Fantastic Lessons I've Learned from Top College Coaches

Every year I'm fortunate to speak at a lot of great coaching clinics with many of the best college coaches in the country. Whenever I'm speaking at a clinic I always sit and listen to the other speakers and take as many notes as possible. So you can imagine I have tons of GREAT notes! Discover the secrets as you go inside my clinic notes from some of the best minds in the game!

The information I learn throughout the clinic season is too good for me to keep to myself so I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and that you find at least a few things that will help this coming season. Merry Christmas to everyone and Enjoy!

Carol Hutchins: University of Michigan

• Toughness is a Decision
• You can't teach the physical without connecting the mental to it
• The 4 R's of Responsibility:
  • Recognition (recognize that you're in the glazed-over and out of it stage)
  • Release (release the last play)
  • Refocus (on the next play)
  • Ready (get ready for this play)
• When you're playing in a big game - you don't have to do anything different than what you've done before
• Teams always step up and respond when you do the right thing!

Kelly Inouye-Perez: UCLA

• Pitching: "Confident Combos" are a combination of pitches that the pitcher is confident to throw: 1,2,3 pitch combo vs. Lefty Slapper, vs Righty Power Hitter&
• "Confident Combos" don't work if the first 2 pitches are balls - then you've got to work the count more than the combo.
• Catching: have your catcher ask your pitcher - What do you need me to say to you on the mound?
• A signal with emphasis off the plate - for a 0-2 count to get the pitch off the plate more than usual for that pitch and location. The signal can be a pounding of the glove or a pounding of the leg.
• Respect - We say Thank You's after practice. The pitcher must thank the catcher after every workout!
• Have your pitchers and catchers set goals for each inning before the game starts:
  • This inning - get the right side of the infield a groundball
  • This inning - throw only 12 pitches
  • This inning - …
• 9-1 defense mentality: There 9 of us and 1 of them so don't try to play defense all by yourself!
• BELIEF is powerful but SELF-CONFIDENCE is unshakeable! anyone can believe but self confidence is created by doing it each day at practice
• For Calling pitches - know the situation and then the answers are clear instead of being clouded by emotions! For example, bases loaded. The pitcher doesn't have to try and strike them out. Instead, the SITUATION requires a groundball for a force at the plate, so it's unemotional.
• To help the Catchers get more vocal - have them catcher get the umpires first and last name by the 2nd inning.

Patty Gasso: University of Oklahoma

• On defense have your players field the ball on the inside of their throwing side knee to quickly gather the strength and load over the outside leg to get a quick and powerful throw.
• To help infielders prevent the glove-roll they often do when they field the ball, have their hands stay open to the ball and use the feet for rhythm instead of using the hands for rhythm.
• For quicker footwork and throws have your infielders quick slide their feet instead of crow-hopping. Also have them replace their feet in quick slide steps vs jumping up to throw (crow hop).
• On a sure bunt situation - have your 2B break early to cover 1st base to force the 1B coach to say back, back to force the Runner at 1st back to 1st so when the ball is bunted it's easier to throw to 2B and get the runner out on a force at 2B.

Patrick Murphy: University of Alabama

• Try to have your runners leave their base when the heel of the pitcher's pivot foot leaves the ground instead of at some point in the pitcher's arm motion. This will standardize leadoffs for all pitchers.
• If the outfield turns and runs then your runners should turn and run - without tagging up.

Jay Miller: Mississippi State University

• Bat Speeds for Hitters of all levels - Test bat speed with a speed gun from behind or in front of a batting T. This method, while it really tests the ball speed it's only 2-3 mph slower than the method that actually tests bat speed using a small meter on a tripod.
  • Olympic Hitters - 68 to 78 mph (Crystal Bustos is 78 mph)
  • College Hitters - 62 to 70 mph
  • High School Hitters - 50 to 65 mph
• Defensive Practice:
  • Early in season - roll grounders to focus on proper fielding position
  • Later in season - hit grounders
  • Mid to late season - live hitters for defensive practice

Bill Edwards: Hofstra University

• When fielding a ball or receiving a thrown ball always keep your butt below the ball.
• When throwing, the length of a player's foot slide equals the length of the throw - meaning the player will use a shuffle step for closer, short throws and a instep-jab step for longer throws
• When positioning the feet for a throw, the players instep of their throwing-side foot always points to the target on the throw&this helps line up the players upper body instead of trying to simply lineup the shoulders for the throw only to have the lower body out of position.
• Whether bunting, fielding or receiving a thrown ball - Your knees ALWAYS take you down to the ball!

Heather Tarr: University of Washington

• Hover is a great term to use in regards to how your corner players should play on slap and bunt defensive situations instead of creeping, since creeping infers movement forward and hovering implies a stationary movement similar to a helicopter.
• On a squeeze play, tell your hitters to load before executing the squeeze in order to decoy the defense as long as possible.
• When backing up - nobody's going to know you're not there, until you're NOT there!

Eugene Lenti: DePaul University

• Offensive Strategy:
  • The greater the game, the greater the risk you should take.
  • When to be passive:
    • When the pitcher has as many strikeouts as walks
    • When the umpire has a small strike zone
    • When the pitcher is struggling (also crowd the plate)
    • When you're down by 1 in the late innings (try for the leadoff walk)
  When to be aggressive:
  • When the umpire has a big strike zone
  • When the ground is wet since balls will be harder to throw
  • When the other team is much better than you