Foul Pole to Foul Pole

Too many times the attitude and effort of an athlete gets in the way of an opportunity. In this episode, I talk about a few things that will help control the attitude and maximize the effort so you can be ready for your next opportunity. Also, I get into looking at opportunities we create, opportunities we didn't ask for, and opportunities we think we should have. There is a lot to unpack in this...

On this episode, we catch up with Josh Cathcart from Hitting Done Right! We get into coaching youth sports and we talk about helping our young athletes get into the right mindset when competing. Check out Hitting Done Right - HDR on socials⬇️ Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBB8FCzQI7IGrUs6eyUGRUA Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JoshCathcartHDR TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hittingdone...

On this episode, we take a look back at an eventful week 1. A lot of big time matchups and surprises lead the storyline. Upsets and some interesting coaching tactics. As we gear up for the Clearwater Invitational, we look at some key matchups! A lot of softball action on the ESPN family of networks! Looking back at Week1... Two-time defending champion Oklahoma remains the unanimous No. 1 team, fol...

On this episode, we get into the game between Kentucky and Texas! Mike White, head coach of the University of Texas Softball team came under fire when he played by the rules and let the time expire. Down 7 to 4 in the bottom half of the 8th inning, White had his team waste some time so the game would revert back to the 7th. Let me know your thoughts! Check out the NUMBER 1 Swing Trainer in the Gam...

Jamie Wiggins (Southern) has had one incredible career! From her playing days where she was elite at every level she played to her coaching career at some of the nation's top schools. Jamie Wiggins pours her heart and soul into softball while she teaches the game to be played the right way. This mother of three is balancing her professional career with being a mom, not just to her three but to all...

On this episode, I sit down with life long friend Douglas Smith. An educator, teacher, and Assistant Principle in Forsyth County, North Carolina, Doug sheds some light on the challenges that face our youth and their guardians. Teaching isn't easy. Parenting isn't easy. The pandemic and the post-pandemic societal adjustment have expedited the daily struggle of the generational gaps. As we discuss,...

Check us out on YouTube⬇️ https://www.youtube.com/BlackDiamondSoftballFitness Check out the #1 Softball Swing Trainer⬇️ https://camwoodbats.com/?a_aid=63d83ca5a0a57 If you think Twitter is your saving grace when it comes to college recruiting, you could be setting yourself up for a letdown. College coaches do use Twitter, but not in the way you think they do. They don't sit on social media all day...

You asked, and I listened! In this episode, I sit down with Cheri Naudin of Collegiate Sports Advocate and we answer your college recruiting questions. You may be surprised by some of these answers! Nonetheless, everyone's journey in this process is different and we hope you learn as much as you can about the process before it's too late. Collegiate Sports Advocate was created to help Student Athl...

Number 1 Training Bat on the Market⬇️ Camwood Bats https://camwoodbats.com?a_aid=63d83ca5a0a57 On this episode, we sit down with Mandi Balduf of the National Scouting Report. Mandi grew up in northwest Ohio playing a variety of sports. Playing softball at Tiffin University and majoring in Sports Management further stoked her love of wanting to become a college coach. After 15 years of coaching col...

Number 1 Training Bat on the Market⬇️ Camwood Bats https://camwoodbats.com?a_aid=63d83ca5a0a57 You see it all the time, athletes slumped over, heads down, emotions visible all over their faces. Bad body language has become a serious problem for high school and college athletes these days. And while athletes’ body language isn’t always negative, negativity stands out the most. Deion Sanders once sa...

Number 1 Training Bat on the Market⬇️ Camwood Bats https://camwoodbats.com?a_aid=63d83ca5a0a57 You might be wondering what the perfect roster size is for your softball travel team. There is a little more to it than having enough to play each position! With a lot to consider, with the roster construction take a listen and you'll find out that it's not a one size fits all kind of thing. SMALLER ROST...

Number 1 Training Bat on the Market⬇️ Camwood Bats https://camwoodbats.com?a_aid=63d83ca5a0a57 Tennessee Mojo is one of the premier softball organizations in all of softball. The pedigree behind all of the success starts with its player and coaches. Josh Fisher has the pedigree and Josh Fisher has the accolades to back it up. Coaching for the better half of 2 decades, Josh knows what it takes to g...

