Ahead Of The Curve with Jonathan Gelnar

Adrian Dinkel- Head Baseball Coach, Southeastern University (FL)

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During this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I interview Adrian Dinkel, Head Coach at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida. Coach Dinkel shares his wealth of experience in developing his team culture of accountability and not being afraid of opening up to players and setting firm expectations. Adrian also explains how he keeps his modes of baseball training competitive, builds up his player’s levels of responsibility, and establishes a respect for hard work.
Episode Highlights:
Why did Adrian Dinkel decide to get into coaching?
How does a typical week come across in Adrian’s system?
What are some ways that Adrian Dinkel gets training elements done faster?
Does Coach Dinkel rely on older guys helping the younger guys?
What are some things that players are doing when everyone is present in training?
How do they keep training competitive?
What are the different standards Coach Dinkel implements for the team culture?
How is Coach Dinkel developing his players and his assistant coaches?
What is Adrian looking for in staff during the interview process?
What are the rules that people need to do to be successful on the team?
How does Coach Dinkel prioritize individual development within players?
Are there ways to get the players to regulate themselves?
What does a typical week look like during the season for a starting player?
How does batting practice operate?
What are the routines for the weight room?
What does a post-season meeting look like with a player that is returning?
How can you communicate difficult feedback?
What advice does Coach Dinkel have for first-year head coaches?
What is the latest thing that Coach Dinkel is excited about using?  
How has Adrian gotten creative with his resources?
Which resources does Adrian Dinkel find the most useful?
3 Key Points:
Coach Dinkel gives players more live randomized training instead of block training with instructions yelled out.  
Coach Dinkel gets to know his players personally by sharing his personal life and having an open-door policy with them.
There has to be an expectation to be great every day.
Tweetable Quotes:
“We assume that everybody knows nothing every single day. And so, we are constantly on them and sooner or later it becomes a routine and they start to hold each other accountable for it and they turn it into a game.” – Adrian Dinkel (05:07)
“We are trying to just teach them to be competitive and to support one another through selfless acts, whether it is picking trash or whatever we do.” – Adrian Dinkel (10:30)
“Your culture is set by your coaching staff and your players that are returning from the year before, sure. But it’s going to change with the 20 new transfers you have in the door.” – Adrian Dinkel (11:31)
“Number 1 is I want people that want to work, that aren’t afraid of work. I don’t want a guy that wants to be in the office at 9 and be out by 5.” – Adrian Dinkel (15:13)
“When you get into college baseball there are three things. You got your social, you got your academics, and you got you athletics. One of those has to disappear. Which one you think it’s going to be?” – Adrian Dinkel (20:47)
“We also make sure that we are communicating with them daily on, how do you feel? How does the body feel? How much work can we get in?” – Adrian Dinkel (29:36)
“Don’t be afraid of discipline. Don’t be afraid to hurt someone’s feelings.” – Adrian Dinkel (34:47)
“I think the number resource still to this day is pick up the phone and call other coaches.” – Adrian Dinkel (40:04)
Resources Mentioned:
Ahead of the Curve Podcast
Twitter: @AOTC_podcast
Twitter: @AdrianDinkel
Email: ADinkel@SEU.edu
Website and Social Media sites for the show 
www.aotcpodcast.com
Twitter
@aotc_podcast
Facebook
Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group
Instagram
aotc_podcast
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Texas Baseball Ranch Director of Player Development Flint Wallace on Assessments, Connection and In Season Development

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http://www.aotcpodcast.com/e/3-flint-wallace-director-of-player-development-texas-baseball-ranch/
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Lance Spigner- Head Baseball Coach, UA Rich Mountain and Former Head Coach at Horatio HS (AR)

