Clearing The Bases

Chuck Wolf is back on the podcast! Chuck is a biomechanist, the founder of Human Motion Associates, and the creator of Saving the Athletic Elbow.Chuck breaks down how the body moves during a pitch in terms that youth and high school coaches can take right to the field. We get into some things I think a lot of us have seen with our own players.What to watch for before a pitcher opens up earlyWhat the back foot can tell you about a pitcher’s deliveryHow to coach a warm-up with cues kids can actually pictureWhy a change can feel awkward at first, and how to give a player time to get comfortable with itChuck and I have had a lot of baseball conversations since he first came on the show. I’m glad we turned the microphones on for this one, and I’m even more glad that first episode gave me a good friend.

Gratitude. Ownership. Impact.Three things Coach Ryan Hall wants his players to carry with them long after their last game—and three reasons I enjoyed this conversation so much.The Oakman High School head baseball coach and USA Baseball 12U training camp coach joins me  for an honest conversation about developing competitors, building relationships, and continuing to grow as a coach.We get into preparing players to handle adversity—and want another shot, giving kids room to compete, learn, and enjoy the game, working with parents as allies and how his son Hampton helped him rediscover his love for baseball.One thing that really stayed with me: Ryan wants his players to finish the season wishing they could come back and practice together on Monday. Think about that. Whatever the record says, they valued being part of that team enough to want another day together. That’s something worth building.Give this episode a listen, and share it with a coach or parent who would enjoy the conversation!

What goes into building one of the country’s most successful high school baseball programs? Coach Todd Fitz-Gerald takes us inside the daily work at Stoneman Douglas—and there’s plenty every coach can learn from.We talk about building a culture that connects JV and varsity,  making catch play and baserunning a priority, teaching players to think, prepare, and compete, developing pitchers beyond the radar gun and trusting your assistants and continuing to learn.Plus, Coach Fitz shares his experience coaching his sons, Hunter and Devin, and how the Global Baseball Coaches Network is helping coaches share knowledge.One message kept coming through: Process over results. The details you teach and reinforce every day matter.Coaches and parents, give this one a listen—and share it with someone who loves teaching this game!

Are we giving our players the confidence to make decisions—or making them afraid to make mistakes?Brendan Clary, Head Baseball Coach at Prosper High School in Texas, returns for a conversation packed with practical takeaways for coaches and parents.We get into:Coaching the person firstStandards over feelingsTalking less and observing moreTeaching players to think for themselvesMaking catch play and baserunning prioritiesKeeping the joy in the gameI always enjoy talking baseball with Brendan. His willingness to share what he’s learned—and how he continues to grow as a coach—makes this one well worth your time.

Conflict is unavoidable in sports. It can happen between coaches and players, coaches and parents, members of a staff, or throughout an entire organization. The real question isn’t whether conflict will happen—it’s how we respond when it does.My latest guest is Bill Taylor, championship-winning collegiate coach, founder of Sports Conflict Lab, and author of Managing Sports Conflict: Five Tools to Master Conflict.Bill and I discuss why conflict isn’t always negative, how emotions can prevent productive conversations, what may really be hiding beneath a disagreement, and how properly managed conflict can actually strengthen relationships, accountability, leadership, and team culture.Every coach, parent, administrator, and sports leader will take something valuable away from this conversation.

Building a Program That Lasts. My latest guest on Clearing The Bases is Kyle Douglas, Head Baseball Coach at Mt. Juliet High School in Tennessee.Coach Douglas shares an honest look at the challenges of changing a program’s culture, establishing meaningful standards and building relationships strong enough to create genuine accountability.Above everything else, Kyle wants his teams to be known for their resilience:“A Kyle Douglas baseball team will always get off the mat.”This is a thoughtful and honest baseball conversation that coaches, players and parents will appreciate.

Young players are bigger, stronger, and more physically trained than ever—but do they truly understand how to play the game?My latest guest is Chris Hayes, CEO and co-founder of the 6Tool App. Chris’s journey took him from being a walk-on at Northwestern University to independent baseball, the Kansas City Royals organization, and eventually Triple-A. Along the way, he combined his professional playing experience with a background in computer science and a master’s degree in psychology from Harvard.Chris delivers an important message: when players understand what they’re supposed to do before the ball is put in play, they can stop thinking, trust their preparation, and play free.

The body may be ready—but is the mind?On this episode of Clearing The Bases, Dr. Robert Cabry—sports-medicine physician, Navy veteran, mental-performance specialist, and author of The Peak Performance Mind Code—joins me for an important conversation about the part of athletic development we often overlook.We discuss building confidence, using visualization, responding to failure, recovering from mistakes, and how the words and reactions of coaches and parents can directly affect a young athlete’s mindset.Physical ability may get an athlete onto the field, but the ability to manage pressure, trust their preparation, and move on from failure often determines what happens next.Train the body. Develop the skills. Don’t forget the mind.

The title may say Volunteer Assistant Coach, but the commitment and impact are anything but small.Jeremy Carper of Ohio Wesleyan University Baseball joins Clearing The Bases for an honest conversation about his unconventional coaching journey, balancing baseball with work and family, and giving back to a game that has given him so much. Jeremy brings humility, energy, and a genuine desire to continue learning. This is a terrific conversation for coaches, players, and parents at every level of the game.

My latest guest is Coach Drew Briese — Head Baseball Coach at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky and longtime USA Baseball coach and evaluator.His career combines NCAA Division III coaching, player development, recruiting, and extensive experience working with some of the top young players in the country. In this episode, Coach Briese delivers one message that every baseball parent should think about:Your son's strikeout isn't your strikeout.His error isn't your error.Let him experience it. Let him learn from it. And let him move on.This is a conversation about baseball — but even more, it's about developing the people who play it.