Monday, April 28, 2025
US Sports Track and Field: Two Points of Focus When Coaching and Training Hurdles and Karsten Warholm Sets 300m Hurdles WORLD RECORD 2025 Diamond League
- By Grant Young
Pinpointing and diagnosing mechanical issues in athletes can be particularly challenging for hurdle training due to several factors:
1. Complexity of Technique: Hurdling requires a unique blend of speed, timing, and coordination, with the need to clear hurdles efficiently while maintaining forward motion. This complexity means that even small mechanical errors can have a cascading effect on an athlete's performance. Coaches must be adept at identifying these subtle errors, which can be tough given the fast-paced nature of the event.
2. Variability Among Athletes: Each athlete presents a unique set of physical attributes, including height, stride length, and strength. These differences can influence hurdle technique, making it difficult for coaches to apply a one-size-fits-all approach. What may work for one athlete could lead to problems for another, complicating the identification of issues.
3. Perceptual Challenges: Athletes often perceive their own performance differently than coaches observe it. An athlete may feel they are executing a technique correctly, while a coach may see noticeable flaws. This disconnect can lead to miscommunication, making it harder for coaches to accurately diagnose and correct mechanical issues.
4. Subtlety of Errors: Many mechanical issues manifest in subtle ways that aren’t immediately obvious. For instance, slight misalignments in foot placement or body angles may not be detected without close observation or video analysis. Coaches need to be thorough in their assessments and often require advanced technology to catch these nuances.
Because of these many factors, it’s important that coaches know what to look for when assessing mechanical mishaps their athletes may be dealing with during their hurdles. This is why we’ve pulled two points of focus when training hurdles from two elite hurdles coaches that you can keep an eye on next time you’re trying to decipher why your athletes aren’t setting their personal bests.
Kenny Anderson - Training Focus
Kenny Anderson enters his fifth season as the Director of Track & Field/Cross Country at Central Methodist in 2024-25.
The 2022-23 season was a stellar year for Anderson and the Eagles, as 13 school records and one conference record were broken. The CMU Women won their second-straight Heart Indoor Conference Championship, which included five individual conference titles. As a result, Anderson was named both the Heart Conference and the USTFCCCA South Central Region Women’s Indoor Coach of the Year. Altogether, the Eagles garnered nine NAIA All-American selections, the most at a single national meet in program history.
In his ‘Difference in Focus between 100 Hurdles & 110 Hurdles’ clinic, Coach Anderson addresses a few points of emphasis when it comes to training your hurdle athletes.
One of his most crucial points in the clinic is that all training exercises and drills should be focused on producing the fastest time possible. Since that’s always the goal when competing, it should also always be the goal when competing.
Going off of this, training and drills should emphasize the rhythm of hurdles. According to Coach Anderson, rhythm for a hurdler is the type of speed that allows hurdlers to use their techniques to the maximum.
When emphasizing rhythm in drills, Coach Anderson likes to use seven, nine, or 12 hurdles, because he thinks that’s the sweet spot to establishing rhythm without doing too much to tire your athletes out.
Patience is imperative when it comes to training hurdle athletes. If you’re executing perfect practice plans, utilizing drills that emphasize rhythm, and diagnosing all of your athlete’s mechanical flaws as soon as they occur, it would still be illogical to assume you’ll see tangible changes from your athletes’ times before six weeks. Coach Anderson says that usually, around six to seven weeks, he begins to see changes in his athletes’ times from the start of the season.
Jamie West - Common Technical Issue #1 - Take Off Spot
Jamie West has been a track and field coach for 15+ years. Coach West hurdled at Davis High School and went on to hurdle at D1 Weber State University. Coach West was a 2-time state champion in the 100m hurdles.
Jamie West has enjoyed coaching hurdlers from all over the State of Utah as well as some hurdlers nationally and internationally.
In her ‘Hurdle Drills, Technique, and Corrections’ clinic, Coach West discusses the most common technical issue she sees during the take-off phase and addresses how a coach can fix it.
To her, the most common technical issue at this phase is the athlete taking off too close to the hurdle. Some other common ones are if the hurdler isn’t aligned when they’re coming into their leap, with a third one being the athlete either not planting or dropping their hips when they enter the take off.
When the athlete is jumping too close to the hurdle, the body will likely compensate by pulling backward, the body’s momentum will go upward, and the lead leg might have to be shifted somewhere off-center. All of these will slow the runner down considerably.
Coach West also wants to make sure coaches are entering their take off on their heel, planting firmly, rather than on the ball of their foot. This is because all of that momentum that’s going into the ground with the heel is going to propel the athlete when they commence their take off.
Sports help kids build confidence and grow into
healthy, active adults. Learn how organizations, communities, and
policymakers can use @HealthGov’s National #YouthSports Strategy to
support youth sports: https://bit.ly/2lQ85f6Sunday, April 27, 2025
The Rock Almighty: The Centrality of the Lamb of God and Yep He Loves You Anyhow!
- Author St. Thomas Church
“Faith is not a once-done act, but a continuous gaze of the heart at the Triune God. It is lifting the mind to ‘behold the Lamb of God,’ and never ceasing that beholding for the rest of our lives.” - A.W. Tozer
“And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain.”
