“We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.” – Ernest Hemingway

Mar
04

The only mistake you can ever make as a coach

Coaches, let’s be honest. We’re far from perfect. We’ve made mistakes, told kids to do things they shouldn’t have, and put together programs in the past that make us cringe. While it’s tough to swallow at times, there’s absolutely nothing wrong about it. Those moments are a necessary part of the learning process to become … Continue reading “The only mistake you can ever make as a coach”

Feb
08

Biotensegrity: What you need to know as a coach

At 108 Performance, our training is centered around two bedrock principles: All humans are pre-programmed for reciprocal movement All humans are living and breathing biotensegrity systems This article is going to focus on the second principle: What in the world is biotensegrity and why in the world is it important when it comes to training … Continue reading “Biotensegrity: What you need to know as a coach”

Jan
16

Mass… doesn’t equal Gas?

Let’s create a scenario. You’ve just finished up your last practice for the fall and you’re building out offseason plans for your pitching staff this winter. Out of all of your players, there’s one in particular that really makes you excited. As a freshman, this kid has a chance to be a really special player. … Continue reading “Mass… doesn’t equal Gas?”

Jan
14

The Power of Analogies: 10 you can start using today

Analogies are a powerful form of language all coaches can utilize. They work by combining a specific objective (e.g. rotate better) with a familiar association (e.g. phone booth) in order to create a vivid image for execution (e.g. rotate in a phone booth). Instead of asking our athletes to: Accelerate faster Start in an athletic … Continue reading “The Power of Analogies: 10 you can start using today”

Jan
11

Data, Efficiency, and Asymmetries: Recapping BTG20 Part III

See part one of our Bridge the Gap recap here and part two here. To round out the weekend we were able to put together an MLB players panel which featured Marc Rzepczynski, Cesar Ramos, Tyson Ross, Patrick Mazeika, and Ricky Romero. The five talked about their experiences in player development over the years and … Continue reading “Data, Efficiency, and Asymmetries: Recapping BTG20 Part III”

Nov
25

Movement, Command, & Creating a Competitive Advantage: Recapping BTG20 Part II

See Part I of our recap from Bridge the Gap 2020 here. Our very own Will Marshall took the stage at Bridge for the first time breaking down the last eight months at 108 Performance. With the shutdown in March, we were forced to close the doors at our Tustin shop and had to migrate towards … Continue reading “Movement, Command, & Creating a Competitive Advantage: Recapping BTG20 Part II”

Nov
22

Shapes, Sequencing, & Context: Recapping BTG20 Part I

At 108 Performance we recently held our fourth annual Bridge the Gap (BTG) conference the weekend of October 23-25. Over the course of three days we were able to gather 37 of the brightest minds in player development who put together 27 information packed presentations. For those of you who missed out, we went back … Continue reading “Shapes, Sequencing, & Context: Recapping BTG20 Part I”

Oct
19

Viruses, Tipping Points, and How one Video Completely Changed Baseball – for better or for worse

The week of March 9, 2020 completely changed my life forever. On Monday, I departed for Southern California to join the 108 Performance team and begin a year-long internship program. The program represented the opportunity of a lifetime as I had the ability to learn how to train players from some of the best minds … Continue reading “Viruses, Tipping Points, and How one Video Completely Changed Baseball – for better or for worse”

Jan
11

Data, Efficiency, and Asymmetries: Recapping BTG20 Part III

See part one of our Bridge the Gap recap here and part two here. To round out the weekend we were able to put together an MLB players panel which featured Marc Rzepczynski, Cesar Ramos, Tyson Ross, Patrick Mazeika, and Ricky Romero. The five talked about their experiences in player development over the years and … Continue reading “Data, Efficiency, and Asymmetries: Recapping BTG20 Part III”

Aug
18

What a Cajun and a Dream Can Teach Us About the Power of Belief

It’s February of 2017 and it’s been about a month since the conclusion of the 2016 college football season. Ed Orgeron has returned to his hometown of Larose, LA – a small town deep in the Louisiana bayou about an hour south of New Orleans – to speak at a local banquet. It’s just under … Continue reading “What a Cajun and a Dream Can Teach Us About the Power of Belief”

