Great Summer Ahead! Make Sure You Are Productive and Continue to Improve!
Summer is here! Golden State Sports Training and Recruiting Services has a full line-up of events to help athletes improve during this off-season. This time of the year is critical in making major improvements in athletes. More time can be devoted to structured workouts with specific performance goals in mind. Why devote time to workouts in the summer?
Maintain acquired skills.
Learn new skills.
Improve current skills.
Improve physical condition.
Learn a new position.
Get an edge on your competition BEFORE next season.
Strengthen more than your thumbs this summer. (i.e. lay off the video games!!)
Meet new friends with the same athletic goals you have.
Challenge yourself to meet your sports goals.
Investing quality time to make yourself better.
Check out the events we have planned for this summer. There is something for everyone! Don’t just sit around this summer! Get Better Now, Keep Getting Better!
SUMMER EVENTS for JULY 2009
JULY
6-Week “S3A” Training (Stability, Strength, Speed, Agility)
« 9am – 10:30am Players of all ages
« Meets every Tuesday and Thursday for 6 weeks at Stadium Golf Center
« Program begins June 30, ends August 6th
« Highly recommended that athletes commit to attending every session for maximum benefit
« Become a better athlete by improving sport specific movements
« Have fun getting in shape and becoming a better athlete!
« Fees: $30 per session, OR $239 for all 12 sessions (SAVE 33%)
7-Week Arm Strength and Arm Speed Advanced Training at
Southwestern College
« 9am – 10:30am Enrollment by approval only. Please call for information.
« Meets every Monday and Wednesday
« Program meets July 1, ends August 13
« Highly intense, comprehensive training program for advanced throwers
« Program designed to maximize arm strength while minimizing joint stress
« Decrease likelihood of injury
« Increase stamina and velocity
« Fee: $469 for all 7 weeks if registered by June 24. $629 after June 24, or 1st day of program
Pitching Clinic – July 8 at Stadium Golf Center
« 9am – 10am Ages 8-11
« Learn the fundamentals of the pitching delivery
« Great introduction to pitching for young players
« Learn proper warm up techniques
« Fee: $20 Enrollment is limited to 12 athletes. First come, first serve basis.
Pitching and Catching Clinic - July 23-24 at Southwestern College
« 5pm – 7pm All ages
« Learn individual position skills
« Develop the communication skills for effective catcher/pitcher relationship
« Defensive skills will be emphasized
« Learn pitch grips and effective use of the strike zone
« Develop a throwing routine to increase arm strength
« Fee: $79
The Hitting School- starts July 2 at Stadium Golf Center
« Fundamentals of swing mechanics for baseball and softball
« Every Tuesday night, 6-7pm
« Fees: $35 per session, or $129 for 5 sessions (SAVE over 25%)
« Class limited to 10 students. First come, first serve registration.
SUMMER EVENTS for JUNE 2009
JUNE
The Hitting School- starts June 2 at Stadium Golf Center
« Fundamentals of swing mechanics for baseball and softball
« Every Tuesday night, 6-7pm
« Fees: $35 per session, or $129 for 5 sessions (SAVE over 25%)
« Class limited to 10 students. First come, first serve registration.
**Advanced Hitting School- starts June 2 at Southwestern College
« Improve swing mechanics, plus learn timing & plate discipline
« Includes video analysis of swing
« Tailored for competitive club, high school, college players
« Meets every Tuesday, 6-7pm
« Fees: $45 per session, $169 for all 5 sessions (SAVE 25%)
« Class limited to 10 students. **Call for registration.