As believers on earth we will soon experience heaven. Our days are numbered and short. If one lives to 70 years old we would have only 3652 Sunday’s to worship, a mere 25,567 days in our total lifetime. Heaven is surely close to all of us. Many people have strange ideas of what to expect in heaven or see once they arrive there, yet the Holy Scriptures are very clear, showing us that there is ongoing worship in heaven even as you read this book now.
In, Revelation 5, we have one of the best views into the heavenly scene where all focus is solely on a Lamb. This Lamb is the very Son of God who was incarnated for mankind, and His wounds are still visible. Historically, in Church stained glass windows, there is a picture of an Agnus Dei Lamb holding a banner (symbolizing victory), and there is a wound with blood pouring out into a chalice.
This beautiful image of a Lamb slain symbolizes God’s victory and triumph over sin and death. It was through weakness and what appeared to be a defeat that God conquered. A wounded Lamb is a Victor! When we are weak, we are strong. The weakness of God is greater than man’s strength. By His wounds, we are healed.
Heaven’s focal point, therefore, is God displaying the wonder of the Gospel afresh and vividly through his atonement and sacrifice on the Cross. We will marvel and worship from generation to generation in endless eternity, lauding the Holy Trinity for His endless love and lowly condensation for men.
In early liturgies, this phrase is repeated three times during the Eucharist service: “O Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.”
Jesus is the Focus of Heaven
God the Father has purposed that Jesus should be glorified in all things. All focus and attention are on the Son of God. The Scripture says, “Every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” Jesus created the earth and all the things we see. He will come and judge the earth also, at the very end.
As we state in the historic Nicene Creed, “We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.” All matter is held together by the power of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Without Him, literally, everything falls apart. Jesus’ name is above every other name. He is the King above all other kings. Jesus is the Supreme Teacher. He is the very Wisdom of God. He is the uncreated Word of God (the Logos).
Jesus of Nazareth is God in the Flesh. He was incarnated by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. By His life, we have life. He is the Eternal, unending Life. As an early creed of the Church proclaimed:
“He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated by the Spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world,
taken up in glory."
The heavenly scene depicts Jesus in the center, on God’s right hand, with all attention focused on Him. Myriads of angels are worshipping. Seraphim and Cheribum are angels created by God who dwell near His presence more than others. Because of this, they have six wings; with two wings, they cover their eyes from God’s glory; with two other wings, they cover their feet; and with the last two, they fly.
It says in the Revelation account that they never cease to say: “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” We also see the holy twelve Apostles, Patriarchs, and godly Saints all bowing down before the Lord.”
We read in Revelation 5:
“Then I saw a Lamb who appeared to have been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the
elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And He came and took the scroll from the right hand of the One seated on the throne.
When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song:
‘Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, because You were slain, and by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign upon the earth.’”
This standing Lamb is the center of heaven but also should be the center and focus of our worship gatherings and lives on earth.
St. Thomas Church is a Church planting movement that embodies older Christian practices and beliefs with modern expressions of worship. Our desire is to spread the Good News of Jesus everywhere, making disciples in the faith. Be involved with a move of God in community with others. God could be calling you to plant a Mission Church in your area.
Saturday, April 26, 2025
US Sports Tennis: Four Tips to Turn Your Tennis Forehand Into a Weapon and Novak Djokovic vs Matteo Arnaldi Match Highlights!
Sanders To The Browns, And Higher Draft Pick News Now Streaming On US Sports Radio
- By Grant Young
Every player acknowledges the tennis forehand as a fundamental shot, yet surprisingly few transform it into a genuine weapon. The secret? It doesn't require years of training—just a handful of focused adjustments can dramatically elevate your forehand from basic to devastating.
But before these game-changing tips, players must first understand the basics of a decent forehand. First, grip matters immensely. The slight rotation from an eastern to a semi-western grip allows for more topspin generation while maintaining control. This small adjustment creates heavier balls that push opponents back and open the court.
Footwork serves as the foundation. Positioning yourself with shoulders turned and weight loaded on your back foot creates potential energy. The simple act of stepping into your shot transfers this energy through the ball, instantly adding power without additional effort.
The follow-through often gets overlooked. Finishing high and across your body—what coaches call "closing the door"—ensures proper rotation and spin. This single adjustment can add depth and consistency overnight.
Contact point is critical. Meeting the ball slightly in front of your body and at the peak of its bounce maximizes control. This seemingly minor positioning change creates clean contact and prevents the common error of hitting behind yourself.
Finally, visualization transforms mechanics into muscle memory. Before each shot, picture the ball traveling deep and heavy into your target zone. This mental practice aligns your body mechanics with your intention.
The beauty of these adjustments lies in their simplicity. They don't require rebuilding your stroke—just refining existing mechanics. Within weeks of implementing these focused changes, your forehand can evolve from merely consistent to a genuine threat that opponents fear.
The forehand weapon you've always wanted isn't years away—it's waiting to be unleashed through deliberate attention to these fundamental elements. And while all of these tips will serve as a basis, the tips that USPTR Pro Performance Tennis Coach Jan Metelka details in his ‘Turn Your Forehand Into A Weapon: Effortless Tennis Forehand Blueprint’ clinic will teach you everything you need to know in order to turn your forehand into a weapon and start dominating in your tennis matches.
We have pulled four of Coach Metelka’s lessons and have included them below.
