The PBSCCS Podcast

Ben Loftis is in his second season as a Strength and Conditioning Coach in the Padres organization. He has spent both seasons in the AZL. Prior to joining the Padres, he was a graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach at the University of Sioux Falls (June 2016-January 2018). He oversaw training of baseball, track and field, golf, and assisted with football. While coaching, he obtained his Master's of Business Administration. Prior to Sioux Falls, he served as an assistant at the University of Arkansas (2015-2016) in Olympic Sports, primarily working with baseball. Prior to Arkansas, Loftis interned with football strength and conditioning at Iowa State University (Spring 2015). He recieved his Bachelor's in Exercise Science with a concentration in Strength and Conditioning from Northwestern College in Orange City, IA. While attending NWC, he was a member of the football team and also served as a student assistant strength coach. Loftis has his CSCS through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, a Level 1 Coaching Certification from the United States Weightlifting Association (USAW1), and is Reflexive Performance Reset (RPR) Level 1 certified.

Topics covered in this episode:

-His best professional baseball story

-Mental toughness & resiliency

-Faith & Belief

Quotes:

-"Are you dominating absolutely everything under your control?" (10:30)

-"The process never ends" (13:10)

-"Are we putting people first?" (24:02)

If you would like to learn more from Ben, you can follow him on social media:

Instagram:

@loftistrong

Twitter:

@loftistrong

Travis Smith is currently entering his ninth season with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. His current role is Major League Strength and Conditioning Coach. He began his career in professional baseball in 2011 as the AAA Strength Coach for the Miami Marlins organization and was the 2015 MiLB Pacific Coast League Strength Coach of the Year.

He has a Master’s degree in Applied Exercise Science from Concordia University of Chicago and a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Taylor University. He is also a Certified Massage Therapist.

He was born and raised in Chicago, IL, and currently resides in Arcadia, CA with his wife, Michelle, their daughter, Savannah, and their son, Travis Jr.

Topics covered in this episode:

-Brawls in the minor leagues

-Massage Therapy

-The Los Angeles Dodgers Strength & Conditioning / Sports Science Symposium

Quotes:

-"When I say constantly learning I mean constantly learning and applying the information as we go" (10:41)

-"Coaching is a skill" (17:06)

-"Wherever you are on the hierarchy you can lead" (19:36)

If you would like to learn more from Travis, you can check out the link to the Dodgers Symposium below:

https://www.mlb.com/dodgers/fans/sports-symposium

Brittany Wiebe just completed her second season with the Houston Astros organization as a strength and conditioning coach in the Dominican Republic.

Prior to joining Houston, Wiebe worked as a graduate assistant for the football and Olympic sports programs at the University of Missouri from 2016-18. During the summer of 2016, she served an Olympic sport strength and conditioning internship with Clemson University.

Wiebe has also served strength and conditioning internships at Sanford Power Center, and at North Dakota State University.

Wiebe graduated from the University of Missouri with a Master of Education degree in May of 2018. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science from North Dakota State University in 2016. While at NDSU, Wiebe was a guard on the women’s Division I basketball team.

Wiebe is an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), a certified USA Weightlifting- level one sports performance coach, and is certified by the American Red Cross in CPR/AED/First Aid.

Topics covered in this episode:

-Her best professional baseball story

-Life in the Dominican Republic

-Locomotion and crawling

Quotes:

-"Something new happens every day. There's definitely a lot of adversity out here" (5:18)

-"Love what you do. Be passionate to go to work everyday" (13:48)

-"I always like to think people first" (14:06)

If you would like to learn more from Brittany, you can follow her on social media:

Instagram:

@coach.bwiebes

Alan Burr just completed his seventh season as a Strength and Conditioning Coach with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. He has spent the last three years in AAA Indianapolis. He spent 2016 and 2014 in AA Altoona, 2015 in high-A Bradenton, and 2013 in low-A West Virginia. He spent six years in the collegiate ranks prior to entering professional baseball. He was the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Florida International University in 2011-2012 and worked in the same capacity at Central Connecticut State University from 2008-2011. He was a Strength and Conditioning Coach intern during the summer of 2008 at Georgia Institute of Technology and was also a Graduate Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Appalachian State University from 2006-2008. He began his strength and conditioning coaching career at Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning in the summer of 2006.

He is both CSCS and RSCC through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and is also a member of the Professional Baseball Strength and Conditioning Coach Society. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from East Carolina University in 2005 and a Master’s degree in Exercise Science from Appalachian State University in 2008.

He currently resides in Clay, NY with his wife Erin and their two sons, Carter and Weston.

Topics covered in this episode:

-His best professional baseball story

-Technology in sport

-Spending a day at Westside

Quotes:

-"I'd say right now the hot topic is technology" (4:33)

-"Always strive to learn more" (6:30)

-"Be where your feet are" (9:52)

If you would like to learn more from Alan, you can follow him on social media:

Instagram:

@sccoach_burr

Twitter:

@SCCoachBurr

Jordan Sidwell just finished his first season as the AA strength and conditioning coach in the Atlanta Braves organization after spending the 2018 season with High-A Florida. Previously, Sidwell worked in the collegiate setting as a strength coach at the University of Maine (2017), South Dakota State University (2015-2017) and Northwestern University (2014-2015). Sidwell is a 2014 graduate of North Park University, where he played baseball and earned a degree in Exercise Science. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Nutrition and Exercise Sciences from South Dakota State University. Outside of baseball, Sidwell is a competitive powerlifter in the 83kg weight class.