Aug
04

Robbie Ray’s Changes and Why Getting “Shorter” is NOT Always Better

Last year, Lucas Giolito had a dream season for the Chicago White Sox. After sputtering to a 10-13 record in 2018 and posting a 6.13 ERA in 173.1 IP, Giolito exploded in ’19 en route to his first All-Star appearance. He punched out 228 batters in 176.2 IP for a 11.62 K/9 – 5th in … Continue reading “Robbie Ray’s Changes and Why Getting “Shorter” is NOT Always Better”

Jul
17

The Curious Case of Marcell Ozuna

The following article is a joint piece where I am joined by Ben Reed to describe Marcell Ozuna’s recent struggles and inability to secure a multi-year contract in free agency. Ben is currently a student-athlete on the varsity baseball team at Oberlin College and is aspiring to work in advanced scouting or baseball operations in Major League Baseball. … Continue reading “The Curious Case of Marcell Ozuna”

Jun
14

Bigger than Baseball

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, —That … Continue reading “Bigger than Baseball”

May
25

Trout vs. Harper – What makes Trout so good?

“It can be said that the ecological niche occupied by a species supplies the species with the energy it needs for its survival. In that case, the fittest can be defined as those members of a population that make the most economical use of the energy sources available in their ecological niche. It is our … Continue reading “Trout vs. Harper – What makes Trout so good?”

May
19

Why one of baseball’s generational athletes has lived up to the hype – and the other has not

If I think about what it means to be a “generational athlete,” some of the words that come to my mind include: Game changer Excellence  Cold-blooded Intense Clutch Timeless Rare Pioneer Precise Graceful Here’s what that list would look like if I were to eliminate all of those words except for one: Game changer Generational … Continue reading “Why one of baseball’s generational athletes has lived up to the hype – and the other has not”

May
11

A Tale of Dynamic Adjustability – Bear Bryant’s wishbone and Gerrit Cole’s heater

“The only constant in life is change.” – Heraclitus, Greek philosopher It’s the summer of 1971 and Bear Bryant has called all of his Alabama football staff together for a meeting. They were less than three months away from their opener against USC – a team that beat them by 21 last year. It was … Continue reading “A Tale of Dynamic Adjustability – Bear Bryant’s wishbone and Gerrit Cole’s heater”

May
04

How a 2013 deadline deal resurrected the dying career of Jake Arrieta

The date is August 30, 2015. The Cubs are holding on to a 2-0 lead against the Dodgers in the bottom of the ninth and Jake Arrieta is on the cusp of his first ever no-hitter. Chase Utley – potential future Hall of Famer – is at the plate fighting to keep hopes alive for … Continue reading “How a 2013 deadline deal resurrected the dying career of Jake Arrieta”

Jul
24

What Happened to Matt Harvey in 2018?

It’s the evening of November 1, 2015 and the New York Mets are fighting for their lives in a do or die Game 5 against the Kansas City Royals in the World Series. On the brink of elimination, Terry Collins turned to Matt Harvey – baseball’s feel good story winning NL Comeback Player of the … Continue reading “What Happened to Matt Harvey in 2018?”

Jul
24

What We Miss with Pictures & Connecting by Communicating

What we miss when we focus on still shots “If someone hands you a picture and shows you a picture and says “here’s their stance,” “here’s their negative move,” “here’s contact,” – If you give them any advice on what they’re doing wrong, you are taking such a gamble because you have no idea how … Continue reading “What We Miss with Pictures & Connecting by Communicating”

Apr
28

The Paradox of Symmetry & Problem with Education

Thought for the Week: “Silent and listen share the same letters.” – Fred Corral, Missouri pitching coach  What does it mean to be symmetrical in an asymmetrical sport? Building symmetrical baseball athletes is kind of a paradox when you think about it; we’re trying to build balance when our skill largely forces us to be … Continue reading “The Paradox of Symmetry & Problem with Education”

Jul
24

Frequency & Making the Risk the Reward

When the Risk becomes the Reward: What we all can learn about skill acquisition from skateboarders “Rarely is it a question of talent or technique at those levels, it’s just one of belief.” – Rodney Mullen, former professional skateboarder I was able to catch up with Lantz Wheeler earlier this week and pick his brain on … Continue reading “Frequency & Making the Risk the Reward”

