This week on the ABCA Podcast, we bring you a special episode recorded on location at the NJCAA Division III World Series in Auburn, New York.

We sat down with all eight head coaches competing for a national title to talk about their programs, postseason preparation, and what it means to be part of one of the most competitive events in junior college baseball.

Featured in this episode: Mark Tucker – Surry Community College (NC);  Johnny Johnson – Brookdale Community College (NJ);  Bill Fratto – Oakton Community College (IL);  Matt Clingersmith – SUNY Niagara; Jimmy Brenneman – Dallas College Richland (TX);  Jeff Mejia – Northern Essex Community College (MA);  Matt Erzar – Century College (MN); and Rob Valli – RCSJ-Gloucester (NJ). A special congrats to Valli and RCSJ-Gloucester on capturing their third straight NJCAA DIII National Championship!

Recruiting is time-consuming — but what if you could filter through the noise and find the right players in minutes for FREE? With ProLook, athletes create detailed profiles with verified stats, academics, and highlight videos, so you can search for exactly what you need and connect with top talent instantly. And it's FREE for college coaches. Download ProLook today to start searching for your next recruit among many other coaches features. Available for both Apple and Android devices. For more info visit www.ProLook.app.

The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

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This week on the ABCA Podcast, we bring you an episode recorded on location during the NCAA Division II Regional hosted at Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina.

We sat down with the four head coaches who were leading their programs through postseason play and captured their insights right in the heart of the action. Featured in this episode: Adam Skonieczki (Lenoir-Rhyne University),  Chris Anderson (Belmont Abbey College),  Tom Cantrell (University of North Georgia), and  Tom Griffin (Carson-Newman University).

These coaches share their thoughts on playoff preparation, in-season growth, player development, and what it means to compete on the national stage. It's a great inside look at high-level DII baseball from the dugouts of a regional battle.

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Next up on the ABCA Podcast is Kansas City Royals Executive Vice President & General Manager J.J. Picollo, who just wrapped up one of the most remarkable turnarounds in Major League Baseball history. Under his leadership, the Royals posted an 86-76 record in 2024—30 wins better than the previous season—earning a postseason berth and making Picollo the runner-up for MLB Executive of the Year.

In this episode, Picollo dives into the Royals’ recent success, including the offseason investments that helped spark the turnaround, such as the franchise-record extension for Bobby Witt Jr. and a league-leading $110M spent on free agents. We also discuss his 19-year journey with the Royals, his emphasis on player development, and how his early coaching days at George Mason and George Washington shaped his leadership style. Picollo offers a unique look into managing a staff, creating organizational alignment, and building a sustainable, winning culture from the ground up.

A “unicorn” in every sense of the word, Rawlings’ new limited-edition Icon Electric Unicorn BBCOR bat’s performance is fully charged and will leave the competition mystified! Its seamless, two-piece carbon construction maximizes barrel size while maintaining optimal stiffness and increased trampoline. With a balanced swing weight and slight end load, the Unicorn is best for athletes seeking speed thru the zone. Electrify your swing with the all-new Rawlings Icon Electric Unicorn bat!

The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

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This week on the ABCA Podcast is Mizzou assistant coach, Jabari Brown. Brown is entering his first season with the Tigers program after ABCA 4th Vice President Kerrick Jackson took over this past Summer. Brown spent the last 2 years on Tim Corbin’s staff at Vanderbilt, becoming the first recipient of the Maggie Corbin Minority Baseball Apprenticeship Scholarship. Brown coached at Eastern Kentucky University and received his Master’s degree in Sports Administration, while he was in Richmond, KY. Brown got his coaching start at Claflin University where he was a 4 year starter. In this episode we cover player development, strength training, finding the right mentors, the Chicago White Sox ACE program, and how to handle coaching at a new program. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Joining us on the ABCA Podcast this week is ABCA/ATEC NJCAA Div. III Coach of the Year Rowan College head coach, Rob Valli. Valli guided Rowan to a 53-5 record and an NJCAA Championship this season. Valli has taken Rowan to 12 out of the last 13 NJCAA World Series. Valli is entering his 24th season of collegiate baseball with 20 years of experience as a head coach. Valli has over 650 wins averaging 35 wins per season. Rowan College and Coach Valli have a great track record of sending players onto the pro and 4 year level with 69 going into professional baseball and 7 big leaguers so this episode is a deep dive into player development. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

This week on the ABCA Podcast is ABCA/ATEC Div. II High School Coach of the Year McPherson head coach, Heath Gerstner. McPherson High School has won back to back Kansas 4A State Championships. The Bullpups finished the season with a 21-4 record and outscored their tournament opponents 23-5. Gerstner is on the ABCA High School All America Committee and is a great example of why all high school coaches should be ABCA members. This episode is a deep dive into running a championship high school program. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Joining us on the ABCA Podcast this week is ABCA/ATEC Div. II Coach of the Year Angelo State head coach, Kevin Brooks. Brooks has guided the Angelo State baseball program to six NCAA Div. II College World Series appearances and captured the program’s first National Championship this year. Brooks is the only head coach in ASU baseball history and has not had a losing season during his tenure. The Rams are the only Lone Star Conference team to make the College World Series. The Rams finished with a 56-9 record, setting the program and LSC record for wins in a season. Brooks is a graduate of Baylor University and had previous coaching stints at Incarnate Word, Texas A&M, UTSA and Hardin-Simmons University. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Next up on the ABCA Podcast is Kofa High School head coach, Gabe Ortiz. Ortiz was honored with the 2023 Central Valley Region Coach of the Year Award after Kofa went 11-1 in region play. Ortiz is also a USA Baseball veteran helping with the Socal/SW NTIS and helping with the USA Baseball trials in Cary, NC. Ortiz has been at the forefront of outfield development. Ortiz spoke at the 2022 ABCA Chicago convention. I would highly recommend going back and watching his talk on developing athletic outfielders if you haven’t seen it. Ortiz will also be speaking at our UC-San Diego Barnstormers this Fall on reimagining your warm-up. He has some great ideas on an actionable warm-up to get your players game ready. Ortiz gives us a bunch of great nuggets in this one so get your pad and pen ready. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