Number 1 Training Bat on the Market⬇️ Camwood Bats https://camwoodbats.com?a_aid=63d83ca5a0a57 Lets's face it! Private instructors come in all shapes, sizes, backgrounds, and experiences. The main thing you need to be sure of...is the price I pay worth it. There are always questions when it comes to quality. First and foremost can the instructor connect with my kid? One of the main things parents...

Number 1 Training Bat on the Market⬇️ Camwood Bats https://camwoodbats.com?a_aid=63d83ca5a0a57 The annual Clearwater Elite Invitational is just around the corner. It is the unofficial start to the NCAA Softball season. Four SEC teams are the most of any single conference in the tournament field; the ACC and Big 10 will each be represented by three teams, while the PAC-12 and the American will each...

The Division I Council met as a part of the NCAA Convention in San Antonio, Tex., this week. The council voted to eliminate, completely, the volunteer coach designation across all Division I sports, instead including those coaches within a new limit for countable coaches in each of the applicable sports. This vote will up the number of countable coaches in baseball, softball, and ice hockey to fou...

Number 1 Training Bat on the Market⬇️ Camwood Bats https://camwoodbats.com?a_aid=63d83ca5a0a57 Participation Trophies Are Bad! The biggest argument against participation trophies is that handing them out is a form of overprotection for our children. In other words, we hand out trophies to kids, no matter how poorly they performed, so they don’t feel bad about losing. Kids never get the chance to e...

Number 1 Training Bat on the Market⬇️ Camwood Bats https://camwoodbats.com?a_aid=63d83ca5a0a57 Hannah Goodwin, 3rd baseman from North Carolina State University is my guest on this episode. We get into recruiting, the transfer portal, and the changes she has seen in a short amount of time. We talk about the growth of the game and how much fun it is to work with the softball youth as we continue to...

Number 1 Training Bat on the Market⬇️ Camwood Bats https://camwoodbats.com?a_aid=63d83ca5a0a57 It has been an incredible year for Black Diamond Softball and Fitness. We built a pretty awesome softball podcast, made some new friends, and continued to grow a network dedicated to growing the game of softball. I cannot thank my followers enough. If it was not for you guys and gals, this podcast would...

Number 1 Training Bat on the Market⬇️ Camwood Bats https://camwoodbats.com?a_aid=63d83ca5a0a57 Established in 1983, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) is a professional growth organization for fastpitch softball coaches from all competitive levels of play. Although collegiate coaches comprised the majority of the organization's membership in the early days, today they are joined by...

Number 1 Training Bat on the Market⬇️ Camwood Bats https://camwoodbats.com?a_aid=63d83ca5a0a57 There are certainly benefits to youth sports. They may impart valuable life lessons and promote good health. But as any parent of an amateur athlete will attest, it can also be a significant drain on household resources and finances. Before their budding young athlete even steps foot on a field (or anoth...

Number 1 Training Bat on the Market⬇️ Camwood Bats https://camwoodbats.com?a_aid=63d83ca5a0a57 While only about 1.6% of high school softball players go on to play at the Division 1 level, the other division levels, NAIA schools, and junior colleges offer many opportunities for promising prospects. College softball coaches evaluate a player’s athleticism based on arm strength and accuracy, speed, f...

What does being professional mean to an amateur athlete? Well, it may have a different meaning for you but I think of working hard as a series of key qualities that I call 1%ers (that are ironically worth a lot more than 1%). These qualities include showing an elite work ethic, 100% effort, a positive attitude, respectable body language, and above all being a nice person that is coachable as an at...

Number 1 Training Bat on the Market⬇️ Camwood Bats https://camwoodbats.com?a_aid=63d83ca5a0a57 Softball is one of the most popular American sports. It has a long history dating back to the late 19th century and since its inception, the sport has become one of the most widely played throughout the U.S. Although softball is generally associated exclusively with female players, in recent years it has...

Number 1 Training Bat on the Market⬇️ Camwood Bats https://camwoodbats.com?a_aid=63d83ca5a0a57 When starting out as a young athlete, you’ll have to navigate many obstacles that will help you grow. Having short-term and long-term goals is not only necessary but essential for your overall success as an athlete. Having a list of short-term goals is like the pieces to a puzzle that will help you compl...

Number 1 Training Bat on the Market⬇️ Camwood Bats https://camwoodbats.com?a_aid=63d83ca5a0a57 There is always the question of to move up an age group or to stay down in your age group. There are pros and cons to both, and every situation is going to be different, but I personally love the idea of staying down in your age group. I don't see the rush to move up, especially for pitchers. To me, it i...