Better Men, Better Ballplayers

8. Matt Swope - UMD "Developing the complete hitter at Maryland"

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BIO

  • Currently assistant coach/recruiting coordinator at University of Maryland (8th year overall)
  • First 5 years he was Director of operations for the Terps
  • During Swope’s time in College Park, Maryland has boasted nine All-Americans, two academic All-Americans and 32 Major League Baseball draft picks.
  • The Terrapins advanced to their only two Super Regionals in school history (2014, 2015) and advanced to two conference tournament championship games.
  • The UMD Alum was drafted in the 2002 MLB Draft by the Montreal Expos after a great career at Maryland
  • A great follow on twitter for some great hitting content
  • A very loyal Maryland guy who breathes crabcakes and Old Bay!

    • How are you still helping your guys during the quarantine?

    • Zoom calls, facetime
  • Talking weekly or specific info
  • Find ways to workout and challenge based on what they have

    • What is something you have been learning during the quarantine?

    • Professional development - over 80 hours with over 200 slides on hitting
  • Being clear and concise
  • Driveline certification
  • 108 certification

    • What lessons do you think will come from this quarantine?

    • Break it down just in the slides
  • Film myself to be clear

    • You have been a part of Maryland getting better and better, what do you think has made you guys successful?

    • My heart is in MD
  • Fully funded, over 200K fundraised
  • Super regional and upgraded facilities
  • Consistent people who are personally invested and passionate
  • Good senior leadership and compulsive competitor

    • Describe the kind of players who have helped you along the way.

    • Competitor
  • Care about the details

    • Describe the kind of players who you have gotten in the way of your guys success.

    • Bad senior/junior leadership
  • Non-competitive
  • Complaining about things instead of encouraging to keep moving forward

    • How are you developing competition?

    • Brought in “The Program” & Brian Cain
  • Growth Mindset, Toughness, and Ownership
  • Pillars are reinforced consistently 
  • We have standards not many rules
  • Last 5 minutes weightlifting competition
  • Outside time is compete time
  • Team practice competition
  • Games with hitters 
  • Forcing competition

    • How are you keeping the focus on the team while individualizing?

    • Better talent, recruit better players
  • First 3 weeks - collect data, film, some constraints, 
  • After 3 weeks - individual program
    • 3 exercises per day - every day for 2 weeks for 5 weeks
  • Help you become your best coach

    • What has changed in the way you teach hitters since you started coaching? 

    • Timing and balance - speeding up may not be best for the athletes movement pattern
  • Specific way to load the machine to get the guys on time and be sure to promote good movement pattern

    • What are you doing to promote good movement pattern?

    • Philosophy is timing and balance in a good movement pattern
  • Start slow to get on time with your movement pattern
  • Control your timing and how you start your move
  • Categorize loose and tight movers  - 
    • Loose movers - most athletic, high leg kick, lot of movement in swing
      • Know why you leg kick and how you leg kick
  • Front foot under the front hip
  • Tight mover - super efficient and tight, small moves at the plate
    • Tight turn - trunk and pelvis closed to provide force to middle of field
  • Hinge position

    • How do you program the decel, next move after contact?

    • Frisbee
  • Exaggerated scissor - striding closed and back foot comes in front of front foot
  • Blocked med ball toss - constraint to throw med ball
  • Reciprocal movement 

    • You have been a part of some great teams, and great players, what are the traits of the best players you have been around?

    • Self motivation and an internal drive with a competitive edge
  • Guys like to be together
  • Recruiting classes are organizing their own zoom calls

    • What do you look for in recruits?

    • Look for the position and how they move and do they have a certain movement pattern
  • Characteristics of guys at certain positions 
  • Cross decisions and collaborate on all recruits - get judgment from each coach
  • No such thing as a one man RC
  • Competitive!
  • Multiple sports, how communicates, social media

    • How much are you working on the mental game?

    • Meditation at the start
  • Write down the routine - know all the routines so know what kids needs at that time
  • Release routines to get out of red lights (when umpire makes a bad call)

    • Has there been some mental skills that have helped with the transition to college?

    • We need failure
  • Be consistent 

    • How do you hold that line and be an example for your players?

    • Be authentic so players know what to expect
  • Be clear and consistent with how you handle yourself

  • Best way to contact you

    • “Maryland Made Hitting” on Twitter/Instagram
  • Go to UMterps.com for all Coach Swope info!

    •  Notes

    • We are playing offense, not hitting. We are playing offense to score runs
  • Write down each players routines
  • Loose and tight movers
  • Good teams don’t have rules, they have standards
  • movements/mechanics off the field, competition on the field
  • Recruiting classes doing their own zoom calls
  • Being vulnerable allow to build relationships
    • ...more
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