Ahead Of The Curve with Jonathan Gelnar
Player
Episodes
Wednesday Jun 08, 2022
Wednesday Jun 08, 2022
This Episode is brought to you by www.seventy8sports.com
Bio
All-American Baseball Player and National Gold Glove Winner (Catcher) at UC San Diego
Played 1 season of Independent Professional Baseball
Master’s Degree in Sport Psychology from John F. Kennedy University
PhD in Performance Psychology from Grand Canyon University
Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology
Previous Positions
Assistant Director of Baseball Operations at Santa Clara University
Master Resilience Trainer-Performance Expert (MRT-PE)
Mental skills training and instruction for the US Army
Current: Adjunct Faculty for Sport and Performance Psychology Master’s Degree Program at Holy Names University
Current: Mental Skills Coach for the San Francisco Giants
Time Stamps
01:00- Where do we start with the mental game
11:00- Self Talk
26:00- In Dugout Needs
38:00- In Dugout Questioning
43:00- What do players want more of?
50:00- Quick Hitters
Contact
https://twitter.com/MentallyPerform
Thursday Jun 02, 2022
Thursday Jun 02, 2022
This Episode is brought to you by www.seventy8sports.com
Bio
Two-time Northeast Region Coach of Year and two-time finalist for National Coach of the Year Kevin Graber has led Phillips Academy Andover to 12 consecutive Central New England Prep Final Four appearances, winning back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013, the school’s 10th Central New England Prep Championship in 2016, and another -- the program's 11th -- in 2018. And just this week they dogpiled again to finish first in 2022!
In 2021 and 2018, Graber was named Northeast Region Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), New England Coach of the Year by the National High School Baseball Coaches Association, and finalist for National Coach of the Year by both organizations. He’s also a featured presenter each year at the World Baseball Coaches Convention at Mohegan Sun, and he’s also presented at last year’s ABCA National Convention in Chicago.
On the show we discuss
Time Stamps
01:00- First 100 days on the job
05:00- Dogpile stories
13:00- The art of communication
21:00- Standards/Core Values
25:00- Promotion of the program
38:00- Offseason Program
45:00- In Season Practices
50:00- Post Season
Contact
https://twitter.com/real_PAbaseball
https://www.instagram.com/bigbluebaseball/
kgraber@andover.edu
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Thursday Jun 03, 2021
Thursday Jun 03, 2021
Bio
Eric Horner is in his first season as head coach of the Johnson County Community College baseball team, and his 18th with the program. He is just the fourth head coach in the 47-year history of the program. He replaced NJCAA and ABCA Hall of Fame coach Kent Shelley who retired at the end of the 2020 season. Horner served 17 seasons as an assistant coach with the Cavaliers, 13 as the top assistant to coach Shelley, and was instrumental in the success of the program that racked up incredible numbers. In 17 years, Horner helped guide Johnson County to five 30-win seasons, eight 40-win seasons and one 50-win campaign. In 2020 the Cavaliers were on pace to add to that list before the COVID-19 pandemic cut the season short with a 20-3 mark. In his 17 years as a recruiting coordinator, Horner recruited and coached 123 all-conference selections, including a record 14 in 2017, 27 All-Region VI selections, 10 NJCAA All-Americans, one Region VI Player of the Year, three conference Players of the Year, one conference Pitcher of the Year, two JUCO All-Stars, two Rawlings Big Stick Award winners, two Rawlings Gold Glove winners and 2020 three Baseball Blog All-Americans, including the National Player of the Year. Additionally, seventy-six players went on to the NCAA Division I level, 87 to the NCAA Division II level, 20 have gone to NAIA programs, and another 20 have gone on to professional baseball.
So on the show we go over his transition from being an assistant at Johnson to being the head coach, we tallk the JUCO grind and how that develops baseball players, and then we dive deep into developing the person, the player, and the student.
Time Stamps
1:00- Transitioning from Assistant to Head Coach
3:00- Preparing for a playoff run
4:50- Preparing for the fall
11:00- What the fall looks like at JCC
14:30- Whats a Cavalier look like?
19:00- Pitching Development in the Fall
23:00- Team Development
32:00- Pre season/In season and Practice Plans
44:00- After Season Wrap-ups
47:00- Quick Hitters
Resources
www.ABCA.org
Contact
https://twitter.com/jcccathletics/
ehorner1@jccc.edu
Thursday May 13, 2021
Thursday May 13, 2021
Go to WhatAboutBaseball.com/curve to get your special offer. Thats 20% off AND free shipping.
Bio
Derek Sullivan begins his eighth season as the Head Coach of the Panthers, his 16th year as a member of the coaching staff, and his 19th involved in the City College program. In addition to his coaching duties, he also teaches full-time in the Kinesiology, Health, and Athletics Division.
In his seven years as the head coach, Coach Sullivan has had 90 players transfer to four-year universities. Having a commitment to prepare for the next level, both on the field and off, is a huge part of becoming a “Sac City Guy”.
