Podcast
Better Men, Better Ballplayers
Hosted by Trey Cobb · EN
Concrete content for anyone looking to get better. This community is for people who want to grow themselves, and grow the game. We know the game of baseball teaches us so many valuable life lessons!
11episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
133 Ben Jones - The Apprentice School
Aug 28, 202301:23:04Tap to summarizeBetter Men Better Ballplayers Podcast with Ben Jones, HC of The Apprentice School. Sponsored By: Netting Professionals844-620-2707 info@nettingpros.com www.nettingpros.com BIO HC of the Apprentice School since 2021 and won Small College World Series in 2022 (1st year)Pitching coach for the Builders since 2007 Part of the Small College World Series teams in 2007, 2015 Former pitcher for the Builders Winningest pitcher in modern era of The Apprentice School The Apprentice School HOF class of 2020 USCAA Hall of Fame in 2018 NOTES The Apprentice school 19 trade selections (blue collar), and 8 advanced trades (white collar)20% of enrollment get selected into advancement ALL FREE Start at $22/hr and finish over $30/hr 6AM on the shipyard Classroom 16 hours a week Other 24 hours they are on the job training Every 6 months rotated to different shipyards to learn All year long Annual leave (40 hours of vacation) full benefits with company match 6AM pull in, get out at 330, practice 430 for couple hours based on part of year 3 time Small College World Series champion NSCAA schools must have a low enrollment (max 4000) Follow all NCAA rules and regulations (eligibility, etc) 80% home games Play D3, D2, JUCO, along with NSCAA teams Manage workload based on their job and baseball - light on weights and off season conditioning unlike the traditional college student Start 11/12 months - every monday with new starts 250-300 people brought in a year ****This program will turn a high school graduate into a mature man or woman! Grades and attendance not satisfactory you can be dropped from the program Its not for everyone, but it is very rewarding Athletics contribute to teamwork, teamwork contributes to leadership AS.edu general admission website Gobuilders.com athletics website Guys that aren’t scared to work!! 1 other trade school that offers athletics 25% acceptance rate Team GPA 3.6! SAT not requirement for admission Required classes (minimum 4, like to see 6-8) Focus on math and science Any higher math classes? How many days you were late and/or absent We are investing into you to be successful! To see the guys graduate is the ultimate goal! Team grade policy - not getting the grades you will not practice and be part of team Tutors available - do our best to make the program work! Company first, school second, baseball team third and priorities need to stay that way We help them keep them priorities straight
Transcribe →132 Justin Hanley - William Penn Charter
Aug 14, 202301:05:18Tap to summarizeBetter Men Better Ballplayers Podcast with Justin Hanley - William Penn Charter Sponsored By: Netting Professionals844-620-2707 info@nettingpros.com www.nettingpros.com BIO HC of William Penn Charter Associate HC/PC 2012-2017 Inter AC Champions 2014, 2017, and 2021 4 players have gone to play pro ball during his time at Penn Charter He has help guide several players to college between Penn Charter and his time in travel baseball Former Director of Baseball Operations and Player development at Elite Sports Factory North American Baseball Account Executive at Silicon Valley FinTech startup, Pando, that uses predictive analytics to help professional baseball players mitigate their career risk. NOTES Win loss and ERA are going out the window and looking more at whip, qab, and other processes Track bullpens and chart opposing hitters Do it on your own, and coach it up in between the inning There is nothing you can tell him that is goin to put him in a better position Be a voice of positive encouragement Strong up the middle Good relationships Tell me about mom and dad Analytical and due diligence mindset Big on self advocacy Summer camps to bring in the community Big on communication Kid first, no parents PillarsSelf advocacy Don’t care what grade you are accountability Expect problems and use it has opportunity to teach leadership It more than just about the wins. We need to prove to them that we care more about them as people For every school that has their dream school, there is 10 kids at the wrong school Spend a saturday doing manual labor to build team School does great job bringing all types of kids together Video message to the team from alumni Players this is your program and your responsibility Representing your family at the same time Understand the common goalYou can’t do it on your own Failure is going to find you Lean on your teammates, your coaches How are you going to play on a friday night if you can’t handle this chirping You can tell who the last years state champion was not the PG 16U championship
Transcribe →131 Anthony Renz - Concordia College & Fargo Moorhead Redhawks
