US Sports Lacrosse. Power Yoga for Sports FULL Lacrosse Training Kit by Gwen Lawrence and Ohio State vs Virginia | NCAA College Lacrosse | Highlights

 

Description

Whether you are a Coach, Trainer, Professional Athlete, Student Athlete, or Parent that wants to give their kid the extra edge.

This kit is a no-brainer easily a $1,500.00 value, Gwen’s services and advice is sought after from the world’s highest-level elite athletes.

Ask yourself what is the cost of:

1. Lost playing time
2. Fear of losing your place on the team
3. Cost of physical therapy
4. Mental and monetary cost of surgery
5. Mental drain of not playing

Isn’t it clear that investing $9.50 now to offset these worries is PRICELESS Learn more....

This kit will give you all the tools you need

• From yoga poses relevant to the game and position
• To nutrition tips,
• Hydration advice
• 17 exclusive videos not sold anywhere else,
• 83+ page Power Yoga for Sports Lacrosse manual,
• How to evaluate your problem and imbalanced areas (9pages),
• Power Yoga for Sports Pose book 1 & 2, learn the how and why of yoga poses for your game
• All About Joints 80 page lesson,
• Mindfulness worksheets (14 pages), face it if you are not training the mental game you are putting yourself at a disadvantage to win.
• Athlete evaluation video,
• Goal setting book,
• 2 hours of LIVE taped workshops "how to spot imbalances before they become injuries",
• Dominant eye video and why it is important to know,
• Bow and arrow analogy video and how this improves your game,

Don’t wait…take your health and success into your own hands in your own home, just like Pro Lacrosse players did with Gwen Lawrence and many other Professional athletes do, now you can too!

Check out other opportunities too like a personal online evaluation by Gwen herself, The Way of the Mindful Athlete online Course the same course Gwen wrote and taught to the entire NY Giants staff and team and now uses with the NY Knicks under the Zen master himself Coach Phil Jackson.  Gwen was named “The Best Innovation in Sports Medicine” by ESPN Magazine…now is your time to work with her and WIN!

 Learn more and get started today! 

The Rock Almighty. I am a Sinner and SILOAM LIVE AT BRADFORD IN CONCERT 1991

 

The Rock Almighty Shaker Of Heaven And Earth. Now Streaming on US Sports Radio!

 

I am a Sinner

• Author Dean Honeycutt

I am a Sinner

By Dean Honeycutt

Blue Ridge Christian News

I am saddened by recent news reports about pastors and church leaders who have sinned by sexual misconduct. Some of these reports are almost unbelievable, how could some of these well-known men who preached the word of God fall into such tragic sin?

I am reminded that I am not above sin. I am a sinner and the moment I let my guard down I become susceptible to sin. When any Christian lets their guard down, they are vulnerable to falling into sin. No one is above sin or temptation to sin. The Bible says, “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” We “come short” because we are born in sin and our actions no matter how reverend or good do not satisfy God’s holy standard. (Romans 3:23) “If we say that we have not sinned we make God a liar, and his word is not in us.” 1 John 1:10.

The Bible says a person is tempted when he is drawn away by his lust and enticed. (James 1:14) Our sinful desires drag us away from what is righteous. If we do not stop and turn our hearts and minds back to God; then the sinful desire brings forth sin. Sin is the willful breaking of God’s commands. God is saddened when I disobey Him, and my sin breaks my fellowship with God. As a born-again believer washed in the blood of Jesus, God does not kick me out of the family. He does not forfeit my salvation. He did not forfeit Moses’ salvation, He did not forfeit David’s salvation, nor did He forfeit Peter’s salvation. He wants me to repent of my sin and turn my heart back towards Him. Repentance restores my fellowship with the Father.

An example of this is King David a man after God’s own heart. When David should have gone off to battle, he stayed home. (Men there are places we should not go, there are sites on the internet we never need to view). While walking on his roof he saw a woman who was bathing. Seeing the woman bathing was not a sin. David could have looked away. However, David looked, lingered, and lost control. Instead of bringing his thoughts and desires under control, his desires drug his heart and mind into lust. That lust led to inviting Bathsheba to his home where he committed adultery. David was not above sin, and neither are we. However, the sweet psalmist did not remain in a backslidden condition when confronted with his sin David repented. Psalm fifty-one is David’s prayer of repentance and restoration. Psalm 51:1–4; 10-12.

