Valerie Pinarski

Leaders have to search for the heart on a team, because the person who has it can bring out the best in everybody else. – Mike Krzyzewski

[Jermaine Curtis @JermaineCurtis]

When I was at UCLA, my hitting coach had us do a drill that felt really awkward the first time I tried it.

He put a tee right in front of the plate and told me to take 7 swings hitting line drives right back up the middle.

Then he moved the tee a few inches farther out.

7 more swings.

Then a few inches farther.

7 more.

As the tee moved farther out in front, the ball should start traveling toward your pull-side gap.

But there was a catch.

You couldn't reach for it.

You still had to stay connected and work the barrel through the middle of the field.

The whole idea was to teach us to keep the barrel through the baseball longer.

I remember the first time I did it.

It felt awkward.

Really awkward.

I swas swinging around it, and cutting off my swing.

Then we had a scrimmage.

My first at-bat, I got a pitch and drilled it off the left-center field wall.

I immediately thought about the drill.

There was something about that feeling of working through the baseball instead of just trying to hit it that clicked for me.

I've used that drill ever since.

And now I use it with my hitters.

I call it the:

Break the Wall Drill.

Because I see a lot of hitters who are just trying to hit the baseball.

Their barrel gets to the ball...

and then they're done.

I want my hitters thinking differently.

Imagine there's a wall behind the baseball and your barrel has to break through it.

So if you have trouble rolling over, pulling off the baseball, or your barrel doesn't stay through the hitting zone very long, try this tonight:

Start with the tee in front of the plate.

7 swings - line drives up the middle.

Move the tee a few inches farther out.

7 swings - drive the baseball toward your pull-side gap.

As the ball gets farther away, don't reach for it.

Stay connected.

Let the barrel work through the baseball.

Because there's one thing I learned playing this game...

The best hitters don't just get their barrel TO the baseball.

They learn how to work their barrel THROUGH the baseball.

There's a big difference.

Try the Break the Wall Drill tonight and feel it for yourself.

Thank you for reading,
— Jermaine Curtis

P.S. - if you enjoyed this, and thought it was helpful, share it.

[Marian Knights @MUKnights]

𝐌𝐔 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 🚨

Looking to get paid for real-world experience, working Marian Athletics events right here on campus?

Click the link for more information and apply today!

Apply on CORE | https://t.co/GQdAw0yRwb

#GoKnights

[Marian Knights @MUKnights]

Looking back on a record-setting year for the Knights!

@MarianUBaseball had nine program records and three individual records broken this year, highlighted by the team home run record, team strike out record, and River Pecina tying the single-season home run record!

[Valerie Pinarski @PinarskiMom]

@taylortrojans @taylorbaseball Congratulations Coach Barber!

[Protect Kamala Harris ✊ @DisavowTrump20]

Since Trump doesn't want this portrait of President Obama displayed in the White House, let's make this photo of our President go viral here!

RETWEET if you love @BarackObama!

[Valerie Pinarski @PinarskiMom]

for you @NatePinarski

[👉M-Û-R-Č-H👈 @TheEXECUTlONER_]

This umpire gave this kid and his team two warnings for throwing the bat at the catcher.

He told them if it happened again they were going to get ejected from the game.

Well….it happened again.

The batter hit the ball back to the pitcher and the pitcher overthrew first base. But, the umpire called a dead ball and called the batter out and ejected him from the game.

The coach came out to argue and said the batter didn’t throw the bat, that it was a regular follow through on the back swing. He told the umpire they had it on film. The umpire said he had it on film too.

Then the third base coach came down to argue and the umpire told the coach he was wrong and that he had it on video.

You can hear the parents screaming at him.

Some people said that was a terrible call and he let go legally on the follow through. You can also hear them tell the umpire that he had it out for that kid. 🤯

But a lot of people sided with the ump and said he handled it well and with that many warnings that it was a fantastic call. 💯

The umpire gave the same kid two prior warnings. Even if it wasn’t intentional, there has to be consequences after a third time. He could seriously injure the catcher. This will help the batter in the future hopefully.

What do you think? Was this the right or wrong call?

[Protect Kamala Harris ✊ @DisavowTrump20]

RETWEET if you love President Obama!

[Barack Obama @BarackObama]

To George and Laura, Bill and Hillary — we're grateful for your friendship, counsel, and devotion to this country. And to Joe and Jill, thank you for being on this journey with us.

[Lyra Belacqua🟧🟦📚👩🏻‍🏫🦉🍸🏎️🏊🏻‍♀️ @ChambersL614]

#ObamaDayJune14

[Protect Kamala Harris ✊ @DisavowTrump20]

RETWEET if you are celebrating Barack Obama Appreciation Day today!

