER: Send addresschanges to: Coaching Management, P.O. Box 4806, Ithaca,N.Y. 14852.

Printed in the U.S.A.

Publisher Mark Goldberg

Circulation Director Mark Shea

Art Director Pamela Crawford

Art AssistantDina Stander

Business ManagerPennie Small

Editor-in-Chief Eleanor Frankel

Associate Editors Guillermo MetzDennis Read

Assistant Editors RJ AndersonKenny BerkowitzDavid HillLaura Smith

Editorial Assistant Greg Scholand

Production Manager Kristin Ayers

Asst. Production ManagerKristi Kempf

Production Assistant Jonni Campbell

IT ManagerMark Nye

Prepress ManagerAdam Berenstain

Ad Materials CoordinatorMike Townsend

Special Projects Dave Wohlhueter

Administrative AssistantsSharon Barbell Daniela ReisAmy Walton

Page 4: Coaching Management 12.2

NCAA ReformsAlarm CoachesAs the NCAA prepares tovote on a proposal to putteeth into the new Division Iacademic standards, somecoaches are raising concernsthat baseball may be hit par-ticularly hard by elements ofthe plan. The frequency withwhich college players turn prohas some fearing the implica-tion of sanctions tied to lowgraduation rates, while otherspoint out that tougher contin-uing eligibility rules couldmake it difficult for junior col-lege transfers to arrive atfour-year schools eligible toplay.

The concerns deal withproposed penalties stemmingfrom the first phase of theNCAA’s academic reforms,which toughened standardsfor continuing eligibility. Stu-dent-athletes who enteredschool in fall 2003 must com-plete 40, 60, and 80 percentof their degree requirementsby the beginning of their fifth,seventh, and ninth semestersto stay eligible (up from 25,50, and 75). They will be heldto higher GPA standards aswell; the cutoff at each schoolvaries with its graduationrequirement. And all students,not just this year’s freshmen,must now pass six credithours each semester in orderto play.

Draft legislation up forapproval by the NCAA Boardof Directors in April setspenalties that range fromwarning letters and loss ofscholarships to restrictedpostseason play. Under theproposal, developed by theDivision I Management Coun-cil Working Group on Incen-tives and Disincentives, teamswould be assessed on twonew measures. The first is thegraduation success rate (GSR),which attempts to account fortransfers in assessing gradua-tion rates, for a graduation

rate the NCAA believes willbe more accurate than thefederal measure now used.The second measure, the aca-demic progress rate (APR),would be calculated annuallyfor each team. The APR isdesigned to be a yearly “snapshot” of a team’s academicperformance, according toTodd Turner, Chair of theWorking Group and formerAthletic Director at VanderbiltUniversity.

GSRs and APRs for 2003-04and 2004-05 in order togather enough data to setthe cut-offs,” Turner says.Cut-offs would be deter-mined at the end of the2004-2005 school year, andpenalties under the proposalwould be applicable begin-ning in the fall of 2005.

Under the plan, a team wouldreceive a warning letter thefirst time it failed to meet cut-offs on all three comparisons.The second time, the teamwould face scholarship reduc-tions and recruitingrestrictions, and the thirdtime, it would be bannedfrom pre- and postseasonplay. Programs whose teamsregularly fail to meet thestandards could be placed onrestricted NCAA membershipstatus.

For ABCA Executive DirectorDave Keilitz, the proposalraises a serious concern. “Ifthey implement sanctionsbased on graduation rates,that will affect baseball morethan any other sport, becauseof the high number of base-ball players who sign profes-sional contracts after theirjunior year,” Keilitz says. “It’snot uncommon for a programto lose three to six juniors ayear to the pros. Those play-ers may have had great GPAsand been on track to gradu-ate, but under this system,that program is going to bepunished.

“We support academicresponsibility, but as with anylegislation, there are certainthings that may not makesense for a particular sport,and this doesn’t make sensefor baseball,” he adds.

Keilitz hopes that baseballcoaches can convince theNCAA to reconsider theissue. “I’ve already contactedmembers of the WorkingGroup and voiced myconcern about the impact ongraduation rates of baseball

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2 COACHING MANAGEMENT

The APR is based on two fac-tors: whether student-athletesremain eligible and whetherthey stay in school. Eachsemester, a student-athletecan earn one point toward theteam’s APR for remaining eli-gible and one for returning toschool, for a total of four pos-sible points per year per ath-lete. At the end of each year,the APR would be calculated

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as a percentage of the totalnumber of points the teamcould have earned. Schoolsare required to provide datato the NCAA to calculateteams’ APRs beginning withthe fall 2003 semester.

To evaluate a baseball team’sperformance, the NCAAwould measure its GSR andAPR scores against threeother groups: teams in allother Division I sports, all

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

other Division I baseballteams, and the rest of the uni-versity’s student body. Sanc-tions would be handed outonly to teams whose scoresfail on all three tests.

What constitutes a failinggrade, however, has not beendetermined. “The WorkingGroup recommended thatthe NCAA measure teams’

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4 COACHING MANAGEMENT

L O C K E R R O O Mbulletin board

players leaving for the pros,”he says. “We’re working tomake sure all our coaches areaware of the issue, andtogether we’ll be drafting aletter to the NCAA.”

Second on Keilitz’s list of con-cerns about the academicreforms package is the way itaffects junior collegetransfers. The continuing eligi-bility rules that took effectlast fall apply to transfers andnon-transfers alike, meaningthat a player who transfers toa four-year institution at thebeginning of his junior yearmust already have completed40 percent of that school’sdegree requirements to beeligible. “There is no doubtthat this will be a factor inbaseball,” Keilitz says. “I thinkthat coaches will cut back sig-nificantly on junior collegerecruiting.”

Ron Polk, Head Coach at Mis-sissippi State University,agrees. “This is going to bedevastating to junior collegeprograms,” he says. “Unless ajunior college freshman knowsexactly which four-year schoolthey want to go to and workswith the four-year school tomake sure that they’re follow-ing all the curriculum guide-lines, they have almost nochance of being eligible theirfirst year at that four-yearschool.”

Academic readiness will be amajor challenge for coachesand players, says Mike Federi-co, Head Coach at Meridian(Miss.) Community College.“Most 18-year-old freshmencoming to a junior collegedon’t know what degree theyultimately want to get,” hesays. “So the hard part isknowing whether the classesmy players are taking aregoing to end up countingtoward that 40 percent or not.It’s going to be very difficult.

“The reason most of themare coming here is becausetheir grades weren’t good

enough to get into a four-year school,” Federico contin-ues. “We’re here to allowthem to take some remedialclasses and catch up, butthose classes don’t transfer.”

The new standards will likelyresult in most junior collegestudent-athletes taking heav-ier course loads in summerschool—another problem,Federico says. “Our guysneed to play and put upnumbers in the summers inorder to transfer to a DivisionI school, because the percep-tion is that they aren’t play-ing against the same caliberof talent as everybody else,”he says.

Part of the solution is forDivision I coaches to workclosely with junior collegecoaches, according to KeithGuttin, Head Coach atSouthwest Missouri State.“We have to educate juniorcollege coaches and theirguidance departments aboutour requirements,” Guttinsays.

A formal comment periodcontinues during February.“Schools can commentdirectly or through theirconferences,” Turner says.

Middle SchoolersEnjoy Fall BallWhen freshman ballplayersget to their first practice atHouston (Tenn.) High Schoolthis spring, they’ll alreadyhave a good idea of what toexpect. So will Head CoachLane McCarter, who last fallcreated a new league for mid-dle schoolers.

The idea sprang from a three-day summer camp McCarterhas run for several years forthe age group. “When thatcamp ended, we had a lot ofkids who were excited aboutbaseball, so we decided tostart something for them inthe fall,” McCarter says. “The

fall in Tennessee is a deadtime—we can’t do any coach-ing with our high school play-ers. But we started thinking,why can’t we get the middleschoolers in here and startteaching them some things?”

McCarter started taking sign-ups on the last day of thesummer camp, and continuedto publicize the fall league inthe local paper and by word

of mouth. He opened theleague to seventh and eighthgraders. “We made the deci-sion not to include sixthgraders, because that agespan is too big,” he says.“Developmentally, the sixthgraders are too far behindthe eighth graders and itwouldn’t have been a goodexperience for them.”

Twenty-three middle school-ers signed up for the league,enough for two teams. “Weexpected to get about 40kids, and I’m glad wedidn’t,” McCarter says.“Since it was the first year,the smaller number wasmore manageable.”

A fee of $200 per child cov-ered the cost of T-shirts andcoaches’ pay. “Private hittingor pitching lessons cost par-ents $25-$50 per half hour,

and with us, they got twoand a half hours of work withthree coaches, so the fee waswell-accepted,” McCartersays.

Taking care not to interferewith the middle schoolathletes’ ability to play otherfall sports, McCarter consult-ed with the middle schoolfootball coach. “I asked himwhat he thought, and he

said, ‘These are sev-enth and eighthgraders—the morethey do the better,’”he says. “Weplanned around theirschedule; football hasWednesday nightsoff, so that’s whenwe met.”

The league met eight times, for four two-hour-longWednesday nightpractices and fourSunday games. “Weworked on defensiveskills, cuts and relays,infield stuff, outfieldstuff, catching, pitch-ing—you name it,”McCarter says. “We

had five pitchers and theyeach pitched one or twoinnings.”

Being taught by the highschool coach was a greatmotivator for the middleschoolers. “We’re the coach-es they want to play forsomeday,” McCarterexplains. For the high schoolcoaches, the league was anopportunity to teach goodfundamentals right from thestart. “This was as much likea high school practice as itgets,” he says. “We taughtthem our bunt defenses,what we do on fly ball com-munication, our catcher’ssigns to the pitcher—all ofthat. And if they didn’thustle, we got on them.”

Competition, however, wasnot the focus of the league,and McCarter made that

Middle school athletes practice theirswings during Houston (Tenn.)High School’s new fall league forseventh- and eighth-graders, the ideaof Head Coach Lane McCarter.

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6 COACHING MANAGEMENT

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clear from the beginning.“The goal was exposure,” hesays. “It was for everyone toplay an equal number ofinnings and try things theyhadn’t tried before. If a kidhadn’t played right fieldbefore, he played it. Winningand losing was the last con-sideration.”

Getting parents on boardwith those goals was a highpriority. “We met with thembefore we did anything elseand spelled out exactly whatour expectations were,”McCarter says. “I also madesure each parent had myphone number in case theyhad any concerns. It paid

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

McCarter believes the leaguewill also help steer studentsto his school. “We’ve hadsome private schools openup in our area, and a lot oftimes, their athletic facilitiesare better than ours, and

kids think that’s an attractivechoice,” he says. “We wantto make sure we keep thesekids, and we think their get-ting to know us as coachesand getting involved in ourprogram early will help.”

He also hopes the league willboost tryout numbers, which

after a few successful years,have actually started todecline. “Last year, wefinished 32-8 and made it tothe state tournament, andwe’ve had players drafted inthe first and second roundsand 22 kids get baseballscholarships,” he says.“You’d think everyone would

be trying out for baseball,but the opposite hashappened. Kids think, ‘I’mnot a great player, I might aswell not even try out.’ That isthe last thing I want to seehappening, and I think thatthis league will give moreplayers the confidence to tryout.”

The opportunity for highschool players to help coachhas been another plus of theleague. “They loved it,”McCarter says. “As a player,you can learn so much fromteaching, and I expect they’llput that back into the gamewhen they play this year.”

The biggest benefit, howev-er, has been the chance topreview upcoming talent. “Iknow what kids we have inseventh grade, and I knowwhat next year’s freshmenare going to be like,”McCarter says. “I know who’sgood and who can play atwhat positions. It’s a tremen-dous help, because we play afull schedule in the springand I can’t get out to see theyounger kids play very often.So now I have a name with aface and I know exactly whatwe’ve got coming.”

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

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Site PromotesBlack CollegesAfter playing baseball as anundergraduate at CoppinState College and serving aspitching coach at GramblingState University, Ruffin Bell IIIis committed to giving some-thing back to the sport: aWeb site unlike any other.

Since going on-line inNovember 2002, BlackCollege Baseball (www.black-collegebaseball.com) hasreceived more than 42,000hits. The site includes sched-ules, standings, and links to19 historically black collegesand universities in the Mid-Continent Conference, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference,and Southwestern AthleticConference. It also hosts amessage board for discussing

8 COACHING MANAGEMENT

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and is pleased that coacheshave told him that Black Col-lege Baseball has alreadyhelped them recruit new stu-dent-athletes. Entering its sec-ond season, the site is still

issues of interest, and anarchive of news articles aboutbaseball at historically blackcolleges and universities.

On a page explaining why thesite exists, Bell points out thatthe only black baseball headcoach in NCAA Division I isTony Gwynn at San DiegoState. But the site’s agenda isnot to increase coaching num-bers—it’s to promote thegame and give potentialrecruits a central location forinformation about going tocollege, Bell says. He says thatmany historically black schoolsaren’t equipped with bigsports-information staffs togarner their baseballprograms as much attentionas athletes and coaches mightlike. So he tries to includeeverything the collegesshould have on their ownWeb sites, but don’t.

“I’m trying to do mypart to publicize theteams as best as Ican,” says Bell, whoalso runs the SportsManagement site atCoppin State,where he works asan Assistant Base-ball Coach and Lec-turer in Health,Physical Education,and Recreation.“I’m trying to fill avoid. The Web sitetries to publicizeathletes in HBCUprograms to a levelwhere they feelthey’re being repre-sented, not justequally, but well.”

With little mention of HBCUsin the mainstream sportsmedia, Bell urges colleges tothink of his site as their own,

Ruffin Bell’s Web site promotes baseballat historically black colleges.

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modest, with no advertise-ments, no sponsors, and noofficial backing from any ofits colleges and universities.

At this point, it’s still a one-man operation, and thoughBell has plans for growth—hehopes to expand this year’scoverage to include the Cen-tral Intercollegiate AthleticAssociation—he also looks for-ward to a time when the sitewill no longer be necessary.

“If every college had a five-person sports informationstaff and an athletic sitewhere people could get allthe up-to-date informationthey want, there wouldn’t bea need for this Web site,”says Bell. “But right now,there is.”

Stats Beat Gut,Scholars SayThe intentional walk. The sac-rifice bunt. Leaving a pitcherin vs. going to the bullpen.These are examples of situa-tions in which some of thenation’s foremost experts onmaking decisions say baseballmanagers are far too cautious.

“I think it’s a fairgeneralization that coachesand managers are often a lit-tle too safe in their decisionmaking,” says Steven J. Sher-man, a psychology professorat Indiana University studyingirrationality in baseball. Sher-man is among a handful ofexperts using sports as a lab-oratory to examine behavioraleconomics—the study of howand why people makedecisions using objectivedata.

Sherman and his colleague,Richard Thaler, an economistat the University of Chicago,organized a conference lastMarch that brought togethermany of academia’s leadingexperts on rational decisionmaking with figures in thesports community, including

Billy Beane, General Managerof the Oakland Athletics, andBill James, Special Advisor tothe Boston Red Sox. Thegroup spent two daysdiscussing decision makingand rationality in baseball,basketball, and football.

Based on their studies, Sher-man and his colleagues saymanagers and coaches areapt to base game-hingingdecisions on gut feelingsrather than on statistics. “Andthey try to make the decisionthat they will be able todefend after the game ratherthan the one that was bestduring the game,” Thaler saidduring an interview on PBS’NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.