“1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness:

According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity,

And cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I acknowledge my transgressions:

And my sin is ever before me.

4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned,

And done this evil in thy sight:

That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, And be clear when thou judgest.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God;

And renew a right spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from thy presence;

And take not thy holy spirit from me.

12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation;

And uphold me with thy free spirit.”

We must guard our hearts and mind against sin. The following are some ways we can guard our life against sin. First, the Bible says to set our minds on things of heaven and not on things of the earth. (Col. 3:2). An idle mind is the devil’s advocate. When my mind is on Jesus then my thoughts and actions will please Him.

Second, the Bible says, “thy word have I hide in my heart, that I might not sin against God.” (Psalm 119:11) Sin will keep us from the Bible, or the Bible will keep us from sin. Memorizing scripture is a deterrent from sin.

Third “walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” (Gal. 5:16) To “walk in the Spirit” means to be filled with the Holy Spirit and allow Him to conduct a lifestyle in you that is pleasing to God.

And fourth the Bible says to resist the devil and He will flee from you. Do not give place to the devil and his evil tricks. When a wicked thought comes into your mind resist it, do not give place to it. Do not allow or give room to those desires that would drag your heart and mind away from God.

I am a sinner saved by grace and washed in the blood, I am not perfect, but I serve a sinless and gracious Savior. Thank you, Lord, for saving a sinner like me.

Living with no Regrets,

Pastor Dean Honeycutt

Addendum: Considering the school shooting in Texas. We spend billions of dollars overseas. Protecting our children should be the highest priority. I am an advocate of metal detectors and checkpoints much like they do in airports. I realize it is not an easy fix but if we can do this in airports and before I go into a concert or Mountain state fair we can do more to protect our most vulnerable children.

Read more Christian news content at www.blueridgechristiannews.com

US Sports Basketball: How to Beat the Three Most Common Pick and Roll Coverages and Feat. No. 14 Michigan State Spartans vs. No. 12 Michigan Wolverines Highlights

 

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• By Grant Young

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The pick and roll is one of the most effective plays in basketball because it creates multiple options for the team on offense. 

When executed properly, the pick and roll forces the defense to make quick decisions and adjustments. The player setting the screen can roll to the basket for a high-percentage shot, pop out for a mid-range jumper, or even shoot a three-pointer if left open. Meanwhile, the ball handler has the option to drive to the basket, pull up for a shot, or make a pass to the rolling player or to an open teammate on the perimeter. 

This play puts tremendous pressure on the defense and requires precise communication and teamwork to defend effectively. All of these reasons explain why the pick and roll can be an extremely effective and lethal offensive tactic for any basketball team. 

Teams often fail to fully utilize the pick and roll to their advantage for a variety of reasons. One is that some teams may not emphasize the pick and roll in their practice strategy, instead focusing on other plays or isolation sets. This lack of emphasis can lead to under-utilization of the pick and roll as a primary offensive weapon. Plus, coaching and playcalling play a crucial role. If coaches do not prioritize the pick and roll in their offensive game plan or fail to teach proper execution, teams will not be able to fully exploit the potential of this play. 

We understand that implementing the pick and roll to your own team’s game plan can be daunting. But once you understand a few key points about this strategy, you’ll realize why employing it should be a no-brainer. 

Coach Luka Bassin’s ‘The ENCYCLOPEDIA of Pick and Roll - 101 ideas to attack different coverages’ course dives deep into different ideas on how to attack different pick and roll coverages. 

Given Coach Bassin’s experience as a Slovenian coach who worked for high-level European teams and national teams (among others with Slovenia NT) as an assistant coach, head coach, or player development coach, he is better suited to explain the strategies to perfect your team’s pick and roll attack better than just about anybody else. 

Attacking TRAP Coverage

“Trap” coverage is the most aggressive pick and roll coverage there is. It includes the primary defender being pressed up close to the ball handler, ideally pushing the player to get a screen and then going with him. The big man playing defense makes an aggressive show to the ball handler as high as possible (ideally right where the screen is set), intending to stop the creator’s offensive drive and get him to pass elsewhere, effectively ending the pick and roll. 

But a great way to break this sort of coverage is by having the ball handler make a quick pass (likely a bounce pass) to the big man who is setting a screen for them as they roll, before the defending big can set all the way up from the screen. Once the big receives the pass, they will immediately look to the opposite corner, where the perimeter should be cutting into the paint. 