Apr
20

The Rules of Everything & Why Falling Behind Can Get You Ahead

Thought for the Week: The Rules of Everything – by Steve Magness The Hype Cycle: When an idea is new or gains popularity, it follows a cycle of initial overemphasis before eventually leveling off into its rightful place Research is only as good as its measurement We overemphasize the importance of what we can measure … Continue reading “The Rules of Everything & Why Falling Behind Can Get You Ahead”

Jul
24

Rethinking Movement Assessments & The Mobility Myth

Reverse Engineering from the Skill Assessments are something I’ve been interested in for a while because of the role they play in designing individualized training programs. Being able to individualize is a critical skill as a coach because your players are akin to snowflakes; not one is ever going to be the same. Being able … Continue reading “Rethinking Movement Assessments & The Mobility Myth”

Apr
13

The Pitfalls of Separation & Relying on Research

Thought for the Week: Parallax: “The effect whereby the position or direction of an object appears to differ when viewed from different positions.”  Why teaching “Separation” can do more harm than good  Separation is something Eugene talks about all the time when it comes to pitching and hitting – but not for the reasons you’d think. … Continue reading “The Pitfalls of Separation & Relying on Research”

Jul
24

Why you should keep an eye on this elite MLB arm & What Happened to Tyler Kolek?

Mike Soroka was a nice free agent addition to my fantasy baseball team last year – and it’s because his shit is nasty. He’ll slice and dice you with 95 mph sinkers, upper 80s sliders, and does it with pinpoint precision – only walking 2.5 batters per nine while striking out 7.3 en route to … Continue reading “Why you should keep an eye on this elite MLB arm & What Happened to Tyler Kolek?”

Apr
05

Finding Common Ground & Sprinting is… Rotational?

Thought for the Week: We’ve all been dealt some pretty crappy groceries over the past month. How can we use these groceries to make a five star meal?  Finding Common Ground Back at the ABCA in January, Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin spoke about the importance of staying centered. From winning national championships to experiencing … Continue reading “Finding Common Ground & Sprinting is… Rotational?”

Jul
24

The Case Against Pitch Design & Learning from Neil deGrasse Tyson

The Case against Pitch Design Pitch design is something that has gained a lot of traction recently – and rightfully so. Seeing exactly how the ball comes out of your hand helps significantly accelerate the learning curve for a new pitch by enhancing awareness and understanding for how to create a desired movement profile. Pitchers … Continue reading “The Case Against Pitch Design & Learning from Neil deGrasse Tyson”

Jul
24

Feeding the Mistake & Finding the Source

Exaggerate the problem to solve the problem “Feeding the mistake” is an effective strategy coaches can use when trying to build a new movement pattern. The goal of feeding the mistake is to force athletes into the patterns they want to avoid so they can create feel for a newer and better pattern. By exaggerating … Continue reading “Feeding the Mistake & Finding the Source”

Jul
24

Adaptations are NOT Limitations & Rethinking “Rolling your Wrists”

Athletes are going to acquire specific adaptations over time that are beneficial to success in their respective sport. These adaptations depend on the task required and the environment in which it is accomplished. For example, kids who spend a lot of time throwing when they’re younger will acquire retroversion in their throwing shoulder to allow … Continue reading “Adaptations are NOT Limitations & Rethinking “Rolling your Wrists””

Mar
28

What Makes Elite Athletes Elite?

I was in a discussion with Eugene and I asked him what he thinks separates elite athletes from everyone else. His response: The brakes. The best athletes in the world are able to stop better than anyone else. NFL running backs and NBA point guards need an elite set of brakes to make quick cuts, … Continue reading “What Makes Elite Athletes Elite?”

Jul
24

Sequencing vs. Efficiency & The Brakes

Sequencing vs. Efficiency I picked up on this from a conversation with Will when talking about the idea of efficiency. When it comes to movement, efficiency is what we’re trying to create. Serge Gracovetsky talked about the importance of efficiency in his 1988 book The Spinal Engine suggesting that as a biological system, we strive … Continue reading “Sequencing vs. Efficiency & The Brakes”

Mar
22

Week 1 at 108 Performance

I’m going to document my thoughts on a weekly basis throughout the course of my internship at 108 Performance. Below are my thoughts from week one, the on boarding process, and some helpful tips I’ve picked up along the way. Five Tools The first thing that really stood out to me after my first appearance … Continue reading “Week 1 at 108 Performance”