KPB Podcast

In this episode, we talk all things recruiting with Indiana Wesleyan University Associate Head Coach and Twitter thread king, Ian Macdonald. Coach Macdonald’s career includes coaching stops at Grove City College, University of Charleston, and Indiana Wesleyan University. Wherever he has been, success for his team has followed. In addition to coaching, Macdonald is known for his work educating players and families about the recruiting process on Twitter or through his website, collegebaseballrecruiting.net. Coach Macdonald is one of the leading voices on the college baseball recruiting process. His online course, Foundations of College Baseball Recruiting, launched a few months ago and aims to empower recruits with the tools to make informed decisions about the recruiting process and college baseball.  Accurate, thorough, thoughtful, and well-organized, Coach Macdonald's content is a must for any serious college recruit or parent. Coach Macdonald’s commitment to transparency and equity in the recruiting process is admirable, so it’s great to finally have him on the KPB Podcast to pick his brain about all things recruiting. You won't want to miss this episode! Coach Macdonald's Website: Foundations of College Baseball Recruiting Online Course Coach Macdonald's Twitter: Ian Macdonald (@sowhatnextpitch) / Twitter --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/keep-playing-baseball/support

We are excited to welcome Coach Darren Siler to the podcast. Coach Siler is the head baseball coach at John Carroll School in Bel Air, Maryland where he has led his alma mater’s baseball program since 2016. The 2018 John Steadman High School Baseball Coach of the Year and Maryland State Association Baseball Coaches Coach of the Year brings a wealth of baseball knowledge and experience to the podcast. Coach Siler has played and coached baseball all over the world. He has coached extensively in Europe, where he served as a Portuguese National Team Assistant Coach and Academy Development Coach. While in Europe he also coached several club teams to European Cup Qualifiers and international tournaments in Belgium, France, Czech Republic, Spain, Germany and Italy. Most recently, he traveled to Cuba, Dominican Republic, Japan, and Italy for coaching stints. Stay tuned as we pick his brain about sending players to the college level, how his international baseball experience influences running a title contending program, and tell some funny international baseball stories. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/keep-playing-baseball/support

Episode 2 of our new season of the KPB Podcast is a conversation with Alec Smith, who has a long track record of coaching baseball at all different levels in the Sacramento Area. Smith is the founder of Best Speed Baseball Academy, co-founder of Adi-Speed National Team, a three-time varsity head coach, and also spent 4 years as a junior college assistant coach with Cosumnes River College. Countless players from Smith's programs have gone on to play at all college levels and have success, which opens the door  to an insightful conversation where we pick his brain about leading players and families through the recruiting process and what recruiting looks like from his unique perspective. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/keep-playing-baseball/support

This episode kicks off a new season of KPB Podcast episodes where we sit down with coaches most familiar with the recruiting process. We are excited to kick the season off with Jim Maciejeski, athletic director and head baseball coach of the Mauldin Mavs in Mauldin, SC. Coach “Mach” has been coaching for 17 years, including the last 12 as a head coach. He is also in his 3rd year as athletic director at Mauldin High. In addition to his high school coaching, Maciejewski has spent 5 summers with USA Baseball as a member of their scouting Task Force, and most recently working with the 13/14 year-old Athlete Development Program and 15U National Team Trials. He’s sent numerous players on to the college ranks and has a number of former players playing professionally, as well. Above all else, Coach Mach is a student of the game and runs an outstanding program for his players. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/keep-playing-baseball/support

In This Episode: In this episode, you'll learn the questions to ask and steps to take to ensure the college baseball program you are considering have the academic support and academic culture that you need to be successful. We also take a deep dive into how student-athletes with learning disabilities can navigate the recruiting process and make sure programs have access to the resources and accommodations they need. In episode 29, we are excited to welcome a true expert in the academic side of college athletics. Christine Ho is a Learning Specialist Coordinator at UC Berkeley and has been working in academic support services for student-athletes for 7 years at UC Berkeley (Cal). Ho also acts as the Athletic Study Center liaison with the Disabled Students’ Program (DSP) and supports student-athletes  in time-management, organization, reading, writing, test-taking strategies, note-taking and learning strategies through individual weekly meetings. She leads incoming skills assessments for new students to measure learning styles, strengths, and areas of concern and creates learning plans for students based on their academic needs and personal goals. Ho provides a ton of insight into the research that needs to be done and questions that need to be asked during the recruiting process and on campus to ensure that your college baseball program has what you need to be a successful STUDENT-athlete. Topics: Academics, Academic Support Services, Learning Specialists, Academic Advisors, Learning Disabilities, Education-Impacting Disabilities, Recruiting Process, Student-athletes  Additional Resources:  1. College Baseball Academics Part 1: An Intro to Academic Support Services for College Baseball Players 2. College Baseball Academics Part 2: The NCAA and Learning Disabilities Defined 3. College Baseball Academics Part 3: Recruiting Success with Learning Disabilities 4. College Baseball Academics Part 4: Effectively Transitioning to College and Achieving Academic Success with an Education-Impacting Disability --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/keep-playing-baseball/support