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Summary:
In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I have a really useful discussion with Lance Spigner, the Baseball Coach at Horatio High School in Horatio, Arkansas. Coach Spigner walks us through his 28 years of coaching experience, shares how he goes about training his players for success, and what types of competitive efforts and events keep his players embracing a winning attitude and having fun on the field.
Show Notes:
Lance Spigner introduces himself and shares his background
What new challenge is Lance going to take on in his retirement
What does Coach Spigner’s fall training program look like
What is involved in the competition that Lance calls the “Dirt Bag Olympics’
How does their bat speed training methods work
What are some different competitions that Lance’s players engage in
How does the strategy of stickers for hit by pitches work
What are some different fundraising efforts that Lance’s team has used
What are rules and standards that Lance’s team implements for players
How many players are in Lance’s program
What does his BP set-up look like and how are they are grouped together
How does he get his team ready to peak at the right time
What advice would Coach Spigner give his younger self
What has Lance learned lately that has gotten him excited
Which resources have been beneficial to Coach Spigner
What training efforts are kids enthusiastic about
Set up your training program systematically and measure the results
3 Key Points:
Coach Spigner’s team is known for winning with underdogs, player development, and trying to get the most out of everybody.
Coach Spigner’s team embraced the identity of ‘dirt bags’ to help their country and rural area kids utilize a tough mindset.
Enjoy the journey because suddenly you will blink, and it will be time to retire.
Tweetable Quotes:
“Everything we do, if we can, we turn into some kind of competition, because competition is fun, and that’s what you want out of your players.” – Lance Spigner (8:20)
“We’re going to be ‘dirt bags.’ And one of the things that is involved with that for us is we try to think that we’re tougher than you are.” – Lance Spigner (15:00)
“Our community has been spectacular and our administration too as far as supporting our program.” – Lance Spigner (16:59)
“We’ve found the easiest thing to do a lot of times with our fundraising is to go with some of the online fundraisers.” – Lance Spigner (19:06)
“The more written rules you have, the more rope sometimes you leave people to hang yourself.” – Lance Spigner (21:54)
“We throw all of our bullpens at the start of practice. We’ve done that now for I guess three or four years, and it has worked out really well for us.” – Lance Spigner (26:26)
“Make the ‘big time’ where you are.” – Lance Spigner (39:42)
“We love base running. The StealBases.com website and information that they have put out is tremendous.” – Lance Spigner (43:48)
Resources Mentioned:
Ahead of the Curve Podcast
@AOTC_podcast
Twitter for Lance Spigner: @Spigner23
Facebook for Lance Spigner
Lance Spigner’s Email: LanceSpigner@gmail.com
StealBases.com
ABCA.org
Website and Social Media sites for the show 
www.aotcpodcast.com
Twitter
@aotc_podcast
Facebook
Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group
Instagram
aotc_podcast
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Cleveland Indians Performance Coordinator Ryan Faer on weight room management, in season lifting, and simplification.

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http://www.aotcpodcast.com/e/2-ryan-faer-arizona-performance-coordinator-cleveland-indians/
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Dave Therneau- Pitching Coach, Stetson University (FL)

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU.
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During this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I interview Dave Therneau, Pitching Coach at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida. Coach Therneau has been named Collegiate Baseball’s Pitching Coach of the Year in 2018, and shares the advice that he has found beneficial in recruiting great pitchers, training players to be their best, and enhancing his hard-working team culture through internal motivation.
 
Episode Highlights:
 
Why did Dave Therneau decide to get into coaching?
What does day one look like during Dave Therneau’s program?
How does a typical week come across in Dave’s pitching system?
What are the most common problems that Coach Therneau notices?
Which player elements stand out positively to Dave Therneau during recruitment?
What exactly is the “hatter?”
How does Coach Therneau go about developing the culture of the team?
How does Dave motivate and keep his players competitive during training?
How does Dave Therneau prioritize individual development in a team setting?
What makes a good bullpen setting?
How does he develop command of the pitch?
What does a typical week look like during the season for a starting player?
What is the latest thing that Coach Therneau is excited about using?
Does he have fun traditions that his players enjoy engaging in?
Which resources does Dave Therneau find the most useful?
3 Key Points:
Video of Coach Therneau’s pitchers helps to improve their delivery.
Pitchers are only as good as their strike zone.
Self-motivation can be accomplished by getting players to compete against themselves.
Tweetable Quotes:
“I always talk to them about conditioning the arm. They don’t play catch. I don’t believe in that…I don’t like using that term hear.” – Dave Therneau (10:04:)
“If you are trying to go ‘full go,’ whether it be on the mound, roaming short stop or center field…and you do that for a few games, and then you are not training in between, I think it puts kids at risk.” – Dave Therneau (13:38:)
“If you want to be a hard-working, tough group, which is what we are trying to build here, we’ve had that, you have to bring those types of kids in.” – Dave Therneau (20:18:)
“I try to get these guys to compete individually against themselves.” – Dave Therneau (23:02:)
“You are pretty much using 25-27 guys, If you think about a major league roster, I think it’s around that, 25-27. All of those guys are contributors and important pieces to the team.” – Dave Therneau (27:06:)
“Every pitch has a purpose.” – Dave Therneau (34:02:)
“If something works for a guy, I like to study why.” – Dave Therneau (45:34:)
“Teach the game and teaching routines, and I just hope that that is a focus, from all of us responsible for that in baseball, because as a college coach, sometimes we get kids that are unprepared.” – Dave Therneau (52:33:)
 
