The PBSCCS Podcast

Yannick Plante is entering his sixth season within the Kansas City Royals organization. He is working the 2024 season as the Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Surprise Royals after working three seasons in the same role with Triple-A Omaha. He is also serving as a Rehab Strength & Conditioning Coach. In the fall of 2019, Yannick was a staff member of the Surprise Saguaros during the Arizona Fall League. Plante has a master’s degree in kinesiology from the University of Calgary and a bachelor’s degree in human kinetics with specialization in biophysics from the University of Ottawa. He is from Ottawa, Ontario and currently lives in Phoenix, Arizona.

Topics covered in this episode:
-His journey throughout the Minor League system
-The benefits of working in Rookie Ball
-The balance between technology and the human element of coaching

Quotes:
-"In Arizona, with the younger group, we're working on building solid routines, having consistency in their training, understanding exercises and why they have to do them" (8:32)
-"I think as we go forward the Arizona Complex is gonna have a lot of people looking for those positions if they can't move up or for whatever reason" (12:08)
-"If you can just take a moment and just appreciate what's in front of you and the person, and enjoy the session with them and coach them through it, over the course of the long-run you're gonna get buy-in from that athlete, and you're gonna be able to measure the things that are deemed important" (23:56)

If you'd like to learn more from Yannick, you can follow him on social media:

Twitter:
@YannPlantz

Instagram:
@yannplantz

Mark Weisman is currently working in the Chicago Cubs organization as the Minor League Strength and Conditioning Coordinator. Mark has been part of the organization since 2022. Prior to the Cubs, he worked at the University of Iowa as both an intern and Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach with football (2016-2020), was the Director of Sports Performance at Southeast Missouri (2020-2021), and was a Performance Coach at SPEAR Training in Chicagoland (2021-2022).

Mark completed his undergraduate work at the University of Iowa (BA Health and Human Physiology) and his graduate work at Cal U in PA (MS Performance Enhancement & Injury Prevention). Mark was born and raised in Buffalo Grove, IL.

Topics covered in this episode:
-Being Minor League Coordinator and developing a culture
-Advice for others and finding success
-Continuing education resources

Quotes:
-"As coaches we're holding you accountable, but as players, you also need to take accountability for what you're going to do" (2:15)
-"We have the backing of the whole organization right now, which is huge" (15:53)
-"It's crazy because a lot of the stuff that people think is new and sexy was old Russian training" (21:47)

If you'd like to learn more from Mark, you can follow him on social media:

Twitter:
@CoachWeisman

Instagram:
@mweisman45

Mark Weisman is currently working in the Chicago Cubs organization as the Minor League Strength and Conditioning Coordinator. Mark has been part of the organization since 2022. Prior to the Cubs, he worked at the University of Iowa as both an intern and Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach with football (2016-2020), was the Director of Sports Performance at Southeast Missouri (2020-2021), and was a Performance Coach at SPEAR Training in Chicagoland (2021-2022).

Mark completed his undergraduate work at the University of Iowa (BA Health and Human Physiology) and his graduate work at Cal U in PA (MS Performance Enhancement & Injury Prevention). Mark was born and raised in Buffalo Grove, IL.

Topics covered in this episode:
-His time spent working with football and his journey into baseball
-His introduction to Minor League baseball
-"Traditional" strength training

Quotes:
-"Just having that consistency. Being able to do well with the highs and be able to overcome those lows. I think that's what a lot of baseball players aren't missing, but need to learn, especially these young guys" (5:40)
-"I think we've gotten away from training. The basics. The foundations" (17:01)
-"It should never be we're the 'old school' guys, we're the 'new school' guys. It's we're the guys that want to get these guys to be the best baseball players, in this case, that they possibly can be, and what we need to do to get them there thinking long-term" (21:44)

If you'd like to learn more from Mark, you can follow him on social media:

Twitter:
@CoachWeisman

Instagram:
@mweisman45

Andy King is in his 11th year with the Giants and his fourth as Coordinator, Minor League Strength & Conditioning. Prior to this role, he spent the previous three years with Triple-A Sacramento. He also had stops with Richmond, San Jose and with short-season Salem-Keizer. He previously spent a year and a half as the Athletic Performance Graduate Assistant at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls where he worked with all 19 NCAA teams. King has his B.A. in Exercise & Sports Science with a concentration in Physical Therapy from Hamline University and a Master’s Degree in Kinesiology from the University of Central Missouri. He is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and Registered Strength & Conditioning Coach with Distinction (RSCC*D) through the NSCA. He currently resides in Phoenix with his wife, Daniella, and their twins, son Morgan and daughter Raegan.