Because the big man has vacated the post in order to trap the ball handler, this should leave the paint available for a short window. And if the opposing wing defender can get caught sleeping, this quick pass from the big man can create an easy layup and effectively defeat trap coverage. 

Another key part of defeating the trap covering in the pick and roll is for the ball handler to keep their dribble alive, because as soon as the ball gets picked up then the press will become even tighter, and a jump ball will likely result. 

Attacking UNDER Coverage

A defense’s “under” pick and roll coverage is when the primary defender of the ball handler goes under the initial screen (either under the big man or in between the gap between the offensive and defensive big men), which is typically used either during transition or when the ball handler isn’t a threat to shoot and make a three-point shot. 

A great way to defeat this coverage is, with a speedy ball handler, just to attack the rim as soon as the defender goes under the screen. This typically requires them to take their eyes off the ball for a moment, which is enough time for a speedy ball handler to drive to the paint. And they’ll likely meet minimal resistance there because the defending big is up where the screen is set. 

Of course, another great way to defeat this coverage is to have a ball handler who can confidently shoot and make three-pointers, because just one made three makes this coverage foolish to try again. 

REJECT the screen as first option

Rejecting a screen is the most effective when used against an aggressive defender who jumps under the screen early. It’s a great option against teams who force ball handlers away from the screen, and is often used when there’s minimal help on the weak side. 

The key to this scenario is to catch the ball defender slipping, because when they’re told that a screen is coming up, they are always going to be expecting and thinking about how they’ll handle that screen. Adept ball handlers can take advantage of this momentary mental lapse to drive to the other side of the screen, pull up for a shot, or do something else that the defender isn’t expecting to throw the pick and roll defense out of whack.

US Sports Football: The Chess Match: Win on the Perimeter (Part 1) and Raiders’ All-Time Best Trick Plays, Fakes and Reverses! | Highlights |

 

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The Chess Match: Win on the Perimeter (Part 1)

• By Coach Grabowski 

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In an era of spread football, it became common to hear a coach say “Bubble Screen” is my perimeter run game.  Without tight ends or wings on the field, that was definitely a sound way of getting the ball to the perimeter.

With a surge in the use of 11 and 12 personnel, the true perimeter run game is back into many playbooks and has become a staple of getting the ball to the perimeter, especially against even fronts utilizing a 7 technique defensive end, and against the highly popular odd front.

In my own experience, we initially put the play in as an answer to the odd front which was gaining popularity in what was primarily an even front conference.

Today we will take a look at the chess match involved in stopping the pin and pull and utilizing it to pick up yardage on the perimeter when defenses align to shut down the interior run.

Attack the Perimeter with Pin and Pull

Eric Marty has had success on every level, now taking his offense to the professional level for the USFL Michigan Panthers after spending 2021 as the OC at Grambling State.  He explains the rules for how they man block the pin and pull to get the ball to the perimeter here 

Have a Plan to Run to the Boundary

Perimeter runs would logically attack the field as there is the most space there.  However, numbers and angles can give the play an advantage to the boundary side.  Here Coach Marty explains how they approach running the Pin & Pull to the boundary 

 Leverage and Pursuit

Jeff Dittman bases his defense out of an even front but also uses some odd front changes.  Against a TE/Wing, he loosens his Sam linebacker and plays quarters behind with a flat foot safety technique.  Sam is the force player who will have to take on crack blocks at times, and the safety’s responsibility is to make him right.  The cornerbacks, to take away the play-action posts will play inside leverage.  Coach Dittman explains it here 

The other element needed in any defense is a relentless pursuit of the ball.  Coach Dittman has seen more and more perimeter run, so having defensive linemen and linebackers who can run and pursue to get hats to the edge is important.  He also points out his adjustment to a nub side TE Which teams will use to attack the boundary and try to get the corner into the run fit.  He shows his defenses pursuit and alignment to a nub in this video 

Play Great Technique

In this example, Coach Dittman shows how they G the front.  It does create a nice angle for the tight end, but when you have a “dude” like he has, the technique of the DE can really help against the play as he defeats his block

Isaac Newton’s third law of motion states, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.”  That’s true in the chess match of football as well.

Studying how a team will think about and adjust to your schemes and calls will allow you to stay ahead in the chess match that takes place on the gridiron.

Always be growing!