Stance & Balance
Coach Metelka explains that the player wants to keep their body weight forward while hitting the forehand.
And depending on whether you’re a left-handed or right-handed player, they will want to make sure their non-racket hand is dropping a bit lower than their racket hand when preparing to hit the forehand. This also requires the belly to go backward a bit while the hips tilt forward.
When it’s time to hit the ball, the back hip should be the first thing to release from its coil, which will spring the rest of the body into motion and deliver energy and power through the ball.
Coach Metelka also conveys that the big toe of the back leg should always be pointed straight at the fence opposite it, and not anywhere closer to the net. This will ensure that your hips don’t get blocked from a full rotation, which would limit power and output.
Dealing With Higher Bouncing Balls
The mechanics involved with hitting the forehand of a higher bouncing ball are significantly different because of how the center of gravity shifts. Coach Metelka addresses this by saying that a player must stay on top of the ball, to the point where they will be hitting the ball while off the ground.
Of course, this is going to mean that it’s more difficult to generate power with the forehand on a high ball. Coach Metelka solves this by advising that the player get into something of a squatted position while preparing to hit the ball, coiling their legs so that they can spring forward and upward when it’s time to actually hit the ball.
When thinking of doing this, start by feeling yourself bending your knees and then springing upwards like a body weight squat (while remaining well balanced).
Forehand Fitness Drills - Side Leg Squats
Speaking of squats, Coach Melelka also discusses some drills and exercises that are great for improving the forehand’s strength. One is what he calls a side leg squad, which will start with the player holding a medicine ball that’s approximately between 8 to 10 pounds, but this will depend on the player.
From there, the player will do a side squat to the left side while placing the medicine ball over their left thigh. And when that left leg comes up from this squat/lunge position, the medicine ball will create added weight and tension to work with.
The athlete can either do consecutive reps on one leg (ideally 8 to 10) or alternate legs, making for about 20 reps total for each set.
The player’s weight must remain in their thighs, hips, and rear rather than having too much pressure pile up on the knee.
Forehand Fitness Drills - Attacking Forehand Practice On The Tennis Wall
Another drill that Coach Metelka discusses involves finding a wall that you can hit tennis balls repeatedly at.
With each hit, you will want to alternate how hard you’re hitting the ball so that it comes to you at different speeds. With each hit, you’ll want to ensure that your footwork is correct so that each hit is indeed a forehand.
This is a great opportunity to practice all of the other mechanical tips you’ve learned to this point.
Friday, April 25, 2025
US Sports Lacrosse: Climbing the Coaching Ladder: Elite Training Camp and Halifax Thunderbirds vs Toronto Rock Highlights
NFL Draft, NBA Playoffs and more now streaming on US Sports Radio
Elite Training Camp for Coaching (ETC) is a coaching and career development. The first ETC was help in August 2017. Coach Eastman, a former NBA executive and assistant coach (LA Clippers and Boston Celtics), college head coach, college assistant coach, college athletic director and Nike skills academy director is the founder and main speaker. ETC was created to help coaches improve in their current positions and to prepare for their next opportunity. While most attendees are basketball coaches, much of the content is applicable to coaching other sports, and even to leading work teams in the non-sports world. The 2017 guest speaker was Ed Tapscott, a Washington Wizards executive and former NBA head coach. Eastman and Tapscott share experiences from over 50 years in basketball. Panelists include Eastman, Tapscott and college coaches Mike Rhoades, Chris Mooney and Raphael Chillious. Learn more @ Elite Training Camp
The Coach
Corporate, College and Sports Team Speaker with 35+ years experience in coaching, including: 13 years in the NBA; Los Angeles Clippers: VP of Basketball Operations and Assistant Coach; Boston Celtics Assistant Coach - NBA Championship 2008, NBA Finals 2010, coached two NBA All-Star games; 11 Years College Head Coach; 11 Years College Assistant Coach;; 4 Years College Director of Athletics. Book this course....
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
US Sports Basketball: Two Great Game Situational Workouts For the Basketball Offseason and Lakers Vs Timberwolves Game 2 Highlights
The NBA Finals, UFL Kickin' It, Baseball And More Now Streaming On US Sports Radio
- By Grant Young
With the final buzzer of the season now silent, many players and teams might feel tempted to take an extended break from basketball. However, the champions of tomorrow are made during today's offseason. This period presents the perfect opportunity to address weaknesses, refine strengths, and build the foundation for next season's success through basketball workouts.
Generic training routines often fail to translate directly to in-game performance. Game situation-specific workouts create a bridge between practice and actual competition by:
1. Targeting real weaknesses exposed during the season
2. Creating muscle memory for high-pressure situations
3. Building decision-making skills that traditional drills might miss
For individual players, this means breaking down your game film to identify specific situations where you struggled. Did you have trouble finishing through contact? Were your defensive rotations slow? Did your shooting percentage drop in clutch situations? Each weakness requires tailored drills that replicate those exact game conditions.
Teams benefit equally from situation-specific training. If your squad struggled with breaking full-court pressure, design drills that simulate that exact scenario, complete with defensive traps and time constraints. If fourth-quarter execution was a problem, run scrimmages where the "defensive" team gets additional advantages to create heightened pressure.
The offseason allows coaches to experiment with these scenarios without the immediate consequences of a loss. It's the laboratory where teams can test new strategies and players can develop new skills.
