Justin Kessler

6th Grade Special Education Teacher, Assistant Coach @RUNewarkBase, @NortheastNTIS scout, Founder of @FindAWayMP

[Justin Kessler @Justin__Kessler]

I love college baseball⚾️❤️@espn @Mike_Rooney #squeezeplay

[Find A Way Mental Performance @FindAWayMP]

Mindful Minute Monday🧠🧘‍♂️

Today is June 1st, a day that thousands of college athletes, especially in baseball will enter the transfer portal.

As you look to find a new home, something to consider is what you can do different at your next school.

[Justin Kessler @Justin__Kessler]

Used this growing up and had my pitchers @RVCC_Baseball do this as well.

@tomhouse has all of his pitchers use this and there is a reason why they are successful.

This is also tremendous to work on routines and the mental game🧠

[Find A Way Mental Performance @FindAWayMP]

Practice Plan Friday!

"Backyard Baseball Drills"

A player only has so many throws in their arm. That is why things like the Towel Drill are great to use.

The towel drill can be used to make mechanical adjustments and work on your mental game.

https://t.co/ah8LNuS98w

[Justin Kessler @Justin__Kessler]

Starting year 5 of this challenge tomorrow!

Who's in?

[Find A Way Mental Performance @FindAWayMP]

Mindful Minute Monday🧠🧘‍♂️

Happy Memorial Day!

It is the eve of the 8C challenge that @SuccessHotline hosts every year.

Can you stop yourself from having:
-Cake
-Cookies
-Chocolate
-Chips
-Cola
-Candy
-You can't complain about it
-Give a compliment to someone

[Justin Kessler @Justin__Kessler]

Great drill to work on hitting through the ball and it can be done anywhere!

Last year, when @RUNewarkBase went to play @JHUBaseball, this was a drill that was part of their BP.

[Find A Way Mental Performance @FindAWayMP]

Practice Plan Friday!

"Backyard Baseball Drills"

These days, plyo balls and pitchers go hand in hand.

Did you know that you can use plyo balls to help with hitting?

Check out this Plyo Ball Hitting drill!

https://t.co/gyNyeHwfMB

@DrivelineBB

[Find A Way Mental Performance @FindAWayMP]

Take a Breath Tuesday🫁

This week's meditation came from the Warrior/Monk challenge by @heroicbrian and @BPakFitness

The breathing meditation comes from the book, "The Oxygen Advantage" @OxygenAdvantage

Try it out and get rid of anxiety and stress!

https://t.co/D3lbFsFukQ

[Rutgers Newark Baseball @RUNewarkBase]

| Coaching Opportunities |

We are hiring Assistant Coaches for the 2026-2027 academic year!

Interested applicants should email resume and cover letter to head coach Conor Kortmann: [email protected]

[Justin Kessler @Justin__Kessler]

Doubleheaders are hard, especially between game 1 and 2.

Players want to socialize with their parents, talk to their friends in the stand, go on their phones and a plethora of other things.

Help them stay locked in and focused for game 2 with this mental imagery!

[Find A Way Mental Performance @FindAWayMP]

Think it , before you do it Thursday🤔

Everything happens✌️,☝️ in your head and then in reality.

Winning a doubleheader or bouncing back from losing the first game of a doubleheader is hard.

Have your players stay locked in with this mental imagery!

https://t.co/oqNDWymMOq

[Find A Way Mental Performance @FindAWayMP]

Wise Words Wednesday🧐

"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity." -Amelia Earhart🛩️

It is the start that stops most people. What are you putting off that you should start?

Guess what, take action and start today!

[Justin Kessler @Justin__Kessler]

Baseball players are super athletic when you allow them to be.

Lets take a game that everyone plays in basketball, "Horse" and make it fit for baseball.

Spice up your catch play today whether it is in your backyard or at the field!

[Find A Way Mental Performance @FindAWayMP]

Practice Plan Friday!

"Backyard Baseball Drills"

Who said you can't play "Horse" in baseball?

Make catch play more competitive and fun while allowing yours players to make athletic throws and work on accuracy!

Try out Catch Play: Horse!

https://t.co/oejBCKvi2e

[Justin Kessler @Justin__Kessler]

So proud of how far this young man has come from coaching him @ABRevsAthletics. Keep up the hard work Jordan!