This week on the ABCA Podcast is ABCA ATEC NJCAA Div. I Coach of the Year, Marty Smith. Smith has been the head coach at the College of Central Florida for 28 seasons with 865 career wins. The Patriots finished this season with 56 wins and winning their first World Series Championship in Grand Junction. Smith has a long history in the game and has been around some the best coaches we have had playing for Paul Mainieri at St. Thomas and coaching with Demie Mainieri at Miami Dade. Smith has a tremendous track record of producing high level 4 year college and professional baseball players. This is a great episode on being a lifelong learner. Smith has continued to push the College of Central Florida program forward by adjusting with the times. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

ABCA Podcast Part II with Nate Trosky. Trosky is one of the most forward-thinking infield coaches we have in the baseball community. Trosky has always had the ability to think outside the box and implement new ideas into his training. We had to end part I due to technical difficulties, but ended up being a huge positive because it allowed us to reset and go more in depth at a later date. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Joining us on the ABCA Podcast this week is one of the best infield minds we have in the game, Nate Trosky. There isn’t a place in the world that Trosky hasn’t touched coaching infielders. Trosky has been pushing the envelope in developing infielders for over 30 years. Trosky has contributed to over 10,000 players playing in college and over 500 in professional baseball including 20 plus first round MLB selections. This is a wide-open conversation on developing infielders. This is Part I of a two part series with Nate. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

The final on location episode takes us to Cedar Rapids, IA for the Div. III National Championship. We had a chance to sit down with Johns Hopkins’ Bob Babb, Baldwin Wallace’s Brian Harrison, Endicott’s Bryan Haley, Lacrosse’s Chris Schwartz, East Texas Baptist’s Jared Hood, Miscricordia’s Pete Engbert, Salisbury’s Troy Brohawn and Lynchburg’s Lucas Jones. Congrats to Lucas Jones and the Lynchburg program for capturing their first National Championship. Once again, thanks to all the coaches who took time to sit down with me. It is an extremely hectic time for coaches and can’t thank them enough for carving out time out of their busy schedules. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Joining us on the ABCA Podcast this week is North Carolina A&T recruiting coordinator, Elliott McCummings. McCummings has been an assistant for the Aggies since October 2021. Besides recruiting responsibilities, McCummings coaches the outfielders and hitters. Prior to A&T, McCummings spent time coaching at Austin Peay, Radford and Louisburg College. McCummings collegiate career started at Potomac State and finished at Jacksonville State. McCummings was a NJCAA second-team All-America freshman in 2013. In this episode we cover coaching outfielders, baserunning, hitting, the ABCA Diversity Committee, his coaching path and the mentors he has had along the way. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

This week on the ABCA Podcast, we’re joined by Rob Ducey, a 13-year MLB veteran and 2013 inductee into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. Ducey broke into the big leagues in 1987 with the Toronto Blue Jays and wrapped up his playing career with the Montreal Expos in 2001. In 2004, he made history as the first Canadian to play for Team Canada, the Blue Jays, and the Expos.

In this episode, Ducey shares what it takes to hit at the Major League level, lessons from his playing days, and how he’s using those experiences to develop high school players in Florida today. We also touch on his work as a scout and his role with Core Energy Belt.

A “unicorn” in every sense of the word, Rawlings’ new limited-edition Icon Electric Unicorn BBCOR bat’s performance is fully charged and will leave the competition mystified! Its seamless, two-piece carbon construction maximizes barrel size while maintaining optimal stiffness and increased trampoline. With a balanced swing weight and slight end load, the Unicorn is best for athletes seeking speed thru the zone. Electrify your swing with the all-new Rawlings Icon Electric Unicorn bat!

The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

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Two more weeks of on location episodes. This week we head to Enid, OK for the NJCAA Divi. II Championship. Enid is another bucket list location for a baseball fan. The NJCAA and the town of Enid provide a phenomenal student-athlete experience. These interviews were going on during the tournament, so thanks to the coaches for sitting down with me. In this episode we will hear from Frederick’s Rodney Bennett, St. John’s Rivers’ Ross Jones, Lackawanna’s Mike McCarry, South Arkansas’ Cannon Lester, Lansing’ Steven Cutter, Southeastern’s Justin Schulte and Heartland’s Chris Razo. Congrats to Heartland for bringing home their first NJCAA Baseball Championship. My Mother, Candace, was enrollment director there for a long time so happy for her and the Hawks. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

This week’s ABCA Podcast is an on-location episode from Lewiston, ID for the NAIA World Series. It was my first time in Lewiston and was impressed with how the event was run. The ABCA and Lewiston host a youth clinic the night before the tournament starts and had 600 kids this year. Lewis Clark State has hosted the National Tournament for 21 years. In this episode we will hear from Indiana Wesleyan’s Rich Benjamin, Taylor’s Kyle Gould, Bellevue’s Duane Monlux, Georgia Gwinnett’s Jeremy Sheetinger, Cumberlands Brad Shelton, Southeastern’s Adrian Dinkel, MidAmerica Nazarene’s Ryan Thompson, Lewis Clark’s Jake Taylor, and Westmont’s Tyler LaTorre. Congrats to Westmont for winning their first NAIA Championship. As always, I appreciate the coaches for taking time out of their schedules to sit down with me. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

