Figure It Out Baseball

Tim Miller is the Head Coach of the baseball team at Davis & Elkins College. His career as a baseball coach extends through Division II and III, and also high school baseball. His experience as a pitching coach has been tremendous, especially at Frostburg State when his pitching staff led the nation in strikeouts per nine innings. In this episode we discuss many components of college baseball...

Chad Rhoades is the Pitching Coach of the Florence Y'alls, even though he doesn't like being called that by his players. Florence is a member of the Frontier League, and Independent Professional Baseball League. Rhoades played at Oklahoma Baptist University and was then an undrafted free agent in the Red Sox organization. He has obviously had a lot of experience in the game and learned that his ab...

Sam Gjormand is the Team Manager at James Madison University. She, among many women in the world, are beginning to break the barrier in sports and is proving that she can be a part of the game she loves. In this episode we discuss her experience with a Division I baseball team, the tasks she has on hand, and her mentality on working in baseball. "Anywhere I can get my foot in the door, I know I ca...

Brian McCabe is the Head Coach at Benedictine University at Mesa, an NAIA school in Arizona. He coached the team to a 44-13 record during his first season with the Redhawks which set the tone for what they have been since he stepped into the program. In this episode we discuss the competition at the NAIA level and how he has helped create consistent success with the baseball team. He talks about w...

Aaron Swick is the Head Coach at Division III Willamette University and finished his playing career at DI Cal with a sub-two ERA.  Coach Swick understands the baseball community and that being at the Division III level is less than ideal for a high school athlete in the moment. He goes into detail about the competition and the grind for success at the college level and that you shouldn't over...

Sam Freeman is a reliever and has pitched for nine seasons in the Major Leagues. Freeman has pitched for the Cardinals, Rangers, Brewers, Braves, Angels, and Nationals during his career and has truly learned what it takes to get over the hump and make it to The Show. Freeman has played with and against some of the best players in the game and his relationships with them helped him develop his abil...

Robin Lund is the pitching coach at the University of Iowa. While also having a background as a hitting coach and a youth baseball coach, Lund has blended his coaching styles at every level together to become the version of who he is now. Coach Lund has an educational background in Kinesiology and his experience learning and using it has helped him understand pitching a whole lot more. Even he was...

Janae Shirley is the Head Coach of the softball team at East Texas Baptist University. She has posted a 443-130 record since being at the helm of the program and has changed her players' lives throughout.  Coach Shirley shares her experiences and stories with us and how it has all taught her to become a better winner. Her deep understanding of the game allows her to extend the knowledge to he...

Enrique Celedon is the Senior Executive of Global Sales for True Temper Baseball. True Temper bats are designed specifically for the  type of hitter they are intended for. Not every bat is what the manufacturer says it is and not every popular bat is good for every player. Having a bat that's true to your swing and right for your body wil only help you in the batter's box.  Find out why...

Jack Dahm is the Head Coach at Mount Mercy University (NAIA). Through his experience as a coach and a former Division I player at Creighton, he has learned that certain team traits like trust and accountability have great impacts on team success. Coach Dahm reached the College World Series as a player so he knows what it takes for a team to reach upper levels of success.  In this episode, we...

This episode features Skylar Meade, Pitching Coach at the University of South Carolina. Coach Meade KNOWS success at the Division 1 level from the pitching perspective. This discussion entails mental dominance as well as having the ability to beat the best hitters in the country.  Coach talks about the development of his pitchers and how the never-ending process of moving forward is important...

Dave Serrano is at the helm of the California State University, Northridge baseball team. Coach Serrano has experienced success as a collegiate coach and player and he knows what kind of teams can produce winning seasons. Serrano is a returning guest on our podcast and this discussion goes into detail about investing in individual players to make the team better. His perspective on baseball is a s...