Coach Grabowski

US Sports Hockey: Canada vs. USA Live Scoreboard and Updates | 2025 4 Nations Face-Off

US Sports Baseball: Four Drills to Sharpen a Baseball Hitter’s Vision at the Plate and Every team's TOP PROJECTED PLAYER for '25 🔥

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Four Drills to Sharpen a Baseball Hitter’s Vision at the Plate

• By Grant Young

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Baseball season is approaching fast, and improving a baseball hitter's vision and tracking skills is one of the most effective ways to prepare for the upcoming season. 

Here are some reasons why focusing on vision and tracking can provide significant benefits: 

1. Enhanced Pitch Recognition: One of the key elements of hitting is the ability to recognize different pitch types and their trajectories. By practicing drills that enhance pitch recognition, hitters can improve their ability to anticipate fastballs, curveballs, sliders, and changeups. This leads to better decision-making when it comes to swinging or taking a pitch. 

2. Improved Hand-Eye Coordination: Drills that focus on tracking pitches help develop a hitter's hand-eye coordination. This skill is essential for making contact with the ball consistently. By practicing with moving objects—like balls thrown at different speeds and angles—hitters can train their eyes and hands to work in unison, which is vital for successful hitting. 

3. Depth Perception Training: Visual depth perception is crucial in determining how far the ball is traveling and its speed. Drills that simulate various game situations, such as tracking pitches from different distances or angles, can help players develop a better sense of depth, allowing them to judge pitch speed and distance more accurately. 

4. Focus and Concentration: Maintaining focus during at-bats is essential for success. Vision and tracking drills often require intense concentration and mental engagement. By consistently engaging in these drills during practice, players can enhance their ability to focus during games, minimizing distractions and helping them stay composed under pressure. 

5. Game Situational Awareness: Building vision and tracking skills also improves a player’s overall awareness of the game. Hitters who are in tune with the pitcher's mechanics and game scenarios can better assess their situations and make smarter decisions at the plate. 

A hitter's success at the plate begins with how well they see the ball and react, making these skills vital to their development. This is why baseball coaches must have several drills and techniques they can use to sharpen their hitters’ vision. 

And Brian Harrison could have your perfect solution. 

Brian Harrison enters his 15th season as the Head Baseball Coach at Baldwin Wallace University in 2025.  The 2019, 2023, and 2024 Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Coach of the Year has won 519 career games, including 378 at BW. Harrison has led the Yellow Jackets to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III National Tournament on seven occasions, including the school's first-ever trip to the College World Series in 2014 and consecutive appearances in 2022 and 2023.

In his ‘The Complete Hitter’ clinic, Coach Harrison details several drills he has used to improve his hitters’ vision at the plate, which we’ve included for your use below.  

Thumbs Drill

One hitting vision drill that Coach Harrison swears by is what he calls the Thumbs Drill. This drill requires no bat, balls, or batting cage, and instead requires a hitter’s complete focus, because this drill is difficult despite seeming somewhat simple.

The hitter will put their two hands together with each hand’s knuckles touching and their thumbs up, all about four inches away from their face. From there, the hitter is supposed to cross their eyes (which Coach Harrison suggests doing by looking at one’s nose) to the point where they can see a third thumb in their vision, which should be positioned in front of the other two thumbs. 

Once the hitter can see that third thumb, they’re going to work their hands back and forth in front of their face while still crossing their eyes (and still being able to see that third thumb). 

This drill focuses on the two eyes working together, which is crucial for improving vision as a hitter. 

Tracking Drills

Coach Harrison goes on to detail three specific drills that he recommends using when it comes to improving a hitter’s ability to track pitches. 

The first one involves making dime-sized markings of different colors (ideally red, green, and black) on different points of each baseball they’re going to use for batting practice. 

From there, the hitters will step up to the plate against a pitching machine that’s throwing around 95 mph fastballs. They won’t be swinging at these balls, but rather saying out loud which color on the ball they see as it heads toward the plate. 

The idea behind this drill is that it will force the player to focus intensely on the color, which will ultimately help them pick up on a ball’s spin once they develop that tracking skill. 

Coach Harrison’s next drill is similar, although it’s a bit more difficult than the first drill and requires swinging the bat. The coach who’s throwing batting practice (or a pitching machine can be used) is going to tell the hitter to divide the ball into quadrants (top-left, bottom-left, top-right and bottom-right), and that they should focus on hitting the ball at that specific quadrant with each swing. 