We head over to youth baseball on this week’s ABCA Podcast. David Klein is the founder of Menlo Parks Legends Baseball and Speedball. Klein has been recognized by the Positive Coaching Alliance for his work with youth baseball. Klein founded Legends Camp in 2008. Klein is a self-described “Experience Designer & Holistic Coach”. Klein finished his college baseball career at UC-Santa Barbara and had a chance to play on the Jewish National Team for ABCA Hall of Famer, Jerry Weinstein. In this episode we cover holistic coaching, fixes for youth baseball, speedball, coaching this generation of kids and how to create a fun environment for players. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Next up on the ABCA Podcast is K25 and Top Tier West Owner & Director, Kris Jenkins. Jenkins has been coaching & training 6 year olds up to collegiate athletes for the last 16 years. The K25 facility is located in Aurora, west of Chicago where Jenkins grew up. Jenkins got his start coaching at Plainfield South High School. Jenkins was a tremendous 3 sport athlete at West Aurora High School and played collegiately at Triton and Illinois State University. Jenkins has great feel for blending new technology into coaching this generations’ baseball and softball players. You can watch his Barnstormers talk he gave on hitting on the website. In this episode we cover training, certifications, coaching hitters and differences between running a facility & coaching on the field. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

We have two very special guests on this week’s ABCA Podcast with the Kansas City Royals’ Shon Plack and Mike Arbuckle. Plack is the Manager of Sport Development for the Royals. Arbuckle is the Senior Advisor to the GM for Scouting and Player Development. Both have a wealth of experience in the game. Plack previously worked for PBR, Building Champions and coached at Avila. Arbuckle has worked at every level of professional baseball as a scout, getting his start in scouting with the Phillies and Braves. Arbuckle was the Assistant GM for the Phillies before coming over to the Royals. The Kansas City Royals have been at the forefront of community involvement in youth baseball and softball. Their Urban Youth Academy is a phenomenal facility in the heart of Kansas City. The Royals recently started “The Royals Amateur Development System”, R.A.D.S. which has a website full of information for youth baseball development. The Royals are in partnerships with 15 youth leagues in the metro Kansas City area in both baseball and softball. The link to the website is royals.mobilecoach.org. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Joining us on the ABCA Podcast this week are the Walking Tall Movement founders Dr. Vanetta LaRosa, Todd Blyleven and Chris Maliszewski. The Walking Tall Movement was born out of tragic events with Todd being involved in the Las Vegas shooting and Chris being involved in the Highland Park shooting. Their mission statement is “To inspire humanity to Walk Tall for those suffering with their mental health until they can Walk Tall on their own”. LaRosa is the founder of Helping Hands Children Services and received her Doctorate from SIU in Educational Psychology and Applied Behavior Analysis. Blyleven is the founder of the Scout Hub and was on the podcast with me in the Summer of 22’. Maliszewski played for and coached with me at the University of Iowa and now runs the Highland Park park district. My hope with this episode is to make it okay for people to open up and be vulnerable about their struggles during life’s journey. This is an open and honest conversation with the four of us. I hope that it helps someone out there be okay with reaching out when you are struggling or need help. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Next up on the ABCA Podcast is Colorada Mesa head coach, Chris Hanks. Hanks is in his 25th season with the Mavericks winning over 1000 games. He has averaged 40 wins a season. Hanks is a 24-year continuous member of the ABCA and has been an active committee member for the organization as Div. II Committee Chair. Hanks is also a member of the Competition, Organization and Rules Committees. Hanks has the Mavericks rolling this season with a 48-9 record and a 20 game winning streak heading into Super Regional play against Angelo State (May 26-27). Hanks was a standout player at the College of Southern Idaho being name to the NJCAA Golden Anniversary Team. The NJCAA honored 20 players and 2 coaches from the last 50 years. Hanks is an avid reader, so we dive into his favorite leadership books. We also cover leadership training, hitting development, what he has learned over his playing and coaching career and how he has changed his players workload late in the season to handle post season play. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Next up on the ABCA Podcast is Andrean High School head coach, Dave Pishkur. Pishkur started teaching at Andrean in 1977. Since then, he has built a powerhouse program in Northern Indiana. Pishkur has over 1000 wins and is now tied with Lafayette Central Catholic and ABCA member Tim Bordenet with 8 Indiana State Championships. Pishkur is a great example of persistence as it took him 25 years to win his first state championship. Pishkur has also found a way to stay current in his coaching with Andrean baseball having HitTrax, KVest and IPitch. In this episode we cover how to win a championship, developing high school athletes, blending new and old coaching techniques and Andrean baseball’s pillars for their program. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Joining us on the ABCA Podcast this week is Aberdeen Iron Birds manager, Roberto Mercado. Mercado is entering his second season as manager with the Orioles High A affiliate. Mercado spent 19 seasons coaching at New Britain High School and five seasons in the Cape Cod League with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox with ABCA Hall of Famer Scott Pickler. In this episode we cover the transition from coaching amateur to professional baseball, what he learned coaching high school and elite college players, outfield play, his role as manager, the outfield zoom chat we started during COVID and what he got out of presenting at the 2023 ABCA convention in Nashville. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Next up on the ABCA Podcast is Boston Red Sox catching coordinator, Tyson Blaser. Blaser is entering his first season with the Red Sox after 6 years working in the Yankees organization. Blaser signed a free agent contract with the Yankees out of the University of Iowa in 2011. Blaser spent 4 seasons playing in the Yankees organization. After he was released, Blaser started coaching and teaching at United Township High School in the Quad Cities. Blaser still gives lessons to youth and high school players in the offseason. This is a special episode for me since Tyson played for me at the University of Iowa from 2007-2011. In this episode we cover tips on getting a job in pro ball, all ages catching development, how to handle players with injuries and how to make things work in pro ball with your family. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Few coaches in college baseball have had the kind of long-term impact Mike Birkbeck has made at Kent State. Since becoming Associate Head Coach in 2004, Birkbeck has helped guide the Golden Flashes to 10 MAC regular season titles, 10 MAC Tournament championships, and 10 NCAA Regional appearances. Widely respected as one of the top pitching minds in NCAA Division I baseball, Birkbeck brings decades of playing and coaching experience to the mound.