Remember that the offseason isn't just about basketball skills — it's also about building physical attributes like strength, endurance, and flexibility that support your on-court performance.
While it can be tough to know which drills to use in the offseason, heeding the wisdom is respected coaches like Ryan Goodson is a great place to start.
Coach Goodson has trained more than 25,000 players from youth to the professional levels and has directed youth basketball camps across the globe because of his engaging teaching style and dynamic demonstrations. In 2011, he directed the Stephen Curry Skills Academy.
In his ‘Game Situational Workouts’ clinic, Coach Goodson lists several different drills and workouts that will prepare players for specific game scenarios that will be a massive benefit in the offseason. We have included two of his drills and listed them for you below.
Idan Ravin Court Vision Drill
One of the drills that Coach Goodson details is what he calls the Idan Ravin court vision drill, which is based on a friend he had who taught this drill to him.
This drill begins with the player dribbling one ball in each hand while remaining in an athletic stance. The key here is that the player keeps their gaze focused on the rim, the back of the basket, or some other focal point. For more advanced players, a coach can hold up numbers with their hand and have the player call them out.
From this point, the coach who is in front of the player is going to begin pointing either forward, backward, to the left, or to the right. Once they do this, the player will follow the direction in their pointing, all while remaining facing the same direction and having their eyes focused on the game thing they began the drill looking at.
From there, another variation that can be done is the player dribbling low with one hand and high with another. Then they can switch these hands during their next set.
The important aspect of this drill is training the player to not be looking down while they’re dribbling, which will be crucial in helping to improve their court vision during their next season.
Mastering the Escape Dribble
A good escape dribble is essential in basketball as it allows players to create space from defenders in tight situations. When executed properly, this skill helps maintain possession under pressure, prevents turnovers, and creates opportunities to pass or shoot.
Coach Goodman’s next drill addresses this directly. It will start with two cones placed at either side of the free throw line. The player will then take one dribble and make a right-handed layup from the right side and then do the same from the left side, all while keeping their dribble.
The key for this entire drill is to make each rep one dribble, because being able to extend a dribble while remaining explosive is crucial for the escape dribble.
After the free throw, the player will then extend out to the three-point line and do the same thing as before, all while trying to maintain just the one dribble while driving to the basket.
Finally, the player will do this from the half-court line. While it may be difficult to do this part with just one dribble, it’s what a player should be working toward and aiming to achieve.
Youth sports are a great way for kids to get physical
activity – and have fun with friends and family. Whether you’re playing a
game with your kids or coaching a youth sports team, make fun the #1
priority. Learn about the National Youth Sports Strategy and how you can
get involved: https://bit.ly/2lIHPUcTuesday, April 22, 2025
US Sports Football: Want your defense to get off the field after third down? Sims and Creepers are the answer! And San Antonio Brahmas vs. DC Defenders Highlights
It's Draft Time! Now Streaming On US Sports Radio!
- By Keith Grabowski
Having faced a team that used Sims and Creepers myself, I know how effective they can be. I know how much time they can take away from an offense who needs to prepare for them. It forced us to spend much of our preparation time for our passing game to be sure we could get the quarterback protected correctly, even though at times there were only four rushers.
Perennial Oklahoma powerhouse Jenks High School is back in the state championship again. Sims and Creepers are part of the defensive package that defensive coordinator Adam Gaylor uses to attack opponents on passing downs.
What is a creeper? Lets’ start with Coach Gaylor’s definition.
Creeper
Zone replace
Use traditional zone blitz patterns
2nd or 3rd level rusher (non traditional rusher)
Instead of just angling and bringing a Linebacker from the field, it has evolved into a package for Gaylor. It’s a 4 man pressure that allows them to get an extra hook player, force a hot throw and tackle it for a short gain. Coach Gaylor explains in this video:
Gaylor also uses simulated pressures or “Sims” in this package.
What is a simulated pressure?
Mainly used on 3rd down calls
Attack protections
Give illusion of overload pressure
Keep RB in the protection - less receivers out, more coverage
Not looking to be +1, looking to be 1 on 1 getting a rusher to 2nd level of protection
2nd or 3rd level rusher (non-traditional rusher)
He explains here:
Not sure about using these? Here is a simple Creeper Gaylor calls “Daylight Rush.” It is a small investment for a big reward because of its simplicity.
Rules:
If it’s a Run or Quick, play technique
If it’s drop back then insert rush
Run at the a gap
Read the center and work opposite of where he turns and end up with a two-way go on the guard
Center blocks you Wrap
Full slide Jump the fence
Coach explains here:
Overall, the concept is simple, and Gaylor explains the structure they have created.
Jenks’ Creepers are named after NFL QB:
Flacco - invert from the field with middle of the field closed coverage
Farve - an even front with pressure from the field an middle closed coverage
Brees - CB or boundary safety pressuring with middle field closed coverage
Addy Rat - Double A pressure
Gaylor illustrates all of these on the board and with game film in his clinic “Sims and Creepers.”
Defensive coaches, if you want an effective way to get to the quarterback while maintaining sound coverage, then Sims and Creepers are for you.
Offensive coaches if you haven't faced these yet, you will and this video can hep you study this effective defensive tool so that you can develop a plan to beat it.