Managers think of what thereaction will be, saysSherman, “whether it’s fromthe media, the fans or theowner of the team. So doingwhat is usually done is safe,and nobody will criticize yougreatly for doing what mostpeople would do.”

Sherman notes that the samecan be true of high school andcollege coaches and managerswho are often under themicroscope of parents, fans,and the media, as well as offi-cials from their institution.

“The idea is that if theoutcome is good, the decisionmust have been the rightdecision. But that’s not alwaystrue,” says Sherman. “Some-times good outcomes arebased on bad decisions andsometimes good decisionslead to bad outcomes.”

One strategy that exemplifiesSherman’s point is the sacri-fice bunt. “The book says thatin a close game, if the firstguy gets on, the next guyshould try a sacrifice bunt toget him over to secondbase,” says Thaler. “And theanalysis we’ve done says thatyou actually score fewer runswith a man on second andone out than you do with aman on first and no outs.”

So by moving the runnerover, the sacrifice results in anout that may prove costly inthe not-so-long run. Eventhough it is a widely acceptedtactic in baseball circles, it isnot rational behavior, at leastas these scholars define it.

The same holds true forintentionally walking aslugger if a home run willbeat you. Giving that batter afree pass does prevent himfrom hitting a home run, butit also turns him into a hitterwho’s batting 1.000. Andeven in the case of BarryBonds, arguably the mostfeared hitter in the game,Sherman notes that statisticsshow that giving him a freebase usually leads to moreruns at the end of the inningthan one of his at-bats does.

Examples of rational decisionsthat sometimes lead to bad

results are bringing in a right-handed pitcher to face aright-handed batter, andsending in a pinch hitter toavoid a righty vs. righty orlefty vs. lefty scenario.

In either case, managersoften use statistics to weighthe odds of success in a par-

ticular situation. But often, amanager will choose to gowith a gut feeling and ignorethe statistics.

One of the more memorableexamples of this is BostonRed Sox Manager Grady Lit-tle’s decision to leave PedroMartinez on the mound dur-ing the eighth inning of GameSeven of the 2003 AmericanLeague Championship Series.Even though Martinez wasstruggling, his pitch count wasover 100, and statisticsshowed batters had a .370average against him after he’dthrown 100 pitches, Little’sgut told him that Martinezwas good for one more out.But Martinez faced two morebatters, allowed the two tyingruns, and New York went onto win the game and series.

Sherman and Thayer contendthat when a manager or

coach bases a decision onthe available statistics, thatdecision is correct regardlessof the outcome. “Why wouldyou ignore data?,” says Sher-man. “Even if you decide in a situation not to follow it,you should at least knowwhat it is.”

The sacrifice bunt may not be such a productive choice, say academicstatistical analysts.

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MichiganProgram AddsPerspectiveOf the 453,792 athletes whoplay high school baseballevery year, 9,460—twopercent—go on to play at theNCAA Division I level. Only0.17 percent of high schoolparticipants end up playing inthe major leagues. That statis-tic may be no surprise tomost coaches, but it’s an eye-opener for many parents,which is why the MichiganHigh School Athletic Associa-tion launched a programcalled “High School Sports:It’s About Team” for the2003-2004 school year.

The objective of the programis to educate parents, fans,and others about the truevalue of high school sports. It

defines them as “educationalsupport programs which helpdevelop tomorrow’s commu-nity leaders—not the startinglineups for tomorrow’s colle-giate or professional teams.”

“We started seeing moreand more cases where thehighly publicized success of ahandful of elite athletes wasbeing touted as the definingmoment of high schoolsports,” says John Johnson,MHSAA CommunicationsDirector. “We created thisprogram to combat that mes-sage. The emphasis ... has tobe on the experiences andvalues all players can takeaway from their high schoolteam.

“Parents are increasingly like-ly to view playing in collegeor earning a college scholar-ship as a right. So they place

all the emphasis on gettingtheir child seen by collegescouts, rather than onfunctioning as part of a highschool team. Educating par-ents about the actual oddsthat their child will earn anathletic scholarship to a Divi-sion I university can help themgain some perspective andchange their attitudes.”

A key component of the “It’sAbout Team” project is avideo that was sent to Michi-gan high schools for use dur-ing the 2003-2004 season.The six-minute video stars JimBrandstatter, a sportscastermany in the state recognizeas the voice of University ofMichigan athletics, and hispassion is the video’s biggestasset, according to Johnson.

“Jim feels so strongly aboutthe educational values of

high school athletics andabout creating participationopportunities for all studentsthat his words ring true,” hesays. “We thought it wasimportant to find someonewho genuinely believes inwhat we’re trying to convey,because kids can see rightthrough a fraud.”

Sam Ellis, Athletic Director atHighland Park High School,says he’s urging his coachesto use the video at preseasonmeetings, so both athletesand parents can view it. “Thevalues expressed on the videoare exactly what our athletesand parents need to hear, andthe presentation is great,” hesays. “It’s also concise, andthat’s important. Otherwise,you start to lose people.”

The MHSAA encouragescoaches to show it at school

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board meetings as well, sothat upper-level administratorscan support the theme, and tocommunity groups outside theschool, to get fans on board.“We want this message to notjust be preached to thechoir—our school people—but to the public as well,”explains MHSAA ExecutiveDirector Jack Roberts.

In addition to the video,Brandstatter is featured in sixone-minute public serviceannouncements. Coacheswere also given full-colorbrochures outlining the edu-cational values of high schoolsports for distribution to ath-letes and parents. Schoolscan also take advantage ofready-to-print articles offeredby the association by includ-ing them in monthly schoolnewsletters or gameprograms.

Odds Are Long

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

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

Baseball Football Basketball Soccer

High School Participants 453,792 1,023,142 540,874 345,156

NCAA Division I Participants 9,460 24,747 4,986 5,379

Percent High School To Division I 2% 2% 0.9% 2%

Professional Players 750 1,696 348 240

Percent High School to Pro 0.17% 1.7% 0.06% 0.07%

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

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Circle No. 11

Circle No. 12

Page 14: Coaching Management 12.2

CM: Your teams have a reputation forplaying without a lot of mistakes. Isthat because of what you look for inrecruits, or because of the way youcoach?Horton: We try to recruit guys who arefundamentally sound and have what Iwould call big hearts—they’re self-motivated, have passion for the game,and are easy to coach. I’ve been aroundsome legendary coaches, including WallyKincaid [Head Coach at Cerritos Collegeduring Horton’s playing days], AugieGarrido [now Head Coach at theUniversity of Texas and the winningestcollege baseball coach ever], and DaveSnow [Head Coach for 13 seasons atLong Beach State who went to Omahafour times], and I stole a lot of theirfundamental philosophies. The singlething I sell to our recruits is the quality ofour practices and our developmentalsystem.

There are programs out there that putmore emphasis on recruiting a bunch ofstud puppies, whereas we get satis-faction out of seeing a guy go from anon-drafted high school player to a high-round pick.

Why do you run a West Coast offense,with lots of bunting, hit-and-run, andtaking the extra base?Three reasons. Number one is that bybeing able to use a combination ofspeed and skill, results can show up

daily—even when you’re facing the bestpitchers in the country. Usually you’regoing to see that when you get to play-off time. It’s hard to say, “We’re goingto sit back and hit home runs or getthree or four hits in an inning to breakthis All-American pitcher down.”

The other big reason is that I think it’svery good for the young men who comethough our program to be taught thecomplete game of baseball. We’ve beentold many times that Cal State-Fullertonbaseball players, when they move tominor league baseball, are well schooled.We feel good when we hear that.

George Horton Cal State-FullertonQ A&

12 COACHING MANAGEMENT

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

He’s also done hispart to keep itgoing. Since takingover the programfor the 1997season, his Titanshave appeared inthree NCAADivision I CollegeWorld Series andfinished third lastseason, after whichhe was named theBaseball AmericaCollege Coach ofthe Year.

Horton is among nine men to have appeared in theCollege World Series as a player and as a headcoach, having been the first baseman on Fullerton’s1975 team. His coach then was Augie Garrido,under whom he later served as an assistant coachat Fullerton, from 1991-96. Horton began his headcoaching career by winning three California juniorcollege state championships in six years at CerritosCollege before moving to Fullerton.

In this interview, Horton talks about the benefitsand pressures of the program’s storied past,developing a fundamentally sound team, andrelations with professional baseball. He alsodiscusses the challenges of coaching at a largelycommuter suburban Division I-AAA school whosesuccess sometimes gets lost in the sports din ofgreater Los Angeles.

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

Page 15: Coaching Management 12.2

Q A&Another reason is that it helps youdefensively. If you’re learning how to runa first-and-third play, or put on a buntplay, or put on a delayed steal or otheroffensive maneuvers, you’re also learninghow to defend those plays. We faceteams that run those plays a lot here inthe West.

Isn’t it more demanding on the coach-ing staff and players?It is. We invest a lot of practice time inbunting, bat-control plays, and thingslike that. I think young coaches make amistake by trying to do too much offen-sively but don’t invest enough practicetime in it and their players aren’t able toexecute. You can sit there and put onsigns and have all these tricky plays torun, but unless you’ve invested time inpractice, they are not going to besuccessful.

Can you teach baseball instinct, ordoes it have to be there by the time aplayer reaches college age?I think you can teach baseball instinct aslong as the young person you’re teach-ing has instinctive intelligence. Quite fre-quently that’s what we’re trying to learnabout each new player. It isn’t until youget to actually see him in a stressfulgame situation that you can really deter-mine whether he’s an instinctive player. Idon’t think you can teach athletic orbaseball instincts to a guy who takes awhile to get the right answer. But I thinka player who comes in without a lot ofinformation but thinks quickly—I thinkyou can educate him to be a moreinstinctive baseball player. [For more onteaching baseball instincts, see our coverstory, “The Little Things,” on page xx.]

Do you work with pitchers’ mechanicsor assume that at this stage a pitcher’sform is set?I think there are some very knowledge-able pitching coaches out there who dotoo much with mechanics and it worksagainst the prospect. If you take yourfive favorite pitchers in the majorleagues, they all have slightly differentmechanics. They’ve got little differencesin their delivery or in their windup or setposition.

I have a great pitching coach in DaveSerrano, and I basically turn the pitchersover to him. I think Dave is very good atnot changing just for the sake of change.If there’s something we can changemechanically that will help a pitcher bemore efficient or prevent injuries, thenwe’ll certainly look at that.

Do you feel extra pressure at Fullertonbecause baseball is the highest-profilesport on campus?We are the flagship program and most ofthe donors want to be associated withour program because we’re successful,so that adds to the pressure of staying atthe highest level. And even last year,when we finished third in the nation,there was some disappointment. That’sokay with me, though. I don’t think Icould ever foresee myself coaching at aplace where I wouldn’t expect tocompete for a national championship.

It’s a good news, bad news thing. Youget some little perks, favors, andacknowledgement off the field, but ifyou get yourself in trouble, that notorietyworks against you because everybodyknows who you are.

Southern California has a great baseballatmosphere, but does the locationwork against you in some ways?There are only so many fans to goaround and they get spread a little thin.That hurts our gate sometimes, eventhough we’re having success. But we dodraw better than most college programs

in the West, and the unusual thing is it’snot our student body. It’s the youngsterswho have become fond of Titan baseball.We pride ourselves on trying to play thegame right and serve as model citizensto the youngsters. I think the moms anddads are aware of that, and sometimesit’s a better example than the majorleague environment. It’s a more realisticgoal for a youngster to think he’s goingto be a college baseball player than amajor league baseball player.

If we were in a different environment, mygetting the Baseball America CollegeCoach of the Year Award might be afront-page story. Instead, the KobeBryant story and Kevin Brown gettingtraded were on the front page of thelocal paper, and my story was inside in“Tidbits.” There are just too many storiesand too many sporting events to go

around, even for the millions of peoplein southern California.

How do you allocate your scholarships?We cut ’em up. Nobody’s on a full ridehere. I doubt we’ll ever get more schol-arships for Division I baseball, and I don’tthink it would be good for mostprograms. Let’s say the limit went up to20 full rides. After the big boys get doneoffering scholarships, for the second-tierprograms, there are fewer good playersleft. It would separate the elite from theaverage program even more. The richwould get richer, in my opinion.

Are there some issues in college base-ball that need to be addressed?I know professional baseball is frustratedwith agents and it trickles down into ourenvironment, where they’re all trying toget their hands on prospects at eachinstitution. That doesn’t mean the agentsare bad guys. It’s just that nobody’s con-trolling what they can and can’t do.

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

to do with it. In a perfect world, withmoney not being a factor, that would bethe best way to do it competitively.

Most of all, we’ve heard rumblings thatthe NCAA may implement a start dateand cut back on game opportunities. I’mhoping like heck that they don’t cut backanymore. We’re a sport that needs to beplayed quite often and we need a lot oftime for development with our players. Ifthey were to cut us back, you’d seemore players signing right out of highschool and not coming to college.

Professional baseball is starting to recog-nize the value of letting guys go to col-lege for emotional, educational, and skilldevelopment, which makes our gameeven better. But if NCAA rules start cut-ting things back, I think we’re going tolose that momentum.

COACHING MANAGEMENT 13

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

Page 16: Coaching Management 12.2

s dedicated baseballpeople, most coachesknow the importance ofthe little things. Takingan extra base, advanc-ing a runner, or proper-ly executing a rundownoften makes the differ-ence between winning

and losing. Some coaches even avoidusing the term “little things” for fearthat it diminishes the importance ofwhat they believe are actually big things.

Players, however, are another matter.“Some players grasp the little things andsome will never have that ability,” saysGeorge Valesente, Head Coach at Itha-ca College. “Then there are players inthe middle, who have the ability buthaven’t exercised it yet. They’ve gottenby with being good enough to succeedby just going out and playing. The key isif you can turn the light bulb on withthem.”

Many coaches believe that teachingthe finer points of baseball is an impor-tant part of their job. But unlike thebasic skills of hitting, throwing, fielding,and running, many of these finer pointshave less to do with athletic ability thanwith the ability to recognize the rightaction to take. Below, some top coachesexplain how they teach their players the“little things” by identifying them con-stantly, teaching them in game-like situ-ations, and stressing their importance.

Teaching By ExampleOne of the most effective ways of

instilling in players the finer points ofbaseball, coaches say, is by pointingthem out whenever the opportunityarises. It’s much easier for a player tolearn from what he sees than from whathe has to imagine.

At Marlboro (N.Y.) High School,Head Coach Dave Onusko constantlypoints out both good plays and bad to hisplayers when they happen during agame, rather than waiting until the nextday to go over them. “I’ll point it outright then and there on the bench, butalways in a way that the other team or thefans won’t hear it,” he says. “Anythingvisual you can use with kids at this age isso much easier for them to understandthan when you just talk about a theory.”

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

using games as a teaching tool,” Vale-sente says. “Some coaches just standthere and let the kids go and play.When I was a player, I learned from mycoach [and predecessor], Bucky Free-man, that if you write down the mistakesand talk about them the next day, it’stoo late. So there’s a lot of talking andteaching going on during our games.”

It’s not hard to find teachablemoments. Onusko uses what appear tobe mundane plays to point out where alittle change could make a big differ-ence. “We’ll occasionally see where anopponent doesn’t take the extra baseor get a proper lead from second,” hesays. “Sometimes we’ll see wherethey’re not rounding the base at all. Itcan even be something as small as not

running it out to first on a pop up orgroundball to the pitcher.

“We had a situation last year wherethere was a pop up between the thirdbase line and the mound, and the ballwent off our player’s glove,” he contin-ues. “The opposing team’s hitter wasstill standing in the box. Had he run, hewould have been safe and they wouldhave been in a much better position toscore, but instead we got the first out ofthe inning. That showed our playersmore than I could ever tell them.”