In this episode, Birkbeck shares his philosophy on pitching development, program-building, and preparing players for the next level. With 53 former players going on to sign professional contracts—including big leaguers Andrew Chafin and Eric Lauer—his track record speaks for itself. Whether you’re a coach or a pitcher, this is a masterclass in long-term development and consistency.

A “unicorn” in every sense of the word, Rawlings’ new limited-edition Icon Electric Unicorn BBCOR bat’s performance is fully charged and will leave the competition mystified! Its seamless, two-piece carbon construction maximizes barrel size while maintaining optimal stiffness and increased trampoline. With a balanced swing weight and slight end load, the Unicorn is best for athletes seeking speed thru the zone. Electrify your swing with the all-new Rawlings Icon Electric Unicorn bat!

The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Download & Subscribe to the Podcast: https://www.abca.org/podcast

Online: https://www.abca.org

ABCA Member Benefits: https://www.abca.org/benefits

Become a Member: https://www.abca.org/apply

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On this week’s ABCA Podcast we check in with Coastal Carolina Associate Head Coach, Kevin Schnall. Schnall’s fingerprints are all over the Chanticleers program as a player and 20 years as an assistant coach. In Schnall’s 20 seasons, the Chanticleers have 15 NCAA Div. I Regional appearances, 35 All-Americans, top 5 winning percentage in Div. I, 13 conference tournament championships and the 2016 Div. I National Championship. Schnall spent 3 seasons (2013-15) at Central Florida. In this episode we cover recruiting and player development. I have a lot of respect for Coach Schnall and what he has done over the course of his career, so was excited to have him on. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Next up on the ABCA Podcast is Advanced Baseball Academy owner and ABCA Travel Committee member, Luke Town. Town has been working with baseball and softball players for 33 years. Town is also an NFCA member. Town has been studying biomechanics since 2000. Advanced Baseball Academy trains baseball and softball players from ages 8 up through professional. They have over 400 athletes in their organization. Advanced Baseball Academy implements suicide and bully prevention training as soon as athletes join the organization. This is an impactful episode on how to introduce this type of training with your organization. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Joining us on this week’s ABCA Podcast is Thomas Jefferson High School, Alexandria Aces, EWBC and DC Girls Baseball coach, Jennifer Hammond. Hammond also works for the Washington Nationals on the game day entertainment side. Hammond spent 5 seasons at Falls Church High School serving as Associate Head Coach of the JV Baseball Team and Varsity Assistant Coach. In this episode we cover catching, in game tips, coaching journey and differences in coaching youth, high school and college players. This is our second installment of our monthly diversity spotlight episodes. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Next up on the ABCA Podcast is Cox High School head coach, Matt Ittner. Ittner is in his sixth season at the helm of the Cox baseball program. Ittner is a 2008 graduate of Cox High School, where he was a 3-year varsity letterman for the baseball team. Ittner played baseball at College of Albermarle and Virginia Wesleyan. Ittner spent time at Salem High School and JV head coach at Cox. The 2021 Cox baseball team won the 5A State Championship. Get your pad and pen ready because Coach Ittner has a wealth of information and resources on program building. In this episode we cover the Iron Falcon Challenge, player development, game tips, how to manage your staff and how Cox baseball uses their military area to develop team building. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

This week on the ABCA podcast we head back into the training world with Rockland Peak Performance owner, Nunzio Signore. Rockland Peak Performance is a high-performance indoor training facility located in north New Jersey. RPP trains professional and amateur baseball players. Signore is the author of Velocity Baseball Training and Pitchers Arm Care. Signore has written articles for the ABCA’s Inside Pitch Magazine and has spoken at many of the larger baseball clinics in the US. Signore also has served as an adjunct professor at St. Thomas Aquinas College, teaching theories and applications of strength and conditioning. In addition, he is a lecturer at Springfield College, SUNY Cortland, and Penn State. In this episode we cover VBT, remote training, long term athlete development and new & old training protocols. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Next up on the ABCA Podcast is Troy University head coach, Skylar Meade. Meade is heading into his second season as head coach of the Trojans. Meade led Troy to a 32-win season and an appearance in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament semifinals last year. Meade spent 14 years as an assistant coach with stops at South Carolina, Michigan State, Middle Tennessee State and Eastern Illinois. Meade played collegiately at Louisville and led the Cardinals to a CWS appearance his senior season in 07’. Meade is highly regarded in the baseball industry as an elite pitching coach and recruiter. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