Learn “Sims and Creepers” from Coach Gaylor. It will be easy to see why Jenks loves these and is having success all the way to another shot at the state title.
All kids deserve a chance to play #YouthSports –
regardless of their ability. Help expand inclusive programs as part of
the National Youth Sports Strategy from @HealthGov: https://bit.ly/2lQ85f6Monday, April 21, 2025
US Sports Baseball: Two Drills to Improve Outfield Movement and Communication and Nationals vs. Rockies Game 2 Highlights
Has The USA Had Enough Of Men In Women's Sports? Now Streaming On US Sports Radio
- By Grant Young
While it may seem that playing in the outfield is one of the most relaxed positions in baseball, coaches know the truth is that the outfield demands a high level of communication, precise movement, and acute awareness. This is why outfield drills are so important.
One of the main challenges for outfielders is the need to effectively communicate with each other. In many situations, multiple outfielders can converge on a fly ball, and without clear communication, collisions can occur. This risk not only poses a danger to the players involved but can also lead to missed plays that could change the outcome of a game.
Establishing a system of verbal and non-verbal cues is essential for ensuring that each player knows who is responsible for making the catch. Drills that focus on improving vocal communication and instilling confidence in one another can transform a group of individuals into a cohesive unit.
Additionally, the movement required in the outfield is far from straightforward. It involves not only running but also quick direction changes, timing jumps for catches, and assessing batted balls’ trajectories. Outfielders need to have a keen sense of positioning, understanding the hitters’ tendencies, and knowing when to take aggressive routes to the ball.
Practicing shifts, angles, and the art of the jump can give a team a significant advantage. Drills designed to simulate different game scenarios can help players develop these critical skills, allowing them to react instinctively during actual games.
By implementing targeted drills that enhance these skills, teams can minimize the risk of errors and elevate their overall performance, turning what is perceived as an easy position into one of the greatest strengths of the team.
While there are plenty of effective outfield drills out there, few focus on developing the communication and movement patterns necessary to ensure safety and success for players of all ages and skill levels. But coach Todd Dulin, Head Coach at North Andover High School (Massachusetts), provides an in-depth, structured approach to mastering defensive excellence in baseball, specifically in the outfield with his ‘Outfield Play with Todd Dulin’ clinic.
Whether you're an aspiring outfielder or a coach seeking expert drills and strategies, this course provides the knowledge and structure to elevate defensive skills and build a championship-caliber mentality.
We have pulled two drills from Coach Dulin’s clinic and included them below.
The Rhythm Drill
One of Coach Dulin’s drills is called the Rhythm Drill, a fundamental exercise to develop smooth, controlled, and accurate outfield throws while preserving arm strength.
The movement and footwork involved in fielding a grounder in the outfield and then executing a strong and accurate throw to a specific base may sound easy, but coaches know that it can often be much more difficult than initially conceived.
This is why this simple rhythm drill is perfect, which starts with a coach having a bucket of balls, a fungo, and standing at home plate. The players will line up in two lines in the outfield, and the coach will just hit balls to each line.
Each player will then take turns fielding the ground ball while ensuring they remain on the balls of their feet so they don’t get off balance. From there, they will stay in an athletic stance, execute a crop hop, and deliver a throw to the assigned base, which will have a screen behind it.
By repeating this drill with a steady rhythm, outfielders enhance their throwing mechanics, reinforce good habits, and prepare for game-like situations with precision and efficiency.
Another way to improve this drill is by hitting the ball between the two lines and forcing them to communicate on who is going to field the ball and which base they should throw to.
The Sprinkler Drill
The next drill that Coach Dulin discusses in his clinic is what he calls the sprinker drill, which is a dynamic outfield exercise designed to improve tracking, catching on the move, and communication.
The drill begins with all the outfielders along the right field like, and the coach has a bucket and a fungo. The player who’s first in line will then start jogging across the outfield while fielding multiple fly balls, progressively moving toward left field with each ball hit.
A great way to enhance communication with this drill is to make two different lines and hit the ball either between them or behind them, so that they have to run near the fence. This will force the two players in line to communicate about who is catching the ball and where the ball is while also tracking down the fly ball.
This drill is especially effective early in the season, when players haven’t learned each other’s communication preferences and are still acclimating to tracking balls down on the fly.
This drill is also fun and
engaging, while also working as a conditioning exercise because of all
the running that players will need to do.
Sunday, April 20, 2025
The Rock Almighty: Happy Easter - How does God come into someone’s life? And Skillet - Awake & Live (2013) Full Concert
- Author James Rondinone
Introduction
What inspired me to write about this topic was a conversation I had with a friend who was a Spanish teacher at the same high school where I taught mathematics. Being devout to a particular faith, he occasionally asked me about my relationship with God, which differed significantly from his.
I told him that in my youthful years, I would attend a local church with my parents, having participated in the various aspects of it. Initially, I was baptized (sprinkled) in water as a baby, which according to their doctrine causes an infant to become a child of God or a son of light. First comes repentance that the parent(s) of the child provide. And afterward, at the time of the sprinkling, the congregation would be praying for the Holy Spirit to show up. This, they argue, would bring about the forgiveness of sins.