Eric Leary, Head Coach at South-west Onslow High School in Jack-sonville, N.C., tries to get his players towatch the game the way he does. “Youreally want them to be a spectator ofthe game,” he says. “We want them inthere watching the game, talking aboutthe game, and seeing everything that’sgoing on in the game all the time. Wedon’t want them in the dugout talkingabout what Sally said during lunch orwhat they plan on doing this weekend.We want them focused on the game allthe time, watching it, and recognizingwhat’s happening.

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

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

While live action may carry thestrongest impact, there are other exam-ples you can use to show players the littlethings they should do. Several coachessay that the 2003 Major League postsea-son provided plenty of opportunities fordiscussion with younger players.

“This was a great World Series to sellthe little things to the kids,” says EricKibler, Head Coach at Horizon HighSchool in Scottsdale, Ariz. “Once we getthe kids back in the spring we’ll say,‘Hey, remember this situation in theplayoffs when they didn’t get this done?

They went home and the other teamwent on.’”

Kibler finds that he’s had to fight a“web gem” mentality where players con-stantly see the flashy play on televisionand begin to think about making thebig play while ignoring the importanceof the routine ones. “We emphasizethat the web gems happen, and we’reglad when they do,” he says. “But wedon’t consider that something youwork on. They’re just nice things thathappen to you.”

While much of the media attention isfocused on the spectacular highlight,there are plenty of positive big-leaguerole models for younger players to fol-low. “We use them both,” Kibler says.“Out here, we can watch Craig Counsellplay and he’s a great example of the wayyou play the game. He hustles all thetime. David Eckstein in Anaheim isanother guy who plays hard and does allthe little things. So we bring up thoseguys who are out there working hard ona daily basis.”

There’s also an often overlooked allyyou can use when teaching players the

14 COACHING MANAGEMENT

Dennis Read is an Associate Editor atCoaching Management.

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Page 17: Coaching Management 12.2

COACHIING MANAGEMENT 15

Having a feel for baseball’s little things is what separates good players from great ones—

and championship teams from also-rans.

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

the Scorethe ScoreBY DENNIS READ

COVER STORY

Page 18: Coaching Management 12.2

16 COACHING MANAGEMENT

COVER STORY

little things: their teammates. An olderplayer who has a good feel for thegame can sometimes reach a youngerplayer in a way his coaches can’t.

“Probably the best way to teachthese things is to have an experiencedplayer who has been in the heat of thebattle take the young sophomore play-ing varsity for the first time aside andsay, ‘This is a different level, and this iswhat you’re expected to do,’” Kiblersays.

“I’ve found that the more the play-ers teach each other, the more success-ful we’re going to be, because theyrespond more often to a player theyadmire on the team,” Onusko agrees.“Sometimes it’s just nice to hear fromsomeone other than their parents or acoach. When they hear it from an olderplayer, it’s probably going to be moreeffective.”

Valesente says the same holds trueat the college level. “Leadership fromthe upperclassmen is really an impor-tant part of this,” he says. “If they sup-port and teach these young kids, then

the younger players will feel likethey’re a part of the program andthey’ll want to learn and get better. Itmay be something as simple as a seniorgoing up to them and saying, ‘Just lis-ten to what Coach is saying. I wentthrough the same thing, and it helpedme a lot. Just listen to him and payattention.’”

Practice, Practice, PracticeTo be effective, the little things

must become ingrained in a player’smind so he can do what he needs towithout thinking about it. In mostcases, if players have to stop to thinkabout what they should do, the chanceto do it is gone. (See “Avoid Over-thinking” at right.)

“You don’t win the big games on Fri-day or Saturday. You win based on whathappens in practice on Monday orTuesday,” says Gordie Gillespie, HeadCoach at Ripon College. “You have tobe very demanding. Human naturebeing what it is, players don’t alwayswant to work hard, and it’s your job to

push them every day. My approach is tobe a drill sergeant during the week, butalways with a positive approach, andthen I’m their friend after practice andduring the games.”

Coaches can also set a tone byemphasizing certain parts of practice.Everyone likes taking batting practice,but working on relays or rundownsusually doesn’t create the same excite-ment. “We’re probably more intense inpracticing the little things,” Kibler says,“because we know as coaches thatignoring the little things can keep youfrom achieving your goals.”

It’s also important to make sure theskills that are most important to youare practiced on a regular basis andnot just covered during preseasonpractice. For example, Onusko puts apremium on base running and workson it for at least 15 minutes per prac-tice in addition to longer sessions twicea week.

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

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Circle No. 13

Page 19: Coaching Management 12.2

COACHIING MANAGEMENT 17

base properly,” he says. “Then we workon breaking down properly as they gopast first, so they can react immediatelyif the coach sees an overthrow. Or whena ball is hit to right field, taking theproper turn, facing the right fielderwith your back toward home plate andstaying aggressive, so the outfield is con-stantly on the defensive. If the ball is toleft center or left field, we work on keep-ing pointed toward third and taking alonger lead because the throw is obvi-ously longer. We go over going fromfirst to third and cutting the cornerproperly. We talk about three differentleads from second base depending onthe number of outs.”

While this might sound very struc-tured, Onusko will change the things heworks on based on what he sees on thefield. “If we find we’re getting into a rutand making more mistakes in a certainarea,” he says, “we’ll spend more timeon that.”

Making It CountMaking the little things an ingrained

part of a player’s repertoire requiresmore than just going through themotions in practice. Knowing the rightthing to do and doing it during prac-tice are much different from doing itduring a game. This makes it veryimportant for coaches to simulate gameconditions during practices.

“It’s not easy to create that game-likefeeling in practice,” Valesente says. “Butwhat we do is carry over some of ourgame rules, such as you don’t walk whenyou’re on the field, you always run.

“If you’re taking fungoes as aninfielder during batting practice andturning double plays, you’re doing so atgame speed,” he says. “Playing 10 ballsat game speed is far better than 25 athalf speed. The outfielders are placedin their positions, and the pitchers arestationed deep in the gaps or down theline to shag balls the outfielders can’tget. The outfielders are expected tosprint and try to catch every ball in theair. If they don’t do that, then they hearit from me. We’ll also have anothergroup working on base running andthey have to execute based on what theball does, and they have to do it at fullspeed.

“I always demand excellence fromthat standpoint, and I’m always pushing

them all the time. It has to be demand-ed by the coaching staff.”

Other coaches take an environmen-tal approach to making the practicesfeel more like a game. “We’ll turn thescoreboard on and say, ‘It’s the seventhinning and the winning run is at firstbase. Let’s bunt him over,’” Leary says.“We’ll also do a defensive victory drillwith a runner on second base and twoouts. We’re only going to face one bat-ter in this drill situation, and when it’sover we act like we would when a gameis over. We shake the pitcher’s handand give each other high fives. It’s a cel-ebration at the end of practice becausewe did the little things right and wonthe game again. If you’re not successfulin a drill, and the same situation comesup in a game situation, you probablywon’t be successful then, either.”

Kibler sets up specific scenarios, suchas being down a run in the sixth inningwith a runner on first, to help playersdeal with game situations. “The moretimes you can work on something inpractice, the less likely they are to panicin a game,” he says. “We run into some

pretty intense game situations where weneed to get something done, and we tellthe players, ‘This is why we’ve practicedthis. Let’s get it done.’ They even say,‘Well, we’ve been here before.’”

It can also help to have a little bit atstake during practice sessions. Somecoaches have the losing side of a drillrun an extra set of sprints while others,like Leary, take a more light-heartedapproach. “It’s certainly not the same aswinning or losing a game,” he says, “butI might have the losing team sing ‘TakeMe Out to the Ballgame’ to the winningteam or something like that.”

Part of the process is setting up theright situations to stress the little things.At Ripon, Gillespie emphasizes situa-tional hitting during batting practice,whether in live BP sessions held on thefield or soft-toss indoor sessions.

“We have a regular routine they gothrough that includes two-strike hitting,bunting, and hitting out of a sacrificestance,” he says. “When we say ‘two-strike hitting,’ the batters choke up andthink about hitting up the middle. Thiskeeps their head in longer and helps

COVER STORY

any of the little things coachesteach players are more mentalthan physical. Hitting the cut-off man or properly roundingsecond base has more to dowith the brain than with armsand legs. But there’s a danger

of overanalyzing to the point where themental process detracts from the physicalperformance.

“If players are thinking too much, thenthey’re not moving, and their bodies arenot working the way they should be,” saysDave Onusko, Head Coach at Marlboro(N.Y.) High School. “I tell them to leavepractice at practice and just perform. ‘Dowhat you have to do on the bases and thenwe’ll talk about it later if it’s a mistake.’ Ifthey’re running the bases and thinking,‘Okay. He’s going to his right. He’s going topick it up. Can he get me with a goodthrow?’ then they’re done. They have tosee it, react, and move.”

Players who are afraid of making the wrongdecision will often make no decision at all.They need to be shown that mistakes aregoing to happen and are part of learningthe game’s complexities.

“For some players it’s a fear of makingsomeone unhappy with them,” saysGeorge Valesente, Head Coach at IthacaCollege. “I say, ‘It’s okay. You’re going tomake mistakes. But you’re going to have tolearn to deal with them and learn fromthem. It’s not going to affect our relation-ship or upset me unless it is something youcontinue to ignore. Let it happen, becauseotherwise you’re only getting about 75 per-cent out of your ability, and you’re notgoing to stay in the lineup doing that.’”

Players can also be confused by in-gamesuggestions, such as to raise their hands orkeep their hips square. Eric Kibler, HeadCoach at Horizon High School in Scotts-dale, Ariz., says that he tries to keep his in-game instructions simple and clear soplayers don’t have too much to think about.

“Pitching and hitting are so over-coachedduring games that it gets sickening,” hesays. “I’ve seen coaches give a clinic fromthe third base box, and if I was that hitter I’dbe paralyzed at the plate. I think coaches canharm players by over-coaching, especially ingames, so we don’t do that. I’ll say thingslike, ‘See it big. Hit it hard.’ instead of saying,‘Get your hands back’ after every pitch.”

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Page 20: Coaching Management 12.2

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Circle No. 14

Page 21: Coaching Management 12.2

them make contact so they don’t strikeout. We also work on opposite-field hit-ting, because a lot of guys aren’t greatopposite-field hitters.”

Valesente runs hitters through a reg-ular progression during batting practicewhere they work on bunting and hit-and-run before taking the bulk of theirswings. But he’s stopped doing specificwork on two-strike hitting.

“We’re always focusing on making agood swing—properly turning on theball when we should,” he says. “So whenI throw batting practice, I throw pitchesinside and outside and make sure theyhit the ball to the opposite field. Ifthey’re continually hitting lazy fly ballsto the outfield I’ll stop and say, ‘Whenare you going to make an adjustmenthere? You just hit five fly balls. Are yougoing to continue to do that or are yougoing to make a change here to hit aline drive?’

“I like to ask questions and challengethem mentally because in this game youhave to think a little bit,” Valesente con-tinues. “So instead of just saying,‘Here’s what you do in this situation,’I’m trying to get an answer from them.My focus is whether they can feel andunderstand what they’re doing wrongso they can correct it. If they can’t feel itor understand it, then that’s where Ihave to come in.”

The Personal TouchAs in any subject, some players will

require a different approach to learn-ing the little things. While some meth-ods will work well for most players,there will always be a few who need tobe approached in their own way.

Valesente, for example, says thatsome high school stars bristle at beingcriticized in college. “They may neverhave heard it before, and they take it asshowing them up in front of the rest ofthe ball club,” he says. “So I try to do itin a way that I’m directing my conversa-tion directly at them. But if a player con-tinues to do the same thing to hurthimself and the performance of theteam, and I know he’s capable of adjust-ing, then he deserves to be embarrassedbecause he has an obligation to every-body else.”

While professional managers may belimited in their ability to dictatewhether players are doing the littlethings correctly, high school and col-

lege coaches hold the ultimate power—playing time. “In the majors, I don’tthink any manager is going to sit BarryBonds down if he hits one off the walland ends up at first base,” Kibler says.“We have a little more punch becausewe can say, ‘That’s unacceptable. Youhave control over your effort. You mightnot control whether that ball went offthe wall or the guy caught it, but youneed to be at second base or gettinginto second base when it happens.’”

“The coach holds the trump card inplaying time,” Valesente says. “The mostsuccessful teaching tool in sports is thebench—being denied playing timebecause they’re not getting it done. I’vetold players, ‘You’re not playing to yourcapabilities mentally and physically. It’stime for you to take a rest. When you’reready to play, then you come and tellme, and I’ll give you another try. But ifyou continue to play the way you havebeen playing, you’re coming back out.’”

COVER STORY

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COVER STORY

The coach can also set the tonethat even those who don’t get in thegame can contribute in little ways oftheir own. “We really applaud the lit-tle things our kids do in a team meet-ing,” Kibler says. “When we evaluate agame, we say, ‘Remember in the thirdinning when Travis picked up the sig-nals off the coach, and we knew everypitch after that? Joe knew a fastballwas coming. You know what, Travis?That’s because of you.’

“All of a sudden, you’ve got abench guy who feels like he won thegame,” he continues. “I’ll even talkabout it with a reporter who’s cover-ing a game, but they usually don’tprint that. So we’ll laugh about it as ateam and say, ‘Hey, Travis. You’re notgoing to be in the paper tomorrow,Joe is.’ But it keeps him thinking, ‘Idid something and Coach knows itand he said it in front of the wholeteam.’ Or maybe a kid pinch ran andscored after making a great base run-ning decision. I think it’s a mistake ifwe don’t acknowledge that kid.” ■

here are so many nuances to cer-tain rules and unanticipated situ-ations that even umpiressometimes have difficulty comingup with the right ruling off thetop of their heads. But coachesagree that players who know the

rules have an advantage.

“As coaches, we have a responsibility tomake sure that kids know the rules,” saysEric Leary, Head Coach at SouthwestOnslow High School in Jacksonville, N.C.“We don’t want to say at the end of thegame, ‘You shouldn’t have done that. It’syour fault.’ It’s really our fault if we haven’tlet the kids know what the rules are.”

“If the infield fly rule is called and the play-ers don’t know what they’re doing, it cancost you a game,” says Eric Kibler, HeadCoach at Horizon High School in Scottsdale,Ariz. “In base running, sometimes you seepeople get confused and go back to thesame base or crazy stuff like that and they’llsay, ‘I didn’t know I couldn’t do that.’”

Gordie Gillespie, Head Coach at Ripon Col-

lege, used to give his players a rules quiz.Gillespie focuses on areas where playersare most likely to run into trouble, such asobstruction.

Leary works his lessons into practice. “Ifwe’re working on base running, we’re veryaware of the obstruction rules,” he says. “Inrundowns, we heavily stress getting out ofthe way once they give the ball up. Whenworking with our left-handed pitchers ontheir moves to first, we emphasize the 45-degree angle.”

Kibler finds it is important that players learnnot just the whats of the rules, but the whysas well. “If you just tell them the whats, theyreally haven’t learned it,” he says. “So we’llask our kids to repeat what we said andexplain why we would do that in that situa-tion. I need to know that the kids knowwhat they’re doing and why.

“If one really quirky situation comes up, theymight be able to figure out the right thing todo,” he says. “Because if they don’t do theright thing, they’re going to say, ‘Well younever told me what to do.’”