This will help the hitter to be more situational in their approach when the game rolls around.

Coach Harrison’s third and final drill in this section is similar to the previous but will start with front toss. Therefore, this is a great drill to start with during a hitting session that’s focused on vision tracking. 

With each front toss, the player should be trying to hit the ball on either the outside, middle, or inside part of the ball. This will allow a player to work on their swing and teach their eyes to lead the dance in terms of placing the ball at a certain place on the field while hitting in a game. 

US Sports Martial Arts: Grappling v.s. Striking: Which is Better? And Real-Life Ninja?! 😳 Kade Ruotolo’s Wild Debut Against Shinya Aoki

 

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• By Owen Reilly

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The UFC was originally created to determine the most effective martial art in combat. Since then, the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has evolved with nearly every fighter involved in the sport incorporating techniques of multiple fighting disciplines and styles. However, most fighters specialize in a specific martial art or prefer the techniques of one discipline to the other. For example, Khabib Nurmagomedov specializes in sambo and wrestling while someone such as Alex Pereira prefers to keep the fight standing and strike with his opponent. These two differing styles represent an age-old debate of whether striking or grappling is more effective both in the cage and in real life. In this blog, we will review the arguments for each style and determine which is more important when starting your MMA journey.

The Case for Grappling

The term grappling encompasses multiple martial arts, including Jiu-jitsu, Judo, Wrestling, and Sambo, with each art focusing on taking down, controlling, and submitting or pinning your opponent. In MMA, a strong proficiency in one of these arts allows you to dictate the pace of the fight and choose where the fight takes place. Furthermore, the level of control, submission threats, and cardio that the grappling arts offer allow you to wear down your opponent through consistent pressure. Understanding how to properly close the distance, however, is a crucial skill that all grapplers must learn. Without it, grapplers will run the risk of getting knocked out when initiating takedowns or scrambles. Fighters utilizing a grappling-heavy style include Khabib Nurmagomedov, Islam Makhachev, Merab Dvalishvili, Colby Covington, and Kamaru Usman. For grappling classes taught by top coaches and fighters, check out the link below. 

The Case for Striking

The term striking also refers to numerous fighting styles including boxing, muay thai, kickboxing, karate, tae-kwon-doe, and karate with each discipline incorporating some form of punches, kicks, or knee and elbow strikes. The striking arts have a distinct advantage over the grappling arts in one major respect; the ability to end a fight decisively at nearly any moment. A singular well-placed strike can stop any opponent dead in their tracks. The unpredictability and the ability for a worse fighter to land a single strike and win the fights is an alluring thought that makes the striking arts incredibly appealing. The control of range that striking also teaches coupled with the fact that numerous strikes over time can wear down your opponent also make the striking arts effective. Learning takedown defense, however, is crucial to being an effective striker as you are unable to use the vast majority of striking techniques while on your back. Examples of strikers in MMA include Israel Adesanya, Alex Pereira, Anderson Silva, Sean O’Malley, and Connor McGregor. To look at online striking courses taught by some of the best in the world, click the link below.

Historically speaking, grapplers have tended to dominate the MMA landscape with the original UFC events featuring winners such as Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock. Grappling has continued to dominate the MMA scene with the above-mentioned fighters reaching the pinnacle of the sport through their grappling abilities. Recently, however, fighters including Leon Edwards, Israel Adesanya, and Alex Pereira have proved that elite striking coupled with strong takedown defense can win fights against elite grapplers. Truthfully, to be successful at the professional level, being well-rounded is absolutely necessary. Relying on one specific style too much can expose holes in your game that opponents can exploit. But which is better? Especially at the amateur level, grappling still proves to be the most effective path to victory. When fighting a ‘pure’ striker, grappling offers a relatively easy path to victory assuming one can properly close the distance to clinch with or takedown the opponent. The unpredictability of striking makes grappling a safer and more secure route to neutralize your opponent. Strikers have more opportunities to end the fight faster but become vulnerable when put on their backs. As a grappler, you can negate a striker's game plan completely with a single takedown. Despite this, a striker with very strong takedown defense can be an absolute nightmare for a ‘pure’ grappler.

US Sports Volleyball: Three Volleyball Drills to Round Out Your Team’s Skills and TOP 20 Craziest Volleyball Attacks by Simeon Nikolov

 

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Three Volleyball Drills to Round Out Your Team’s Skills

• By Grant Young

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There isn’t enough time in the day for volleyball coaches to perfect every aspect of every one of their players’ respective games. 

