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Bio
In just its fourth year as a collegiate program, the Mid Michigan College baseball team did exactly that in 2022. As it was the Lakers turned in the best season in program history this past spring as they went 31-8 overall and finished third in the conference.
The Lakers also earned their first-ever postseason berth under head coach Scott Pickens.
Pickens took over the program near the end of the 2021 season, a season that ended with an overall record of 4-22. The 1998 Mt. Pleasant graduate and former CMU catcher and assistant coach earned MCCAA Western Conference ‘Coach of the Year’ honors after leading the Lakers to their best season ever.
So on the show we discuss what it took to go from 4 wins in 2021 to 31 in 2022, we take a deep dive into player ownership on the field, 

Time Stamps
01:00- Vision and First Steps
10:00- Standards/Rules
33:00- Pre season to In Season
43:00- Player Ownership
50:00- Quick Hitters 
 
Contact

https://twitter.com/PickenBaseball
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYqhWasnhpWDcRNoOX56YFA

Scott Pickens- Head Baseball Coach, Mid Michigan College

Host Jonathan Gelnar and an array of guests from differing backgrounds discuss how to develop the complete baseball player. This will be your source for the most up to date coaching strategies for baseball player and coach development.

Sports

Baseball

This episode of Ahead of the Curve is brought to you by New Era. New Era is the official headwear provider of the MLB, NFL, and NBA. If you love to rock New Era Caps as much as I do, then you won’t want to miss out on the opportunity to wear what the players wear AND get 15% off when you go to NEW ERA CAP DOT COM/AOTC and use code aotc at checkout. That's 15% off your order using promo code aotc.
 
 
Bio

Chris is fresh on leading the Heartland Community College baseball team to a national title this past season. Chris Razo also was named the 2023 ABCA NJCAA Division II Coach of the Year.
Under Razo’s leadership, the Heartland baseball team has made two appearances in the NJCAA DII National Tournament, and won the tournament this past season.
Razo joined the Heartland staff in 2018, serving as pitching coach, and became Interim Head Coach in the winter of 2020.
As a player, Razo spent two years as a Heartland Hawk before moving to Illinois State University where he was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 24th round in 2013. While at ISU, Razo was selected to the MVC All-Conference first team, and also won Pitcher of the Year in the Missouri Valley Conference.

On the show we discuss the national championship run from last year, what it was like being named interim head coach at semester, and why the value winning first and development next. Here is Chris Razo!
 
Time Stamps
02:00 National Champs
04:00- Being named interim head coach at semester, and during COVID
08:30- Past summer agenda
11:30- Culture over Everything 
18:30 - Fall Development
27:30- Pre Season to In Season
41:00- Post Season
45:00- Quick Hitters
 
Contact
Chris.Razo@heartland.edu

Chris Razo- Head Baseball Coach, Heartland Community College (IL)

This episode of Ahead of the Curve is brought to you by New Era. New Era is the official headwear provider of the MLB, NFL, and NBA. If you love to rock New Era Caps as much as I do, then you won’t want to miss out on the opportunity to wear what the players wear AND get 15% off when you go to NEW ERA CAP DOT COM/AOTC and use code aotc at checkout. That's 15% off your order using promo code aotc.
 
Bio
Scott is coming off back to back state championships in class C in New York State . He is 3X ABCA Regional High School Coach of the Year, a 15+ year member ABCA Selects the ABCA (American Baseball Coaches Association) Region 1 High School All-Americans for the Northeastern states.
 
On the show we discuss how he turned the program from a .500 ball club to competing for state championships, we go over how he adjusts his practice and development for multi sport players and how they contribute to get better as the season goes on. This episode is so good with Scott Steltz!
 
 
Time stamps
02:30- state champs
08:00- offseason development
17:00- culture and standards
28:00- pre season structure
36:00- arm health with multiple sport and multiple position athletes
41:00- in season practices
52:00- quick hitters
 
Contact
Email- steltzs@chatham.k12.ny.us
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/hangingcurve5

Scott Steltz- Head Baseball Coach and Athletic Director, Chatham Central HS (N.Y.)