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1.800.648.1166Circle No. 16

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COACHING MANAGEMENT 21

YOUR PROGRAM

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Reducingthe Risks

BY DR. RICHARD P. BORKOWSKI

his article concerns the most bor-ing subject there is in sports: safe-ty. It’s boring, that is, until anathlete suffers a serious injury.

The implementation of solidsafety rules will not guaranteeyour athletes freedom from

injury, but it will lower the chances ofboth common and serious catastrophicinjuries. Decreasing the chance ofinjury lowers the chance of facingexpensive, time-consuming, program-shattering lawsuits.

The following are your legal respon-sibilities as a coach. They are based on aconsensus of those in athletics, an ongo-ing review of court cases, and my expe-rience as an athletic risk manager. Theyare also what a good coach does—offera worthwhile athletic experience thatmanages the risks of participation.

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

legal counsel. Do it before an accidenthappens in your program.

The Right Attitude The first step in lowering risks is to

make safety important by constantly mak-ing it a priority. Correct safety problemsimmediately. Say, “No, we won’t play,” ifa situation is hazardous.

Sell safety in your actions andspeech. Work with your athletes onmaking the dugout, on-deck circle, andbatting cage safer. Avoid terms such as“suicide” drill. Remind your athletes oftheir responsibility for the safety ofthemselves and others.

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

activity. Baseballs, after all, are projec-tiles whether batted or thrown. Remindplayers that bats are potentially danger-ous. Teach the habit of checking thatno one is nearby before taking warm-upcuts. Never let an incident of bat-sling-ing go without addressing it.

When you preach safety, athletes areless prone to risky behavior. When par-ents see you take safety seriously, theywill trust your judgement, even after aninjury. When you make safety a priority,you will spot hazards more easily.

Warn of RisksSome coaches believe that if you

inform student-athletes of potentialinjuries, they will stop participating. This

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

Keeping athletes injury-free gets easierwhen you make safety a routine part ofyour coaching. It can also protect yourprogram from legal battles.

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YOUR PROGRAM

22 COACHING MANAGEMENT

has proven to be untrue. In fact, warn-ing and obtaining an informed-consentform from players and parents is anestablished duty, and informing peopleabout the potential risks of participatingin any activity actually reduces injuries.

Informed-consent forms help spellout just what the potential risks are. Theform should include pertinent words inlarge print, such as “Warning,” “Atten-tion,” and “Please Read.” The headingon the form should also be in largeprint. The form should cover all phases,sites, and timeframes. Your legal coun-sel should review the informed-consentform. After it has been signed, give acopy to each student-athlete’s parents,and keep the original.

It is important that the recipientand his parents understand the serious-ness of the consent form. Have a parent-information meeting to discuss the risksand benefits of participation. Ask par-ents and players if they have any ques-tions and if they understand whatthey are signing. They should knowthat signing the form is voluntary, andthat by doing so, they are agreeing toaccept the risks that come with partici-pation.

After the form is signed, warningsand reminders should be issued. Theyshould be frequent and given within thecontext of normal instruction.

Super SupervisionLack of supervision is the most-cited

complaint against coaches. The coach-es’ presence is the first line of defenseagainst potential problems. Permittingplayers to remain on the field for extraunsupervised work is not an option.

Being there, however, is only the firststep. Supervision means controlling thesituation through your knowledge andplanning. A big part of this is foreseeingpotential problems. Dr. FrederickMueller, the well-respected analyst ofcatastrophic athletic injuries, suggeststhat serious baseball injuries happen inone of three ways:

■ A player being hit with a ball. Twoways to appreciably decrease the chanceof this causing serious injury are prop-erly fitted helmets and using screensduring batting practice.

■ Players colliding with one another.You can limit this problem throughclear instruction regarding the respon-sibilities of defensive players. Teach and

practice calling for fly balls, includingcommunication among teammates whoare running while watching the ball.

■ Sliding head-first. One source I’veseen says that 75 percent of the 1.7 mil-lion base running injuries occur duringsliding. Teaching how to slide and theuse of bases that give will help lowerthese statistics.

Position yourself to see as much of apractice situation as possible. Learn tocontinually scan the activity. Avoid dis-

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

Appropriate EquipmentEquipment lasts for only a certain

length of time. Replace it before it is nolonger functional.

It would be considered a breach ofyour duty as a coach if you did not pro-vide batting helmets that fit properlyand offer adequate coverage. But go fur-ther: Make rules that any offensive play-er venturing onto the field during playfor any purpose—including the on-deckcircle and the coach’s box—is to wear abatting helmet.

Other protective equipment is essen-tial, such as protective athletic cups forfielders, and at least a mask for bullpenand warm-up catchers. Use protectivescreens for batting-practice pitchers,and make sure the batting cage stopsballs properly. Make players waitingtheir turn aware of the dangers of stand-ing too close to the batting cage.

Equipment should be purchasedonly from established and reputablecompanies. I would avoid new “state ofthe art” equipment until it becomes“established.” Training devices shouldbe proven safe before they are used.

Avoid modifying equipment or usingit for any activity other than for its

intended purpose. For example, yearsago a coach attached a rope to numer-ous balls to use in a hitting drill. Theidea was players would kneel on theground and twirl the rope like a lariat,with teammates taking their cuts as theball swung around. The invention wasscrapped when several of the kneelingplayers were hit in the eye by the ball orreceived neck burns from the rope.

Check FacilitiesWe’ve all seen an outfielder run into

something while trying to chase down afly ball. The goal is to avoid or softensuch collisions. The majority of fieldarchitects recommend a soil and sandmix for warning tracks as well as makingthem a certain width, typically 6 feet.Outfield fences should be shock absorb-ing. Consider using “breakaway” or“impact” bases.

Also, be sure you have appropriatebuffer zones. Unprotected spectatorsand players on the bench or in thebullpen are risk management concerns.Assign someone to check the field andother practice facilities on a daily basis.Look for holes and debris, and checkthe bleachers. A good field or piece ofequipment can change overnight dueto vandalism. Consider guardrails.

Practicing in weather that creates asloppy field is dangerous, as is remain-ing outside during a lightning storm.When practice is moved inside, theremust be planned and controlled use ofspace. A ball becomes a more danger-ous projectile because of walls, lightingand glass.

Inside or out, avoid loose balls dur-ing practice.

Any sport becomes dangerous whenplayed at unsuitable sites. A parking lotis not a place for practice. It is thecoach’s duty to inspect the site he or sheis going to use. If there is a problem,correct it. If it cannot be correctedimmediately, adjust the activity andreport the problem. Stay current withfacility recommendations made bylocal, state, and national governing bod-ies, and stay in communication with themaintenance department.

Know The RulesThere is no excuse for not staying

current with all rules and regulations.You must fulfill the requirements of thenational and state associations. Read

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YOUR PROGRAM

COACHING MANAGEMENT 23

the rulebook every season. Attend stateand local meetings. Never ignore anyregulation that pertains to safety. Followyour athletic department rules. Talkwith your athletic director at least oncea year about safety.

Know the basic rules of health safety.You are not expected to know all thatan athletic trainer knows, but do staycurrent on the major guidelines. Forexample, it would be considered abreach of your duty as a coach if youprevented your players from takingwater breaks during practice, or if yousuggested heat for a recent acute injury.If you recommend nutritional supple-ments, be sure there are absolutely norisks to taking them. Know properwarmup and cooldown techniques.

Planned ProgressionA key part of risk management, one

recently at issue in the courts, is thecoach’s role in instructing his or herathletes in a progressive, safe manner.You have a responsibility to develop asequence of progressive practice ses-sions and offer game preparation andstrategies that result in a worthwhileand safe experience for students.

This begins with your strength andconditioning program. Progression isthe key to proper conditioning, and restis a key component of progression.Overuse injuries, particularly amongpitchers, can lead to a risky situation.While the responsibility lies ultimatelywith you, explain to pitchers that know-ing their own limits is in their self-inter-est. Always check with your teamphysician and athletic trainer beforeimplementing a new idea. Trying to dotoo much too soon is a bad mistakecoaches sometimes make.

Progression is just as important inteaching skills. Don’t ask your players todive for a ball if you haven’t taughtthem—and had them practice—how toprotect themselves. Correct sliding can-not be overemphasized. Coaches whodo not teach and practice how to slideturn this baseball skill into an inappro-priate activity. Teach your athletes to beparticularly attentive to both not catch-ing their own spikes on a base or play-ing surface and not getting spiked onthe hand when sliding.

Another part of proper progressionis to keep competitions as equal as pos-sible. Skill, experience, maturity, height,

weight, age, mental state, and the activi-ty itself all play a part in avoiding com-petitive mismatching. A freshmanthird-baseman may not have the reflexesto play the hot corner against varsitybatters, and the first-year second base-man may be no match for a husky seniortrying to break up a double play.

Thorough InstructionAlong with progression must be

appropriate instruction. You not only

have a duty to instruct your athletes toplay well, but to teach the proper tech-niques to lower the chance of injury.

The repetition of fundamental skillsis one of the major and often neglectedways to lower risk. Demonstrate the skilland let players practice it in various waysbefore using it in a game. Teach beforeyou test. Never place an athlete into asituation he is not prepared for.

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

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only that which you really know.Improve your knowledge at workshops.

After the InjuryRegardless of the excellence of a risk

management program, injuries willoccur. A coach is expected to have basicknowledge of what to and not do.

Most importantly, you must knowhow to implement your emergencyplan. Do you know what to do at an awaygame when there is a serious injury?Whom do you call? Do you have a cellphone? Where is the nearest gate open-ing? Practice your emergency game planbefore an emergency happens.

Coaches should have training in basicfirst aid and CPR. Obtain an AED andmake sure someone present knows howto use it. Maintain a first aid kit thatincludes individual emergency medicalforms. Obtain a higher level of medicalcare as quickly as possible.

Protect the player from further harm,and comfort the athlete. Do not offermedical assistance beyond your ability.Remember the golden rule of injury

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

Report and document the incidentas soon as possible. Reports should befactual and to the point—do not edito-rialize. Avoid post-injury discussionswith anyone but your supervisor ormedical personnel. An athlete shouldnot return to play without a completed“return-to-play” form.

Along with knowing first aid care,the most important thing you can doafter an athlete suffers an injury is showhis parents you care. Parents are less aptto take a coach to court if the coachseems genuinely concerned about thewelfare of the student-athlete.

Maintain RecordsAs often as possible, put things in

writing and keep records. This includeschecklists, practice plans, training plans,

medical examination forms, the athletichandbook, informed-consent forms,and return-to-play agreements. A writtenplan lowers the chance of forgetting anissue, demonstrates your professional-ism, and saves time in the future. Checkwith your administrator as to how longto retain these records. My sources sug-gest four to seven years.

The records must reflect what youactually did. If your rules state athletescannot practice without passing a physi-cal but you permit a student to play whohasn’t, you may be found negligent.

On A Daily BasisThe best defense against injuries and

possible lawsuits is to understand,appreciate, and meet your legal dutiesas a coach. You may have noticed thatthey are the same as the basic duties ofa good coach. ■

24 COACHING MANAGEMENT

YOUR PROGRAM

Versions of this article have appeared in other editions of Coaching Management.For more articles on risk management by Dr. Borkowski, please visit our Web siteat www.AthleticSearch.com and type “Borkowski” into the search window.

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Page 27: Coaching Management 12.2

ew baseball coaches todayquestion the need for strengthtraining. Many, however, won-der about setting up astrength-training program.While big-time college pro-grams like Arizona and Flori-da have staffs of strengthcoaches dedicated to makingbigger and quicker baseball

players, most high school and smallercollege programs make do with whatev-er knowledge coaches have picked up.

Just as a strength coach would strug-gle with designing a defense to stop asqueeze play, many baseball coaches are

uncomfortable designing a strengthprogram. Meanwhile, much of theinformation available on the topic is lit-tered with a barrage of fads, myths, andmisconceptions.

While simply copying a programyou used in college 20 years ago maybe the quickest solution, it’s not thebest. In this article, I’ll provide practi-cal pointers that will lead you step-by-step through the development of aneffective strength-training program.

The Principles To get off on the right foot with your

program, you need to understand and

COACHING MANAGEMENT 25

OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE

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

FPOWER

BY VERN GAMBETTA

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Every coach wants playerswith the strength toexecute, but haphazardworkouts can leave yourathletes working hard whileaccomplishing little. Hereare some tips on how todevelop an effectivestrength-training program.

to Play

Page 28: Coaching Management 12.2

embrace certain sound principles ofstrength training. They can be summedup in the following six points:

Develop sport-specific strength. Themost important principle, this shouldbe the goal of any strength training pro-gram. The goal is not to increase theathlete’s ability to lift heavier weights,but to develop strength that the athletecan use in his sport.

Strength training is a spectrum ofactivities. Under my umbrella ofstrength training, I include body-weightexercise, core training, plyometric train-ing, free-weight training, machine train-ing, Olympic lifting, and power lifting.

Train movements, not muscles. Thecentral nervous system (CNS) is themovement command station. It calls forprogrammed patterns of movementthat can be modified in countless waysto react appropriately to outside forces.

Each activity is refined and adjusted byfeedback from the body.

For this reason, it’s critical that wethink of movement not as an isolatedevent, but as a complex event thatinvolves multiple factors workingtogether. Movement does not occur inan anatomical position, and choosingexercises that isolate specific musclesdoes not appropriately address multi-dimensional strength development.Movement occurs in reaction to gravity,ground reaction forces, and momen-tum, and must be trained as such.

Train core strength before extremitystrength. A strong, stable core consist-ing of the hip, abdomen, and low backis the cornerstone of a good strength-training program. Without a strong, sta-ble core, loading the extremities will bevery risky and limited by the lack of corestrength. The core transfers force from

the lower extremities to the upperextremities and vice versa.

Train body weight before externalresistance. This entails being able toovercome gravity in traditional body-weight exercises like the push-up, pull-up, and body-weight squat beforeadding weights. Such work will helpstrengthen the tendons and ligamentsas well as the muscles in preparation forexternal loading. It will also ensuregood joint stability.

Train strength before strengthendurance. Traditionally, strength-train-ing programs have started with circuittraining in order to build a foundationof strength endurance. But, in order tobuild strength endurance, it is first nec-essary to build strength. Only when abase of strength is established can youadd an endurance component.

Asking Questions Using these principles as a guide,

the next step requires asking lots ofquestions of yourself, your assistantcoaches, and your athletes. The firstgroup of questions includes the follow-ing: What do you hope to achieve witha strength-training program? What arethe team’s goals? What are the individ-ual’s goals? How can strength traininghelp realize these goals? The answersare based on three factors: the position,the athlete, and the environment.

The Position. Most people recognizethat a football player should not havethe same strength-training program as abaseball player. But don’t overlook thefact that an infielder should have a dif-ferent program than an outfielder. Tofigure out how to make the strength-training program best match the posi-tion, consider these next questions:

■ What are the strength require-ments of the position?

■ What muscle groups are used? ■ What are the movement require-

ments? ■ What is the direction of the appli-

cation of force? ■ What is the range of movement? ■ What kind of resistance does the

athlete have to overcome? ■ What are the common injuries? The Athlete. In looking at the indi-

vidual athlete, carefully consider growthand development factors as well as pre-vious injuries. Questions include thefollowing:

OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE

26 COACHING MANAGEMENT

GETTING THEM STARTEDThis is an introductory program for newer baseball athletes. It is suitable for allpositions, although pitchers should progress to additional arm and shoulder work.Emphasize body weight the first two weeks, then increase sets with each workout asthe athletes progress.