Each player needs something different in order to improve their specific skillset, and every team will be comprised of different players that will require different coaching methods and techniques. 

And even if a coach has the exact same roster of players for two consecutive seasons (which is all but impossible), those players are going to be different from who they were one season ago, and will therefore also require different coaching.

While this can seem daunting, the reality is that no coach (or player or team) is going to be perfect, and there will always be more for teams to work on. This is why having a few fundamental volleyball drills that are proven to improve and help round out a team’s skillset is all a coach needs to rely on. 

And there are few coaches better to rely on than Michael Kane. 

Coach Kane has been the Dripping Springs High School women’s volleyball head coach for over 26 years. During this time, he has acquired many accolades; most recently winning the 6A state championship (being just the first season Dripping Springs competed in the higher division), which takes his total state titles to six. Coach Kane also holds the title of the winningest coach in DSHS history. With more than 800 high school career wins, this makes Kane one of the winningest coaches in Texas volleyball history. 

Setting Coach Kane apart is the culture he creates with the student-athletes. They feed off Kane’s investment and love of the game; which is proven by the Dripping Springs volleyball program averaging 35% of its players going on to play at the collegiate level.

While Coach Kane surely has access to elite athletes, the way he runs his practices — specifically, the drills he decides to utilize on a daily, weekly, and yearly basis — has contributed to this staggering success. 

This is why his ‘Volleyball Skills and Drills’ course is vital for any volleyball coach who wants to extract the most success out of their players as possible. 

Pass to Yourself, Jumpset to Your Partner

One simple warm-up drill that Coach Kane swears by is what he calls the ‘Pass to Yourself, Jumpset to Your Partner’ drill. 

This drill begins with players getting into groups of two and three. Once they’re in their groups, the player who has the ball will toss it into the air and jumpset it to their partner. The partner receiving the ball will then pass it to themselves by jumping it into the air above them then jumpset it back to the person who started with the ball. 

If there are two people in the group, it can continue this way for some time. And if there are three players in a group, each time a person jumpsuits they will walk to the other side of the line so they’re available when the turn comes back around to them. 

When having players do this drill, Coach Kane suggests adding variations after a few rounds in order to make it more difficult and get players more experience. For example, a coach can instruct their players to face backwards and have to react to the ball as it’s coming at them, or have them face both the left and right side so that they have to execute passes with a left and right shoulder drop. 

As a coach, be sure your players are hitting the ball in the correct position with the proper footwork. While this drill is simple enough, players need to essentially be able to jumpset and pass to perfection if they’re to ascend to the college level.

Dig 10 in Transition

Another great partner drill that Coach Kane swears by is what he calls the ‘Dig 10 in Transition’ drill. 

Just like the last one, the Dig 10 in Transition drill begins with two partners. The partner with the ball will start by tossing the ball nice and high before slapping it down around their partner’s knees or ankles. From there, the partner will dig it back to their initial partner, who will catch the ball. 

The goal here is for the partner to dig the ball from different points and angles so that they’re comfortable doing so in the game. 

The drill’s Transition aspect comes with the player who’s doing the digging beginning the drill by backpedaling, which is their way of simulating getting into position. Because executing a dig in transition is more difficult than doing so while standing stationary, this prepares players to execute their dig when it matters most. 

Double Dig Lateral Movement

A third drill that Coach Kane highly recommends is what he calls the Double Dig Lateral Movement drill. 

This drill is about getting players to shuffle their feet and having their hands at the ready. It will start with two lines on either side of the court, facing the net. The coach will then be tossing balls to the middle constantly, which causes one player to shuffle in, dig, pass, and then shuffle to the baseline while the person in the other line shuffles in. 

After a player does this two or three times, they go to the back of the line so the person behind them can get their reps. 

This drill helps coach players to keep their hands out in front of them at all times, which is going to benefit them in all aspects of the game, and at every level. And if players can get comfortable moving four to five feet laterally while executing a dig, that could make the difference between winning and losing.

US Sports Softball: How to Find and Develop Elite Softball Pitchers and #3 Oklahoma vs Long Beach State Highlights

 

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• By Grant Young

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Countless youth and high school softball pitchers have impressive talent. But there’s a major difference between a pitcher who can perform at the game’s lower levels compared to one who is prepared to excel in college. 