[Ian Cundall @IanCundall]

Nice start from @SFGProspects LHP Jordan Gottesman tonight: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K. 71p/45s, 15 whiffs. FB up to 94. Kept hitters off-balance throughout outing & missed bats with entire arsenal. First professional win for the @GoNUbaseball & Acton-Boxboro product.

[Find A Way Mental Performance @FindAWayMP]

Wise Words Wednesday🧐

"Be a thermostat, not a thermometer."

When you walk into a room, are you taking the temperature of the room or are you setting the temperature in the room?

[Justin Kessler @Justin__Kessler]

Awesome breathing technique that I learned through the Warrior Monk Challenge with @BPakFitness and @heroicbrian

[Find A Way Mental Performance @FindAWayMP]

Take a Breath Tuesday🫁

This week's meditation comes from the yoga🧘‍♂️ breathing technique called Ujjayi or Ocean Breathing.

Thank you @BPakFitness for introducing this to me through the Warrior Monk Challenge! @heroicbrian

https://t.co/o5XgeoT2DU

[Justin Kessler @Justin__Kessler]

With so many baseball games being played on turf fields, adding in the Hat Drill to your catch play routine is paramount.

Let the turf field and its predictable hops work in your favor!

[Find A Way Mental Performance @FindAWayMP]

Practice Plan Friday!

"Backyard Baseball Drills"

This week is a catch play drill where players will practice throwing one hoppers.

With the increase in turf fields, utilizing the turf to get the ball to its destination faster is a great technique!

https://t.co/6NCXU2Gjcd

[Coach AJ 🎯 Mental Fitness @coachajkings]

Mark Few explains the process Gonzaga uses to work on mental toughness and adversity.

"We spend probably 25-30% of the athlete's time now on mental."

Then he explained what that looks like: "We do this thing called PGMs - Personal Growth Mondays."

"We start every Monday with this Personal Growth Monday. Staff, myself, coaches aren't allowed in there. It's just the players and Travis Knight, our strength coach and mental coach."

They invest the time every week. You can't let the mental game be an afterthought.

"They can dive into a myriad of anything that's currently happening or that they've requested...Processing pressure. Processing expectations. Lack of confidence. Hitting adversity. Handling success."

The best teams train the mind, the body, and develop the person.

Your mind is affected by your daily thoughts, habits and unconscious biases.

Mental fitness helps you build resilience and thrive.

Without investing time in mental fitness, managing stress, anxiety, and challenges becomes harder.
(🎥 Walker Webcast)

[Justin Kessler @Justin__Kessler]

Talk to yourself, don't listen to yourself!

[Find A Way Mental Performance @FindAWayMP]

Wise Words Wednesday🧐

"You need to talk to yourself the way you would talk to your best friend."

Our brain is wired to be negative because of our survival instincts from our early ancestors.

There are no Saber-Tooth Tigers going to eat you, let's show ourselves some grace.

[Baseball IQ @BaseballIQ_App]

🚨 Andy Pettitte's Pickoff Move

• Mimic the tempo & movement of your delivery
• Don't try and "trick" the runner - less is more

⭐️ Mental cue is "Throw the ball home" but put your foot down at a 45 degree angle.

[Find A Way Mental Performance @FindAWayMP]

Mindful Minute Monday🧠🧘‍♂️

A female sea turtle will lay about 80-120 eggs in their nest below the sand on the beach.

Fast-forward 6-10 weeks and the hatchlings hatch.

Checkout the rest of the thread🧵

[Justin Kessler @Justin__Kessler]

Awesome drill that I have used with youth, high school and college outfielders!

A great way to add some competitiveness to outfield practice!

[Find A Way Mental Performance @FindAWayMP]

Practice Plan Friday!

"Backyard Baseball Drills"

This week is a drill that you can do with any position group, it's especially good for outfielders.

The drill practices 1st step quickness, changing directions, visualization and players get to compete!

https://t.co/7IwDt7EZBW

[Justin Kessler @Justin__Kessler]

Awesome technique that I have used before administrator observations of my teaching, giving big speeches in front of a lot of people and during stressful baseball games.

I would highly recommend trying out the Power Posing technique. 2 minutes is all you need in this position!

[Find A Way Mental Performance @FindAWayMP]

Take a Breath Tuesday🫁

Trying to feel more powerful and confident in yourself?

Try out Amy Cuddy's Power Posing technique!
https://t.co/v43s5zJCLB

Today's meditation will guide you through relaxing and power posing.
https://t.co/rfT5yUMpKr