Resources Mentioned:
Ahead of the Curve Podcast
Twitter: @AOTC_podcast
Dave Therneau’s Contact: gohatters.com/staff.aspx?staff=140
Website and Social Media sites for the show 
www.aotcpodcast.com
Twitter
@aotc_podcast
Facebook
Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group
Instagram
aotc_podcast
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Cookeville HS Head Coach Butch Chaffin on building leaders.

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http://www.aotcpodcast.com/e/1-butch-chaffin-head-coach-cookeville-hs-tn/
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Matt Denny- Head Baseball Coach, Mountain Pointe HS (AZ)

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Summary:
In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I interview Matt Denny, the Head Baseball Coach for Mountain Pointe High School in Phoenix, Arizona. Matt walks us through what his typical training sessions look like, how and why he developed a ‘hard-nosed’ culture in his baseball program to integrate consistency into his team, and methods for coaches to get players to overcome their fears and mistakes.
 
Show Notes:
Matt Denny introduces himself and shares his background
What does a typical week during fall training look like
How do they go about grouping players for training needs
How many coaches does Matt have in the fall
Which internal competitions does Matt integrate into training
How is Matt developing a hard-nosed culture for his team
What does Matt look for in his players on a regular basis
How does he bring his players closer together as a team
Matt walks through their weekly training plan during the season
How do their BP sessions work in practice
What data does Matt track besides BP and defense
How does he get his team ready to play in the post-season
What is meant by the belief that ‘fear is a liar’
How does the summer program operate
What advice does Matt Denny offer to first-time coaches
Be fair and be consistent
What gets Matt excited the most lately
Which training drills get the most enthusiastic reaction from Matt Denny’s players
Matt Denny shares his biggest baseball resources
Be a part of coaching associations
3 Key Points:
Coach your players to be leaders so the program can lead itself.
Players are more likely to listen to you when you develop trust and open communication.
Talk to your team about other programs that are worthy of being state champions.
Tweetable Quotes:
“You can’t move on to anything else that we’re doing until you can do things exactly how we want them to be done.” – Matt Denny (5:05)
“To have a culture like that (hard-nosed) it’s not just something you can talk about and it happens, it is something that has to happen over time.” – Matt Denny (17:20)
“Every single mistake that they make, my coaches and my assistants are instructed to talk about every single mistake.” – Matt Denny (18:24)
“’We have a sign that just says, ‘Do Things Right,’ and it’s kind of has been our mantra this year, D.T.R...” – Matt Denny (21:00)
“As hard as we are on them, it is because we love them and there are times when things aren’t going our way and we are all in it together.” – Matt Denny (23:16)
“Preparing for the post-season, in my opinion, starts the day you lose your last game the last year.” – Matt Denny (34:36)
“To beat the best you have to be ready to play the best.” – Matt Denny (36:24)
“Fear is not an actual thing. It is something you choose to do. You’re choosing to be nervous. You’re choosing to be scared.” – Matt Denny (36:42:)
 
Resources Mentioned:
Ahead of the Curve Podcast
@AOTC_podcast
Matt Denny’s Email: mdenny@tempeunion.org
Website and Social Media sites for the show 
www.aotcpodcast.com
Twitter
@aotc_podcast
Facebook
Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group
Instagram
aotc_podcast
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Andrew Wright- Head Baseball Coach, University of Charleston (WV)