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Literal water, along with the reality of the Holy Spirit, would allow an infant to enter God’s kingdom. This, they’d say, is the baptism that now saves us as supported by Scripture. The sacrament of water baptism is the sacrament of regeneration. The result of this rite is that the new child of God becomes freed from the power of darkness, liberated from sin, and is brought into the realm of the freedom of the children of God.
Years later, when I reached the age of seven, I began attending catechism, which was the mechanism used to teach the fundamental truths of the faith. This instruction prepared me to receive certain of the seven sacraments, which are ceremonies that point to what is sacred, significant, and essential. I eventually received my first communion (the elements of the bread and wine are that which nourish the disciple with Christ’s literal body and blood for his or her transformation into Him). A short time later, between the ages of eight and twelve, I was confirmed. According to this sacrament, the Holy Spirit was given at this time to those already baptized in order to make them strong and perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ.
Attending church weekly, occasionally participating in the confession of sins to a priest, observing the six days of obligation throughout the year, as well as the two church fasts of Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, became my routine. At some point, a neighborhood friend who was an altar boy in a local Catholic church I attended, asked me if I, too, wanted to become an altar boy. I said yes and proceeded to enroll in special classes at the church for this purpose.
I told my colleague at the school where we taught that as I grew older, in my teens and early twenties, I stopped attending church altogether. I felt that something or someone was missing. Church became boring. It seemed as if I’d never met the God I was trying to obey and follow.
In my mid-twenties, not being thrilled with how my life was turning out (e.g., job difficulties, girlfriend relationship issues, family conflicts, alcohol abuse, etc.), I decided to go on a quest to determine if God existed. I reasoned that if He did, He’d help me address these problem areas of my life.
So, how was I to begin? Where might I find this higher power? I’d assume in church. There are so many faiths; it would be hard not to figure that He would be operating in at least one of them. Which one? I had no idea. So, I decided to attend just about every church assembly in my home city. As I’d enter and leave the church setting of each faith, there was nothing I heard in any of their teachings that I heard that stood out. What I mean is I recognized that there were evident differences in theology, but for the most part, the way to heaven was similar. Obey the church’s teachings, and hopefully, when you die, you might make it there.
This approach didn’t sit too well with me. I needed some kind of evidence that substantiated a God reality and an assurance of eternal life. Eventually, something happened to me that changed my life forever. I heard about this through what I now believe were providential circumstances. A certain church Bible study was being conducted near where I was living at this time. I attended the study and after the pastor gave the message, he asked if anyone wanted to have a personal relationship with God. He said God’s desire was to come into a person’s life and indwell, thus providing them with a new nature, a new life, a divine purpose for living, and a secured afterlife. This got my full attention. I wondered what I’d have to do in order for these spiritual possibilities to take place in my life.
He went on to say that in order for God to come into a person’s life, they must respond to what is called the gospel. The gospel? This gospel is otherwise known as good news. The good news is that if an unbeliever repents (acknowledges and expresses a desire to turn from their sins) to God the Father and believes in His Son Jesus Christ, then their life will forever change at that moment.
I decided that I wanted this new life. So, I repented (God, I acknowledge my sins and no longer want to continue committing them) and repeated the following words about Jesus out loud after the pastor verbally expressed them. I believe in Jesus, who:
●Pre-existed time as one of the members of the Trinity (one God in three persons), the other two being God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.
●Came to the earth (God come in the flesh), deity (having divine nature), and took upon Him the form of a man, being born of a virgin.
●Lived a sinless life.
●Listened to and obeyed the directives of His Father.
●Went to the cross and paid for the penalty of and forgave (wiped away the debt) the sins of the whole world.
●Rose from the dead after three days, never to die again.
●Walked the earth for forty days in His glorified body, witnessing His resurrection.
●Ascended into heaven.
After which, he mentioned to me that according to Scripture, whosoever repents and believes in Christ will receive another member of the Trinity, this being the Holy Spirit, who’ll come inside their body and reside. I followed his lead, but unfortunately, nothing happened. I thought, shouldn’t I somehow be aware that God had come into my life?
Then, after a few moments, the pastor made a comment that surprised me. He said that I was currently involved in an illicit relationship with a married woman and needed to confess this sin to God the Father and not continue with this involvement any longer. I admit that I was taken aback by this declaration. How did he know about this? I confessed this interaction as a sin and stated that this wouldn’t continue. Immediately, I was filled with divine peace and joy that permeated my whole being. God the Holy Spirit had come into my life.
When I told my fellow colleague about this God encounter, he responded that, likewise, God had come into his life, albeit in a different manner. He said that when he partakes of the elements of communion at church, the bread becomes the literal body of Christ and the wine becomes the literal blood of Christ. And the more frequently he chose to receive communion, the more he’d experience an increase in Christlikeness (i.e., a lessening of racial and national prejudices or neighborhood resentments, and an increase in neighborliness, compassion, patience, and forbearance [toward] others1). He was essentially saying that partaking in the elements of communion resulted in him being spiritually nourished by Christ’s literal body and blood. And this is what would change his character into evidencing divine qualities toward others.
He asked me what my thought about this particular teaching was. Well, having been a member of this church, I was aware of this church doctrine as being otherwise known as the doctrine of Transubstantiation. This view states that when any member of this faith partakes in the elements of communion, the bread turns into the literal body of Christ, and the wine turns into the literal blood of Christ.