And it can often be difficult to discern between a sure-fire college prospect and a pitcher who isn’t likely to succeed past high school. In fact, many of the tell-tale signs don’t be seen while the pitcher is performing on the field.

This is why it’s crucial to understand what to look for in a pitcher when it comes to recruiting them to the next level. 

And Texas high school softball coaching legend Amanda Wolf-Schramm is the perfect person to help coaches figure that aspect of their job out. 

Coach Wolf-Schramm is currently the head varsity coach at Smithson Valley High School in Texas. This past year, she earned the 400th win of her high school softball coaching career. Prior to her becoming Smithson Valley’s head coach in 2019, Coach Wolf-Schramm created successful programs at Texas’ Bastrop and Elgin high schools.

While Coach Wolf-Schramm is a high school coach, her ‘Pitching’ softball course from the Texas High School Coaches Association & Coaches Education Foundation contains a masterclass of wisdom for softball coaches of all levels. 

But Coach Wolf-Schramm’s lessons aren’t just for college softball coaches. Those coaches looking to develop pitchers at every level can gain wisdom on how to develop and hone their own pitching staff to make them more appealing to collegiate coaches and increase their chances of fulfilling their dreams of playing at the next level. 

We have taken some of the best nuggets from Coach Wolf-Schramm’s course and distilled them into bite-sized lessons that you can benefit from today. 

What to Look For in Pitcher

Before a softball coach even begins to assess a pitcher’s ability on the field, Coach Wolf-Schramm believes the first thing they should be looking at is the pitcher’s positive work ethic. 

What exactly does this mean? It means that a pitcher should have the same work ethic regardless of whether there are eyes on them.

Coaches should want to recruit pitchers who are working just as hard in the bullpen by themselves or taking notes for their teammates in the dugout during the game as they are when their coach is standing right beside them. 

While this can be difficult to discern (most players have a good idea when they’re being watched, even if it’s subtly so), taking a bit of extra time to watch a player’s work ethic out of the corner of your eye can tell you a lot about whether they’re the type of person you can build a positive culture around. 

You also want to keep a keen eye on whether a pitcher is showing negative emotion when on the mound. Because pitching is such a rollercoaster ride, the most successful pitchers will remain even keel in the good moments and in the bad. And if a pitcher is reacting negatively to an umpire’s call, a teammate’s error, or any of the other negative things that can occur during a softball game, this should come off as a red flag. 

And another thing Coach Wolf-Schramm believes coaches should consider is whether a pitcher is a good athlete. She loves to see a pitcher playing another position when they’re not pitching. And at the very least, she wants to see that her pitchers at the high school level are also hitting, as well. If they are then they’re likely a good athlete, which is one of the best factors in assessing a player’s ability to perform at the collegiate level.

The Pitching Coach’s Role

Coach Wolf-Schramm believes that there are a few non-negotiable components that go into making a good pitching coach. 

The first one is communication. Coach Wolf-Schramm believes that every pitching coach should be calling constant, daily meetings with their pitching staff in order to assess what is going well, what must be worked on, and any challenges or hurdles that the pitching staff wants to address.

In addition, the pitching coach must act as a liaison for their pitchers and the team’s catchers. A ton of important information must be relayed between pitchers and catchers to maximize the chances of success in a game. And it’s the pitching coach’s responsibility to make sure that information is being discussed. 

In addition, pitching coaches have to be able to communicate and build relationships with their pitchers on an individual level. Why would a pitcher listen to their coach’s suggestions if they don’t trust them as a person, or feel like the coach doesn’t care about their best interest? 

All of these reasons show why communication is paramount to being a good pitching coach at any level of the game. 

Pre Season Workouts For Pitchers

Coach Wolf-Schramm has a few great pieces of advice when it comes to a pitcher’s workouts during the pre-season.

One is that, whenever they’re playing catch, they should do so with a home plate at the feet of who/whatever they’re throwing to. 

Because pitchers are inherently competitive, having a (likely rubber and transportable) home plate at their target’s feet is guaranteed to make them want to execute strikes. 

However, this doesn’t mean their target or catch partner should remain in a squat. Rather, just by having the home plate there, the pitcher will remember the purpose behind their play catch. They will pay more attention to detail about what they’re feeling while throwing and will be more keen to correct their mistakes. 

This leads to a more intentional, focused play catch that isn’t merely going through the motions.