Chase Rowe has a very successful background as the Head Coach at La Roche College. Rowe spent last year as a hitting coach in the Detroit Tigers organization, and his opportunity to coach and learn professional baseball equipped him with more tools to coach at the college level.    Coach Rowe's experience as a coach has helped him learn the significance of creating relationships with pla...

On this episode of our podcast, we are joined by Gary Sheffield Jr. to discuss the game of baseball and what we are able to learn from such an incredible sport.   Growing up with his father in the MLB, Gary was introduced to the game at an early age, which greatly impacted his experience.    Through his own experience, Gary was able to find his own love for the game and embrace it....

On this episode, we are joined by Laura Berg, Head Coach at Oregon State University. Also a former player, Coach Berg knows that the game of softball is far from being black and white. She works to improve the grey areas of the game and creating a winning mentality. We go into a discussion about the characteristics of a successful college athlete and what it takes to be a winner. Coach describes t...

Training your abilities and reconstructing mechanics is a very valuable part to becoming a better player, but there is a time and a place. Coach Mike Draghi teaches his players to focus on the simplicity of the game: reacting to the ball.  Working on mechanics can be useful if they become second nature by game time, and Coach Draghi has created success within his organization by knowing that...

Hitting a baseball is no easy task, but that doesn't mean it can't be simple. Stop overcomplicating your swing and approach! We are joined by Eddie Smith, Hitting Coach at LSU, who talks to us about how he works with individual hitters. Coach Smith has worked with many ball players that have been drafted to the MLB and his methods create consistency. Each player has their own swing and their own a...

Paul Rozzelle has experienced a lot of success on the baseball field as a coach at Catawba Valley CC and Team USA. He has been a part of winning organizations and knows how to maintain that. Coach Rozzelle has a good relationship with his players and is a true believer in personal development. Because he understands the college game so well, his guidance as a coach helps his team improve by exampl...

On this episode, we are joined by Gardner-Webb Head Coach, Jim Chester. Coach Chester has an impressive resume and has experienced success at various levels of baseball. Before accepting his position as a DI Head Coach, Chester turned a 21-win Lock Haven team into a 38-win team in his first season with them. On the episode we discuss Coach's philosophies and how he leads his player and has led his...

On this podcast episode, we are joined by Nick Puccio, Assistant Coach at Northeastern University. His perspective of the game has allowed his players to grow based on their own skills.   His experience with coaching and recruiting has opened his eyes to see facets within the game he never knew.   We discuss the importance of having an approach at the plate and what it does for a hitter'...

Grand Canyon University Head Coach Andy Stankiewicz joins us on a very interesting podcast episode about his experience as a coach and a player. As youth baseball players grow up, the game evolves right in front if their eyes; are they evolving with it? In the Major League, Coach Stankiewicz played middle infield for the New York Yankees, Montreal Expos, Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Houston Astro...

Mike Armstrong is at the helm of the Alfred State College Baseball program and has had the ability to implement and establish a culture of center out leadership. This practice allows his players to learn from themselves and be in the present moment. Through his own studies and mentorship, Armstrong has been able to develop his own personal practices to lead his team in a better manner.  The p...

Tyler Simmons is the Director of Player Development for UNC Charlotte Baseball; it is his job to use and understand modern baseball technology and translating it into proper development. New technology such as Rapsodo and Blast Motion are becoming more popular every day. Coach Simmons breaks down topics such as bat speed, launch angle, ball spin, and exit velocity. Due to his experience and knowle...

Billy Barker is an Assistant Coach at Paradise Valley Community College and he has learned a lot of great things early on. As a young coach, he now understands that communication and making relationships with players are keys to a successful program. Coaching without an ego is one of his strong suits and it allows him to assist players through the transition from high school to college baseball.&n...

Coaches! This Figure It Out Baseball podcast features Dave Serrano, Head Coach at the California State University Northridge. Coach Serrano has coached at multiple schools where he created a winning environment, including California State University Fullerton, UC Irvine, and the University of Tennessee. Not only has he learned how to make achievements on the field, but also as a coach. From a coac...