Travel Softball can feel like a maze to families. Which tournaments should you attend? What team should you play on? When should you start playing travel softball? This week I sit down with Texas Glory assistant coach Mike Zimmer. Mike has coached travel softball for several years and has a daughter going through the recruiting process. Mike also runs the biggest softball Facebook page. If you are affiliated with travel softball, you will love this episode.
Timestamps for Mike Zimmer 

 [3:35] Saving money during Travel SoftBall 
[6:38] Advice to Parents on Picking the Right Team or Coach 
[11:45] The Fear of Missing Out 
[13:51] Making Travel SoftBall More Affordable for kids 
[16:47] Taking Control of the Recruiting Process
[22:46] Avoiding Bias for Parents who Coach 
[29:29] The Lack of  Arm Strength Development in Most Programs 
[33:52] The Impact of Hitting 
[37:19] The Mental Side of The Game 
[39:49] Dealing with Failure 
[42:20] The Facebook Community Coaching Softball  





 Follow Mike Zimmer  Twitter: @Mike_P_Zimmer

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Behind the Travel Softball Scene | Mike Zimmer

Patrick Jones is a former hitting coach in the Baltimore Orioles organization. Now he works with hitters in the private sector and helps high school baseball players get recruited to play in college. This baseball podcast is designed around player development and college recruiting. Each week, he brings on a new guest to discuss everything from hitting and pitching mechanics to the mental game, practice design, drills, and college recruiting.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sports

Baseball

On this episode of Patrick Jones Baseball, Josh Gessner, a right-handed pitcher in the Texas Rangers organization, shares his journey from Australia and Japan to professional baseball, discussing overcoming challenges like the yips and increasing pitching velocity through training methods. Gessner advises aspiring players to know themselves and consider their development needs, emphasizing the value of education alongside athletic pursuits. They highlight personal struggles and coping mechanisms, stressing the mental aspect of overcoming fear and judgment, and discuss simplifying the pitching process and building supportive relationships with coaches. Additionally, Gessner talks about his venture into social media writing and podcasting, aiming to share his learning experiences to help others, with a focus on mental resilience, growth, and knowledge-sharing to support individuals facing similar challenges.

 Timestamps:

 [2:32] Josh Gessner’s Journey from Roots to Success
[7:35] 80 to 90 MPH through DriveLine
[10:07] Gessner’s Recruitment Journey in College Baseball
[17:41] Advice for Young Players Choosing Between College and Professional Baseball
[20:08] College Scholarships and Degrees in Pro Baseball
[23:34] Reflections on Early Professional Baseball
[26:13] Overcoming the Yips
[31:21] Managing Persistent Challenges
[33:45] Keys to Pitching Success
[36:32] Insights from Training Facilities
[37:46] The Value of Coaching Relationships in Training Facilities
[39:41] A Dive into Writing and Social Media


Follow Josh Gessner on Twitter: @GessnerJosh Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"I went from throwing 78 mph - 91 mph in 18 months" | Josh Gessner

In this podcast episode, Sean Stevens shares his remarkable journey from starting college baseball at 28 to becoming a successful coach at Middle Georgia State University, emphasizing perseverance and dedication despite challenges. He discusses the recruiting process, stressing the importance of building relationships with players and identifying talent both online and through personal interactions. Stevens also highlights the significance of summer collegiate baseball in player development, advocating for players to seize opportunities to showcase their skills and improve draft prospects. Additionally, the conversation delves into the process of selecting players for a summer baseball team, emphasizing collaboration between the head coach and general manager, and discusses player contracts, performance-based lineup decisions, and the supportive environment provided for players attending Middle Georgia State University.