I want to thank everyone for listening to the ABCA Podcast. This is my 200th episode since taking over. I am so thankful for everyone that listens in every week. I appreciate when people reach out about what is speaking to them with the episodes. As always, I hope I am asking the right questions for you all. The ABCA Podcast was nominated for the Sports Podcast Awards again this year. If you want to vote for us, head over to sportspodcastgroup.com and put a vote in for the ABCA Podcast. We are starting monthly minority spotlight episodes. Kicking us off is Georgetown University Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator, Julius McDougal. McDougal was an integral part of the Hoyas’ historic 2022 season breaking program records for wins, home runs, total bases and end of season RPI. McDougal has had success at every stop of the way helping turn around Eastern Kentucky with back to back 30 win seasons in 18’ & 19’. Prior to Eastern Kentucky, McDougal, was an assistant and head coach at Stillman College. He got his coaching start as an assistant at Kentucky State University in 14’. This is a great episode on developing a winning culture, player development and coaching hitters. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

This week’s ABCA Podcast guest is current professional baseball player, Nashville artist and Proud To Be In Baseball cofounder, Bryan Ruby. Ruby played high school baseball for his father in Pennsylvania and collegiately at Vassar College. Ruby is currently playing for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes in Oregon. In the offseason he works in Nashville writing songs for country music. Heading into his senior season at Vassar, Ruby decided to come out to his coaches and teammates. Since then he has been an advocate for LGBTQ baseball players. Proud To Be In Baseball had a booth at the Nashville convention this year. Ruby has been coming to the ABCA convention with his father since he was a kid. This episode is an open and honest conversation about how inclusion can help the players that you coach. Ruby is a good example of how numbers on the field improve when players feel comfortable and seen. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

On this week’s ABCA Podcast we check in with Wake Forest Associate Head Coach, Bill Cilento. Cilento is in his 14th season with the Demon Deacons working primarily with hitters and infielders. He has a great track record of developing players with 65 drafts and 7 big leaguers. Wake Forest has had 19 hitters earn all-ACC honors the last five seasons, including National Player of the Year and first round pick Will Craig. Wake Forest has ranked in the top 50 nationally in home runs in six of the past seven seasons, also ranking among the nation’s leaders in batting average, doubles, walks, slugging and on-base percentage every season. The Deacs made the NCAA tournament in 2022 after posting the program’s seventh 40-win season. The 2022 team also broke school records for home runs, walks, RBIs, runs scored, runs per game and slugging percentage. Cilento played collegiately and coached at Siena. He also spent time coaching at New Orleans and Brown. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Staying on the MLB side with this week’s ABCA Podcast. We check in with Oakland A’s Major League pitching coach, Scott Emerson. Emerson grew up in Phoenix and was drafted by the San Diego Padres in 1990 out of Shadow Mountain High School and by the Baltimore Orioles in 1991 out of Scottsdale Community College. Emerson pitched in the minor leagues from 1992 to 1997. In 2000 Emerson joined the Pittsburgh Pirates Organization as Pitching Coach of their Gulf Coast League. Emerson joined the Athletics’ Organization in 2001. Emerson worked his way up through the minor leagues through 2014 and ended as the Athletics Minor League Pitching Coordinator. After the 2014 season Emerson was named the Athletics major league bullpen coach. Emerson was promoted to pitching coach on June 15, 2017. We cover all things pitching in this one. Emerson has a great perspective on how to blend the old with the new. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Virginia Tech associate head coach and recruiting coordinator Kurt Elbin has built one of the most explosive offenses in college baseball. Now in his seventh season with the Hokies, Elbin has helped shape a lineup that consistently ranks among the nation’s best in key offensive categories. Through 17 games this season, Tech’s hitters have posted a .314 batting average, 151 runs scored, 50 doubles, 21 home runs, and a .971 OPS—numbers that reflect Elbin’s expertise in hitting development and player recruitment.

In this episode, Elbin breaks down his approach to coaching hitters, the keys to developing a dynamic offense, and his experience recruiting across Division I, II, and III. From his early coaching days at Shippensburg and Thiel College to his success at VCU and Virginia Tech, he shares invaluable insights on building a winning program, hitting and player development!

A “unicorn” in every sense of the word, Rawlings’ new limited-edition Icon Electric Unicorn BBCOR bat’s performance is fully charged and will leave the competition mystified! Its seamless, two-piece carbon construction maximizes barrel size while maintaining optimal stiffness and increased trampoline. With a balanced swing weight and slight end load, the Unicorn is best for athletes seeking speed thru the zone. Electrify your swing with the all-new Rawlings Icon Electric Unicorn bat!