My response to him was that I believed there could be an alternative interpretation concerning the purpose of partaking in communion. According to this perspective, the bread symbolizes Christ’s body, and the wine symbolizes His blood. For what purpose? We’ll find out as this study progresses. I then proceeded to ask him the million-dollar question.
Why does this church believe in the literal perspective of the elements of communion?
He said that their belief was based on a view held by most of the early church fathers (these are Christian writers who lived during and following the lifetime of the original apostles of Christ) whose writings reflected the history, doctrines, and traditions of the early church. I wondered if what he’d just told me had merit (basis, in fact). I told him that I’d write a paper on this subject and when it was done, I’d bring it to him so that he could read it over and provide comments.
With that said, some of the questions that this study will attempt to answer are the following.
Do the elements of the bread and wine actually become the literal body and blood of Christ at communion?
Did most of the early church fathers believe this to be the case?
Does the partaking of communion frequently cause the participant to increase in godliness, thus exhibiting Christlike compassion, patience, and forbearance toward others?
By the way, I’m not writing this study to give offense to what this church might consider a cardinal doctrine of their faith. Like any biblical topic, shouldn’t Scripture be the basis for such if it’s to be substantiated? So, let’s see if this is indeed the case.
Did you know that this doctrinal belief isn’t just ascribed to this faith? There are a few other religions that also believe in this literal view.
Some of the names of these faiths are as follows.
The Catholic Churches are located throughout the world and have 1.345 billion members.
The Oriental Orthodox Churches are comprised of over sixty million followers that are part of the World Council of Churches. Most live in Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, India, and Armenia.
The Eastern Orthodox Churches purportedly has over two hundred twenty million members. Most live in the former Soviet Union, parts of Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East.
The Church of the East is comprised today of two separate, distinct churches totaling about one million adherents. Many live in India.
The Anglican Church, known as the Church of England, has over eighty-five million members worldwide. Their view on the elements of communion differs from the Catholic position of Transubstantiation. According to their theology, the literal body and blood of Christ are received at the intake of the bread and wine for spiritual nourishment and growth, but the bread and wine don’t literally become His body and blood.
Many of my studies and books that I’ve written on various biblical topics provide in-depth analyses and contrast from opposing views so that a reader will understand why their church believes what they espouse and why other churches believe differently. Hopefully, this kind of teaching will incorporate accurate scriptural interpretation called hermeneutics, which is based on an analysis of grammatical features and historical background that will reinforce one’s belief system or provide an alternative perspective.
Are you ready to join me in the search for truth in this crucial doctrinal subject?
I ask you, Lord, to help me in this endeavor. Provide me with your insight utilizing the Word of God and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
We’ll begin by taking a look at what verses are used to substantiate that the elements of communion become the literal body and blood of Christ and, likewise, which ones are used to support the narrative that the components of the Lord’s supper are figurative or symbolic of the body and blood of Christ.
But before we do, you might be thinking, why should I study this at all? What’s the fuss about whether the bread and wine turn into Christ’s literal body and blood? I’ve left an article for you to read on this sentiment.
PROTESTANT FRAY OVER [THE] MEANING OF BREAD, WINE
Lutherans vote this month for or against ‘full communion’ with four [faiths.]
Since the early days of Christendom, the meaning of the Lord’s Supper - the ritual sharing in churches of bread and wine - has been a battleground for the faithful. Martin Luther, disbelieving in a literal transformation of bread and wine into the body of Jesus Christ, broke with Rome partly over the Lord’s Supper. Protestants waged bloody wars in Europe over whether Jesus was actually - or figuratively - present in the Eucharist. In the theologically calmer 20th century, most mainstream American Protestants have tended to view the Lord’s Supper, one of the most sacred of the church rites, as a figurative or symbolic act commemorating Jesus.
Yet [today,] a shift in that view of the Eucharist is under way. A core group of liberal Protestants, many trying to reclaim 16th-century reformer John Calvin’s ideas, are moving their denominations closer to the position that Jesus is physically or “actively” present in the bread and wine of communion. They want to find common sacred ground and, through this rite, offer “meaning, mystery, and majesty.”The shift is still limited to a scattering of theologians and pastors. But a push to recognize the “real presence” of Christ in the eating and drinking of the Eucharist is manifesting itself in more communion services, new hymnals and prayer books, ecumenical dialogues, and workshops across the Protestant spectrum. Though now small, the change could reopen one of the deepest debates of the Reformation, having to do with the character and nature of Christ Jesus. But it also represents a potential shift in theology and worship that may echo into the 21st [century] and in time move many Protestants closer to an evolving Roman Catholic view.
Later this month, for example, the largest Lutheran church in the US will vote on whether to accept “full communion” with three other Protestant churches. If accepted, ministers would be interchangeable among the four faiths. But differing views of the Eucharist remain a sticking point. Lutherans believe that Jesus is present in the bread and wine. In order to join with the Lutherans, the other three, the Presbyterians, the United Church of Christ (UCC), and the Reformed Church of America, have been reexamining their [roots] and finding new ground to share with Lutherans.“There’s a recovery of tradition,” says Gabriel Fackre, a UCC theologian. “We can all affirm the real presence of [Christ;] we just differ in the mode. We agree the Lord’s Supper is not just a visual [aid] but represents the real presence in a sacrament that ought to be celebrated every Sunday.”
