In this podcast, host Jeff Stanek talks with Clay Cox about how he got his start in coaching, the coaches who have shaped his coaching style (and him), why gaps in talent levels often begin and end with a commitment to the weight room, how to be who you are as a player to maximize your own abilities, why "grind" and "relentless" are two main ingredients to their offensive identity, using a 2-strike approach as a slump buster, recruiting blue collar hard-nosed players to build a roster, What...

In this podcast, how Jeff Stanek talks with the New York Yankees pitching coach, Matt Blake, about the differences between being a pro coordinator and pitching coach, taking time for family amidst the season, the flaw of watching too much video, how (and when) to use pitch data and analytics, how to close the gap between your goals and your current reality, the importance of understanding your players as individuals, conversations with players who don't like to look at the data, everything...

In this conversation, host Jeff Stanek talks with UMBC Head Baseball Coach Liam Bowen about the future outlook of the UMBC Baseball program, UMBC's timeline in recruiting high school players, how college teams fill immediate roster needs, why recruits need to be such a specific fit to the university, the three difference makers when evaluating PSA's, things that a first-time head coach can expect, how player / coach relationships evolve as coaches move up the ladder, and much more! Our...

In this podcast, host Jeff Stanek talks with Jason Colleran about a lot of hot-button topics in the baseball world including the issues with weighted and plyo balls, how the baseball world is in love with creating too much shoulder and elbow stress, questioning whether the quick results that you're seeing will be sustainable, learning how to make the body function optimally using positional isometrics, the mistakes made by coaches and players who rely on motion capture cameras, why stretching...

In this podcast, host Jeff Stanek talks with Matt Parker about how to handle being a highly ranked team and playing with a target on your back, playing vs. yourselves (instead of playing vs the other team), setting crazy expectations to win, "If you'd just score one more run than the other team, you'd win every game!" as an offensive philosophy, why you should want to see good players play badly, being up front in the recruiting process so there are no surprises, a blueprint for building a...

One of the most incredible stories you will ever hear in professional sports, this is the full story (so far) of Wynton's Bernard's against-all-odds, faith-filled journey through baseball. It starts with Bernard hardly having any college baseball opportunities, transferring twice, being a 35th round pick as a senior and being released after only two part-time years of pro ball. It continues with his unlikely free-agent signing with a new team followed by his stunning emergence into baseball...

In this podcast, host Jeff Stanek and Coach Jeff Calhoon talk about his first steps into coaching, working odd jobs to make coaching work, what a "grind" really is, improving situations on his coaching staff, learning to budget money both for the team and for his own finances, how his former head coaches prepared him to be a first-time head coach, the value of being around people who make you better, developing critically thinking young men and much more!   Our website consists of more than...

Jerry Edwards is an Assistant Coach with Jacksonville University, a NCAA Division I program located in Jacksonville, Florida. A quick background on Jerry, he is a graduate of N.C. Wesleyan and began his collegiate coaching career there as an assistant coach in 1998.  Then, from 2000-2001 he spent two seasons as the pitching coach at Eastern Kentucky.  He then ended up at Lander University for one season in 2002, from 2003-2005 he was the Head Coach at Hiwassee College, and from 2006-2008...

Aaron Leasher is a Minor League Baseball Left-handed Pitcher in the San Diego Padres Organization.  A quick background on Aaron, he played collegiately at Morehead State University, a Division I program in Morehead, Kentucky.  Following his junior year there he was drafted in the 6th round of the 2017 Major League Baseball Draft by the San Diego Padres.  In 2021, his most recent season he split time between Double A and Triple A, pitching a totaled 64 2/3 innings with 62 strikeouts.  Aaron is...

Dan Bertolini is the Head Coach at Youngstown State University, a Division I program in Youngstown, Ohio. He is a 2008 graduate of Mercyhurst University where he was a four-year starting shortstop.  After graduating he played professional baseball for a few years before deciding to turn in his cleats and begin a coaching career.  Dan’s first coaching position was at Mercyhurst North East, a JUCO in Pennsylvania where he spent 8 years as the Head Coach.  Then, in 2017 he took over the Head...