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Summary:
In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I engage in a discussion with Andrew Wright, the Head Baseball Coach and Assistant Athletic Director for Recruitment and Retention at the University of Charleston in West Virginia. Coach Wright generously shares his wisdom regarding how to not only evaluate players, but also ways to empower the coaching staff as well. Find out what Andrew Wright’s training methods typically consist of what valuable advice he has benefited from along the way.
Show Notes:
Andrew Wright introduces himself and shares his background
How does player development and evaluation work in his program
Which types of information do they measure and evaluate
What are his players competing against and which skill metrics are involved
It is one thing to identify problems, it is another to offer assistance to fix them
What daily routines and drills do they do to establish a productive team culture
A lack of education, empowerment, or accountability lead to the process breaking down
How can you convey problems to players without shattering their confidence
Don’t let players feel let down, put down, or shut down
How do you get all of your coaches on the same page
What does your coach development process look like
What are some great interview questions for recruitment
Being a super stubborn coach is a disservice to your team
When you think kindly of someone, where is that coming from
What are some unique things that Andrew’s organization is doing that others aren’t
How is this spring’s practice plan shaping up
What does Andrew suggest to head coaches or assistants that want to be head coaches
It is important to respect how your ideas get results
When pitchers get behind, it is typically because of their fast ball
What is something that Andrew Wright has learned lately that he is excited about
Which resources are useful that have come up in staff meetings
3 Key Points:
 Don’t just bog the players down with the details. Show them how to apply them.
 Team culture is a product of your belief, behavior, and experience.
 Learn how to listen and how to manage your reaction when addressing issues.
Tweetable Quotes:
“In a given year we have anywhere from 47 to 55 players for whom we are responsible. So, we have to get very creative.” – Andrew Wright (2:49)
“At the Division 2 level, you can’t just recruit your wins, you have to recruit and develop them.” – Andrew Wright (4:24)
“Unless we are willing to share the information, and be very transparent about what we are doing, we can’t really prove our worth. It’s just an opinion at that point.” – Andrew Wright (5:54)
“We probably gather more information than we can actually process at this point. But the beauty is in the application.” – Andrew Wright (9:54)
“We want to be candid with each other, and we want to be vulnerable, and we really want to be real with each other.” – Andrew Wright (13:53)
“If we don’t have daily conversations about what it is supposed to look like, and hold each other accountable, then it is not going to work. You are doing it for show.” – Andrew Wright (31:32)
“I want people who are willing to hold their own opinions as accountable as they hold someone else’s.” – Andrew Wright (37:01)
“Be authentic. People see right through you when you are not.” – Andrew Wright (52:07)
Resources Mentioned:
Ahead of the Curve Podcast
@AOTC_podcast
Andrew Wright Twitter: @UCWV_awright
ICGoldenEagles.com
Website and Social Media sites for the show 
www.aotcpodcast.com
Twitter
@aotc_podcast
Facebook
Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group
Instagram
aotc_podcast
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Nunzio Signore- Strength and Conditioning Coach, Owner of Rockland Peak Performance (NY)

This episode is brought to you by baseballcloud and OnBaseU.
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Summary:
In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I welcome Nunzio Signore, athletic trainer, Owner of Rockland Peak Performance in Sloatsburg NY, author of the book Pitchers Arm Care, Director of the Pitching Lab and a contributing writer for such publications as Inside Pitch Magazine, Elite Baseball Performance and Stack Sports. Nunzio Signore shares his wealth of knowledge about how to properly access the needs of players during training, how to assist players with strength and velocity, and strategies to help them recover in a healthy manner.
Show Notes:
What made Nunzio transition from soccer to baseball
What is the first step that Nunzio would take to train a 16-year player
How does Nunzio undergo his player assessments
What are some of the things that most kids have problems with
How does the core velocity belt help players
What is the strength-speed continuum program
What will players get out of the pitching lab training
Which three things are the top issues that Nunzio is looking for in players
How does Nunzio feel about when is it right to give players time off
What makes up a great bullpen setting
Which factors bring about an unstable pitch
Breathing, a good night sleep, and water are fantastic for player recovery
What tools and strategies does Nunzio use for his assessments
Until velocity of a player increases, he doesn’t add more weight to a player’s weight training
What are the biggest new training elements that Nunzio is excited about
Why do Nunzio’s players love jump profiling
How can you make nutrition a proper part of their training
Which resources does Nunzio recommend
3 Key Points:
Everyone should sequence their pelvis, thorax, elbow extension, and shoulder internal rotation.
The pitch lab aims to produce the complete pitcher by merging pitching inside the nets and strength training.
Instead of paying for showcases, pay to develop yourself as a player.
 