Topics covered in this episode:
-Being a Minor League Strength and Conditioning Coordinator
-Finding quality new hires
-Continuing education resources

Quotes:
-"I think adversity is beautiful" (1:27)
-"We want you to get your hands-on coaching experience because that's the best way to learn" (3:13)
-"This is an area we're passionate about because staff development is player development. If our staff are continuing to get better then ultimately our players are gonna get better, too" (16:40)

If you'd like to learn more from Andy, you can follow him on social media:

Twitter:
@CoachAK15

Instagram:
@CoachAK15

If you'd like to learn more about the camp discussed in the previous episode, you can follow the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3m1qxXoPfUA

Andy King is in his 11th year with the Giants and his fourth as Coordinator, Minor League Strength & Conditioning. Prior to this role, he spent the previous three years with Triple-A Sacramento. He also had stops with Richmond, San Jose and with short-season Salem-Keizer. He previously spent a year and a half as the Athletic Performance Graduate Assistant at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls where he worked with all 19 NCAA teams. King has his B.A. in Exercise & Sports Science with a concentration in Physical Therapy from Hamline University and a Master’s Degree in Kinesiology from the University of Central Missouri. He is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and Registered Strength & Conditioning Coach with Distinction (RSCC*D) through the NSCA. He currently resides in Phoenix with his wife, Daniella, and their twins, son Morgan and daughter Raegan.

Topics covered in this episode:
-Spending over a decade with the San Francisco Giants organization
-His best professional baseball moments
-San Francisco Giants Minor League Strength and Conditioning Camp in San Francisco

Quotes:
-"When the players have success, we all have success" (12:14)
-"But what I've always appreciated is the process of getting better, whatever better means for that individual. It's not always cute, but consistency is key" (13:41)
-"We've gone throughout the city to give them an experience of being in the city of San Francisco. But also they play catch, take ground balls, hit BP on the field because it's a Major League stadium, and no matter how many times you're there, it's one of the coolest things you're ever gonna do" (26:36)

If you'd like to learn more from Andy, you can follow him on social media:

Twitter:
@CoachAK15

Instagram:
@CoachAK15

If you'd like to learn more about the camp discussed in the episode, you can follow the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3m1qxXoPfUA

Connor Rooney is starting his 3rd season in professional baseball. Prior to working in Professional Baseball, Connor was a High Performance Trainer at Driveline Baseball from 2019-2022, and a Graduate Assistant Strength & Pitching Coach Connor Graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science & Psychology from Keiser University in 2019. While playing at Keiser, Connor was the assistant pitching coach for his JV team, and interned with the Football team. Pro Ball Resume: January 2022 - June 2022: Rehab Hitting & Assistant Pitching Coach June 2022 - February 2023: Rehab Strength & Conditioning Coach February 2023 - September 2023: AA Strength & Conditioning Coach September 2023 - Present: Rehab Strength & Conditioning Coach

Topics covered in this episode:
-Learning through your own training
-Return to Peak Performance and what that entails
-Advice for others and continuing education resources

Quotes:
-"I just love the learning experience that I'm getting from actually going out and doing it myself" (4:23)
-"We tell the guys all the time the training should be fun" (21:29)
-"We don't just want to return them to performance; we want them to return to the best they've ever been, if not better" (23:17)

If you'd like to learn more from Connor, you can follow him on social media:

Instagram:
@rooneyperformance

Twitter:
@ConnorRooney23

Connor Rooney is starting his 3rd season in professional baseball. Prior to working in Professional Baseball, Connor was a High Performance Trainer at Driveline Baseball from 2019-2022, and a Graduate Assistant Strength & Pitching Coach Connor Graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science & Psychology from Keiser University in 2019. While playing at Keiser, Connor was the assistant pitching coach for his JV team, and interned with the Football team. Pro Ball Resume: January 2022 - June 2022: Rehab Hitting & Assistant Pitching Coach June 2022 - February 2023: Rehab Strength & Conditioning Coach February 2023 - September 2023: AA Strength & Conditioning Coach September 2023 - Present: Rehab Strength & Conditioning Coach

Topics covered in this episode:
-Superstition vs. Preparation
-Movement Screens
-Working in a rehab setting

Quotes:
-"I'm honestly open to anything. I just love helping guys perform well on the field" (5:45)
-"Some guys don't have it on the table, but they do it on the mound. And then some guys are the opposite, they have it on the table, they don't have it on the mound" (17:27)
-"Like I said, it can be very monotonous at times, but it's a very different experience than you'd have going to an affiliate" (35:13)

If you'd like to learn more from Connor, you can follow him on social media:

Instagram:
@rooneyperformance

Twitter:
@ConnorRooney23

BJ Foley is entering his second season as the Rehab Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Boston Red Sox organization. Prior to joining the Red Sox he worked as an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Kansas State University directly overseeing the Baseball, Men’s and Women’s Golf programs. Other stops include Graduate Assistant at the University of West Florida, 108 Performance and Cressey Sports Performance.

Education and Certificates:
University of West Florida: Master of Science, Human Performance and Physical Education
University of Massachusetts-Lowell: Bachelor of Science, Exercise Physiology
National Strength & Conditioning Association: Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS)
National Strength & Conditioning Association: Registered Strength & Conditioning Specialist (RSCC)

Topics covered in this episode:
-Working in a collaborative environment
-Finding success as a strength and conditioning coach
-Advice for others and continuing education resources

Quotes:
-"It's been awesome, but it is certainly challenging at times. But, you know, when you get it right it's rewarding" (10:01)
-"There's no magic exercises. There's no magic schemes. There's no magic periodization plan. The magic is knowing what gets each guy going" (15:34)
-"It just makes you realize if you have one thing that you're passionate about go learn that" (32:20)

BJ Foley is currently the Rehab Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Boston Red Sox organization. He has had previous stops at Kansas State, West Florida, and Cressey Sports Performance.

Topics covered in this episode:
-Life at the Complex
-Slow cooking the training process
-Being a rehab strength and conditioning coach

Quotes:
-"I think general training gets pushed to the wayside a lot sooner than most people want to give it credit for" (13:38)
-"And that's where it's like that slow progression builds the foundation that you stand on" (19:47)
-"They're all athletes. They all want to compete, so that part's huge" (36:28)

This episode of The PBSCCS Podcast is a group discussion on blending the weightroom and on-field skill development. This is Part Three of the interview.

Speakers:
-Logan Jones (Chicago White Sox)
-Nate Friedman (Arizona Diamondbacks)

Questions/topics covered in this episode:
-Player-led cultures
-Training under fatigue
-Health vs. Performance
-Closing remarks

Quotes:
-"One of my favorite pieces is that I think the best cultures in sports are player-led cultures" - Nate Friedman (2:46)
-"And if we're just being honest we work in a very gray environment that's such a technical, highly-skilled endeavor" - Logan Jones (6:35)
-"But it always comes back to the willingness to put yourself out there, the willingness to be vulnerable, the willingness to check your ego, the willingness to be okay with failure and learn from it, and the willingness to know that even in a results-based world, you need to be okay with falling in love with the process and learning the methods to then get those results" - Nate Friedman (28:02)
-"We're here to help guide, educate, and mold these people's lives" - Logan Jones (31:46)

If you would like to learn more from the guests on this episode, you can follow them on social media:

Instagram:
@logan_jones95 - Logan Jones

Twitter:
@Logan_Jones95 - Logan Jones