Mike Gambino is the Head Baseball Coach at Boston College, a Division I program in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.  A little background on Coach Gambino, he played his collegiate playing career at Boston College, graduating in 1999.  The following two years he played professional baseball in the Red Sox Organization.  After deciding to end his playing career he jumped straight into coaching, in 2002 he split the year as a Special Assistant to the Boston Red Sox coaching staff and a Coach for...

Rob Fournier is the Head Coach at Wabash Valley Community College, a Junior College in Mount Carmel, Illinois.  A little background on Coach Fournier, he started his collegiate playing career at Ventura Community College from 1991-1992 and then transferred to MacMurray College, graduating in 1994.  One year after graduating he started his collegiate coaching career, spending 1995-1996 as a hitting coach and recruiting coordinator at MacMurray College.  In 1997, he was given the head coach...

Jason Burke the Head Coach at Lander University, a Division II program in Greenwood, South Carolina. He began his collegiate baseball playing career at Lander University and finished it at Southern Wesleyan University in 2004. Not soon after graduating he began his coaching career, spending 2006-2007 as an Assistant Coach at Wofford University. Then, from 2008-2011 he was Assistant Coach at Gardner Webb University and from 2012-2016 returned back to Wofford University as an Assistant Coach....

Toni Langhans is the Sports Dietician at Oregon State University, a very well-known Division I school in the Pac-12 Conference.  She graduated from Indiana State University in 2014 with a degree in dietetics, there she also competed on the Track & Field team.  Not long after graduating she completed a performance nutrition internship at Baylor University and then received a job at Washington State University as sports dietician.  Next, she spent time in Okinawa, Japan on a Military Base...

Eric Valent is a former Major League Baseball player, now National Scouting Supervisor for the Miami Marlins.  He was drafted out of High School by the Detroit Tigers in the 26th round of the 1995 Major League Baseball Draft, but decided to go to college instead.  He spent his collegiate playing career at UCLA and was drafted at the end of his junior year by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1st round of the 1998 MLB Draft.  Eric had his MLB Debut in June of 2001 and spent the next 5 seasons...

Andrew Wantz is a right-handed pitcher with the Los Angeles Angels.  He played collegiately at UNC Greensboro, a NCAA Division I program in Greensboro, North Carolina.  He began to stand out his Sophomore year, being named 1st Team All-Conference and Conference Co-Pitcher of the year.  In 2018, following his Senior year he was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the 7th round of the Major League Baseball Draft.  Three years later on July 4th, 2021 he made his Major League Baseball Debut.  In...

Deskaheh Bomberry is the Pitching Coach, Recruiting Coordinator and Mental Skills Coach at Sacramento City College, a Junior College in Sacramento, California.  In this Real Dirt Podcast, Coach Bomberry and I will be diving into the important question of “why do you practice?”.   Too often practice is seen by players as less than the game, not as important, and something that doesn’t require a certain level of focus.  In this Real Dirt podcast, we discuss the right and wrong reasons for...

Dr. Kevin McGovern is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, as well as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Owner of Perfect Motion Sports Therapy.  Throughout his time as a Physical Therapist he has founded two other Physical Therapy practices: McGovern Physical Therapy and Game 7 Physical Therapy.  He invented G.A.M.E or Graded Active Movement Exam, a system of evaluation and corrective exercises for athletes. Dr. McGovern is also the founder of Velocity RX and a Podcast named Prove...

Jon Shehan is the Head Coach at Millersville University, a Division II Program in Millersville, Pennsylvania.  As the Head Coach at Millersville he has won 8 Eastern Division Conference Championships, made 9 NCAA tournament appearances, and won 2 NCAA Regional Championships.  In this Real Dirt Podcast, Coach Shehan and I will be diving into the timing of recruiting. We start off this Real Dirt Podcast discussing what “timing in recruiting” means and how it can affect a prospective player....