3-Day Pitching Clinic- June 22-24 at Stadium Golf Center
« 9am – 10:30am Players ages 8-10
« 10:30am- Noon Players 11 and up
« Fundamentals of pitching mechanics, proper warm-up, arm care
« Fee: $99
Fundamentals of Catching – June 29-30 at Stadium Golf Center
« 9am -11am, Players of all ages
« Must bring own catcher’s gear
« Fundamentals of receiving, throwing, and blocking skills
« Fee: $89
Ying and Yang: Training Load and Recovery Time
I hope everyone had a wonderful and restful Easter. In my last post, I wrote about how baseball rewards the persistent athlete. It rewards the “grinder.” This post is a reminder that the “yang” to the “ying” of being a grinder, is rest. All athletes, in any sport, need rest. It may be rest to allow the body to physically heal and recover, or it can be a rest to allow an athlete’s mind to slow down and re-energize. When the an athlete’s training load is not balanced properly with recovery, training may become counterproductive and there can be a decline in performance. This is normally termed “burnout.” What are the signs of burnout? Check out these symptoms adapted from information from the Mayo Clinic.
- Loss of interest and passion toward training and games
- Declining attitude during training and games. Experiencing negative, sarcastic, or cynical attitudes.
- Decreased motivation to go to practice or to train
- Increased irritability and impatience toward teammates and coaches, and toward training goals or performance
- Feelings of an inability to overcome barriers (real or perceived) within your sport
- Lack of energy or motivation
- Difficulty in finding satisfaction with your achievements
- Inability to laugh at yourself, or enjoy your activity
If you are experiencing any of these, it is time for a break. Be sure to allow yourself adequate time to rest yourself physically, emotionally, and psychologically.
What can yo do to turn things around? What can you do if you are feeling burned out? Here are a few things that can help you get back on track.
Focus on things that are in your control. Signs of burnout can often result from feelings of being overwhelmed. Too much practice, too many games, too studying…it can feel as though things are out of control. Focus on your time management, your effort, and your level of concentration on the task at hand.
Take the time to re-define your goals and expectations. It is easy to lose sight of these when mentally fatigued, or physically injured. Remind yourself of what you are trying to accomplish.
Re-evaluate your values. Feelings of guilt can creep in if your values are not lined up with what you are trying to accomplish. Evaluate what is important to you and manage your time to make what is important to you a priority in your routine.
Change your routine regularly. Monotony, doing the same thing the same way all the time, or the opposite, being completely disorganized, with nothing being the same at any time, can create situations in which there is constant effort to create motivation, or planning. These can wear on you over time.
I love this game!
I was speaking with my best friend last night. We met 30 years ago. We found out that we were placed on the same youth baseball team, and that we lived just down the street from one another. Very common beginning for two young ballplayers. What made us unique is that I saved his life on the first day of practice. No really. I literally saved his life. We lived just off base in the housing area on the perimeter of what was the Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. In order for us to get to practice we would walk from our homes to one of the perimeter gates onto the base. We would walk to the gate, show our military ID cards to gain access onto the base. Just inside the gate there was a bus stop where we would wait, board the appropriate bus, then head off to practice. On this day, we took the bus that would make a stop at the Regional Medical Center (the base hospital). Our practice field was across the street from the hospital. After we reached our destination Mike and I got off the bus and proceeded to walk around the front of the bus so we could cross the street to our practice. Mike was in a slight hurry and as he began to walk briskly to cross the street I placed my arm across his chest to stop him. A car was rushing by and he would have walked right into the path of the oncoming vehicle. Splat! No practice for Mike. Lucky I was there. Mike will tell you himself that it was lucky that I was there. 30 years, careers, family and children later, we still laugh about it. We made it to practice that day. We discovered that we had this passion for the great game of baseball, and with the utmost modesty, we found that we were good at it. Mike was a member of a Little League team from Mary Esther, Florida that found its way to just shy of the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. I was a southern California kid who played baseball year round and had my share of Little League All-Star, and Pony League World Series experience. Baseball, and the love for the game was a bond that would allow us to develop our friendship and allow us many life experiences through this great game. Along the way we were able to reveal the characteristics that would lead each of us into different paths, but also all but insure our success in the paths we chose.
