Coach Cut's Corner

In this episode of Coach Cut's Corner, Lansing Community College sophomore pitcher Josh Gardner joins the show to discuss his journey from Portage Central to becoming a starting pitcher for the Stars.

Josh's freshman season brought early success, adversity, and valuable lessons about what it takes to compete at the college level. After earning 11 starts in his first season, he returns for Year 2 with a different perspective, greater expectations, and a deeper understanding of the work required to succeed.

This conversation goes far beyond baseball.

We dive into Josh's upbringing, the people who shaped him, his recruiting journey, and the challenges of transitioning to college baseball. We also discuss the mental side of pitching, handling failure, building confidence, and the responsibility that comes with becoming a returning player and leader.

Whether you're an athlete, coach, or parent, this episode reminds you that opportunities are earned, adversity is part of development, and nothing replaces consistency.

Listen & Subscribe: Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms.

Learn more: coachcutter.com Questions or feedback? Email: [email protected]

Donate: (All donations are tax-deductible) Support Lansing Community College Baseball

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Website: LCC Stars Baseball

Website: Baseball Advancement Fund (Donations)

Website: Coach Cutter

Website: RD Kate

Related Podcast: Stars on Sports

On this episode, Elijah Stark is back in the studio for round two. Elijah was apart of the first two mythical seasons to start with Coach Cutter, and as this year's team begins their 6th season, he has returned to LCC as an Assistant Coach. He joins Coach Cut to discuss how new systems and technologies are being used to enhance player readiness, development, and on-field performance. The discussion also highlights structured practice plans, journaling, the whistle standard, and targeted speed training as tools for building consistency and accelerating development.

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Website: LCC Stars Baseball

Website: Baseball Advancement Fund (Donations)

Website: Coach Cutter

Website: RD Kate

Related Podcast: Stars on Sports

On this episode, former LCC baseball player Jabin Bates shares his journey from a young baseball player, to becoming a college athlete, and now flourishing with purpose. Jabin discusses his struggles with mental health, setbacks, and finding a second chance at LCC. He also reflects on how baseball, faith, as well as mentors and relationships helped shape his path, leading him to his current work with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, where he helps student-athletes grow on and off the field.

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Website: LCC Stars Baseball

Website: Baseball Advancement Fund (Donations)

Website: Coach Cutter

Website: RD Kate

Related Podcast: Stars on Sports

In this episode of Coach Cut's Corner, former professional baseball player, author, speaker, and performance coach Ricky Scruggs joins the show to discuss what it truly takes to perform at a high level in sports, business, and life.

Ricky's journey has taken him far beyond the baseball field, giving him a unique perspective on leadership, confidence, identity, and purpose. Throughout the conversation, he shares why lasting success starts from within and why so many athletes struggle when they tie their identity to performance.

This conversation goes far beyond baseball.

We dive into the mental side of competition, discussing confidence, visualization, adversity, leadership, and the habits that separate elite performers from everyone else. Ricky also shares how faith and purpose have shaped his life and why developing the person is always more important than chasing the result.

Whether you're a coach, athlete, parent, or someone committed to personal growth, this episode will challenge the way you think about performance and what it means to reach your full potential.

Connect with Ricky Scruggs:

Website: Ricky Scruggs

Book: The Champion Within

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Website: LCC Stars Baseball

Website: Baseball Advancement Fund (Donations)

Website: Coach Cutter

Website: RD Kate

Related Podcast: Stars on Sports

In this episode of Coach Cut’s Corner, Coach Cut explores the psychology behind the IKEA Effect and why people naturally place greater value on things they help create.

What began with research involving IKEA furniture, origami, and Legos revealed something much bigger about human nature. Ownership creates commitment, pride, and perseverance. But it can also create blind spots.

Drawing from his own journey and experiences building the culture at Lansing Community College, Coach Cut discusses how coaches and leaders can become overly attached to the systems and philosophies they have spent years creating.

This episode is about humility, curiosity, and the importance of seeking the truth rather than defending opinions.