 Timestamps:
[2:06] Sean Stevens Baseball Journey From Discovery to Determination
[5:48] Finding Purpose in Coaching
[7:31] The Recruiting Journey at Middle Georgia State
[10:25] Online Recruitment in College Baseball
[13:15] The Importance of Baseball IQ in Player Success
[16:22] Understanding the World of Summer Collegiate Baseball
[20:31] Selecting Players for Summer Baseball Teams
[22:21] Contrasting the Cape Cod League and Other Summer Baseball Experiences
[25:18] Player’s Contracts in Summer Leagues
[28:08] The Relationship Between Coaches and GMs in Summer Baseball
[33:08] Player Performance and Immediate Impact in Summer Baseball Leagues
[34:23] Navigating Lineup Dynamics
[39:06] Understanding College Expenses at Middle Georgia State


Follow Sean Stevens on Twitter: @CoachStevensMGS Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Middle Georgia State University | Sean Stevens

In this podcast, Tyler Packanik from Jacksonville State University discusses the complexities of college baseball recruiting. They explore topics such as regional recruitment strategies, the balance between high school and junior college recruits, and adapting to changes like the transfer portal. Tyler emphasizes the significance of athleticism and baseball IQ in player evaluation, particularly for infielders, and shares insights on assessing speed and base running ability. They also address challenges in evaluating players based on showcase metrics versus in-game performance and stress the importance of video analysis in scouting.

 Timestamps:
[03:21] Developing a Diverse Recruiting Strategy in College Baseball
[10:21] Infield Evaluation in Baseball Recruiting
[12:01] Assessing Infield Movement in Recruitment
[15:13] The Role of Home to First Time in Baseball Recruiting
[17:14] Understanding Showcase Pop Times
[19:03] The Overlooked Art of Base Running in High School Player Scouting
[20:58] Navigating the Pitfalls of Recruiting Advice
[26:59] Understanding Why Coaches Go Silent in Recruiting
[28:36] The Significance of Coaches Following Players on Twitter
[31:22] Inside Jacksonville State's Game Day Routine
[34:55] Evaluating Season Performance and Learning from Setbacks
[38:05] Managing Defensive Alignment and Base Coaching Strategies
[39:11] Why Choose Jacksonville State Baseball


Follow Tyler Packanik on Twitter: @Tpack5 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jacksonville State Recruiting Coordinator | Tyler Packanik

This week we're focusing on the mental side of the game. This is what I've seen separate players over the years. Of course, you have to have the physical skills, but you'd be surprised at how many players have better physical skills but can never seem to put it all together. The reason? The mental game. In today's episode, I'm sharing 7 ways to help players with the mental side of the game.

 Timestamps:
[ 0:44 ] A Player’s Version of Success
[ 3:40 ] Plan for Failure 
[ 7:23 ] The Process Checklist 
[ 9:19 ] Be less negative, Not more Positive
[ 11:18 ] The Art of Not Caring 
[ 13:54 ] Social Life    [ 16:17 ] Breathing  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

7 ways to help players with the Mental Game | Patrick Jones

In this podcast, Mike Brown, the recruiting coordinator at the University of Utah, discusses the details of recruiting players for college baseball programs. Brown shares insights on scholarship allocation, recruiting strategies, and evaluating player potential, emphasizing character traits. They discuss prioritizing key positions like starters, shortstops, catchers, and center fielders for scholarships and recruiting Juco players and transfers. Evaluating high school players involves assessing adaptability and attitude, with a focus on arm action for infielders and hitting mechanics for hitters. The podcast highlights the importance of generating backspin line drives and discusses player development, team culture, and the challenges of competing at higher levels.

 Timestamps:
[2:45] Decoding College Baseball Scholarships
[4:35] Scholarships, Juco Players, and Walk-Ons
[7:11] Evaluating High School Players for Division One Baseball
[9:19] Navigating the Shift in College Baseball Recruiting while Balancing Potential vs. Readiness
[11:24] Evaluating High School Baseball Prospects
[12:40] Insights and Lessons Learned from Experience
[16:12] Evaluating Character and Engagement in Baseball Recruits
[20:25] Essential Traits in Evaluating Infielders
[24:02] What Todd Williams Looks for in Hitters When It Comes to Hitting Standpoint
[26:19] The Theory Behind Low-Line Drives
[27:41] What Utah Baseball Teaches Its Players
[29:34] Utah's Two-Strike Philosophy
[35:27] Understanding Pitching Velocity in College Baseball
[37:35] Mike Brown’s College Baseball Recruitment Journey
[44:53] Experience within the SEC while Playing College Baseball


Follow Mike Brown on Twitter: @mikesbrown5 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Behind the Travel Softball Scene | Mike Zimmer

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