Tweetable Quotes:
-        “People are hungry out there to make sure the kids stay safe and we can increase velocity and command and control safely.” – Nunzio Signore (1:49)
-        “The assessment in our facility, that’s the cornerstone of what we do at RPP. I honestly believe that it’s the way to create a blueprint for an athlete.” – Nunzio Signore (3:01)
-        “You don’t want to add strength to disfunction.” – Nunzio Signore (4:57)
-        “If you can feel it, you can do it.” – Nunzio Signore (9:09)
-        “I just don’t ever think that we should get out of the pattern of throwing.” – Nunzio Signore (24:51)
-        “Don’t take mechanical solutions to athleticism problems.” – Nunzio Signore (33:35)
-        “I don’t really believe in trying to get rid of soreness by running. I don’t really feel like running for a pitcher is something that we would do at all.” – Nunzio Signore (35:54)
-        “My recovery for my athletes is breathing.” – Nunzio Signore (36:17)
Resources Mentioned:
Aotcpodcast.com
Twitter: @aotc_podcast
Linkedin: Nunzio Signore
RocklandPeakPerformance.com
“Starting” Strength,”
“Diagnosis and Treatment of Movement Impairment Syndromes,”  
“Ultimate MMA Conditioning”
Website and Social Media sites for the show 
www.aotcpodcast.com
Twitter
@aotc_podcast
Facebook
Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group
Instagram
aotc_podcast
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Tanner Swanson- MiLB Catching Coordinator, Minnesota Twins

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Summary
In this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I talk with Tanner Swanson, minor league Catching Coordinator with the Minnesota Twins. He shares about his journey of coaching and teaching and how that has led him to this point in his career. He shares incredible insight into the importance and mechanics of solid catching techniques, and brings a wealth of insight to the catching position.
Episode Highlights:
Tanner grew up playing baseball in a small town and had positive experiences and connections with coaches.
Gained an interest in teaching and coaching in college.
Shares about how catching has shaped his career, and how he got to spend focused time on teaching the catching program at the University of Washington.
Tanner talks about the parallel of the catching position and middle linebacker, as opposed to the quarterback analogy typical used.
Tanner shares about the importance of framing metrics in the catching position.
There's more complexity to stances than just 2 stances.
Tanner shares some insight into a variety of positions for different situations, and how varying setups and hand positions affect outcomes.
A deep dive into receiving position
Important to understand the pitcher's mix and qualities  
Discussion on varieties of extension styles and manipulations  
3 keys to high level throws
Importance “on the field” communication for catchers.
Discuss next phase of motion technology
 
3 Key Points:
    When you step back and look at anything from a distance, it allows you to question and see things from a different perspective.
   Developing a versatile, well-rounded skill set needs to be the foundation.
   We need more voices to come forward and push the catching position forward.
 
Tweetable Quotes:
“Coaching is teaching, and they parallel each other.” – Tanner Swanson
“Good ideas, inspiration, and creativity are drawn from asking the right questions.” – Tanner Swanson
“A catcher has to be very instinctive, very reactive, and has to have really advanced perceptive skills to be able to read, react, and respond to a lot of different variables in a really short amount of time.” – Tanner Swanson
“It's important to start prioritizing your training economy based on what actually happens in competition” – Tanner Swanson
“Not a single catcher in baseball is a better pitch framer from a big, active secondary stance.” – Tanner Swanson
"The key to the strike zone is down, being able to dominate the bottom of the strike zone is critical." - Tanner Swanson
"Down is better than up, right is better than left." - Travis Swanson
"We should be promoting what we want pitchers to do, not what we want them to avoid. - Tanner Swanson
Resources Mentioned:
"Dare to Lead" - Brene Brown
"The One Thing" - Gary Keller
"The Culture Code" - Daniel Coyle
D1 Catching Website
Tanner Swanson Email
Tanner Swanson Twitter
D1 Catching Twitter
Website and Social Media sites for the show 
www.aotcpodcast.com
Twitter
@aotc_podcast
Facebook
Ahead of the Curve Coaches Facebook group
Instagram
aotc_podcast
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