Topics covered in this episode:

-His best professional baseball story

-Adventures in Spanish speaking

-Pain Science

Quotes:

-"I think it's one of the cool things about this profession is that you end up living some places that you never thought you'd be because the job takes you there" (1:37)

-"How you frame everything is really important" (8:57)

-"You also, I think, need to make your own decisions versus just listening to what everyone is putting out there on social media and blog posts" (14:32)

If you would like to learn more from Jordan, you can follow him on social media:

Instagram:

@coachjsidwell

Twitter:

@CoachJSidwell

Taylor Haslinger is a native of southwest Florida and is a recent graduate from Webber International University with an MBA in sports management, along with a B.S. in Exercise Science from Florida Gulf Coast University. He has had previous stops in strength and conditioning with his alma maters Webber International University, Florida Gulf Coast University, the University of Kentucky, and Boston Red Sox organization. He is currently the GCL strength and conditioning coach and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) through the NSCA.

Topics covered in this episode:

-His best professional baseball story

-Branding and his Master's program

-NSCA Weightlifting Special Interest Group

Quotes:

-"Sometimes less is more" (5:18)

-"Do they really understand why?" (7:32)

-"We are who our mentors are" (17:16)

If you would like to learn more from Taylor, you can follow him on social media:

Instagram:

@t_has

Twitter

@t_haslinger

or on the NHSSCA website:

https://nhssca.us/

Joseph Miranda is currently a strength and conditioning coach in the Cincinnati Reds organization where he just completed his second season at class Double-A Chattanooga (2019) and Pensacola (2018). Prior to joining the Reds, Miranda spent two seasons in the Colorado Rockies organization (2014-2015) and one season with the Boston Red Sox (2016). Joseph graduated from Maryville College in 2011 and earned his Masters Degree in Exercise Science from George Washington University in 2013. He holds his CSCS and RSCC certifications through the National Strength & Conditioning Association and is Functional Movements Screen level 1 certified.

Topics covered in this episode:

-His best professional baseball story

-Supplements in professional baseball

-The "Daily Dose" Program

Quotes:

-"There's no need to rely on supplements" (5:03)

-"There should be a reason why you're taking your supplements" (7:58)

-"Guys can lift every day during the season" (10:48)

If you would like to learn more from Joseph, you can read his article on the PBSCCS website:

http://baseballstrength.org/a-minimalist-approach-to-supplements-by-joseph-miranda-ms-cscs-rscc/

or by following him on social media:

Twitter:

@JosephDMiranda

Derek Mendoza is in his sixth season as a Sports Performance Specialist in the Mariners organization, and fourth with Tacoma. He served as the performance coach with AA Jackson in 2015 and the Dominican Summer League Mariners in 2014. Prior to joining the Mariners, he was a Supervisor of Sports Performance for Texas Health Resources (2012-13) and Director of Strength Programs at Performance Course (2007-12). He obtained a Bachelors (2007) and a Masters Degree (2009) in Kinesiology while playing football at the University of North Texas. He is RSCC (Registered Strength and Conditioning Specialist) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, FRCms Functional Range Conditioning Mobility Specialist, and PN-2 Precision Nutrition Level 2 Certified Sports and Exercise Nutrition.

Topics covered in this episode:

-His best professional baseball story

-30 Days of Hip Health / 15 Days of Shoulder Health

-Sleep and supplements

Quotes:

-"I want to provide value for people however I can" (6:12)

-"If you can get guys to move better, overall they're going to feel better" (7:38)

-"Sleep is the most important supplement" (13:27)

If you would like to learn more from Derek, you can follow him on social media:

Instagram:

@findyourprime

This brief episode marks the two year anniversary of The PBSCCS Podcast. The episode covers both the current and future states of the podcast.

Current state topics:

-Statistics of the podcast

-Availability of the podcast

Future state topics:

-Potential sponsorships

-Branching out to other areas of development

-Additional interviews with strength coaches in professional baseball

If you are enjoying the podcast, please leave ratings and reviews on iTunes - this will help the outreach of the podcast grow.

If you want more information from the PBSCCS, you can follow along on social media:

Twitter:

@PBSCCS

or go to the website:

http://baseballstrength.org/

Thank you to all the listeners and guests for the support over the first two years of this podcast!

Jarret Abell enters his first season as the Royals’ Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coordinator, after serving as the Strength & Conditioning coach with Northwest Arkansas (2017-2018), Wilmington (2016), Lexington (2015) and Idaho Falls (2014).

He received his Masters degree in Exercise Science from Wichita State University in 2013, where he worked with four women’s Olympic sport teams, baseball, and basketball. Shortly after that, he worked with the TCU football, baseball, and basketball teams off-season strength & conditioning before joining EXOS in Gulf Breeze, FL and then, EXOS in Phoenix, AZ as a performance specialist. Jarret played collegiate football at Butler Community College & Bethel College and now resides in Phoenix, with his wife, Ashley and daughters, Avery and Zoe.

Topics covered in this episode:

-Being Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year

-Training pitchers

-Using continuing education as an investment

Quotes:

-"Do basic things savagely well" (6:04)

-"I like to think of things in movement patterns opposed to exercises" (9:16)

-"Pitchers are truly athletes...we have to train them like the elite athletes they are" (10:28)

If you would like to learn more from Jarret, you can follow him on social media:

Instagram:

@abelljt

Twitter:

@abelljt1