Jul 31, 202301:08:39Tap to summarizeBetter Men Better Ballplayers Podcast with Anthony Renz Concordia College Sponsored By: Netting Professionals844-620-2707 info@nettingpros.com www.nettingpros.com BIO HC at Concordia College (MN)AC since 2018 Acting HC 2022 2022 Conference tournament 2023 Conference tournament and win Most hits Most conference players Bench Coach & Hitting Coach with Fargo-MoorheadMLB Partner league (Pioneer, Frontier, American Assoc, Atlantic) American Association champions (1st A.A title since merging) Former AC and GA Shippensburg University (2016-2018) Regional 2017 PSAC tournament 2018 4 guys played pro ball during time at Ship Indy ball grinder!Las Vegas Train Robbers Evansville Otters Fargo-Moorhead NOTES Powerful tool of Twitter Recruiting world at your fingertips Form good relationships Show I was a good coach and gain trust Work youth baseball camps to grind and learn Off season was CAMPS! The grind makes you better! Make sure the players know it is there program Player driven. Coaches put up guard rails Players win game, coaches lose them The guys after college are set up for success For 4 years we want you to feel like you are involved in the world series Our togetherness is second to noneTown ball, playing more together Cobber baseball family Be with a group of guys you can lose with** Team building daysCommunity events Supporting other athletic events Bus rides - Florida trips They should want to come to practice as long as the environment is good Winning helps the experience What can you do to make practice fun? Pick teams - compete more Balance of fun and intensity Conditioning mix of games Practice matters Everyday is a tryout You got to perform - playing hard is given and at end of day you need to perform Elimination in the cage - one pitch, in or out Create competition with the skills set in mind Reward BP “Dinger club” Hit the ball hard determines who you areLine drives - right above the L screen Gaps/HR - knock down the batter eye Group BP based on skill set or lineup Technology helps make live AB more realistic results, provide clarity Technology turns up the focus Train for higher EVHit a ton of machine Weighted bat work Hit plyo Barrel controlThrow two balls and always hit low ball Reward batting practice or out of cage if you don’t accomplish task (put a value on each swing) 2 strikesUnpredictable of 2K pitch needs to be trained with working on getting your barrel to the ball Manage your work - know your body Those who hit often, often hit Stick to what you believe in and stay consistent. Don’t over react with small sample size. Be where your feet are All in right here
Transcribe →130 - Eric Lassiter Windermere HS, Power Baseball, Diamond Allegiance
Jul 17, 202301:16:55Tap to summarizeBetter Men Better Ballplayers Podcast with Eric Lassiter Sponsored By: Netting Professionals844-620-2707 info@nettingpros.com www.nettingpros.com BIO HC of Windermere HS (started 6 years ago)5/5 state playoffs 4/5 district champs 3/5 regional finalist Former HC Tavares (1 year) HC at alma mater Apopka HS (6 years) Co Founder of Power Baseball Former WV Wesleyan College AC Director of membership for Diamond Allegiance NOTES We are really big in the community and focus more beyond baseball Be the ultimate human being How you do anything is how you do everything Support other teams in the school Supporting little league tryouts, signups, etc Prep team, feeder team, little league nights When you feel the community supporting you its playing for something bigger than you Play for a bigger purpose Fall season for community work Grade checks 1 standard - don’t do anything that embarasses your religion, yourself, or your program Holding them to the expectations 9 to 5 - first 9 has to beat their last 5 on the field Everything counts Energy, effort, commitment to each, Fall season do little things to score points for 9 to 5 Points for all types of ways to produce wins Running gets you better, not punishment Losers take care of the field Hold kids accountable on the travel scene will create good groups Win between innings The first tournament you set the standards Finding ways to stay active to improve Always an opportunity to get better and set yourself apart You have to have a skill set and it doesn’t matter how you may hit in a tournament How you fail is a big indicator of how you will succeed Baseball is how well you can fail 3-3 should be same energy as 0-3 Each hitter can get into certain positions, which means they can move to get there What if your body is not capable of getting to that position. Can we unlock parts of your body to get to those positions? Power Baseball Foundation - board to help fundraise to help people who cannot afford to play travel baseballApplication to help with practice and planning. Players come out and we donate their time to help Funded organizations that are not even part of Power Baseball The more good you do the better you will be
Transcribe →129 Billy Emerson - St. Paul VI HS
Jul 3, 202301:30:10Tap to summarizeBetter Men Better Ballplayers Podcast with Billy Emerson of Paul VI HS Sponsored By: Netting Professionals844-620-2707 info@nettingpros.com www.nettingpros.com BIO HC of Paul VI HS Career record 336 - 191 (winning over 50% games in his career) PVI since 2003 season 3 Conference WCAC championships 4 VISAA championships 8 times nationally ranked Over 100 players in college or drafted Paul VI HOF class of 2022 NOTES Coaching in the summer is a way for me to learn and get better from the college guys Each year you are taking a big hunk of clay and hopefully by the end of the year you hope it becomes a masterpiece You win games you should of lost and you lose game you should of won If you want consistency you have to be consistent You have to stick to the plan Maintain a coaching staff that can stick around a long time Put together standards and values that you can stick to Focusing on development players Its also about developing human beings Using the game to create things that they can use later in life If you focus on the right things the baseball things take care of themselves End of season meetings Using the battles to do use as fire and do more than this year You can