In This Episode Keep Playing Baseball talks shop with Seattle Mariners Assistant Hitting and Catching Coordinator, Tony Arnerich. Covering everything from catching specific drills and instruction to player evaluation and what Arnerich looked for as a recruiter in the Pac-12, you'll want a pen and notepad for all the info in this 40 minute interview. Arnerich's baseball career has seen success at every level from Little League to the Pros. That resume includes a trip to the College World Series in 2011 as a coach with Cal, Northwoods Collegiate Summer League titles as a player (2000) and coach (2007), a 5 season professional career in the Royals and Marlins organizations, and minor league managing experience. Don't miss the opportunity to learn from one of baseball's brightest minds, as Arnerich helps you figure out what to do to improve and keep playing baseball!  Find Tony on Twitter: @TonyArnerich  Topics Catching, Leadership, Mental Game, Training, Recruiting, Player Evaluation, Winning Culture --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/keep-playing-baseball/support

In this episode, we play the audio from the keynote speech Keep Playing Baseball delivered to high school baseball players and their parents at the Catching Academy Camp in San Mateo, California on December 1, 2018. The talk hits on 4 big picture ideas that can be helpful for players throughout the recruiting process and also discusses the important role that parents play in the recruiting process. We start with the 4 big picture ideas for players, which include: 1) Knowledge of self 2) Learning about college baseball and the recruiting process 3) Creating a personal recruiting plan 4) "Controlling the Controllables": Keeping the focus on what you can control and controlling your reaction to what you can't For more on these 4 ideas in writing, read our blog post on the topic here: https://keepplayingbaseball.org/4-big-picture-ideas-that-will-help-you-in-recruitment/ Next, we dive into the appropriate role for parents in the recruiting process and talk about how parents can help with an incredibly important life decision without overstepping their boundaries and hijacking the process away from their sons. The five roles we discuss for parents in the recruiting process are: 1) Be a source of knowledge 2) Be an academic advisor 3) Be a source of stability and support 4) Be a financial advisor 5) Be a good teammate We discuss these ideas at length in writing in a popular blog post, Parents' Role in the Recruiting Process Part 3, which can be read here: https://www.keepplayingbaseball.org/parents-role-recruiting-process-part-3-2/ Topics... Recruiting, Parents in Recruiting, Planning, Learning, Preparation, Academics, Financial Awareness, Teamwork --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/keep-playing-baseball/support

In this episode we are excited to share our conversation with University of South Carolina Upstate (D1, South Carolina) assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Tyler Cook. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Cook is in his 4th season coaching at his alma mater after a brief stint as a coach for Eastern Kentucky University. Cook works with the Spartan outfielders and hitters, as well as helping in number of other capacities, which he discusses during the interview. You won't want to miss this episode as we take a deep dive into D1 mid-major baseball and pick Cook's brain about the daily grind and schedule of college baseball, recruiting, player development, and much more. Topics: Recruiting, Outfield Defense, Daily Schedule, Communication, D1, Mid-Major Baseball, Hitting, Offense, Program Culture, Program Fit --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/keep-playing-baseball/support

In this episode... Community college (JUCO, JC, junior college, etc.) baseball gets overlooked as an option by many recruits who either think they are "too good" or have been mislead about the breadth of opportunities that community college baseball provides. In this 12 minute #MoundVisit episode, we offer 4 reasons why we love community college baseball and encourage you to consider it as one of your many options for playing at the next level. Among the reasons we love the JUCO route are affordability, less restricted training opportunities in the fall, a chance to improve academic skill set and grades, and a chance to get drafted each year. By no means is this quick look at the JUCO route a comprehensive review of all the reasons a high school player should consider community college baseball, but the goal is to get you thinking about community college as an option. Consider looking into our other resources that tackle community college baseball with more depth to continue the conversation! (See Link Below) Topics: Community College Baseball, JUCO, JUCO Route, JC Baseball, Academics, MLB Draft, Affordability, Development Follow Up Reading: https://keepplayingbaseball.org/considering-community-college-plan-ahead/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/keep-playing-baseball/support