[Catholic Sat @CatholicSat]

The Pope’s Prayer intention for the month of June is to pray “for the values of sports”, that all sport may promote peace, fraternity and communion.

“Lord of life, we thank you for the gift of sport, for those who glorify God through the exercise of their bodies, for the friendships born on the field and the joy of playing as a team.

You teach us that in life, as in the game, no one is saved alone. We need others to grow, to learn respect, to overcome our limits, and to celebrate together the victories we achieve.”

[Ken Fox @KenFoxTruth]

Some great sportsmanship here as @cminutemen Mason Bailey offers condolences to @nridgeathletics Preston Ryan after the Minutemen's extra inning win at the 4A Goshen Sectional. @IHSAA1

[Baseball Dudes Inc. 🇺🇸⚾️ @BaseballDudes48]

For the parents of pitchers, pass this along to them…

Pitchers:

You’ve chosen to play the most mentally demanding position on the field. Not only do you have to deal with your own mistakes, failures and errors (and be able to move on within seconds), you have to manage your emotions after your teammates errors, umpires missed calls, the weather, poor pitching mound conditions and even sometimes pitching to a catcher who is struggling receiving the ball.

It’s all part of the gig. You’ll never be able to get away from these things. Your weakness is complaining and blaming these things for your performance while your strength can be how you handle all of it with grace allowing you to be present in the moment and competitive with each pitch.

No one is saying this is easy but understanding what comes with it will help you to better evaluate and prepare for your next opportunity.

[Taylor Trojans @taylortrojans]

TROJANS WIN! @taylorbaseball will play for a national championship on Saturday!

#BattleForTheRedBanner #NAIABaseball

[Jacob Turner @TheJacobTurner]

A PARENT’S JOURNEY THROUGH YOUTH SPORTS:

Age 5: “He’s got a cannon.”
Age 6: “He’s the fastest kid out there. Coach said so.”
Age 7: “Rec ball isn’t challenging him anymore.”
Age 8: “We tried out for select. Obviously made it.”
Age 9: “$2,800 for the season. Plus uniforms. Plus tournaments. Plus hotels.”
Age 10: “Cooperstown is basically a family vacation, right?”
Age 11: “He needs a hitting guy. And a pitching guy. And probably a mental performance coach.”
Age 12: “I’m not a crazy sports parent. The OTHER parents are crazy.”
Age 13: “We changed schools. For academics. (And also baseball.)”
Age 14: “Showcases are a requirement at this age.”
Age 15: “Ya his ranking just ticked up. We’re cooking.”
Age 16: “He just needs to get seen by the right school.”
Age 17: “The D1 schools want him to walk on. He’ll earn a spot by sophomore year.”
Age 18: “Okay, D2 is actually really competitive.”
Age 19: “He’s redshirting. Strategic.”
Age 20: “He’s focusing on school now.”
Age 21: “You know what? He’s so much happier.”

Roughly 7% of high schoolers play in college.

About 1.5% of those get drafted.

Less than half of draftees ever play one day in the big leagues.

The odds of our kids going pro are somewhere between “struck by lightning” and “find a $100 in old shorts.”

I love youth sports (all my kids play a bunch of them) just keep a good perspective my friends. ✌️

[Lisa Boothe @LisaMarieBoothe]

This little dog is my spirit animal

[Troy Silva @TroyPSilva]

You wanna be a coach?

⚾️ You will feel unappreciated
⚾️ You will have people talk bad about you
⚾️ You will be consumed by the “job”
⚾️ You will have people question your every move
⚾️ You will be taken advantage of

Is it worth it?
Every coach who actually cares about his players and the team culture loves the process and the development. So yeah, it’s worth it in the long run and it’s incredibly rewarding helping young men develop into the people God created them to be… but man, it is really hard sometimes to keep going!

*Coaches: You are needed, you are appreciated, you are important. Keep giving your all!

#BaseballTruth

[Coach Swit @CoachSwit]

Dear H.S. Hitters:

Pitchers aren’t missing inside anymore. They’re living away because most of you can’t handle it.

Everybody wants to pull HRs.
Nobody wants to hit a hard single the other way.

Learn to use the whole field.
You can thank me later.

[Coach Swit @CoachSwit]

I coach varsity H.S. baseball and travel ball… and I’d take H.S. baseball every single time.

The school pride.
The community.
The rivalries.
The pressure to win.
The packed playoff games.
Playing for your town.

In my eyes H.S. baseball just means more.