do things to foster team chemistry (this is how we do things) You can’t force it, you need to foster it You can’t fool the players, it has to be real You can’t force someone to love you Expose our guys to different types of people Classroom session in the off seasonPitchers and catchers, hitters, mental toughness training When a guy walks out of our program and he is blessed to play college baseball and he is prepared to step on campus that is an awesome thing Another huge win is when a guy comes back and says I know what you were saying We have objectives everyday Explain to the guys why and how this is gooing ot effect you now and down the road The game mirrors life because you have to sit there during moments of inactivity but be ready The value of paying attention to details There is a karma around the game and if you don’t pay attention it will bite you! Keep the baseball demons away from us! Every time we take batting practice we implement baserunning system Defensively we take balls live - making people make throughs at game speed Challenging the pitchers and hitters at practice with game situations Pitchers that have not gotten innings will be throwing more in practice of game situations Its about collecting outs. We need to get 21 of them as fast as we can This is an audition! For the regulars and for the guys who have not had an AB Keep stats in practice and it makes the process from objective QPA average - quality plate appearance - 60% or better 150 or lower strikeout % Pop up or routine flyball = airball (set goal for no airballs) Strike % and first pitch strike % Force bad contact as early as possible Defensively 1 error or less Turn as many DP as games played Always looking to take 2 until you can’t Reading dirt balls good secondary, read the trajectory, and take off Preparation, attention to detail, effort, focus, selfless, and toughness Aggressive in hitting situations - looking for FB 2 strike approach - the strikeout does nothing for us Execute when called upon Baserunning excellence - eyes up and hustle Pitch to spots, execute pitches > selection, make adjustments, rise to the challenge and post a zero Defense cherish outs - love outs as much as HR No play no throw - calculated risks The kids are our customers*** What did we do to prepare them for the majority of their life?
Transcribe →128 Matt Jones - Shippensburg University HC
Jun 19, 202301:19:36Tap to summarizeBetter Men Better Ballplayers Podcast with Matt Jones Shippensburg Univ Sponsored By: Netting Professionals844-620-2707 info@nettingpros.com www.nettingpros.com BIO HC at Shippensburg University (Since 2008 17 years) Over 400 with Raiders, over 500 total as HC (Former HC at Elizabethtown) 2008 ABCA/Diamond Sports Company North Atlantic Region Coach of the Year 2-time PSAC Coach of the Year (2022 East, 2008 West) 2 College World Series appearances 10 PSAC Tournament appearances 4 NCAA Regional Tournament appearances 35 victories in postseason play – including a 10-6 record at regionals. Six Raiders (MLB) Draft Several other players have gone on to play professionally as undrafted free agents or in an independent league Overall, Jones has coached in 54 conference tournament games,21 NCAA regional tournament games 5 College World Series appearances NOTES IF you don’t like where you are at you get a new hat You have to keep recruiting your guys when they are there I want the player to be with my players by themselves The family to be with the players by themselves Make sure you take two visits before you commit No one gets married after the first date New facility allowed to never go inside Winter workouts to be ready for 20-30 pitches and trust guys to get it done Replicate the starters stuff on a machine In our program its still about the program It needs be team first The younger you are the more blinders you have to have As you get through school it will widen Moving guys around the locker room Changing hitting groups Moving guys around in study hall Purposeful seating or hotel roomates Checking up with guys at practice that have nothing to do with baseball Let them see me as more than a coach We don’t hide things from the team Most of the things kids dealing with are not full realityNo ugly pictures on IG Not posting the 0-3, but will post the HR You still need to decide how much to of the truth to tell a kid Respect their feelings and understand where they are and how much info you give them Fortunate to have bosses that appreciate how we do business Number #1 rule - “Don’t be a jerk!” Its not all about winning the last game of the year I want the 90 minutes of the day at practice to be the best part of the day Be someone that someone wants to be around I am an educator, I recruit kids to a university, and guide them to what they are going to do the rest of their lives Ultimate responsibility of the university is to guide people in to being productive adults Coaches should Ask more questions than give directives to players Communicating and getting guys to understand what your saying and understanding it is their career We are going to have different relationships with all of you I will be here as much as you need me here! Coach? I will be coach Dad? I’ll be dad You have to be ok to admit when you need help I don’t have to do it, I get to do it! I work with the travel ball tournament parents to get them to realize that it does not matter in those tournaments Balance time with team time and individual time Record practice and spend some individual time Figure out how they learn and what they respond to
Transcribe →127 - Mark Gibbs: St John’s College HS (D.C.)