On our www.KPBrecruiting101.org site, we break the recruiting process into 10 manageable steps. This resource acts as a guide for recruits as they move through the recruiting process from start to finish. For each step, we provide detailed recruiting information and advice about what to do, when to do it, and how to do it right. In this episode, we continue our release of short #MoundVisit episodes, breaking down the details of each step and providing some general guidance. Episode 13 looks at Step 2: Learning About the Recruiting Process. Building off of a more broad understanding of all college baseball has to offer (Step 1), Step 2 encourages players and families to take a 30,000 foot view of the process from start to finish. In 5 minutes, you'll have a better understanding of why preparing for the future is so important and why you need to know what comes next. For more information, visit: http://kpbrecruiting101.org/step-2-learn-about-the-college-baseball-recruiting-process/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/keep-playing-baseball/support

Our guest on today's podcast is Alex Wirta, the Director of the Therapeutic Associates-Bridle Trails physical therapy clinic in Kirkland, WA. A former college baseball standout at Carleton College, Wirta works with baseball players of all ages and is a certified orthopedic specialist. In this interview, Wirta shares some of the common issues he sees among the baseball players he treats and discusses preventative measures that players can take to improve performance and stay healthy. The discussion serves as a great overview of preventative measures, player health, player performance and much more. Topics: Pre-hab, Rehab, Player Development, Strength and Conditioning, Injury Prevention, Performance Recovery Related Resources: https://keepplayingbaseball.org/exercises-to-help-build-speed-and-control-in-your-throwing-motion/ Important Note/Disclaimer: Before beginning any conditioning or training program, you should talk to your health care provider, coach, and training staff. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/keep-playing-baseball/support

On our KPBrecruiting101.org site we break the recruiting process into 10 manageable steps. This resource acts as a guide for recruits as they move through the recruiting process from start to finish. For each step, we provide detailed recruiting information and advice about what to do, when to do it, and how to do it right. As promised in episode 6, over the coming weeks, we will release short #MoundVisit episodes, breaking down the details of each step and providing some general guidance. This episode looks at Step 1: Learning About College Baseball. We discuss why this ongoing step in the process is the foundation for the recruiting process and what you should be doing to explore the many options out there for you. In 5 minutes, you'll have a better sense for the aspects of college baseball you need to explore and why they are so important. For more information, visit www.KPBrecruiting101.org/step-1-learn-about-college-baseball/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/keep-playing-baseball/support

Fresh off a trip to Omaha and the College World Series as an Assistant Coach with Mississippi State, we sit down to talk with University of Hawaii's newly hired hitting coach, Mike Brown. In this insightful conversation, we discuss what it takes to be one of the final 8 in Omaha, how the trip to the College World Series will influence Brown's recruiting moving forward, how high school players can prepare to compete at the college level, offensive philosophy, and much more. With stops at some of the nation's elite programs, Brown opens up his knowledge to help recruits and parents understand what college baseball is all about and what it takes to get there. A winner at every level, you'll feed off his energy and positive outlook. Don't miss a chance to learn from one of the college game's most up and coming coaches! Coach Brown on Twitter: @Mikesbrown5 Topics: College World Series, D1, Recruiting, Player Development, Mental Game, Offensive Philosophy, Weight Lifting, Mental Toughness --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/keep-playing-baseball/support

KPB sits down with Demetre Kokoris, Pitching Coach at Point Loma Nazarene University in sunny San Diego, California. The care level and information shared in the 1st of 2 episodes with Coach K is off the charts as he opens up about how he develops pitchers at Point Loma and how high school players can use that information to prepare themselves for playing at the next level. With prior experience on the staff at highly successful programs in the University of South Carolina, Cal State Fullerton, University of Oregon, and Santa Barbara City College, Coach K has learned from some of the college game's most successful coaches and mentors. A true student of the game and teacher, he generously shares his knowledge with us to help you improve your chances of success at the college level. You won't want to miss an opportunity to learn from this passionate leader. Coach Kokoris on Twitter: @CoachKokoris Topics: Training, Development, Pitching, Arm Care, Throwing Program, College Baseball, D2 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/keep-playing-baseball/support