While at City, Coach Sullivan has amassed an overall record of 191-108 (.639 winning %). The Panthers have qualified for the postseason in six of his seven years, won three Super Regionals two Sectionals and finished 3rd in California in 2019 and as the State Runner-Up in 2018!
“Sully” returned to the coach for the Panthers in 2005 after playing for ABCA Hall of Fame coach, Ed Blankmeyer, at St. John’s University in 2003 and 2004.
On the show, Derek fills us in on what a "sac city guy" is and we spend a bulk of our time on going through a year of individual player development. This episode is so good with Derek Sullivan!
Time Stamps
1:00- Sac City History
6:20- First 100 days/Vision of the program
12:30- "Sac City Guy" Standards
20:00- "Whats a big leaguer look like?"
28:20:- Team Building activities
35:00- Outline of Player Development
43:00- Offseason-Pre Season
48:30- In season-Post Season
1:00:00- Self Reflection after the season
1:05:00- Last Things
Resources
Sleep Research and studies
Mans Search for meaning- Victor Frankl
Heads Up Baseball 2.0
Old School vs New School- Eugene Bleecker
Contact
https://twitter.com/dsullivanscc
sullivd@scc.losrios.edu
Thursday May 06, 2021
Thursday May 06, 2021
Go to WhatAboutBaseball.com/curve to get your special offer. Thats 20% off AND free shipping.
Bio
Among the most highly respected coaches and recruiters in college baseball, Mitch Thompson is beginning his 8th year as head coach at McLennan Community College.
Thompson was named McLennan head coach before the 2014 season and immediately began rebuilding the program to prominence, National Runner Up in 2015. 5th place in 2017.
Had the top JUCOMLB Draft pick in two of the last three years. They are also one of only 7 Division 1 JC’s to have 40 or more wins in each of the last 5 years.
Before being named McLennan head coach, Thompson spent one season as the South Texas area scouting supervisor for the Kansas City Royals organization after spending nearly two decades on staff at Baylor University (1995-2012) where he was the Bears’ hitting instructor and primary recruiter.
Mitch also began his coaching career as a graduate assistant for legendary coach Ron Polk at Mississippi State.
on the show we discuss building the culture at a JUCO, we talk practice development/design, and how to make the big time where you are.
Time stamps
3:00- Vision of the program
5:00- Big time is where you are
10- Rules and s
13:30- Building the culture at McLennan
23:37- Offseason Calendar
30:00- Developing a team offense.
34:05- Pre Season- In season Practices
46:00- Last Things
Resources
Ron Polks Baseball Handbook
ABCA Conventions
The Travelers Gift- Andy Andrews
Contact
254-299-8148
mthompson@mclennan.edu
Thursday Apr 29, 2021
Thursday Apr 29, 2021
Go to WhatAboutBaseball.com/curve to get your special offer. Thats 20% off AND free shipping.
Bio
Larry Vucan- Head Baseball Coach, Southlake Carroll (TX)Larry took over in 2017 as the head coach at Carroll since he took over, they reached the final four 3 times in his first 4 years and won back to back Texas High School 6A State Baseball Championships in 2018 and 2019 He was Named Dallas/Ft. Worth High School Coach of the Year 2017 and 2019
A little background on Larry He is a native of El Paso. Played Collegiately at New Mexico Highlands University. and Played professionally in the Italian Baseball League in Trieste, Italy and then Coached and Managed there.
On the show we discuss how to communicate throughout a large program (they have 5 total HS teams) Larry goes in depth over his player evaluation system and we discuss how to get teams ready for post season play
Here is Larry Vucan
Timestamps
0:30- Playing in Italy
2:30- Vision of the program
26:35- Developing a player evaluation system
37:34- Pre-Season
42:03- In-Season Advice
55:00- Last Things
Resources
Lincoln on Leadership
BF Skinner- Operant Conditioning
John Wooden
Augie Garrido
Contact
Twitter
Thursday Apr 22, 2021
Thursday Apr 22, 2021
Go to WhatAboutBaseball.com/curve to get your special offer. Thats 20% off AND free shipping.
Bio
Wes Carroll heads into his 14th season as head baseball coach at the University of Evansville as the Aces usher in a new era of Evansville Baseball and has taken the program to new heights. Carroll learned the “the Purple Aces’ way” growing up just a few minutes from campus in nearby Newburgh, Indiana. He watched his older brother and former Major League infielder, Jamey Carroll, excel at shortstop, and later got to experience the success the program is capable of first-hand as a four-year starter for the Purple Aces and a member of UE’s 2000 NCAA Tournament team.
Following his college career at Evansville, Carroll was drafted in the 37th round of the Major League Baseball first-year player draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. Carroll spent the next five years playing Minor League Baseball for the Phillies, and later, for the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals organization. As a part of the now-Nationals organization, Carroll played parts of two seasons at the AAA level. He retired from the professional ranks in the spring of 2006, but not before he was able to play alongside his older brother, Jamey, in two spring training games for the Washington Nationals.