Jun 5, 202301:09:43Tap to summarizeBetter Men Better Ballplayers Podcast with Mark Gibbs; St Johns DC Sponsored By: Netting Professionals844-620-2707 info@nettingpros.com www.nettingpros.com BIO HC of St Johns DC 339–90–1 Overall Record, .788 Winning Percentage in 17 years 13, 20-win seasons 6 of the seasons St Johns has been nationally ranked Before their 2008 season, St. John’s was on the cover of Baseball America, the first team from the mid-Atlantic to ever be profiled in the preview issue. Gibbs has sent 124 players into college baseball from St Johns 17 players who were drafted by or signed to free agent contracts with professional teams. The Cadets have won or tied for 1 regular season conference titles (2007, 2010, 2012–19, 2021), 8 WCAC tournament titles (2011, 2014–19) 3 DCSAA titles (2014, 2019, 2021). Many Coach of the year awards (Washington Post, WCAC, USA Today, DCSAA) NOTES The experience that I feel is best for kids and the reality it is, we need to find what’s best for us Staying together in the summer and fall has brought us bigger things that baseball Outsourced a strength coach (sports performance coach) The HC needs to monitor it all. Bring in people that the HC can trust and let them work A lot of what you are dealing with is not on the field If you have good people and you trust them that is the best Got to have good players and guys that are willing to work The guy was just a worker! His work ethic stood out They were very prepared in the whole system that prepared them for college Pitching, defense and baserunning is what you do to win games We prioritize pitching, not just fit it into practice In the live stuff we do, that is the most live baserunning situations we can get Play more live! Use the baserunners when pitching on mound Using their eyes to run the bases Base stealing and base running are taught in two different segments Year to year we focus on certain things more than others depending on your team You have to have guys that can do it (vault stealing/ new school leads) You have to have the time to teach it and put it into your program.
Transcribe →126 Rich Maloney - Ball State University
May 22, 202301:03:49Tap to summarizeRich Maloney Podcast Bio and Notes Bio Head Coach Ball State University (2nd tour, 1996-2002 - 2013 - present) Former HC at Michigan (2003-2012) Over 900 wins in his career 16th active DI coach to reach 900 wins Winningest coach in Ball State history 5 MAC championships 4 time MAC coach of the year 3 Time big 10 conference championships 2 Big 10 tournament championships 4 Regional appearances Regional Championship in 2007 Maloney has coached 65 players who were drafted 72 times six first round picks, all of them at Ball State Ball State has had 10 players drafted in the top 4 rounds under Rich Maloney FCA Baseball's Jerry Kindall Award in January 2017 ABCA Ethics in Coaching Award Recipient 2023 Former ABCA President (2018) Notes Architecture classes worked a semester building a vision of the stadium I would of never had a chance to go to Michigan if it wasn’t for those boys I got into coaching because I love to be a mentor Those guys energize me and they fill me up! You gotta believe and have a driving force to be something specialIn yourself if you will be a good player In your teammates if you want to be a part of a good team In your faith - it all starts with that Casting a vision for your players Try your best to get the most out of the god given talents Everyone plays a role on the team Read 2 books - Hard Hat by jon gordon CHop Wood, Carry Water by First day on campus we go through the book - highlighted and epitomize our culture Got to be really good at a lot of little things that culminate to really big things Competition events - winning team filet mignon, losing team hotdogs and mac an cheese, we all eat dessert Got to have that extra degree GRIT - dirtbags - biggest compliment you can get in our program because he does whatever he can to help the team win Baseball you have to conquer the mind The storm will hit! How are you going to handle that mental strain Sport gives us a great opportunity to help people grow You are blessed a lot if you have those relationships Easy to talk when its going goodYour friends come around when things are not going your way Comes down to the foundational truths you have It comes down to the details and have you to do the little things well Buy into your coaches Take the little things seriously Holding them accountable - when the game speeds up that’s not going to work Guys will gravitate to the standard When you believe in yourself you can make it through the tough times Winning breeds winning, and losing breeds losing Ambition and drive! If your not self motivated you won’t do great things You play on your energy when your young You guys built this because you guys believed and did the work