MONDAY/THURSDAY: Emphasis is on total body and legs Mini-band routine: sidestep, walk forward and back, carioca, monster walk, dynamicprotraction/retraction, dynamic scarecrow, back stroke, backhand. Medicine-ball basic rotations: tight rotation, wide rotation over the top, figure eight,chop to ankle, and woodchop with a twist. Do 10 reps of each exercise on each leg. Balance shift: shift right, left, forward right, forward left, back right, and back left. Single-leg squat: perform in three positions (straight, side, and rotation) and hold eachposition five counts. Do two sets of five on each leg (2x5). Dumbbell high pull: 3x6 —> progress to 5x6 Body-weight squat: 2x20 —> progress to 5x20 Body-weight lunge: 10 on each leg —> progress to 5x20 Body-weight step-up: 10 on each leg —> progress to 5x20 Jump squat: 3x10 —> progress to 5x10 Medicine-ball rotations and twists: standing full twist, standing half twist, half chop,solo med-ball sit-up (both left and right). Do 10 reps of each exercise on each leg.

TUESDAY/FRIDAY: Emphasis is on upper body Mini-band routine: same as Mon./Thurs. Medicine-ball rotations: same as Mon./Thurs. Balance shift: same as Mon./Thurs. Incline push up: 3x10 —> progress to 5x20 Incline pull-up: 3x8 —> progress to 3x15 Front pull-downs: 3x8 Arm step-up: 2x20 Medicine-ball wall throws: overhead, soccer throw, chest pass, standing side to side(cross in front), standing face to the wall (throw right and left, down the side), andstanding back to the wall (alternate throwing right and left). Do 10 reps of each exerciseon each leg.

Page 29: Coaching Management 12.2

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■ What is the athlete’s medical histo-ry? Along with addressing any pastinjuries, carefully consider any posturaldefects. Problems with posture must beaddressed before moving any further.

■ What are the athlete’s unique qual-ities? Does he need to develop in anarea that is slowing him down? If he can-not do a certain exercise, substitute asimpler, more remedial exercise.

■ Is the athlete an early or late devel-oper? Biological and chronological age

are often quite different, so it’s impor-tant to take into account an athlete’smaturity as well as his age. Cognitive andemotional development should also beconsidered, as they are quite importantto the athlete’s ability to accept coachingand learn exercises and routines.

The Environment. From a coachingand teaching perspective, it is importantto consider outside factors that willaffect the program. Answering thesequestions will put you on the right track:

■ Can you teach and supervise theexercises properly to ensure safety aswell as proper training? If your staffingdoes not allow a full-blown program, it’sbetter to scale the program back tomatch the resources available than torisk injury.

■ Is lack of time a factor? If so, con-sider the “weight room without walls”concept, where strength training is inte-grated within the location and timeframe of the actual practice session.This is accomplished using the naturalenvironment, body-weight exercises,medicine balls, and stretch cords. Thismay seem like a compromise, but it’sbetter than nothing.

■ What facilities and equipment areavailable? Do not let facilities or equip-ment be a limiting factor in beginning aprogram. A few quality exercises doneconsistently can yield terrific results—especially when beginning a program.

Design Rules Now that you understand the impor-

tant principles and have answered thepertinent questions about your athletes,you can start designing a program. Hereare some guidelines:

Time of year. The greatest emphasison strength training should be duringthe off-season and the preseason. But itis important to also develop a manage-able program that can be continuedthroughout the season.

Progression. Progress from body-weight exercises to external resistanceexercises both within the workout andthrough the training year. Within eachworkout, perform balance/stabilitywork and core work first. Start with sim-ple, easy-to-perform exercises, thenprogress to complex movements. Thekey to progression is mastery. If youallow the athlete to proceed furtherbefore the exercises have been mas-tered, there is a higher risk of injury.

Frequency. There are basically twoalternatives, both of which work quitewell. The first option is to train theentire body on alternate days three daysa week. The second option uses a splitroutine; for example, you might trainthe legs and total body on Monday andThursday and train the upper body onTuesday and Friday.

Number of exercises. It is best tolimit the number of exercises. I have

28 COACHING MANAGEMENT

OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE

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OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE

found that too many exercises dilutethe training effect. Find a few essential“need to do” exercises so athletes canfocus on the workout and not on learn-ing new exercises.

Duration. Generally, it is best tokeep the entire strength-training ses-sion in the range of 60 to 90 minutes.The closer to one hour, the better theresults.

Evaluating results. The traditionalevaluation of a strength-training pro-gram has been the ability to lift moreduring weight-training exercises orperform more repetitions on body-weight exercises. In an absolute sense,that is still valid, but I think we need togo further and carefully observe thecarryover to the actual sport move-ment. While this is much more subjec-tive, it is the ultimate goal of anystrength-training program. Closelyobserve whether the athlete’s ability tostart and stop has improved, whetherhe is hitting with more power, andwhether there has been a reduction ininjuries.

Selecting Exercises You have a variety of exercises at

your disposal, but it is important to con-sider the qualities of the exercises. Hereare some tips:

Make them multi-joint. Use as manyjoints as possible to produce—andreduce—force.

Avoid isolation exercises. Skip exer-cises that put unusual stress on onejoint. They cause confusion because themuscle is asked to do something differ-ent in strength training than it must doin movement. Thus, exercises like legextensions, leg curls, concentrationcurls, and pec deck flys have no place ina functional strength-training program.

Control speed. Incorporate speed ofmovement that is safe and that the ath-lete can control.

Work proprioceptive demand. Theproprioceptors assist the system in gen-erating movement in a form appropri-ate to the demands placed upon thesystem. Thus, it’s important to chal-lenge the joint and muscle receptors toprovide feedback regarding joint and

limb position and then repositionaccordingly. This ensures that thestrength will transfer to performance.

Minimize machines. Considering theabove criteria, machine training shouldplay a minor role in strength-trainingprograms. There is a mistaken notionthat it is best to begin a strength-train-ing program by using machines. Noth-ing could be further from the truth.Because machines provide so much sta-bilization, they give a false sense of secu-rity and stability that does not transferto a free, gravitationally enriched envi-ronment. Various rowing and pulleymachines are acceptable, but eventhose should be only a small part of theprogram.

As you can see, the variables are end-less. The key to program design is totake a proactive approach by payingattention to all the factors, both big andsmall. Know the goals, understand theprinciples, and pay attention to the indi-vidual athlete and sport. Then, chooseyour timing and exercises consciouslyand carefully. ■

COACHING MANAGEMENT 29

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Hitting Streak®

For more information or a catalog of products, visit www.atecsports.com or call 1-800-998-ATEC.

For more information, visit us at www.traintoplay.com or call (608) 824-0076.

Smart-Hurdle System™

Training Tools for the Serious AthleteThe Smart-Hurdle System featuresfour different training hurdles forimproved mobility, agility, strengthand power for all sports.

• Lightweight

• Three-point base for greater safety and stability

• Folding support leg for easy carrying and storage

Circle No. 21 Circle No. 22

Page 32: Coaching Management 12.2

1st Place Winner Receives:• A trophy presented personally by Jason Giambi• A profile in the September issue of Coaching Management and the

October/November issue of Athletic Management• A free piece of Hammer Strength equipment for the player’s school

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

Announcing the 2004 Hammer Strength Baseball Player of the Year AwardThis fourth annual awards program honors high school baseball players for not onlymaking a difference on the field, but off it as well.

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

BUILDING CHAMPIONS

"The event was one of the greatest

experiences of Will’s life—the chance to

go to New York City, stay in a hotel in

Manhattan and meet Jason Giambi. The

weight equipment that our school received

as part of the award has been great for our

baseball program. I would encourage all

high school coaches to nominate their

deserving players for the Hammer

Strength Award.”

Pat O’Neil, head baseball coach for

Will Reynolds, Brownsburg, Ind.,

2002 winner

"Jason Giambi is such an inspirational

athlete, and meeting him and having him

present the award to me on the field

before a game was such a thrill. I had a

lot of great experiences as a baseball

player last year, including being selected

in the Major League Baseball Draft, and

winning this award ranks right up there as

something I will never forget."

Ian Stewart, Garden Grove, Calif.,

2003 winner

Page 33: Coaching Management 12.2

Award Criteria• Work Ethic: exhibits a devotion to the game, commitment to conditioning,

and strong practice habits.

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

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

• Academic Honors: achieves excellence in the classroom.

WINNERS will be selected by Hammer Strength and MomentumMedia.

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

The deadline for receiving your nomination is May 1, 2004. The winners will be announced on June 1, 2004.

2004 Hammer Strength Baseball Player of the Year Award NOMINATION FORM

Name of Player: ________________________________________________________________________________________

Player’s Hometown: _____________________________________________________________________________________

Your Name and Phone No.: _______________________________________________________________________________

High School: __________________________________________________________________________________________

Street Address: ________________________________________________________________________________________

City: _______________________________________ State: ________________________ Zip: _______________________

Send nominations to:2004 Hammer Strength Baseball Player of the Year AwardMomentumMedia2488 N. Triphammer RoadIthaca, NY 14850

Or fax your nomination to (607) 257-7328. If you have any questions, call (607) 257-6970, ext. 11. Thank you.

Nominations are due by 11:59 P.M. (C.S.T.) on May 1, 2004. By entering, all participants agree to be bound by the official rules. Prize winners will be selected onor about June 1, 2004 from among eligible entries received. Winners will be notified by mail or phone. Prizes will be delivered to verified winners. The decision ofthe judge(s) is final. Limit one prize per school. Employees and immediate family members of Brunswick Corp., Life Fitness, Hammer Strength andMomentumMedia, (collectively “Sponsor”), are not eligible to win prizes.

All applicable taxes on prizes are the sole responsibility of the winners. All prizes claimed will be awarded. If any prize goes unclaimed, there will be a randomdrawing to award such prize to an alternate winner. Prizes are non-transferable and no substitutions or cash redemptions will be made. Sponsor is not responsiblefor incorrect or inaccurate information. Each winner will be required to sign and return an affidavit of eligibility and a liability/ publicity release within 10 days ofnotification or prize will be forfeited. By accepting the prize, each winner agrees to release Sponsor, its partners, affiliates, officers, employees, representative andagents, including, without limitation, its advertising and promotion agencies, from any and all liability, loss, damage or injuries of any kind sustained in connectionwith their participation in the contest, promotion or from their acceptance, use, misuse of any prize. Each winner further acknowledges that said parties have nei-ther made nor are in any manner responsible or liable for any warranty, representation or guarantee, express or implied, in fact or in law, relative to any prize,including, but not limited to, its quality or fitness for a particular purpose. By accepting a prize, winners agree to the use of their names for promotional purposeswithout additional compensation except where prohibited by law. Entries and all materials submitted therewith become the property of Sponsor and will not bereturned. If any prize or prize notification is returned as undeliverable, the prize will be forfeited and awarded to an alternate winner.

Page 34: Coaching Management 12.2

Nets & Cages

ATEC®800-998-2832WWW.ATECSPORTS.COM

�Products & FeaturesATEC® offers a variety of netting products for training. Both “Free-Standing” and “In Ground” models of batting cages are available in

several sizes with a variety of net-ting strengths. Multi-use Protectiveand Practice Screens and Netsgive you the greatest degree offlexibility for your training needs.Collapsible and portable Backstop

Cages are designed especially for their ease of use.�MaterialsAll frames feature a powder-coat finish, your best protectionagainst the elements of time and abuse. Whether it’s the heavy-duty 2” steel tube frames on the Screens, the 1 3/4” square tubesteel or 2 3/8”pipe frames on the batting cages, or the 2” heavy-walled aluminum frames on the Backstop Cages, you can counton years of reliable service. Nylon netting is offered in both knot-ted and knotless weaves in a multitude of breaking strengths.�Primary AdvantagesATEC’s products are engineered with the greatest degree of func-tionality, durability, and reliability. Quick and easy set-up andknock-down, storage, and transportability is a hallmark of all ATECproducts. ATEC is the official supplier to Major League Baseball®for Pitching Machines and other training products. Strength ofproduct warranty, depth of choice in product features and ATEC’s40 years of service to athletes in every level of performance makeATEC products THE PRO'S CHOICE.

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BEACON BALLFIELDS800-747-5985WWW.BALLFIELDS.COM

�Products & FeaturesIndoor Tensioned Batting Cage by Beacon Ballfields is designed tobe used indoors and goes up in 10 minutes! With its unique three-

pulley system, the cage can beraised and tensioned as needed.No permanent frame or overhang-ing cable structure remains in thefacility when the cage is removed.�Materials

The Indoor Tensioned Batting Cage starts with a Beacon PremiumBatting Cage Net. The net has special fiber cables made from low-stretch material that run along the top and center of the net forspecial reinforcement. �Primary AdvantagesThe Beacon Indoor Tensioned Batting Cage, with its three-pulleysystem, is used to raise and slightly tension the cage and can beput in place or removed in 15 minutes. The transition requires notools, and when the cage is down, there are no cables left in thefacility.

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CAGES PLUS866-475-9148WWW.CAGESPLUS.COM

�Products & FeaturesPortable batting cage with L-screen. Affordable by all. Can be usedboth indoors and outdoors.�MaterialsKnotted nylon netting, made in the USA. Meshes are 1 3/4”, not

1 7/8” as some are. UV treated,black in color, high tenacity, verydurable. Lasts for years.�Primary AdvantagesCage is portable. Assembled by twopeople in about 30 minutes, withteam help in minutes. L-screenincluded. Netting is over frame, notattached to frame anywhere.Advantage to this technique islongevity of net. Since net is not

attached, it can give upon impact by a hard hit ball. Thus, lessabrasion and wear and tear on the net.

Circle No. 57 on Reader Inquiry Card

KWIK GOAL215-536-2200WWW.KWIKGOAL.COM

�Products & FeaturesThe Oversized L-Screen from Kwik Goal, provides more protectionfor the pitcher during batting practice than the standard L-Screen,

while being light enough to be movedon and off the field with ease.�MaterialsThe Oversized L-Screen is 7.5’ x 7.5’,weighs 48 pounds and has a 3C12 net.It features an angled cutout, 1 3/4”O.D. aluminum frame and swivel feet.�Primary AdvantagesThe screen is lightweight (48 pounds)without compromising strength and car-

ries a five-year warranty. Call for a dealer near you.Circle No. 58 on Reader Inquiry Card

M.A.S.A., INC.800-264-4519WWW.MASA.COM

�Products & FeaturesBackstop Batting Cages: portable; indoors or outdoors ... BattingTunnels: indoor and outdoor installation kits available ... ProtectiveScreens: portable; indoors or outdoors ... Custom Netting: custom

netting for any application.�MaterialsCages are constructed of knotlessnylon net; Tunnels are available inheavy-duty nylon or polyethylene nets.Protective screens are constructed of1 1/2” heavy-duty square galvanizedsteel frames and knotted nylon sewninto a pillow case style slip. All nettingis fully weather-treated and UVprotected.

32 COACHING MANAGEMENT

Page 35: Coaching Management 12.2

Nets & Cages

�Primary AdvantagesM.A.S.A. is number one in customer service. M.A.S.A. stillbelieves in old-fashioned values and building lasting relationshipswith our customers. Our goal in 2004 is to consistently exceedyour expectations of enduring service, quality and value while pro-viding the convenience of today’s technology. You can now shopour catalog on-line 24 hours a day, seven days a week on our newWeb site.