The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

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Next up on the ABCA Podcast is Houston Astros Assistant Director of Player Development and Minor League Coordinator, Jason Bell. Bell started his career path on the college side as the Director of Baseball Operations at Ohio University in 2015. From there Bell went on to be the pitching coach at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. In 2017 Bell was hired by the Houston Astros as the development coach for Quad Cities in 2017. In 2019 Bell was hired as the Astros fundamentals coordinator. That year the Astros led all 30 organizations with an overall fielding percentage of .975. With Major League pitchers and catchers reporting for Spring Training, we are jumping into a couple professional baseball episodes. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Best time of the year with every level of college baseball going now. Happy opening week of Div. I Baseball. Next up on the ABCA Podcast is our Div. I preview. We have an intelligent and entertaining line up of college baseball writers in this episode. New to this year’s Div. I preview is former college coach, Craig Cozart from Perfect Game. Then we hand it over to Teddy Cahill from Baseball America and we finish it off with D1Baseball’s Mike Rooney, Aaron Fitt & Kendall Rogers. As a life-long fan of College Baseball, this is always an exciting time of the year for me. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Next up on the ABCA Podcast is our NAIA, Junior College, Div. III and Div. II preview. Robby Gutierrez from NAIA Ball leads us off. After that we kick it over to Brian Sakowski from Perfect Game and Noah Sharp from the Juco Ball Blog to cover all things junior college baseball. Then we hand it over to Jordan Shusterman and Jake Mintz from Cespedes Family BBQ fame and the Podcast About Division III Baseball to talk all things Div III. Finally, we finish up with Wayne Cavadi, Wayne covers all things Div II for NCAA.com. This is the best time of the year with season’s already kicking off and season’s getting ready to start. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Our final January episode on the “Foundations for Optimal Living” is with Eleat Nutrition CEO and Owner, Angie Asche. Asche got her Bachelors of Science degrees in both Dietetics and Exercise Science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Asche went onto graduate school at Saint Louis University and earned her Registered Dietician title and a Masters of Science Degree in Nutrition & Physical Performance. Asche founded Eleat Nutrition in June 2014. She has worked with hundgreds of high school, college and professional athletes nationwide in MLB, NFL and NHL. We cover all things nutrition and supplements in this one to hopefully springboard you into a great season. This episode is sponsored by our friends at Rapsodo. The industry leader in baseball player development technology, has a special offer on their HITTING & PITCHING 2.0 units. Go to Rapsodo.com/rapsodo-savings and get up to a $1,000 off! Trusted by the best in baseball, Rapsodo is used by all 30 MLB teams, 100% of D1 Champions since 2010, and 100% of the Top 100 Prospects in this year’s MLB draft. Scott Brown, Vanderbilt’s pitching coach and associate head coach has this to say about Rapsodo, “everyone involved in teaching pitchers this day and age could benefit from owning Rapsodo and using it for immediate feedback to educate their pitchers.” Again, save up to $1,000 when you decide to train and build champions with Rapsodo. Visit Rapsodo.com/savings and take advantage of this great offer. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

The third Foundation for Optimal Living is exercise & movement. Today we check in with Texas Rangers Assistant Strength & Conditioning coach, Al Sandoval. Sandoval has over 15 years of experience working at the professional level with the Rangers, Angels and Rockies. Sandoval got his start in strength and conditioning working with the CSU-Pueblo baseball program. Sandoval is a certified & registered NSCA Strength and Conditioning Coach. Sandoval has been an integral part of the Professional Baseball Strength & Conditioning Coaches Society. You can dive into resources on their website at baseballstrength.org. I love his philosophy of strength and conditioning in professional baseball is to help athletes develop as much strength as possible then teach them to use that strength to put force into the ground in a quick, timely manner. This episode is sponsored by our friends at Rapsodo. The industry leader in baseball player development technology, has a special offer on their HITTING & PITCHING 2.0 units. Go to Rapsodo.com/rapsodo-savings and get up to a $1,000 off! Trusted by the best in baseball, Rapsodo is used by all 30 MLB teams, 100% of D1 Champions since 2010, and 100% of the Top 100 Prospects in this year’s MLB draft. Scott Brown, Vanderbilt’s pitching coach and associate head coach has this to say about Rapsodo, “everyone involved in teaching pitchers this day and age could benefit from owning Rapsodo and using it for immediate feedback to educate their pitchers.” Again, save up to $1,000 when you decide to train and build champions with Rapsodo. Visit Rapsodo.com/savings and take advantage of this great offer. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Continuing our Foundations for Optimal Living theme for this month on the ABCA Podcast is CEO and Founder of AIM7, Dr. Erik Korem. Erik played football at Texas A&M. He covered a lot of ground in the football world after graduating. He has traveled all over the world studying elite performance. He was in the NFL for 15 years as Sports Scientist and High-Performance Director. He was at William & Mary for 2 years as Associate Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Performance. And he also participated in the Presidential Leadership Scholars Program. This Episode is a deep dive into Sleep and High Performance. You can directly link mental and physical health issues to lack of sleep. Conversely, you can also link high performance to quality sleep. This was also Dr. Korem’s first experience with the ABCA Convention, so we get his thoughts on how everything went. This episode is sponsored by our friends at Rapsodo. The industry leader in baseball player development technology, has a special offer on their HITTING & PITCHING 2.0 units. Go to Rapsodo.com/rapsodo-savings and get up to a $1,000 off! Trusted by the best in baseball, Rapsodo is used by all 30 MLB teams, 100% of D1 Champions since 2010, and 100% of the Top 100 Prospects in this year’s MLB draft. Scott Brown, Vanderbilt’s pitching coach and associate head coach has this to say about Rapsodo, “everyone involved in teaching pitchers this day and age could benefit from owning Rapsodo and using it for immediate feedback to educate their pitchers.” Again, save up to $1,000 when you decide to train and build champions with Rapsodo. Visit Rapsodo.com/savings and take advantage of this great offer. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Our goal every year with the January episodes has been to shine a light on the foundations of optimal living. Hopefully, these episodes give you some tips you can implement with yourself personally or with your team. Next up on the ABCA podcast is Major League Mindset’s, Brandon Guyer. Guyer was drafted and signed by the Chicago Cubs coming out of the University of Virginia in 2010. Guyer made his major league debut in 2011 with the Tampa Bay Rays. Guyer retired from baseball July 20’. Because peak performance helped Guyer so much as a player, getting into the profession was always in the back of his mind. Guyer had the opportunity to play for Joe Maddon and work with Ken Ravizza with the Tampa Bay Rays. Guyer lso sights Heads Up Baseball as helping him in high school. In this episode we cover peak performance, mental health and fail forward moments. This episode is sponsored by our friends at Rapsodo. The industry leader in baseball player development technology, has a special offer on their HITTING & PITCHING 2.0 units. Go to Rapsodo.com/rapsodo-savings and get up to a $1,000 off! Trusted by the best in baseball, Rapsodo is used by all 30 MLB teams, 100% of D1 Champions since 2010, and 100% of the Top 100 Prospects in this year’s MLB draft. Scott Brown, Vanderbilt’s pitching coach and associate head coach has this to say about Rapsodo, “everyone involved in teaching pitchers this day and age could benefit from owning Rapsodo and using it for immediate feedback to educate their pitchers.” Again, save up to $1,000 when you decide to train and build champions with Rapsodo. Visit Rapsodo.com/savings and take advantage of this great offer. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