Transcribe →125 Ryan Shotzberger - University of The Incarnate Word
May 8, 202301:04:07Tap to summarizeShotzberger Notes Bio HC of UIW - University of the Incarnate Word In 2022 he led UIW to the furthest Southland Conference Tournament appearance in Division I program history. First year in 2019 was cut short due to COVID Prior to UIW he was AC at Houston and TCUhelped those programs to seven 40+ win seasons. 13 conference championships eight regular-season championships five conference tournament championships nine trips to NCAA Regionals three appearances at NCAA Super Regionals one trip to the College World Series Coached over 60 players who have been draftedeight of those appearing on active Major League Baseball rosters 5 current MLB Notes We have our team values If your early your orgranized No blame, complain, or defend CARDS - bottom of every practice plan Players are now speaking the language Working with you not for you The best teams are player led, not coaches fed When you get out front you get vulnerable You can’t talk about win the pitch and then be losing your mind The beginning you are talking to yourself Meet after practice Mental game - what does it mean to you? Getting them to recognize they are doing something with them knowing it Helping you get to the next pitch and realize you are going too fast Breathe and get to the next pitch You can gripe and complain about it or you can adapt and change Its a 40 year decision, not a 4 year decision In order to set the goals, you had to work towards the goals Back map from doing something the program has never done before Deconstruct winning a conference Track positive at bats Do your job - doesn’t matter how, execute quality pitches with conviction Each team needs to create their own identity Play as hard as you for as long as you can Process > outcome 60% positive at batsPercentage of QAB determined what we need to do 60% or better we win 50% and we need to play good defense and pitch it well 40% then we better of pitched great and caught it WHO got the RBI - talking RBI not hits Educate kids on the situation. If the kids don’t know the situation that’s
Transcribe →124 Lane Burroughs - Louisana Tech
Apr 24, 202301:16:52Tap to summarizeLane Burroughs Bio Head Coach Louisiana Tech (7th season) back-to-back NCAA Regionals (first since 1987) Hosted a regional in 2021 (1st in program history) Conference USA Tournament Champions (1st in school history) Set record for most conference wins (21) First time in history LA tech beat a #1 ranked team Part of the 300 win club as a HC More wins in first 3 years than any LA Tech coach in 3 year span Former HC at Northwestern State - 3 straight 30 win seasons Former AC at Mississippi College, East Mississippi CC, Northwestern State, Southern Miss, Kansas State, and Mississippi State Notes We will be a face of the school Committee to help run the first pitch banquet Seniors run it with 5 awards given Worst hair Worst body Worst athlete Most funny Need to have thick skin we are like a family Our program is player ran“Do you want to lift after or before practice” The locker room is their space “Company man” - the glue that held it together Bulldog men! - named when they earn it, some years don’t have it, captain for life We went 2 years with no facility and no one left! Be who we are You get who you are! (when recruiting) Made a commitment as a HC to have FUNI want our guys to be the best part of the day! Lean on your faith and family Be transparent Be stoic on the field - the team watches how you will react Bad news first! You have to check yourself. I still need to be the same person The game will punch you in the face and how you respond to it is most important The ability to make great decisions FallEarly work Classroom - scouting, video review, talk Practice Everyday starts with the classroom If you have a pulse of your team you build of that Its either surrender or fight when backed into a corner Appreciation Friday - write a letter to appreciation to someone who has sacrificed / impacted your lifeMore positive feedback from the letters thany anything in the program Take care of the little things If i’m in my truck and see you step over trash that is not taking care of the little things Thursday practiceInd defense Bp Ind challenges - run for how many you mess up Every team is different and figuring out what makes them tick Adapt and adjust - you have to have the ability to adapt and adjust I can handle the big things, but the little things can set me off! Always have guest speakers - former players, professionals, Talking with someone who is not a baseball coach Talk with people who are going to cry at your funeral Get off social media Become less selfish and more about relationships
Transcribe →