Circle No. 59 on Reader Inquiry Card

MASTER PITCHING MACHINE800-878-8228 WWW.MASTERPITCH.COM

�Products & FeaturesMaster Pitching Machine’s “L”Screens and Protective Screens bothfeature a heavy-duty, galvanized steelpipe framework and a #60 weight pil-lowcase-type net. �Primary AdvantagesThese are the only screens on themarket that include a #60 weight netas a standard item. All screens areeasily assembled, lightweight, andportable.

Circle No. 60 on Reader Inquiry Card

VANTAGE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL800-244-4457WWW.VPISPORTS.COM

�Products & FeaturesAll screen nets are pillowcase style for double protection andlonger net life. Our batting cage nets are made of twisted poly thatis the best available net for outdoor use. Both good for indoor use

too.�MaterialsWe offer netting in a #21 (2.0 mm) or a #36(2.5 mm) polyethylene fiber, which is extrud-ed black, 100-percent waterproof, UV treated,and abrasion-resistant. We also offer customnetting in any size of gauge needed.�Primary AdvantagesVPI’s nets are hung on the square “like a ten-nis net,” which virtually eliminates the sag ofthe net. VPI now offers the Big BubbaProfessional Portable Batting Cage, a premi-um choice for all playing levels atconsiderable cost savings. The heavy-duty alu-

minum construction, easy portability and collapsible-design makeit the perfect backstop. Unique dolly assembly with 16” pneumaticwheels at rear makes one-person maneuvering easy. It is 10’W by22’D by 12’H and collapses to only 5’ high for easy storage.

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COACHING MANAGEMENT 33

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Circle No. 24Circle No. 23

Page 36: Coaching Management 12.2

Infield Conditioners

DESIGNER DIRT800-447-3214WWW.DESIGNERDIRT.COM

�Products & ApplicationsInfield Mix: Produced for the skinned areas of baseball and soft-ball fields, it is used to construct new infields or raise existing lowinfields. Infield Conditioner: Specifically developed for use on the

skinned areas of baseball and softballfields, it reduces infield compaction,increases the surface drainage, keepingyour players out of the mud.�Information & Product SupportDesigner Dirt's experienced staff is avail-able by calling toll-free 1-800-447-3214.Please visit our Web site,www.designerdirt.com, which was devel-oped to support our customers 24 hoursa day, seven days a week. Our solutionsextend from the professionalism of our

employees to the credibility of our partners. When looking for theright company to put your trust in, consider Designer Dirt for com-plex solutions made simple™.

Circle No. 63 on Reader Inquiry Card

DIAMOND PRO800-228-2987WWW.DIAMONDPRO.COM

�Products & ApplicationsInfield Conditioner: A vitrified clay product applied to the skinnedarea to enrich color, reduce rain delays, reduce compaction, andimprove safety. Calcined Clay Professional & Top Dressing: A cal-

cined clay product used as a conditioneron the infield. The Professional grade is amore consistent uniform particle size andthe Top Dressing is a larger particle size.Calcined Clay Drying Agent: A calcinedclay product used to absorb excess waterquickly. Mound/Homeplate Clay: A richlycolored screened clay, easy to use, bindsand tamps into the holes providing greaterdurability. Mound/Homeplate Clay Bricks:An unfired compressed clay, perfect for

building or repairing high-stress areas. Athletic Field Marking Dust:Perfect for marking all athletic fields. It is bright white, improves aes-thetics, and meets or exceeds professional and NCAA standards.Infield Mixes: Infield clay used as a base material for the skinnedarea. Warning Track Mix: Several mixes available for safe, well-draining track material. Soil Additive Products-Athletic FieldConditioner: A vitrified clay product used in the root zone to reducecompaction and improve water, air, and nutrient control.

34 COACHING MANAGEMENT

Circle No. 25 Circle No. 26

Page 37: Coaching Management 12.2

Infield Conditioners

�Fields Using Diamond Pro ProductsLittle League World Series (Williamsport, PA), Rosenblatt Stadium(Omaha, NE), Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves �Information & Product SupportDiamond Pro is a strong supporter of education in the sports turf,groundskeeping field. Along with our knowledgeable staff, we haveextremely educated and dedicated distributors across the countryfor personal assistance. Strong relationships with the true profes-sionals in the industry keep us well informed and up to date onnew techniques and ideas. This relationship is also passed on tothe customer through our literature and our Web site.

Circle No. 64 on Reader Inquiry Card

EAGLE PICHER (PLAY BALL®)800-228-3865WWW.EAGLEPICHER.COM

�Products & ApplicationsPLAY BALL® Regular Grade: Stabilizeddiatomaceous earth mixed 10 percent inplay surface controls moisture andcompaction. PLAY BALL® Fine Grade:Stabilized diatomaceous earth absorbs 140percent of its own weight in water for pud-dle and mud control.�Fields Using Eagle Picher ProductsSeattle Parks and Recreation Department(Seattle, WA), City of Hillsboro (Hillsboro,

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

Circle No. 65 on Reader Inquiry Card

PARTAC/BEAM CLAY®800-247-BEAME-MAIL: [email protected]

�Products & ApplicationsBeam Clay® Baseball Diamond Mix: Pro infield mix that provides afirm, consistent playing surface with great drainage and color, plusregional mixes for every state and climate. Beam Clay® Pitcher’sMound Mix: Extra-firm mound clay in four colors. Mound and

Batter’s Box Bricks: Base formounds and batter’s boxes. Perma-Mound™ and Safe “T” Matts:Patented poured red polyurethanepads install 2” below the surface,reduce 95 percent of maintenance,and feel like properly packed clay.

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

COACHING MANAGEMENT 35

Continued on page 36

Baseball Tarps That Stay Put in WIND & RainWITHOUT Stakes or SandbagsSM

WIND WEIGHTED™ BASEBALL TARPSNO STAKES or SANDBAGS ARE NEEDED. Wind Weighted™ Baseball Tarps are virtually wind-proof because they’re self-ballasted. Chain weights are built into their outer edge, so wind can’t get under. They stay put.

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

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

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

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

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO ORDER, Visit our Web Site, www.windweighted.com OR Call Customer Service at 800-823-7356

"Wind Weighted” is a trademark of AER-FLO, Inc., Bradenton, FL • Dealer or licensing inquiries welcomed.

BASEBALL TARPS THAT STAY PUT IN WIND & RAIN WITHOUT STAKES OR SANDBAGS

Circle No. 27

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Infield Conditioners

Pro’s Choice®: Calcined clayinfield conditioner in four gradesand three colors. Pro-Mound®:Extra-firm moist dark grey moundclay and bricks. Diamond Pro®:Vitrified clay infield conditioner intwo colors and grades, plusMound/Home Plate Clay and

Bricks. Red Brick and Lava Dust: Infield conditioners to firm wetfields and relieve compaction. Stabilizer®: Infield conditioner to firmsandy and dusty infields. Hilltopper® Mound/Home PlateCompound and Hilltopper® Infield Conditioner: Polymer enhancedto reduce dustiness and watering. Diamond Dry®: The original andmost absorbent infield drying agent is now redder and granular—quickly dries wet infields. We also offer regional infield and warningtrack mixes for every climate and state. �Fields Using Beam Clay ProductsOver 20 Major League teams, such as the New York Yankees,New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, San DiegoPadres, and Toronto Blue Jays, plus over 150 Minor Leagueteams and over 700 college teams. �Information & Product SupportWe sell more than 200 infield products. We find the best value foreach customer’s conditions, location, and budget. We offerdetailed instructions and are always available by telephone for freeconsultations.

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PRO’S CHOICE800-648-1166E-MAIL: [email protected]

�Products & ApplicationsSoilmaster®: This thermally optimized soil conditioner absorbsexcess water, manages moisture, and reduces compaction onyour infields. Soilmaster® Select: Our premium soil conditioner

with small, uniformlysized granules to makethe perfect infield topdressing. Rapid Dry®:This drying agent quicklyabsorbs water andimproves soil consistencyto keep your field in topplaying condition, evenafter a rain. Pro Mound®:This unique, durable bluegumbo packing clay forms

a solid surface to allow players to establish footing on the moundand in the batter’s box.�Fields Using Pro’s Choice ProductsSt. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, Florida Marlins, ChicagoWhite Sox, Detroit Tigers. �Information & Product SupportThe Pro’s Choice nationwide network of experienced distributors

36 COACHING MANAGEMENT

PRODUCTS ABOUT US CONTACT US HOMEProducts - Sports OverviewOur solutions extend from the professionalismof our employees to the credibility of our partners

Solutions

Designer Dirt’s Infield

Conditioner is specifically devel-

oped for use on the skinned

areas of Baseball and Softball

Fields. By reducing infield com-

paction, increasing the surface

drainage and keeping your play-

ers out of the mud, you are cre-

ating a safer all-around playing

environment. Our product’s

great color has been designed

to complement infield clays.

Reduce your rainouts and allow

your infield to dry faster by

applying Designer Dirt Infield

Conditioner.

Call us at

1-800-447-3214or email

[email protected] more information.

Solutions

Infield Conditioner

Mound Clay

Clay Bricks

Calcined Clay Top

Dressing

Calcined Clay Drying

Agent

Athletic Field Marking

Dust

Warning Track Mix

Infield Mix

Infield Mix Blend

Turf Conditioner

Designer Dirt Top

Dressing and

Specialty Sands

Sports Equipment

Catalog

Field Maintenance

Equipment

Sports Field Diagrams

www.designerdirt.com

Circle No. 28 Circle No. 29

Page 39: Coaching Management 12.2

Infield Conditioners

can work with you to select the perfect combination of products tobuild and maintain your athletic fields. In addition to our staff, wehave assembled an advisory board, made up of professionalgroundskeepers, to keep up with industry trends and share theirknowledge at local training clinics. Our clinics provide informalexchange with our staff, distributors, and groundskeepers aboutproduct application how-to’s. Application instructions are also pro-vided in our literature.

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SOUTHERN ATHLETIC FIELDS, INC.800-837-8062WWW.MULEMIX.COM

�Products & ApplicationsMarmix: A naturally blended material with the right texture to

ensure consistent playability witha great red color. Mound Clay:Red in color, used by profession-als throughout the country to con-struct/renovate high stressareas. Conditioners/DryingAgents: Mulemix brand ofcalcined clay conditioners and dry-ing agents. Warning Track and

Infield Topdressing Materials. We also offer a full line of fieldaccessories and used turf equipment.

�Fields Using Southern Athletic Fields’ ProductsTropicana Field, Brooklyn Cyclones, Louisville Bats, BirminghamBarons, Memphis Redbirds, Chattanooga Lookouts, and LexingtonLegends. �Information & Product SupportWe offer both detailed technical information and hands-ondirection.

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STABILIZER SOLUTIONS, INC.800-336-2468WWW.STABILIZERSOLUTIONS.COM

�Products & ApplicationsHilltopper Mound & Homeplate Clay: A polymer-coated soil, whichis dustless and waterproof, easy-to-use right out of the bag. Just

tamp and play. �Fields Using Stabilizer ProductsAnaheim Angels, Indianapolis, Ind.,University of Southern California,University of Miami, St. Louis Cardinals. �Information & Product SupportWe have a toll-free number as well asregional distributors that give hands-oninstructions and help.

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COACHING MANAGEMENT 37

Circle No. 30Circle No. 31

Page 40: Coaching Management 12.2

Baseball Field

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

Wind Weighted™ Baseball Tarps are vir-tually wind-proof. Patent-pending covers formound, home base, and bullpens feature

built-inballastweights tokeepthemdown inwind. No

spikes or sandbags needed. Installerdevice allows installation in 25 secondswith only two people. Tough, waterproof14 oz. vinyl-polyester fabric is UV andmildew treated. The tarps come with a fac-tory warranty and are competitively priced.Wind Weighted™ Baseball Tarps andInstallers take drudgery out of the game.

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BANNERMAN LTD.800-665-2596WWW.SPORTSTURFMAGIC.COM

Restore your diamond’s luster in 20 min-utes or less. Bannerman Ltd.manufactures groomers that will level and

care forbaseballdiamonds,warningtracks, andwalkingtrails. The

B-DM-6 Diamond Master® has fivegrooming tools, including: Ripper Blade,Rake, Leveler, Roller, and Finishing Brush.Options available: Extension Wing BrushKit, Hydraulic Tractor Top Link, 50-gallonWater Tank with spray nozzle, and LongTine “Fluffing” Rake.

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When your players’ safety comes first,look to Bannerman Ltd., which manufac-tures groomers used to shape, level, and

care for base-balldiamonds.The B-BP-6Ballpark-6®model hasfive grooming

tools, including: Ripper Blade, Rake,Leveler, Roller, and Brush. Accessoriesavailable: Extension Wing Brush Kit,Hydraulic Tractor Top Link, 50-gallonWater Tank with spray nozzle, and LongTine “Fluffing” Rake.

Circle No. 73 on Reader Inquiry Card

BETTERBASEBALL800-997-4233WWW.BETTERBASEBALL.COM

Betterbaseball is a total baseball supplyhouse, specializing in custom cutting of

any size netor battingcage youmight want.The companyprovidesquick, friend-ly customer

service. Betterbaseball supplies everythingfrom bases, plates, mounds, gear,hardware, and it can all be found at better-baseball.com or by calling the company.

Circle No. 74 on Reader Inquiry Card

WEATHERBEATER® BYCOLORADO LININGINTERNATIONAL

888-546-4641WWW.WEATHER-BEATER.COM

The big tournament is this weekend.You’ve been planning for months.Hundreds are expected. And rain is fore-casted for the next few days. What youneed is WeatherBeater’s Workhorse

BaseballField Cover.Fabricatedfrom 12 milWhiteTarpaulinwith user-

friendly perimeter rope hem and gussetedlift loops, it’s the best field cover on themarket. “WeatherBeater…anything less isjust a tarp!” For more information, pleasecontact your WeatherBeater Specialist.

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EARTH & TURF PRODUCTS888-693-2638WWW.EARTHANDTURF.COM

The Earth & Turf MultiSpread™200spreads a variety of materials—topdress-ing for athletic fields, infield mix for base-

ballinfields,chips onpathwaysand salt-sand orgrit on

sidewalks and driveways. Capacity is 15cubic feet; spread width up to 60”.Available in ground drive or hydraulic drive(shown). Optional loading chute facilitatesloading with buckets up to 66 incheswide. Available wing kit for the rear shield

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

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MARKERS, INC.800-969-5920WWW.MARKERSINC.COM

Markers, Inc. has introduced SmartCap™and SmartScreen™. Unlike many fencecapping products, SmartCap won’t crack

or break and stayssoft for years. Itsbright yellow coloralso serves toheighten playerawareness. It isavailable in easy toinstall 25-foot rolls.The companionSmartScreen isoffered in rolls of

three or six-foot high by 25-foot lengths.Unlike woven poly windscreen materials,this P-E-M extruded and molded PVC prod-uct won’t unravel and is designed to per-form for years. Its dark green color is UVstabilized so fading isn’t a problem.

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MILLCREEK MANUFACTURING800-311-1323WWW.MILLCREEKMFG.COM

Wet material is notoriously the most diffi-cult to spread because of its tendency toclump and clog spreading equipment.Millcreek Manufacturing Co. has

introduced theTurf Tiger™, alarge capacitytopdresser thatappliessand/peat top-

dressing, compost, infield mix, soil condi-tioners, and other bulk materials evenwhen wet. The Turf Tiger has a 7,500-pound capacity, and features a patent-pending SaberTooth™ spreadingmechanism that applies wet material in auniform 8’ to 12’ wide pattern, dependingon material conditions.

