Tyler Downing

Teacher, Coach, & Husband

[Tyler Downing @TylerDowning_]

@DeanTTraining PF

[Baseball Dudes Inc. 🇺🇸⚾️ @BaseballDudes48]

12 Things I would tell myself as a young player:

1. The work you put in away from your team is where real growth happens. Take your personal development into our own hands. Stop waiting for others to help you.

2. The game will be hard on your body. Take care of it.

3. Accountability will be one of your biggest weaknesses. Get better at it ASAP!

4. Everyday you play catch you are a pitcher. Even if you’re not slated to pitch that day, while you play catch, be a pitcher. Work on your throwing mechanics, throw your off speed pitches and hit spots on your partner.

5. THROW YOUR CHANGE UP!! Start learning it from day one. Experiment with different grips. Keep it out of your palm. Play catch with it EVERYDAY you throw the ball. It will be a very important pitch you need later. Develop it and your confidence in it early on so you don’t need to later.

6. GET STRONGER!!

7. Be a student of the game. When you watch the game on TV, watch it more like a student than a fan. Watch how they move their bodies. How they move around the field. Read up on mental toughness. Seek out those with more experience and ask questions.

8. You’re a pitcher. Just because you threw a pitch, your job is not over. The only time you should find yourself still standing on the mound after a hit ball is if there is no one on base and a GB is hit to your 3B or SS. Any other time you are either moving towards 1B to cover if needed or backing up a base somewhere. Stop spectating!

9. Your headspace will separate you from your competitors. Please start learning this at a younger age! Mental toughness, baseball IQ, competitiveness and emotional control need to be a constant focus.

10. You will have some great coaches in your life and some who have no business being in that position. But you can learn something from all of them, even if that means learning how you DON’T want to be as a coach someday.

11. Playing with and through discomfort is part of it. You shouldn’t have to feel 💯 to give 💯. You better develop some toughness in that area if you want to last.

12. Enjoy the Game!! Someday you will play in your final game. Be grateful for what the game gave you. Respect the game. Remember as much as you can. Enjoy your teammates and when you’re ready, give back as much as you can.

[Tim Kight @TimothyKight]

BCD (blame, complain, defend) is toxic and erodes the human spirit. It has never solved a problem, achieved a goal, or improved a relationship. The reality is that it damages everything it touches. Eliminate BCD from your life!

[Brian Kight @BrianKight]

A team can go only as far as its leadership and culture will take it, and not a step further.

[Iowa HS Baseball Coaches Association @IAHSBCA]

For this @IAHSBCA Prospect Showcase watchlist, let's check out some catchers from class 3A:
Kade Burzlaff DeWitt
Carter Cajthami Charles City
Brady Coffman Grinnell
Noah Davies Boone
Anthony Eaton Nevada
Carter Essick Carroll
Hayden Soma Harlan
These guys aren't even seniors yet!

[Tyler Downing @TylerDowning_]

@RyanKronberg The one time in Gabel’s career that he used a rake, and you got a picture of it.

[David Neill @DNeill62]

The strength coach’s biggest dilemma of trying to train the modern HS athlete:🧵

[CCStrength&Conditioning @CometTuff]

Charles City HS is seeking a new PE teacher to specifically instruct & lead strength training during the school day, as this position is fully dedicated to strength training. Please apply at Teach Iowa: https://t.co/VurVhA2Fbn

[The Coaches' Journal @TheCoachJournal]

It's not the will to win, everyone has that. It's the will to prepare to win that matters.

Everything you do has your signature on it. So you want to do it as well as you can.

To be successful, you have to learn to do things you don't like.

Coach K on mindset:

[Official Strength Debates @StrengthDebates]

When a baseball player hits a ball to the warning track what does everyone say?

✅ WEIGHT ROOM

They don’t say

❌ MOVEMENT
❌ MOBILITY
❌ BATTING PRACTICE

🔥STAY IN THE WEIGHT ROOM IN SEASON🔥

[Farmington Str+Cond. @FarmingtonPower]

When all teams lift, all teams benefit. The Web of Strength breaks down pretty quickly though when teams aren’t on board. Here's the visual comparing when all teams lift vs missing just one team per season vs missing two teams per season. Not lifting affects everyone else.

[Brian Kight @BrianKight]

BCD (Blaming, Complaining, & Defensiveness) expands and intensifies problems instead of solving them.

BCD is guaranteed to turn a good situation bad or make a bad situation even worse.

There are hundreds of options besides BCD. Seek them. Find them. Do them.

[Greg Berge @GregBerge]

Want to WIN?

Play the ELIMINATION Game. 👇

[Troy Silva @TroyPSilva]

Loser's Mindset:

Make excuses
Complain about the work
Blame others
Find reasons why u can't do it
Don't care about little things

Champion's Mindset:

Make adjustments
Get excited about the work
Accept responsibility
Find ways to get it done
Attention to detail

#BaseballTruth

[Sports Psychology @SportPsychTips]

As an athlete, you’re only as good as your attitude. It doesn’t matter how talented you are, if you have a terrible attitude, you won’t accomplish much in life.

[Jamy Bechler @jamybechler]

PLAYERS: It's hard to hold your teammates accountable if you are not holding yourself accountable. Do what's right. Set the standard. Be the standard. Don't just tell teammates what to do, but show them how it's done.

[Matt Lisle @CoachLisle]

This should be mandatory viewing for all student athletes.

[Next Level Baseball @nextlevelbb]

Hitters...put on baseball pants with piping...and get in this position in front of a mirror (piping on back thigh has to angle back with chest behind waist). Hold the position for 90 seconds. That 90 seconds will teach you everything you need to know about getting into your legs.

[Coach Glen McNew, MBA @CoachMcNewPHS]

Now that schools are returning, here are three great things to help you get ready for next baseball season:

1. Weight room
2. Long Toss
3. Weight room

[Eric Burt @coach_burt]

@IAHSBCA Senior All Star Series | Large School East @iabaseball1 @JaiJensen2 @samskarich @BrockDengler @BrandonVlcko @CodySunny1 @ben_swails @RaistyCaleb @DrewMicek