If you are a coach, leader, parent, or someone pursuing excellence, this episode will challenge the way you think about growth and success.

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Website: LCC Stars Baseball

Website: Baseball Advancement Fund (Donations)

Website: Coach Cutter

Website: RD Kate

Related Podcast: Stars on Sports

This episodes welcomes Bryson Fronta into the studio to discuss his journey from, a former multi-sport athlete to working at Lansing Community College as an Athletics Operations Specialist. He talks about the lessons he learned while moving from high school to college sports, including the importance of hard work, perseverance, and advocating for yourself. Bryson also reflects on winning national championships, coaching young athletes, and how mentors helped shape his path both on and off the field.

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Website: LCC Stars Baseball

Website: Baseball Advancement Fund (Donations)

Website: Coach Cutter

Website: RD Kate

Related Podcast: Stars on Sports

This podcast episode features a conversation with Elijah Stark, a former LCC Stars baseball player and current aspiring coach. We delve into Stark's journey through various levels of baseball, beginning with his late decision to pursue the sport at the collegiate level, influenced significantly by his experiences during the pandemic. We explore the challenges he faced, including the impact of losing belief in himself and the subsequent struggle to regain that confidence.

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Website: LCC Stars Baseball

Website: Baseball Advancement Fund (Donations)

Website: Coach Cutter

Website: RD Kate

Related Podcast: Stars on Sports

The end of a sports season brings a mix of emotions for athletes and coaches, from gratitude and pride, to disappointment and heartbreak. This episode explores how teams process those feelings, reflect on their experiences, and look for lessons to learn from. The conversation highlights that growth is an ongoing journey, and every ending offers valuable lessons for the next beginning.

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Website: LCC Stars Baseball

Website: Baseball Advancement Fund (Donations)

Website: Coach Cutter

Website: RD Kate

Related Podcast: Stars on Sports

In this episode of Coach Cut’s Corner, RS sophomore pitcher Oliver Raczysnki joins the show to talk about growth, patience, adversity, and the reality of development over time.

Oliver’s journey through Lansing Community College Baseball has not been built on shortcuts or overnight success. It has been built through consistency, failure, learning, and showing up through difficult moments. Over the last three years, he has developed into one of the program's most trusted arms while growing just as much off the field as on it.

This conversation goes far beyond baseball.

We dive into Oliver’s upbringing, the people who shaped him, and the mentors who helped guide him through challenges both inside and outside the game. He shares lessons learned from family, coaches, teammates, and the difficult moments that forced him to mature.

We also talk about the mental side of pitching, including how to handle pressure, build confidence, control emotions, and understand that development rarely happens as quickly as people want it to.

This episode is honest, reflective, and packed with perspective for players, coaches, and parents who are trying to understand what real development actually looks like.

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Website: LCC Stars Baseball

Website: Baseball Advancement Fund (Donations)

Website: Coach Cutter

Website: RD Kate

Related Podcast: Stars on Sports

In this episode of Coach Cut’s Corner, Christian Douglass joins us to break down his journey from Whetstone, Ohio, to becoming a key arm for the Stars.

At 6’4, Douglass has logged 42 innings across 21 appearances, putting together a 7-0 record with 30 strikeouts to just 8 walks. Those numbers stand out, but they are the result of growth that did not happen overnight.

This conversation starts with his early years. We get into his childhood, the people who influenced him, and the role other sports played in shaping him as an athlete. He shares what those early experiences taught him and how they still show up in his work today.

We break down his development inside the program. How routine, accountability, and daily standards have shaped his performance. How tracking his work and understanding his numbers has changed how he prepares and competes.

This episode is about earning results. It is about discipline, consistency, and learning how to handle the moments that define you.

If you are a player, coach, or parent trying to understand what real development looks like, this one matters to you.

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Website: LCC Stars Baseball

Website: Baseball Advancement Fund (Donations)

Website: Coach Cutter

Website: RD Kate

Related Podcast: Stars on Sports