Circle No. 78 on Reader Inquiry Card

PROMOUNDS, INC.877-227-4824WWW.PROMOUNDS.COM

Find everything you need for your baseballfield or your training facility at ProMounds,Inc., makers of portable pitching moundsand platforms, spike proof turf productsand quality field equipment. The companysells new and used artificial turf.ProMounds also has batting cages and

38 COACHING MANAGEMENT

Page 41: Coaching Management 12.2

Baseball Field

protectivescreens,pitchingmachines,

field covers/screens and any field mainte-nance equipment. Visit its Web site or callto find the baseball field product to meetyour need.

Circle No. 79 on Reader Inquiry Card

SEATING SERVICES800-552-9470WWW.SEATINGSERVICES.COM

The University of Wisconsin-Stout neededreasonably priced, low-maintenance stadi-um chairs. Seating Services provided thesolution with its Series 3000 Cardinal

Model.Theseblow-mold-ed chairsare gravitytip. Theyhave nosprings

and/or pins. This saves money in threeways: less expensive to manufacture,

install, and maintain. The chairs have beendesigned for installation on concrete orsteel/aluminum grandstands. Seat widthscan range from 18” to 22”. A wide varietyof colors and options make these an excel-lent way to make the fans comfortable,and provide VIP seating that can be usedfor fund-raising.

Circle No. 80 on Reader Inquiry Card

TURFCO MANUFACTURING800-679-8201WWW.TURFCO.COM

Unlike traditional rotary edgers, the TurfcoEdge-R-Rite’s unique oscillating bladecuts turf without throwing debris, making it

safer to usein high-trafficareas andeasier toclean-upafter. Theedger elimi-nates spadeor shovel edg-

ing and leaves a professional-lookingedge. The right angle blade edges golf

course bunkers, baseball diamonds, orflowerbeds. Additional blades can beadded to edge sidewalks, curbs,driveways, and to cut in drainage or installall sorts of edging. Depth control can beeasily adjusted up to four inches. TheEdge-R-Rite is built with a solid-steel frameand a traction-assist drive.

Circle No. 81 on Reader Inquiry Card

Turfco’s Mete-R-Matic XL tow-type topdresser features a mid-range hopper capac-ity for larger turf areas on sports fields. The

Mete-R-Matic XLfeaturesthe provenMete-R-Maticpatenteddesign, the

patented chevron belt, a ground drive sys-tem and Turfco’s industry-leading 3-yearwarranty. The Mete-R-Matic XL’s mid-rangehopper capacity is 2.25 cubic yards, or60.75 cubic feet, and it can carry a maxi-mum load weight of 6,000 pounds.

Circle No. 82 on Reader Inquiry Card

COACHING MANAGEMENT 39

Call For Catalog:1-800-969-5920Fax 440-933-7839

33597 Pin Oak ParkwayAvon Lake, OH 44012www.markersinc.com

Outfield Fence Cap &Windscreen Materials

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

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Only $115.00 / 100 ft.

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

Ask us about more Windscreen Products!

SAFER

QUICKERA B

Circle No. 33Circle No. 32

Page 42: Coaching Management 12.2

For Quicker Response, RequestInformation From Advertisers On-Line at

MomentumMedia.com.

PRODUCTS D IRECTORYCIRCLE COMPANY PAGE NO. NO.

PRODUCTS D IRECTORYCIRCLE COMPANY PAGE NO. NO.

PRODUCTS D IRECTORYCIRCLE COMPANY PAGE NO. NO.

ADVERT ISERS D IRECTORY

Cobra II Combo Pitching MachineManufactured by Axiom Sports

• Speed Range: 40-95+ MPH

• Throw fastballs, curveballs and sliders with pinpoint accuracy

• Throws baseballs and softballs (dimpled & leather)

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

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

• Portable (includes transport wheels)

800.529.6664 Ext. 125800.766.9144 fax

[email protected]

Your #1 source for everything you will everneed for your baseball and softball program.Batting Cage Nets, Frames, Pitching Machines, Balls,Field Equipment, Custom Nets, and More!

The BestCombination

Baseball & SoftballMachine Available

on the Market

Circle No. 35

21 . . . . ATEC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2935 . . . . Axiom/Omni . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

3 . . . . Bannerman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 512 . . . . Beacon Ballfields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1148 . . . . BetterBaseball. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4832 . . . . Cages Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3945 . . . . Challenger Industries (Transport Bleachers) . 4728 . . . . Designer Dirt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

7 . . . . Diamond Pro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 . . . . Dynamic Team Sports . . . . . . . . . IFC

11 . . . . Earth & Turf. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1144 . . . . eFundraising.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4636 . . . . Gagliardi Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

2 . . . . Gatorade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334 . . . . Granada Pitching . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4041 . . . . Hoosier Bat Company . . . . . . . . . . 4413 . . . . Jaypro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1617 . . . . Kwik Goal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2337 . . . . M.A.S.A. Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

33 . . . . Markers, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3939 . . . . Markwort Sporting Goods. . . . . . . 4340 . . . . Master Pitching Machine . . . . . . . . 44

9 . . . . Metalwood Bat (W. Virginia Bats) . . . . 108 . . . . Millcreek Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . 8

38 . . . . Partac/Beam Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4319 . . . . Play Ball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2720 . . . . Power Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2816 . . . . Pro’s Choice Field Products. . . . . . 20

5 . . . . ProMounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 626 . . . . Rotor Twin (Funtastic Sports) . . . . . . . 3442 . . . . SafeTGard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4514 . . . . SDSM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1831 . . . . Seating Services, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . 3722 . . . . Smart-Hurdle (Train To Play). . . . . . . . 2910 . . . . Southern Athletic Fields . . . . . . . . 10

6 . . . . Sports Attack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 718 . . . . Sports Tutor (HomePlate) . . . . . . . . . 2443 . . . . Sporturf. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

30 . . . . Stabilizer Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . 3729 . . . . Swift Stik (PIK Products). . . . . . . . . . . 3623 . . . . TurboStats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3347 . . . . Turface Athletics (Profile Products). . . BC15 . . . . Turfco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

4 . . . . Vantage Products Int’l. . . . . . . . . . 625 . . . . WeatherBeater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3427 . . . . Wind Weighted Tarps (Aer-Flo) . . . . 3546 . . . . Xvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC24 . . . . Zingbat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Circle No. 34

71. . . . Aer-Flo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3855. . . . ATEC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3273. . . . Bannerman (Ballpark-6) . . . . . . . . . . . 3872. . . . Bannerman (Diamond Master). . . . . . . 3856. . . . Beacon Ballfields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3274. . . . BetterBaseball. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3857. . . . Cages Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3263. . . . Designer Dirt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3464. . . . Diamond Pro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3494. . . . Dynamic Team Sports. . . . . . . . . . 4493. . . . Dynamic Team Sports (Elite Series) . . 4465. . . . Eagle-Picher (Play Ball) . . . . . . . . . . . 3576. . . . Earth & Turf. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

109 . . . . eFundraising.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4895. . . . Funtastic Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4596. . . . Granada Pitching . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4585. . . . Hoosier Bat Company . . . . . . . . . . 4258. . . . Kwik Goal (batting cages) . . . . . . . . . 3298. . . . Kwik Goal (Speed Training Pack) . . . . . 4559. . . . M.A.S.A. (batting cages) . . . . . . . . . . 3287. . . . M.A.S.A. Products (Cleat Cleaner) . . . 4299. . . . Major League Muscle . . . . . . . . . . 4677. . . . Markers, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

105 . . . . Markwort (C-Flap guard) . . . . . . . . . . 4786. . . . Markwort (Glove Locker) . . . . . . . . . . 4260. . . . Master Pitching Machine . . . . . . . . 3390. . . . Metalwood Bat (W. Virginia Bats) . . . . 4378. . . . Millcreek Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

106 . . . . Mueller Sports Medicine . . . . . . . . 4766. . . . Partac/Beam Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3591. . . . Power Systems (Balance Disc) . . . . . . 44

111 . . . . Power Systems (catalog) . . . . . . . . . 4892. . . . Power Systems (Pro Wrist Roller) . . . . 4467. . . . Pro’s Choice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3679. . . . ProMounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

107 . . . . SafeTGard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4780. . . . Seating Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3968. . . . Southern Athletic Fields . . . . . . . . 37

100 . . . . Sports Attack (Hack Attack). . . . . . . . 46101 . . . . Sports Imports (Track Attack). . . . . . . 46

97. . . . Sports Tutor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4569. . . . Stabilizer Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . 3789. . . . Swift Stik (PIK Products). . . . . . . . . . . 43

108 . . . . Train To Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4888. . . . TurboStats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4281. . . . Turfco (Edge-R-Rite) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3982. . . . Turfco (Mete-R-Matic XL) . . . . . . . . . . 3961. . . . Vantage Products Int’l. . . . . . . . . . 3375. . . . WeatherBeater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

102 . . . . Zingbat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

PRODUCTS D IRECTORYCIRCLE COMPANY PAGE NO. NO.

Page 43: Coaching Management 12.2

Wind-proof tarpsbanish stakes andsandbagsNew Wind Weighted™ Baseball Tarpshave steel chain built into their outeredge. Wind cannot get under. Stakes orsandbags are not needed. With optionalINSTALLER, two people can easily installour mound or home base cover in 25seconds. Tarps and Installers are patentpending.

Though Wind Weighted Tarps andInstallers were just recently introducedat the Jan. 2-4, 2004, ABCA Convention,All levels of baseball have quicklyembraced these innovative time andlabor savers.

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

Billy Ryan H.S., Denton, TXBloomingdale H.S., Valrico, FLCal Poly-San Luis Obispo, CACanyon H.S., Anaheim, CACoastal Carolina Univ., Conway, SCGrayson County College, Denison, TXLA Dodgers-Dodgertown, Vero Beach, FLMandeville H.S., Mandeville, LANY Yankees, Legends Field, Tampa, FLMansfield University, Mansfield, OHManatee Comm. College, Bradenton, FLNormal West H.S., Normal, ILNorth H.S.-Bakersfield, CAPolk Comm. College, Winter Haven, FLProsper H.S., Prosper, TXRose Hulman Institute, Terre Haute, INSo. FL Comm. College, Avon Park, FLU.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MDUniv. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NMUniv. of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MNWharton H.S., Tampa, FL

AER-FLO, Inc.1904 44th Ave. EastBradenton, FL 34203800-823-7356

WWW.WINDWEIGHTED.COM

WWiinndd WWeeiigghhtteedd™™

It’s as good as live pitching“My coaches used to resist using pitch-ing machines and relied on using livethrowing arms. However, the Hack Attack,is a great training tool for our hitters andcatchers. The Hack Attack is as good aslive pitching with its vision and timing. Itthrows accurate breaking pitches, it’sindestructible and it’s easy to operateand move. We use the Hack Attack in ourpractices and camps year round.”

Paul Mainieri, Head Baseball CoachUniversity of Notre Dame

“This is the first machine that performslike it was designed by a coach. Myhitters see the ball early; the timing ele-ment is almost human. They sure don’tmind setting this machine up every day.”

Gary Powers, Head Baseball CoachUniversity of Nevada, Reno

“I have been in baseball almost 50 yearsboth as a major league player andcollege baseball coach. I have seen a lotof changes. The Hack Attack leaves allother pitching machines behind. With itsball visibility, accuracy, fungo ability, andportability, it will not sit in the shed.”John Oldham, Former Cincinnati Reds;Head Coach University of Santa Clara

Sports AttackP.O. BOX 1529, VERDI, NV [email protected]

WWW.SPORTSATTACK.COM

Superior productsfor a well-maintained fieldDiamond Pro® professionalgroundskeeping products are used bythousands of professional sports teams,schools, municipalities, and youthleagues across the country.Professionalism, superior products, andoutstanding customer service are just afew of the many reasons Diamond Prohas reached this level.

“Diamond Pro gives me first class qualityand look.”

Jeff KershawLouisiana State University

“Diamond Pro has helped in building oneof the best infields in baseball.”

Trever VanceKansas City Royals

“We play 31 games over nine days, rainor shine. Diamond Pro fulfills thatcommitment.”

Jim ScottLittle League Baseball, Inc.

Diamond Pro professional groundskeep-ing products deliver long-lastingperformance and quality while enhancingthe look and feel of a well-maintainedathletic field.

Diamond Pro1341 West Mockingbird LaneDallas, Texas [email protected]

WWW.DIAMONDPRO.COM

Page 44: Coaching Management 12.2

Team Equipment

HOOSIER BAT COMPANY800-228-3787WWW.HOOSIERBAT.COM

Hoosier Bat Company makes an all ashbat, used by many major and minorleague players, and a patented three-piecewood bat, the WOODFORCE 2000 that’s

now NCAA Approved. With ash in the han-dle, hickory in the sweet spot, and mapleon the barrel end, this bat provides a solidsweet spot that will not flake, while retain-ing the same look and feel as a traditionalall ash bat. All of our bats are made fromquality wood and crafted to exacting stan-dards.

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MARKWORT SPORTING GOODS800-669-6626WWW.MARKWORT.COM

Glove Locker™, from Markwort SportingGoods, is the complete ball glove break-in

and main-tenancekit, as ithugs yourglove uni-formlywith the

ball secure in an inner pocket. The resultis Pocket Perfection™. The Glove Lockeris made of stretchable and washable neo-prene that is super light yet durable. TheGlove Locker kit also comes with a supplyof Glove Lube™, which is applied to theglove before wrapping the Glove Lockeraround it.

Circle No. 86 on Reader Inquiry Card

M.A.S.A., INC.800-264-4519WWW.MASA.COM

Cleat Cleaner from M.A.S.A., Inc.—Finally,a solution to cleaning all athletic shoeswith cleats. Cleat Cleaners quickly removemud and dirt, improve footing and mobili-ty, reduce injuries and promote cleanerdressing rooms. Whether you are pitching,

fielding or run-ning the basepaths, clean,lightweightcleats give youthe firm securefooting youneed for quick

starts and stops, particularly when playingon a muddy field.

Circle No. 87 on Reader Inquiry Card

TURBOSTATS SOFTWARE800-60-STATSWWW.TURBOSTATS.COM

TurboStats Software has released Version11.0 for Baseball/Softball, whichcombines the same proven stat trackingtechnology used by over 10,000 teams,with innovative new features like spraycharting, stats by count, and pitching his-tory reports. Coaches' jobs are made easi-er by combining a practice planner,scorebook page designer, league schedul-ing, computerized batting orders, and adrag-n-drop lineup card designed with live

42 COACHING MANAGEMENT

Gagliardi Insurance Services, Inc.

Your Sports and Entertainment SpecialistGISGIS

When all you can afford is a winning team1-800-538-7061

www.insuranceforsports.com

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Page 45: Coaching Management 12.2

Team Equipment

game scorekeeping on a Palm OS. WithVersion 11.0, coaches can now view statsby pitch count, pitch type, and location

and can even printcolor coded spraychart-diagrams. Thestatistical informa-tion can be manuallyentered or importeddirectly into thePalm OS. TurboStatsalso releasedVersion 6.0 ofScoreKeeper that

now includes pitch charting along with livegame scorebook-style data entry andspray charting. TurboStats ScoreKeeperhas been helping teams winchampionships for several years since ithas been introduced and is endorsed byKen Griffey Sr. In addition, TurboStats hasalso released a new scouting tool calledTurboScout, which creates batter vs. pitch-er and pitcher vs. batter reports for allpitch types, locations, and outcomes.TurboScout retails for $69.95

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SWIFT STIK877-845-STIKWWW.SWIFTSTIK.NET

Swift Stik is the fastest way to improveyour swing. This simple-to-use lightweighttraining bat is great for baseball and soft-

ball and gives you hundreds of extraswings per day. You get results fast. Itimproves hand-eye coordination, buildsmuscle memory, isolates the sweet spot,and increases bat speed. Endorsed byprofessional hitting guru Mike Epstein,“This is, without a doubt, the best trainingtool I have ever used.” It is available in34” and 30” sizes with a patented,adjustable foam “sweet spot”. It is pack-aged with an instructional video and foursmall polyballs. Use it with tennis, wiffle,or soft foam balls. Special coaches’ pric-ing is available.