Keep Playing Baseball dives deep into the recruiting process with Brian Dempsey, Owner/Director of Power Baseball and Turn2 Sports & Performance in Central Florida. We take advantage of Dempsey's experience working the recruiting process from virtually every angle and talk about what he's learned in guiding over 450 players and families through the recruiting process. Dempsey has helped players find programs at every level of college baseball and has strong ties to the college baseball community up and down the east coast. A former high intensity college player, Dempsey's passion for helping others comes through in this episode. You wont' want to miss this brutally honest and incredibly informative discussion on the college baseball recruiting process! Find Coach Dempsey on Twitter: @BrianDempsey11 Topics: Recruiting, Recruiting Process, Parents' Role in the Recruiting Process, Choosing a Program, Questions to Ask College Coaches, Recruiting Mistakes, Recruiting Red Flags + More --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/keep-playing-baseball/support

In this Mound Visit, we discuss the importance of starting to learn about what it takes to play college baseball and understanding the recruiting process as early as 8th grade. By 9th grade, you need to understand NCAA eligibility requirements and make sure that you are keeping all your options open. Get ahead academically and start to build your knowledge about college baseball and the recruiting process so that when interest heats up, you'll be in a positioned to make informed decisions and find your fit! Topics: Academics, Eligibility, NCAA Core GPA, Recruiting, Recruiting Process, Planning Ahead Related Articles: You Need to Know the Rules (https://keepplayingbaseball.org/get-to-know-the-ncaa-requirements-and-rules/) It's Never Too Early to Start (https://keepplayingbaseball.org/its-never-too-early-to-start/) Eligibility 101 (https://keepplayingbaseball.org/eligibility-101/) --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/keep-playing-baseball/support

Keep Playing Baseball talks shop with former college player John Soteropulos, an infielder with the Tochigi Golden Braves of the Baseball Challenge League in Japan. We ask Soteropulos about his experience playing at the D1 and D2 levels, what advice he has for current recruits, how he balanced schoolwork and baseball, and how he turned his collegiate success into an opportunity to play professional baseball in Japan. Soteropulos shares a wealth of knowledge that can help current college prospects with the recruiting process. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from this upbeat personality and great baseball mind! Topics: Recruiting, Recruiting Process, Levels of College Baseball, D1, D2, Physicality, Transferring, Graduate Transfer, Japan, Challenge Baseball League, Student Loans, Baseball/School Balance --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/keep-playing-baseball/support

Keep Playing Baseball talks shop with Jordan Stampler, Head Coach at Pfeiffer University (D3, North Carolina). We take advantage of a baseball career that has seen action as a player or coach at the JUCO, D1, D2, and D3 levels. We waste no time exploring the similarities and differences between each level of college baseball and talk about recruiting from from the perspective of a player and a coach. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from one of baseball’s bright young minds, as Stampler helps you figure out what you need to do to get recruited and keep playing baseball! Find Coach Stampler on Twitter: @TheRealJStamp Topics: Recruiting, Recruiting Process, Levels of College Baseball, D1, D2, D3, JUCO, Player Evaluation, Communication, Tools, Player Skill Set --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/keep-playing-baseball/support

A targeted email to a program of interest remains one of the best ways to get recruited. Yet, many recruits mess up this valuable opportunity to create a meaningful connection. Why? Most players don’t have the patience or do the prep work required to knock the email out of the park.  If you have the patience to listen to this short episode, you'll learn how to email college coaches the right way. In just 8 minutes, you'll walk away with the blueprint for writing an email that will lead to your recruitment. Have a listen, follow up with the links below, and give yourself the best chance at getting recruited from your intro emails! Additional Articles and Resources: Contacting College Coaches: How to Write an Intro Email This Podcast Episode in Thread Format How to Create A Successful DIY Recruiting Video You May Also Be Interested in:  How to Use Social Media to Get Recruited --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/keep-playing-baseball/support

In this episode, are excited to be joined on today’s podcast by Colorado Rockies Data and Game Planning Coordinator and former Big League infielder, Doug Bernier. A California native, Bernier’s baseball career included success at every single level. After college baseball stops at Cuesta College and Oral Roberts University, Bernier started an incredible 16-year professional baseball career, which included 4 seasons in the Majors and over 1500 professional games. Bernier and his wife, Sarah, generously give back to the game through Pro Baseball Insider (probaseballinsider.com), an organization providing free instruction for aspiring ballplayers given directly from professional players. In addition to talking with Doug about how he maintained consistency and focus during the ups and downs of the better part of 2 decades in professional baseball, we pick his brain about his days as a professional scout and now a coach with the Rockies Big League squad. You won't want to miss this one! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/keep-playing-baseball/support