What is it about baseball that taught us about our strengths and exposed our weaknesses? Of all major sports I think baseball is the most similar to the realities of life. It has always been my contention that one of the best qualities of baseball is that it is unfair, and more specifically, often does not immediately reward correct actions, or great effort. For example, a hitter can go 0-4 but hit the ball squarely all four turns. Good swings at good pitches, solid contact…no reward. A pitcher can execute a great pitch, the correct pitch for the situation, and have a batter check swing into an infield hit. No immediate rewards are common in this game. However, what baseball does reward always is persistence. The game rewards continued effort. The batter that continues to take good swings at good pitches, the pitcher that continually executes the right pitch in the right location, will always be rewarded in the long run. Baseball rewards those that don’t give up. It puts those players with the willingness to “grind” and persist through rough games, bad at-bats, bad luck, at the forefront of the game. What a valuable lesson. Wouldn’t such a trait, persistence, allow anyone to accomplish anything? Patience is rewarded in baseball. Have we gotten so far away from understanding that? It seems that these days we want everything NOW, we want instant gratification. And we are disappointed when we don’t get what we want right away. How do we know we really want, or really want to strive for anything if we are not put in a situation to strive and “grind” for it? You make a bad pitch on one batter and keep on working at it, make a good pitch to another batter and we are rewarded with a ground ball double play. Should a pitcher just throw his hands up in exasperation and ask out of a game after making a bad pitch, or after a fielding error? Or should we let the game test us and allow us to learn, or discover, the level of resolve that is inside us? Should we be held accountable for our mistakes, bad pitches (bad life decisions) and have an opportunity to work through it? I believe that makes a person stronger. Or should we look to the dugout, or bullpen, and beg for someone to rescue us from the mess we have created for ourselves? Would it not be more beneficial for us in the long run to learn how to solve our own dilemmas? Baseball teaches us how. I love this game because of that. I love this game for what it has taught me about myself. It has taught me more than I could ever give back to it. It has brought me great friends, wonderful experiences, it has created in me an understanding of the importance of persistence. It has made me a “Grinder.” I can go through life’s challenges knowing that if I keep on swinging, I can achieve whatever I want. Heck, I already saved my best friend’s life…
For my athletes that are in a slump, or maybe are not playing as much as they want, or deserve, stay the course. Continue to work and improve yourself. The game’s best is ahead of you. For my athletes that are in the middle of a great streak, or a great season, enjoy it! You deserve it! Be “Grinders!” Get After It!
Golden State STaRS and Stadium Golf Center & Batting Cages
It’s official! As of April 1, 2009, Golden State Sports Training and Recruiting Services has gone fulltime at Stadium Golf Center & Batting Cages. I would also like to announce that Stan Hunt, director of First Nation Softball Academy, has joined Golden State STaRS. Stan has been a long standing fixture in the fastpitch community here in San Diego and has a long list of pitchers that he has developed and has helped move on to fine collegiate careers. I am excited to team up with Stan. When it comes to fastpitch pitching development, Coach Hunt is one of the premier instructors in the country! Big welcome to him! For fastpitch instruction information please email info@goldenstatestars.com.
Our Hitting School is underway. Anyone interested in rounding out our roster can contact me directly at 619-813-3053. We meet Monday nights from 6-7pm at Stadium Golf Center’s batting cages.
Get After It!
Cordell
UPCOMING EVENTS
Spring Training is here! Golden State STaRS would like to wish the best of luck, and the best of health to friends Amad Stephens (Wichita Wingnuts), John Jaso (Tampa Bay Rays), Jack Spradlin (Washington Nationals), and Johnny Lowe (Chicago White Sox).
On the home front, there are three upcoming events. The Hitting School is going to be held at Stadium Golf Center & Batting Cages. The Hitting School includes five consecutive one-hour sessions beginning March 30, 2009. Separate sessions will begin March 30th, and April 1st. Choose either a Monday night session, or Wednesday night session, which ever fits your schedule!