The ABCA Convention and the City of Nashville have a long history together. If you talk to anyone who has been to the ABCA convention and you ask them a favorite convention story, Nashville will probably come up at some point. Today’s episode covers everything you need to know about the convention. Our goal every year is to make this a wonderful experience for our attendees, guests, sponsors and exbibitors. I hope you enjoy and we look forward to seeing everyone at the 79th ABCA convention on January 5th. Thanks again for your support and trust. This episode is sponsored by our friends at Rapsodo. The industry leader in baseball player development technology, has a special offer on their HITTING & PITCHING 2.0 units. Go to Rapsodo.com/rapsodo-savings and get up to a $1,000 off! Trusted by the best in baseball, Rapsodo is used by all 30 MLB teams, 100% of D1 Champions since 2010, and 100% of the Top 100 Prospects in this year’s MLB draft. Scott Brown, Vanderbilt’s pitching coach and associate head coach has this to say about Rapsodo, “everyone involved in teaching pitchers this day and age could benefit from owning Rapsodo and using it for immediate feedback to educate their pitchers.” Again, save up to $1,000 when you decide to train and build champions with Rapsodo. Visit Rapsodo.com/savings and take advantage of this great offer. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Finishing up our 2023 ABCA Hall of Fame inductee podcasts is Slippery Rock head coach, Jeff Messer. Messer is heading into his 38th season at Slippery Rock University. Messer enters the 2023 season as the all-time winningest coach in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference history and his 1072 career victories put him 12th in Div. II baseball. Messer has led Slippery Rock to 13 NCAA Regionals and 4 College World Series appearances. Messer has done a tremendous job building consistency in the program with only three losing seasons in 37 years with only one scholarship. Messer has been instrumental to the ABCA with his work as the Div. II Committee Chair and as a Board Member. This is a great way to kick off convention week. We will have our convention preview with the ABCA Staff coming up tomorrow. Thanks again to everyone that has made this a record year for the ABCA. This episode is sponsored by our friends at Rapsodo. The industry leader in baseball player development technology, has a special offer on their HITTING & PITCHING 2.0 units. Go to Rapsodo.com/rapsodo-savings and get up to a $1,000 off! Trusted by the best in baseball, Rapsodo is used by all 30 MLB teams, 100% of D1 Champions since 2010, and 100% of the Top 100 Prospects in this year’s MLB draft. Scott Brown, Vanderbilt’s pitching coach and associate head coach has this to say about Rapsodo, “everyone involved in teaching pitchers this day and age could benefit from owning Rapsodo and using it for immediate feedback to educate their pitchers.” Again, save up to $1,000 when you decide to train and build champions with Rapsodo. Visit Rapsodo.com/savings and take advantage of this great offer. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Another titan in the game joins us this week on the ABCA Podcast with Jefferson High School head coach, John Lowery. Lowery is a well-deserved inductee in the 2023 Hall of Fame class. Lowery is heading into his 52nd season at Jefferson High School. Lowery has amassed 1392 wins, 12 West Virginia State Championships and 26 state tournament appearances. Lowery got an opportunity to coach all three of his sons in high school and all three went on to play college baseball. In this episode we discuss practice planning, holding players accountable, fundraising, history of West Virginia baseball players and we even had an opportunity to get some insight from his wife Vicky in this one. This episode is sponsored by our friends at Rapsodo. The industry leader in baseball player development technology, has a special offer on their HITTING & PITCHING 2.0 units. Go to Rapsodo.com/rapsodo-savings and get up to a $1,000 off! Trusted by the best in baseball, Rapsodo is used by all 30 MLB teams, 100% of D1 Champions since 2010, and 100% of the Top 100 Prospects in this year’s MLB draft. Scott Brown, Vanderbilt’s pitching coach and associate head coach has this to say about Rapsodo, “everyone involved in teaching pitchers this day and age could benefit from owning Rapsodo and using it for immediate feedback to educate their pitchers.” Again, save up to $1,000 when you decide to train and build champions with Rapsodo. Visit Rapsodo.com/savings and take advantage of this great offer. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

With 29 seasons at the helm of Catawba College baseball, Jim Gantt has built one of the premier programs in NCAA Division II. A three-time ABCA Region Coach of the Year and 12-time Conference Coach of the Year, Gantt has led the Catawba Indians to multiple national semifinal appearances, including an impressive 2024 season where his squad earned the program’s first-ever NCAA Regional hosting opportunity and finished the year ranked No. 3 in the country.

In this episode, Gantt shares insights into sustaining success at the collegiate level, building championship-caliber teams, and the coaching philosophies that have kept Catawba at the top of the game for nearly three decades. A member of the Catawba Sports Hall of Fame, Gantt’s leadership continues to shape the future of the program and the players who come through it.

A “unicorn” in every sense of the word, Rawlings’ new limited-edition Icon Electric Unicorn BBCOR bat’s performance is fully charged and will leave the competition mystified! Its seamless, two-piece carbon construction maximizes barrel size while maintaining optimal stiffness and increased trampoline. With a balanced swing weight and slight end load, the Unicorn is best for athletes seeking speed thru the zone. Electrify your swing with the all-new Rawlings Icon Electric Unicorn bat!