Rediscovering sacraments
“[It’s fair to say there’s] a stronger push among mainstream Protestants to find the presence of Christ in the Eucharist,” says Geoffrey Wainwright of Duke University Divinity School. “The Catholics are rediscovering the word, and the Protestants are rediscovering the sacraments.” The new UCC hymnal includes a classic Catholic hymn by Thomas Aquinas, stating that “underneath these forms lies your reality,” a notion of Christ “in” the bread and wine. A new Methodist prayer reads, “Pour out your Holy Spirit ... on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us, the body and blood of Christ.” The most recent Presbyterian “book of worship” urges more liturgical services for the Eucharist.
Other Protestants, from evangelicals to the mainstream, say the evolving emphasis is misguided and smacks of betraying church history. Much of the Protestant reformed tradition has held that Christ is purely spiritual, can’t be evoked by a rite, and is not “containable” in a finite ceremony. “As a conservative evangelical, I don’t believe in the physical presence of Christ,” says Wayne Gruden of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Ill. “I think this is a willingness to sacrifice historical distinctiveness in our views in order to preserve church structures in the face of declining membership.”
The Lord’s Supper is a form of ritual worship that dates back roughly to AD 1000. The rite usually takes place after the sermon, involves a sharing of bread and wine or juice, and derives from Jesus’ command to his disciples before his crucifixion to “take” the bread and wine as his body and blood. The ceremony can be modest or elaborate, depending [on] the church tradition followed. Evangelical churches, and, until recently, many mainline Protestant churches, [haven’t] stressed a formal Eucharist rite. Protestant denominations traditionally require about four communion services a year. Yet that number increased dramatically in the 1980s and continues to rise today. [It’s] especially popular among younger people as a ceremony that adds color and evokes mystery. Advocates say it restores a sense of the sacred in churches that are criticized for emphasizing a [social justice agenda] or that are “too secular.”
A Presbyterian study shows 40 percent of its churches have monthly communion. “When I was growing [up,] there was a sense that the more frequently you celebrated communion, the less it meant,” says the Rev. Gregg Mast of First Church, Albany, N.Y., a Dutch Reformed church. “That’s changed. Now you see a number of churches moving to a weekly ceremony.” For some critics, the Eucharist - as an answer to [the] lack of spirituality in church - is a chimera. “T.S. Eliot used to say that when the church stops hearing serious biblical [preaching,] it compensates by elevating the mystical,” says one leading East Coast theologian. “I think that’s what we are seeing.”
The taproot of today’s debate dates to a historic 16th-century showdown between Martin Luther and Swiss reformer Huldrich Zwingli. Luther, who earlier revolted against the Catholic idea of “transubstantiation” in which Jesus Christ becomes bread and wine when the right words are said, still felt that Christ was present in the Lord ’s Supper. To Zwingli, the spiritual nature of Christ was absolute and above the possibility of entering material elements. Zwingli felt communion was a symbolic act made meaningful by the subjective prayers of the worshiper. The two reformers fought unstintingly at a meeting called the Marburg Colloquy in 1529 - creating a gulf between Protestants that helped spawn a war that itself took Zwingli’s life in 1531. (A typical exchange. Zwingli: “This is the [Bible] passage that will break your neck.” Luther: “I don’t know what it is like in Switzerland, but in [Germany] necks don’t break so easily.”)
In many ways, the Protestant world has since remained divided along the Luther-Zwingli lines. Lutherans hold [to] the idea that the infinite Christ can enter into the finite elements of the Eucharist. Many in the reform wing feel that Jesus’ famous act of sharing the cup [isn’t] to be taken literally. “Jesus didn’t mean the cup he was holding was itself the new covenant,” says Dr. Gruden, “he meant it as a symbol.”
View from the pews
Studies show that in the pews, most believers, even many Catholics, lean toward [the] notion that the bread and wine isn’t the real body of Jesus Christ.[Yet, for some Protestants,] the views of Zwingli seem too transcendent for the building of bridges with liturgical [advocates] like Lutherans. “Pastors and theologians have a higher view of the Lord’s Supper and are less Zwinglian now,” says Theodore [Gill,] a spokesman for the Presbyterian Church. “[They’re] looking for ecumenical answers that could link Presbyterians with Lutherans and even with the Roman Catholic church eventually.”For that task, the upper Protestant echelon is rediscovering John Calvin, who split the difference between Luther and Zwingli on the question of the presence of Christ.
Whether Lutherans will later this month join a pact agreed to by the three reform churches is unclear. “Is the finite capable of holding the infinite? We say it is,” says John [Reumann] at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, speaking of the view that Christ is objectively present in the bread and wine. “The other side disagrees. And we say finally that theology matters.”2
Endnotes
1Jeff Vehige. “The Doctrine of Transubstantiation,” 2008, 10 April 2009
˂http://catholic-teaching.org/>.
2Robert Marquand. “Protestant Fray over Meaning of Bread, Wine,” THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR 11 January 2023
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My name is James Rondinone. I am a husband, father, and spiritual leader.
I grew up in Massachusetts and began my own spiritual journey early on in life.
I attended Bible college, having completed a two-year Christian Leadership Course of Study and graduated as valedictorian (Summa Cum Laude).
Studying and teaching the Word of God has been a passion of mine for over 20 years.
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