Softball Clinic: Santee ASA and Golden State STaRS are collaborating to put on a clinic on Friday April 10 and Saturday April 11. The clinic will be held at Town Center Park near Rio Seco Elementary School in Santee. The 2-day event will cover all aspects of the game of softball. It is a great opportunity to learn cutting edge training techniques to help you improve your game this season!
FREE hitting clinic: Our next free hitting clinic will be held on Wednesday, March 18 from 6:30pm-8pm at Stadium Golf Center & Batting Cages.
For more information, or to register for an event, please see our “Upcoming Events” calendar. Click on the event to get the details. We welcome you to join us! Get After It!
Golden State STaRS privileged to help with the Tom Logan IV Memorial Baseball Clinic
Some events put life into perspective. The Tom Logan IV Memorial Baseball Clinic was held February 28, 2009 at the new and beautiful Lakeside National Little League complex. Baseball was a big part of Tom’s life, and it was fitting to celebrate his life with the game he loved, and the family, friends, and players that loved him. I had the privilege to be one of the coaches to honor his memory at the event. The event had wonderful support from the community and from start to finish, it was clear that this was indeed a celebration of life. I took a moment during one of the breaks to find some shade (it was 91 degrees in February!) in a spot slightly away from the center of the event. I wasn’t able to see everything going on, but to hear the sound of kids laughing, music in the background, parents cheering and laughing, coaches barking out instructions, and the MC interviewing people in the stands…kids laughing…I thought it amazing that the event focused on everything of value in our lives. Baseball is great, but on that day took a back seat to family, friends, community, and everyone reaching out to help one another. I believe the celebration of Tom Logan’s life was a success. I want to express my gratitude to the Logan family, and to John Parsons for thinking of me and allowing me the privilege to help out in that great event.
EVENT UPDATE:
There is a HITTING SCHOOL beginning March 30, 2009 at Stadium Golf Center and Batting
Cages. The Hitting School is 5-weeks long. Please see “Upcoming Events” for Registration and Details.
Golden State STaRS is putting on a fastpitch softball clinic at Santee ASA, Rio Seco Complex. The event will be held April 11-12. See “Upcoming Events” for Registration and Details.
Please check back for our next FREE HITTING CLINIC at Stadium Golf Center and Batting Cages.
VELOCITY! Spring Training programs
Train to gain velocity on your throws! This cutting edge program has been developed with the assistance of sports medicine, kinesiology, and strength and conditioning research. The program provides gains of 4-5mph on fastball velocity. To learn more about TP Waligora and the VELOCITY! programs he offers throughout the country, please visit Champion Baseball Camps on the web.
Stadium Golf Center & Batting Cages
I am proud to announce that Golden State STaRS has teamed up with Stadium Golf Center & Batting Cages! Stadium Golf Center and Batting Cages is San Diego’s premier golf practice facility. Golden State STaRS is proud to be a part of the team! It is my goal to make the baseball/softball side of the operation at Stadium Golf and Batting Cages as stellar as the golf side. The baseball staff is in place and ready to go. I am assembling a fastpitch softball staff at this time. Please join our staff for our first two events at Stadium Golf and Batting Cages:
FREE Hitting Clinics: Wednesday, February 11, 2009, and Wednesday, February 25, 2009. Both events will run from 6:30pm to 8:00pm.
Golden State Sports Training & Recruiting Services will be providing a full range of services at Stadium Golf and Batting Cages. We provide pitching, hitting, fastpitch, position specific, small group, as well as team instruction. We also offer speed, agility, and strength and conditioning training. Please visit the services page for detailed information, or stop by Stadium Golf & Batting Cages for details. They are located at 2990 Murphy Canyon Road, San Diego, California 92123. It is easily seen from interstate 15, and is located off of I-15 and Aero Drive.
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Nuggets
"Stop thinking in terms of limitations and start thinking in terms of possibilities." - Terry Josephson
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Recruiting video: Evan Wadginski