The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

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Next up on the ABCA Podcast is 2023 Hall of Fame inductee, Jerry Dawson. Dawson spent 37 seasons at Chaparral High School winning 773 games and 8 State Championships. Chaparral High School produced 7 big leaguers including Ike Davis, Paul Konerko and Brian Bannister. Dawson left Chaparral as the all-time winningest coach in the State of Arizona. In 2004 Dawson was honored with the ABCA/Diamond Sports National High School Coach of the Year Award. Dawson moved on to be the pitching coach at Yavapaii in 2010 and is currently the pitching coach at Scottsdale Community College. Dawson took his blueprint of developing players to Yavapaii. In Dawson’s 12 years at Yavapaii, they produced big leaguers Kenny Giles, Chance Adams and Jojo Romero. In this episode you will have an opportunity to see why Coach Dawson is still coaching at a high level. We get right into pitching development and player relationships. You will get an inside look at how important it is for coaches to develop a relationship with their players. This episode is sponsored by our friends at Rapsodo. The industry leader in baseball player development technology, has a special offer on their HITTING & PITCHING 2.0 units. Go to Rapsodo.com/rapsodo-savings and get up to a $1,000 off! Trusted by the best in baseball, Rapsodo is used by all 30 MLB teams, 100% of D1 Champions since 2010, and 100% of the Top 100 Prospects in this year’s MLB draft. Scott Brown, Vanderbilt’s pitching coach and associate head coach has this to say about Rapsodo, “everyone involved in teaching pitchers this day and age could benefit from owning Rapsodo and using it for immediate feedback to educate their pitchers.” Again, save up to $1,000 when you decide to train and build champions with Rapsodo. Visit Rapsodo.com/savings and take advantage of this great offer. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Joining us on the ABCA Podcast is 2023 Hall of Fame inductee, Dave Demarest. Demarest spent 34 seasons as head coach at La Quinta High School and is still the winningest coach in Orange County with 753 wins. He led La Quinta to 15 consecutive league championships from 1993-2007 and 3 CIF Championships. La Quinta has a great history of producing MLB players. Demarest coached future big leaguers Gerald Laird, Brandon Laird, Bobby Crosby, Ian Kennedy, Cole Garner, Jeff Heathcott and Ian Stewart. Demarest retired his position from teaching and head coach at La Quinta in 2007 but has stayed active coaching since. Demarest continues to give back to the game helping college, high school and youth teams in Southern California. This episode is sponsored by our friends at Rapsodo. The industry leader in baseball player development technology, has a special offer on their HITTING & PITCHING 2.0 units. Go to Rapsodo.com/rapsodo-savings and get up to a $1,000 off! Trusted by the best in baseball, Rapsodo is used by all 30 MLB teams, 100% of D1 Champions since 2010, and 100% of the Top 100 Prospects in this year’s MLB draft. Scott Brown, Vanderbilt’s pitching coach and associate head coach has this to say about Rapsodo, “everyone involved in teaching pitchers this day and age could benefit from owning Rapsodo and using it for immediate feedback to educate their pitchers.” Again, save up to $1,000 when you decide to train and build champions with Rapsodo. Visit Rapsodo.com/savings and take advantage of this great offer. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

With Covid pushing our 2020 ABCA convention to a virtual, we felt like it would be beneficial to interview our Hall of Fame inductees for that year. We have continued that tradition since. At the Hall of Fame banquet, our inductees only get 3 to 5 minutes to talk so these podcasts allow them to tell their stories and get a few more thank-you’s in before the ABCA convention. These have been some of my favorite interviews the last 3 years. I encourage you to go back and listen to past Hall of Fame interviews if you haven’t. I hope to see all of you at this year’s ABCA convention in Nashville. It truly is a celebration of the coaching community. We continue our 2023 ABCA Hall of Fame inductee podcasts with former Dublin Coffman and current Dublin Jerome head coach, Tim Saunders. Saunders will be our first OHSAA coach going into the ABCA Hall of Fame. Saunders retired from coaching Dublin Coffman after the Spring of 2020 after 33 seasons as head coach and 40 seasons coaching overall. He finished his career with 589 wins and .600 winning percentage. The Shamrocks had 10 league titles, five district championships, two regional titles and won the 2001 state championship. Saunders is an Ohio native and got his coaching start as an assistant at Portsmouth. Saunders took over the Meggs High School program in 1981 and spent time on Bob Morgan’s staff at IU before taking over the Dublin Coffman program in 1988. Saunders is a 38 year continuous lifetime member of the ABCA. He was the former ABCA High School Divisional Chair and past President of the Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association. He currently serves as the Executive Director of the NHSBCA. This episode is sponsored by our friends at Rapsodo. The industry leader in baseball player development technology, has a special offer on their HITTING & PITCHING 2.0 units. Go to Rapsodo.com/rapsodo-savings and get up to a $1,000 off! Trusted by the best in baseball, Rapsodo is used by all 30 MLB teams, 100% of D1 Champions since 2010, and 100% of the Top 100 Prospects in this year’s MLB draft. Scott Brown, Vanderbilt’s pitching coach and associate head coach has this to say about Rapsodo, “everyone involved in teaching pitchers this day and age could benefit from owning Rapsodo and using it for immediate feedback to educate their pitchers.” Again, save up to $1,000 when you decide to train and build champions with Rapsodo. Visit Rapsodo.com/savings and take advantage of this great offer. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.