This episode of Ahead of the Curve is brought to you by New Era. New Era is the official headwear provider of the MLB, NFL, and NBA. If you love to rock New Era Caps as much as I do, then you won’t want to miss out on the opportunity to wear what the players wear AND get 15% off when you go to NEW ERA CAP DOT COM/AOTC and use code aotc at checkout. That's 15% off your order using promo code aotc.
 

Bio
Tyler, in his first year  leading his team, led them to the first NAIA National Championship in program history. The  Warriors went 48-9 last season, which culminated in a 7-6 victory over Lewis & Clark State in the 66th Avista NAIA World Series.
 
LaTorre  came to Westmont from Sacramento State where he served as pitching and catching coach. He also previously coached at San Jose State and San Francisco State. While at San Jose State, LaTorre was honored as both the 2018 San Jose Assistant Coach of the Year and the 2019 Fellowship of Christian Athletes Coach of the Year.
 
 
On the show we discuss last years national championship run, how they are attacking the transition from NAIA to division 2, and we go over lessons learned in his first season that set them up for success. You’re gonna love this episode with Tyler LaTorre.
 

Time stamps
01:00- national champs
07:00- fall development and the transition to d2
20:00- year 1 reflections
28:00- fear of failure
33:00- Pre season
42:00- in season / post season
50:00- quick hitters

Contact
EMAIL tlatorre@westmont.edu
PHONE 805-565-7092
Twitter-@tylerlatorre

Tyler LaTorre- Head Baseball Coach, Westmont College (CA)

Bio
Rob Valli has amassed 30 plus years of experience educating students and has worked at every level of baseball from youth to Major League Baseball.
Coach Valli is entering his 24th season of collegiate baseball with 20 years of experience as head coach That span includes an impressive 650+ wins, averaging 35 wins per season, 12 of 13 trips to the NJCAA World Series, and 1 NJCAA National Championship.
Regarded among the finest player development experts in college baseball; 28 of his players have been named All American, 72 advanced to professional baseball, including 7 major leaguers. The vast majority Gloucester players are receiving high value baseball scholarships at prominent universities. In 2019; 7 of alumni began professional baseball careers.
As a Major League Baseball Scout for 9 years; Valli served five with the Colorado Rockies and four with the Miami Marlins. Working primarily in the Northeast; his role was to identify and evaluate top high school and college prospects being considered for the amateur draft. Additional responsibilities included evaluating minor league players in opposing organizations and administering personality evaluations to top prospects.
Valli and his wife Sara have two children, Sophia and Alex.

Contact

Phone:
856 468 5000 Ext. 2213
Email:
rvalli@rcsj.edu

Robert Valli- Head Baseball Coach, Rowan College at Gloucester County South Jersey (NJ)

Referral link: https://www.neweracap.com/aotc
 
This episode of Ahead of the Curve is brought to you by New Era. New Era is the official headwear provider of the MLB, NFL, and NBA. If you love to rock New Era Caps as much as I do, then you won’t want to miss out on the opportunity to wear what the players wear AND get 15% off when you go to NEW ERA CAP DOT COM/AOTC and use code aotc at checkout. That's 15% off your order using promo code aotc.

Bio
Brook Cupps is the Head Boys’ Basketball Coach at Centerville High School in Ohio.  Brook graduated from Graham High School in St. Paris, Ohio near Springfield in 1995, and following a 4-year playing career at Capital University in Columbus, he returned to Graham.  He became the head coach in 2000 and spent 12 seasons at Graham.  In 2012, following his time with the Falcons, including a trip to the state semifinals, Coach Cupps left his alma mater to become the head coach at Centerville High School where he has earned several coach of the year honors while guiding the Elks to multiple sweet 16 and elite 8 appearances. His 2021 team recorded a school record 26 wins on the way to the Division I State Championship in Ohio, the first in school history.  His 2022 team was the state runner-up.
Brook is the author of the book “Surrender the Outcome”, teaches two leadership courses at Centerville and also writes a weekly blog on bluecollargrit.com
 
On the show we discuss installing culture, how to live out and establish core values, and we take a dive into application of roles and parent advice! You’re gonna love this episode with Brook Cupps!
 
Time stamps
01:00- intro
02:30- off season personal growth
10:30- installing culture
21:20- core values
43:00- application of roles
49:10- parent advice
53:00- Quick hitters
 
Contact
Twitter
Blog

Scott Pickens- Head Baseball Coach, Mid Michigan College

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