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WEST VIRGINIA BATS304-586-3730WWW.WESTVIRGINIABATS.COM

The Original Metalwood Bat, from WestVirginia Bats, combines four attributes inone bat – playability, durability,

affordability, and safety – that until nowwere mutually exclusive. “The OriginalMetalwood Bat brings together the bestqualities of both wood and aluminumbats. The metal handle is strong andcomfortable, allowing you to cast thebarrel. The wood barrel makes it manda-tory that you take a major leagueswing.”—Merv Rettenmund, TorontoBlue Jays Hitting Instructor.

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COACHING MANAGEMENT 43

THE PROFESSIONAL'S CHOICE. . . SINCE 1922

YOUR “ONE-STOP SOURCE”FOR AMERICA’S

BASEBALL & SPORTS TURFSURFACES & SUPPLIES!

USED BY OVER 100 PRO TEAMS!PLUS 8 OF THE LAST 10 WORLD SERIES CHAMPS,

OVER 700 COLLEGES, AND THOUSANDS OFTOWNS & SCHOOLS WORLDWIDE!

800-247-BEAM908-637-4191 / FAX 908-637-8421

REGIONAL INFIELD MIXES & WARNING TRACKSBLENDED FOR EVERY STATE & CLIMATE

FROM OVER 20 BULK PLANTS NATIONWIDE!

“The best infield mix I’ve ever used!”— GEORGE TOMA

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Page 46: Coaching Management 12.2

Team Equipment

POWER SYSTEMS, INC.800-321-6975WWW.POWER-SYSTEMS.COM

The Balance Disc, from Power Systems,Inc., is a functional air filled cushion thatcan be incorporated into workouts for

enhanced bal-ance and coretraining. Buildcore strengthby using oneor two cush-

ions for push-ups, lunges, squats or incor-porate into throwing or hitting drills.Enhance balance techniques by doing sit-ting, standing and lying exercises. Madeof pliable, durable PVC with a pebbled topand a smooth bottom.

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Strong wrists and forearms are essentialto any baseball player’s success at theplate. Power Systems’ Pro Wrist Rollerwill enable players of all levels to build apowerful grip, wrist and forearm strength.Gone are the days of the broom stick andstring, this strong tubular steel wrist roller

with paddedhandles and plateattachment willallow your workoutsto take off. By grad-ually adding weightto your wrist/fore-arm workout, youtrain just as you doany other body partor exercise.

Circle No. 92 on Reader Inquiry Card

DYNAMIC TEAM SPORTS800-437-6223WWW.DYNAMICTEAMSPORTS.COM

Dynamic Team Sports has introduced itsElite line of custom uniforms for baseball.

The EliteSeries offersan unlimitednumber ofcolor combina-tions fromwhich tochoose. Teamnames, logos

and numbers are dyed directly into the fab-ric. This eliminates the weight of embroideryand won’t fade, peel or crack the way stickysilkscreens can. Dynamic guarantees tonever discontinue your uniform so fill-ins arealways available. For more information, con-tact your team uniform supplier.

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Dynamic Team Sports offers a revolutionaryline of custom uniforms called the EliteSeries. The Elite Series has one veryunique feature; all the artwork, logos, and

numbers aresublimated intothe garment’slightweight andbreathable fab-ric. This elimi-nates theheavy, stickysilk-screens

that will peel, crack and fade. With an end-less array of color combinations, Elite uni-forms are personalized for your team. Thismeans a world of possibilities for teamswith unusual color combinations.

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44 COACHING MANAGEMENT

HOME RUN, LLC d/b/a

HOOSIER BAT COMPANY

Fast becoming THE name for bats.We have what the players want!

WOOD FUNGOGuaranteed

Never to Flake!! With No Taping Required!

GAME BATSMajor League Stock • Minor League Stock

WOODFORCE 2000Hickory Hitting Area – No Taping Required

Game Use Approval for:Short Season A and Rookie League

NCAA BESR CERTIFIED

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

ORDER YOURS TODAY1-800-BAT-ERUP (1-800-228-3787)

FAX (219)465-0877 • e-mail: [email protected]

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Page 47: Coaching Management 12.2

Practice Aids

FUNTASTIC SPORTS877-375-0315WWW.FUNTASTICSPORTS.COM

The Rotor Twin, from Funtastic Sports, isa swing trainer/hitting station that play-ers enjoy using because it provides a

realistic hitting sensa-tion and feedback onevery swing. Withproper swing planeand solid contact, itspins like a top. Poorswing or contact pro-duces an erratic spin.Use it indoors or out-doors and take it any-

where. The height is adjustable. It’sdurable, safe, and affordable. Find outwhy many coaches agree that it’s thebest swing trainer they have used.

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GRANADA [email protected]

Granada baseball and softball pitchingmachines offer a true pitch indoors andoutdoors. No nets are needed. The

Granada system has beenproven to increase a bat-ter’s hitting on the fieldand in laboratory testing.Good batting practiceshould include at least200 cuts a day withoutfear of the ball. Aggressivehitters will get 1,000 ormore cuts a day. Granadahas been improving hittingfor more than 40 years.

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SPORTS TUTOR800-448-8867WWW.SPORTSMACHINES.COM

The new HomePlate machine from SportsTutor is the first program-mable pitching machinedesigned for both battingcage and on-field use.The HomePlate machinecan simulate almost anypitcher you are likely toface. It can throw a 90mph fastball, followed bya 75 mph curve, followed

by a change-up, followed by a slider, withonly seven seconds between pitches. Youcan store up to eight different pitches ineach of eight different programs. The pro-grammed pitches can be thrown eithersequentially (for specific hitting drills), orrandomly (to simulate game conditions).HomePlate models start at $2,995.

Circle No. 97 on Reader Inquiry Card

KWIK GOAL, LTD.215-536-2200WWW.KWIKGOAL.COM

With speed becoming more important everyseason, it is imperative for coaches to train

their playerswith variousspeed train-ing exercis-es. To helpcoaches

with their sessions, Kwik Goal now offersthe Speed Training Pack. The packincludes a Speed Ladder, the new SpeedHurdles, Speed Rings, and Disc Cones.The equipment in this pack will allow play-ers to improve both their speed and agility.

Circle No. 98 on Reader Inquiry Card

COACHING MANAGEMENT 45

N E W P A T E N T E D D E S I G N . . .

CAGE CUP/ATHLETIC SUPPORTER COMBO

N E W P A T E N T E D D E S I G N . . .

CAGE CUP/ATHLETIC SUPPORTER COMBO

FEATURINGTHE FIRSTCOMFORTABLEPROTECTIVECUP:

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

Transferring To The Body• Testing Performed By Southern Impact Testing Center Knoxville, TN• Patent Pending

Protects Like Hard Cup With Reduced WeightIdeal For All Contact SportsAvailable In 3 sizes: Child, Youth & Adult SizesMicro-Encapsulated Air In Foam Provides Comfort And Flexibility Against The SkinHigh-Impact, Shatter Resistant ABS Plastic Cage Absorbs Impact Shock Instead ofTransferring To The BodyTesting Performed By Southern Impact Testing Center Knoxville, TNPatent Pending

P.O. Box 1468 Golden, Colorado 80402

1-800-356-9026

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Page 48: Coaching Management 12.2

Practice Aids

MAJOR LEAGUE MUSCLE330-620-1511WWW.MAJORLEAGUEMUSCLE.COM

The Buster Forearm Developer by MajorLeague Muscle was designed to developthe most overlooked area of any player, the

forearms and hands.Exercise and conditionthe top and bottom ofboth forearms simultane-ously with constant resis-tance. Pitchers willincrease velocity and bychanging their grip on the

ball develop secondary muscles used fordifferent pitches. Improve throwing, hittingand fielding quickly and easily whilepreventing injury. Visit the company’s Website for more details.

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SPORTS ATTACK800-717-4251WWW.SPORTSATTACK.COM

Sports Attack offers the Hack AttackBaseball Pitching Machine. This exclusivedesign allows the hitter to see the ballclearly all the way through the feedingmotion, acceleration and release, just like alive pitcher. This visual arm action signals

the hitter when tostride, giving himan actual live armsense of timingand location. TheHack Attack willthrow unmatchedright and left-hand-

ed major league fastballs and breakingpitches, including curve balls, sliders,sinkers, and knuckleballs. All this is accom-plished by simply changing the speed of thewheels with three dials, eliminating time-consuming adjustments of the throwinghead. It instantly switches to fungo work,pivoting in any direction, throwinggrounders, long fly balls, deep line drives,towering infield popups and popups back foryour catcher with real game-like back spin.

Circle No. 100 on Reader Inquiry Card

Sports Attack is introducing the TrackAttack VisionTraining Machine, aquality year-roundmajor-league trainingtool for hitters. TrackAttack uses soft, lim-ited flight pitchingmachine balls thatare 20-percent small-

er than a baseball. It is a valuable hittingstation forcing hitter to track and focus onthe center of the ball. It makes the headstay down, causing the front shoulder andhips to stay in. Use it on any surface,indoors or out, in the gym, on the field, or athome. A ball feeder is also available.

Circle No. 101 on Reader Inquiry Card

ZINGBAT866-ZINGBAT (946-4228)WWW.ZINGBAT.COM

Zingbat™ has recently introduced the new“16 oz.” one hand isolation trainer. Thebatter can now practice lead arm and top

hand drills to isolateproper arm path andhand action. With eachswing, the isolation train-er forces the arm to takethe correct path, keepingthe hand inside the ball.The wrist must snap thebarrel at the correct

instant or the patented Zingbat “click” willoccur before contact. Coaches and playersacross the country are welcoming this newaddition to the Zingbat line. Call for a freeinstructional video or see a demo on thecompany’s Web site.

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Does Your Grass Need Plastic Surgery?

Buy Direct at www.sporturf.com/factory-outlet

Sporturf has all theoptions !

• Full TrueGrassSynthetic Fields

• Artificial Turf Halos

• Over 3500 International Dealers

• Baseball and Golf Stance Mats

1.866.224.84521.866.224.8452

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Page 49: Coaching Management 12.2

More Products

MARKWORT SPORTING GOODS800-669-6626WWW.MARKWORT.COM

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

The C-Flap fea-tures an innov-ative designthat helps pre-vent facialinjuries to bat-ters. It easilymounts to theear flap of thebatting helmet,

covering the side of the face exposed tothe pitcher, without obstructing vision orair flow. The Heart-Gard is a small (6” by6”) polyethylene protective guard thatabsorbs impact energy and forces it awayfrom the heart.

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MUELLER SPORTS MEDICINE800-356-9522WWW.MUELLERSPORTSMED.COM

This tapered elastic elbow sleeve fromMueller Sports Medicine helps protectelbows and forearms from abrasions and

turf burns. TurfSleeve is 11inches long forextra protection.The lightweight,breathable fab-ric providescomfort andmild compres-sion, and is

also ideal as a shin sleeve. Reinforcededges add durability. Turf Sleeve is sold inpairs, is available in black or white andcomes in two sizes, LG and XL.

Circle No. 106 on Reader Inquiry Card

SAFETGARD CORPORATION800-356-9026E-MAIL: [email protected]

SafeTGard has a newly patented design inan athletic supporter hard cup for maleathletes. The CAGE CUP is 40 percentlighter than traditional hard cups and outperformed traditional cups in the mph

breakingpointtestingdone byan inde-

pendent testing laboratory. Real comfortcomes from having a soft moldedpolyfoam interior against the body ratherthan hard plastic. The CAGE CUP deadensthe blow with air and foam where otherhard cups transfer the impact energy tothe body though hard plastics.

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COACHING MANAGEMENT 47

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

Page 50: Coaching Management 12.2

More Products

TRAIN TO PLAY 608-824-0068WWW.TRAINTOPLAY.COM

Introducing the NEW SMART-HURDLE™SYSTEM, from Train To Play, that featuresfour different training hurdles for improvingmobility, agility, strength, and power for all

sports. TheSMART-HUR-DLE™features: Fourdifferent sizes,two that areadjustable inheight; Three-point basingfor improvedstability on allsurfaces;

bright yellow and black makes hurdlesstand out; durable, yet light for easy carry-ing, and able to fold flat for storage.

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FUND-RAISING

eFUNDRAISING.COM866-224-8452WWW.EFUNDRAISING.COM

Try World’s Finest Chocolate $2 StraightPacks for your next fundraising campaign!Your supporters will love the creamy taste

of thesehuge candybars, andwith up to50% profit,your groupwill love thehuge prof-its! Choosefrom Milk

Chocolate with Almond Bars, W.F. CrispBars, Continental Almonds, or FundRaisins! Less work, more profits: whocould ask for more?

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CATALOG SHOWCASE

POWER SYSTEMS, INC.800-321-6975WWW.POWER-SYSTEMS.COM

Since 1986 Power Systems has been a lead-ing supplier of sport training, health andfitness products. The company prides itself in

being the oneresource for all of yourtraining needs. Itsnew 2004 catalog hasa new look with bettergraphics and photos.Included areas arecore strength, medi-cine balls, speed, ply-ometrics, agility,strength equipment,

strength accessories and flooring. You will findthe catalog full of hundreds of new productsand dozens of products available exclusivelyfrom Power Systems. The company has alsolowered some prices to enable the customerto get premium products at great prices. Goonline or call Power Systems to request a free2004 catalog today.

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48 COACHING MANAGEMENT

OnThe

WebMore

Netting And

www.BetterBaseball.comwww.BetterBaseball.com

OR CALL us @ 800 99 SHADE (74233) OR CALL us @ 800 99 SHADE (74233)

Netting Netting

AndAnd

MoreMore

On On

TheThe

WebWeb

$275

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Page 51: Coaching Management 12.2

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

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

If you want to play XPLOSIVE,

you have to train

XPLOSIVE !

Voted “Best of the Best”in Testosterone Magazine

If you want to play XPLOSIVE,

you have to train

XPLOSIVE !

Call 800-697-5658 281-693-4034

Email [email protected]

www.TheXvest.com

Lance BerkmanHouston Astros

“We have used the Xvestand have found it to be thebest, most comfortable and effective weight vest. We have seen measurableimprovements in range ofmotion, strength & power.”

Gene Coleman, Ed. D.Strength and Conditioning CoachHouston Astros

The Xvest is used by top professionalathletes and trainers in the NFL, NBA,NHL, MLB and also both winter andsummer Olympians. It’s also used by

the military, police and fireman for safeand effective condition training.

A few Major League Baseball Teams using the Xvest:

2002 World Champions Anaheim Angels Houston Astros (Divisional leader)

Chicago White Sox (Divisional leader)

AD

JUST

AB

LE W

EIG

HTE

D V

EST

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Page 52: Coaching Management 12.2

MOST PLAYERS WOULD PREFER TO LAND ON TURFACESerious competitors at every level–from major leagues

to city rec–want the freedom to perform to their fullest.And that’s exactly what Turface® delivers, through wetsprings and dry summers on more fieldsacross America than any other brand. Forover 40 years nobody’s done it better.

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

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

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

CALL 1-800-207-6457

baseball • softball • soccer • football • golf

The most widely used field conditioners in America

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