Carroll then returned to his alma mater in the summer of 2006 as an assistant coach with the Purple Aces’ program and was named the 12th head coach in UE baseball history on July 2, 2008.
On the show we discuss how to create a family culture, a year of player development, and change he made from when he started as a 28 year old head coach.
Time stamps
1:00- Sports Family/Growing up and coming back to Evansville
9:00- Changes he has made in his career
22:00- Our culture is family
28:30- Fall Development
37:00- Pre Season
51:00- In Season
1:00:00- Resources
Resources
Mental Game of Baseball- HA Dorfmann
Anything Jon Gordon
Contact
wc2@evansville.edu
Twitter
Thursday Apr 15, 2021
Thursday Apr 15, 2021
Go to WhatAboutBaseball.com/curve to get your special offer. 20% off AND free shipping.
Bio
Matt Parker started in 2018 as head coach of Eastern baseball. Year one they were 25-23, last years COVID year was 19-4, nationally ranked and leading league when shutdown and this year they are 26-3, nationally ranked, and were leading the league at the time.
Before Eastern, Matt over and took the Oklahoma Wesleyan baseball program to new heights, breaking program records and turned the Eagles into an NAIA regional power and national contender. They won four conference championships and two NAIA World Series appearances. He was a three-time conference Coach of the Year and two-time ABCA Region Coach of the Year.
Prior to Oklahoma Wesleyan, Parker spent three seasons as an assistant at California Baptist University, two seasons as an assistant coach at Garden City (Kan.) Community College, and he also spent the 2005-06 season as an assistant coach at Henderson State University.
On the show we talk about how he implemented a championship vision to 2 programs on 2 different levels which includes standards on and off the field, consistent self reflection, and building players not only on the field, but off the field and in the classroom.
Time stamps
1:30- Vision when you started (at both OKWU and Eastern)
10:20- Developing Arms
25:00- Standards
30:00- Offseason Calendar
53:00- In season Changes
102:00- Last things
Resources
Rapsodo
Synergy
Core Velo Belts
Driveline/J-Bands
Clean Fuego Balls
Mind Gym- Gary Mack
Contact
https://twitter.com/MattParker37
mparker@eosc.edu
Thursday Apr 08, 2021
Thursday Apr 08, 2021
Go to WhatAboutBaseball.com/curve to get your special offer. Thats 20% off AND free shipping.
Bio
Freddy Hilliard is in his 11th season as Head Baseball Coach at Malvern Preparatory School in Malvern, Pennsylvania.
In his time at Malvern Prep, he has amassed a school record for wins with a 282-71 record and has led the Friars to 7 league championships and 6 State titles including the previous 3 in a row to go along with 8 straight seasons of making the state final. Coach Hilliard has been named Coach of the Year 3 separate times during his tenure, and his teams have been nationally recognized both with preseason and postseason national rankings in several publications 7 times.
Coach Hilliard has helped mentor over 65 players onto the collegiate baseball ranks including 40 that have gone on to play at the division one level. He has also had a player of his selected by MLB in 3 of the previous 4 drafts.
On the show we discuss the meaning behind Malvern having "no rules", defining and teaching core values, and practice organization.
Time Stamps
1:00- Vision of the program
7:00- Making the switch from assistant to head coach
10:20- "Our rule is we have no rules"
13:50- Core Values
20:00- Offseason Calendar
30:00- Practice Design
50:00- Lightning Section
Contact
@coachhilliard16
fhilliard@malvernprep.org
Thursday Apr 01, 2021
Thursday Apr 01, 2021
Go to WhatAboutBaseball.com/curve to get your special offer. Thats 20% off AND free shipping.
Bio
Matt Hobbs is in his third season as the Arkansas pitching coach in 2020, joining the Razorbacks in November 2018.
Matt helped craft the Razorback pitching staff into one of the top groups in the country in his first year on the Hill in 2019. and In a shortened season, the Hogs put together a 3.68 ERA and an 11-5 record with three saves and one shutout. Arkansas racked up 143 strikeouts in 142.0 innings
Hobbs has coached eight players that have been drafted in the top-10 rounds, including 2018 first-round pick Griffin Roberts, and has helped develop a total of seven big leaguers.
Before Arkansas, Hobbs was the Pitching coach at Wake Forest and in each of his first three years in Winston-Salem, the Demon Deacons improved in ERA, strikeouts , walks per nine and opponent batting average
Hobbs pitched at Missouri from 1999-2002, where he won 13 games and struck out 125 batters. Hobbs was drafted twice, first by the San Diego Padres in 2001 and then by the Kansas City Royals in 2002.
On the show we talk all things pitching development, including who they like to recruit, what pitching assessments they use, and how they use tech for offseason development and measuring in season progress.
Time Stamps
5:00- Things he has changed from 2020
14:00- How has player development changed?
21:30- Recruiting talk
27- Assessments
30:30- Readiness Scores
36:00- Recovery
42:00- In season development
58:00- Using tech for development
1:07:00- Last Things
Contact
Twitter
mh099@uark.edu