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RANCH REVIEW THE
WINTER 2025
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A Letter to Parents About Time and the Long Game THE GIFT OF THE OFF-SEASON
THE GIFT YOU CAN GIVE This fall and winter, you can give your son something precious: time. Time to develop. Time to prepare for the seasons ahead rather than just survive the current one. It takes courage to step off the hamster wheel. It takes wisdom to recognize that sometimes the best thing for an athlete is to take a break from competing for a while. But here’s what I know: Parents who have this courage raise athletes who play the longest, throw the hardest, and enjoy it the most. YOUR DECISION The tournaments will be there next year. The showcases aren’t going anywhere. But this window, this opportunity for growth and development, won’t last forever. I’ve never met a parent who regretted giving their son time to develop. I’ve met hundreds who regretted not doing it sooner. Fall in Texas is beautiful. Nature itself is taking a breath before the renewal of spring. Maybe it’s time your son did the same.
Dear Baseball Parents,
It’s early November here in Texas, and I just finished a conversation with a father whose 15-year-old son had completed his seventh straight month of competitive baseball. The boy was tired, his velocity had plateaued, and the spark in his eyes had dimmed. “But Coach,” the father said, “if we take time off now, won’t he fall behind?” I’ve been asked this question hundreds of times over the past 30 years. And I understand it. In today’s baseball culture, it feels like if you step off the train, even for a moment, you’ll never catch up. But what if stepping off the train is exactly what allows your son to reach his destination? THE RHYTHM OF GROWTH Nature understands something we’ve forgotten. Trees don’t produce fruit year-round. Fields need to lie fallow. There’s a rhythm to growth, a time to produce, and a time to prepare for production. But we’ve convinced ourselves that our young athletes can bloom in all seasons. That more games equal more development. That rest is the enemy of progress. After three decades of working with pitchers from Little League to the Major Leagues, I can tell you: The parents who understand the value of strategic rest raise the healthiest, most successful athletes.
Wishing you wisdom and courage this fall,
–Coach Ron Wolforth Texas Baseball Ranch®
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Where You Can DREAM as BIG as Your Work Ethic Will Allow! PHONE (936) 588-6762
SKILL DEVELOPMENT DOESN’T NEED TO BE COMPLEX
We all face obstacles, challenges, distractions, or frustrations on a daily basis. At times, feeling defeated or overwhelmed is natural. However, it may help to remind ourselves of a few simple numbers: 3, 7, 10, and 26.
Success and happiness are built upon simple, essential elements and principles, and we must never stray too far from them. At the Texas Baseball Ranch®, we excel at simplifying complex
Gold Standard of catching camps due to the coaches’ ability to make complex concepts understandable. We’ll have our Annual Alumni Camp Jan. 3–4, 2026. This event is limited to
Consider there are only:
skills, making them easy to understand. Don’t just take our word for it; here’s what families had to say this summer. “Coach Wolforth and the entire staff have a wealth of knowledge and are experts at communicating in practical, easy-to- understand language.” –Troy & Tammie Riemer Flower Mound, TX “The breakdown of mechanics is impeccable. You are experts at ‘making it make sense.’” –Jodi King, Alto, TX “All I can say is wow! We were referred here by close friends. We were given unrealistic expectations. They were exceeded! This experience has been truly transformational for me and my son. We learned more about pitching in three days than we had learned in the last five years. Well done, Ron and Team. Thank you so much!” –Shawn Watkins, Frisco, TX We’re excited about the many events we’re hosting this winter. This time of year allows us to host some of our specialty events that occur only once annually.
past Ranch event attendees and provides athletes with an opportunity to explore their pitching development in greater depth. We’re also bringing in two guest instructors: Brent Strom, Pitching Coach of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Flint Wallace, Pitching
3 Primary Colors ... but artists like Warhol, Picasso, Van Gogh, da Vinci, Rembrandt, and Matisse created masterpieces with them.
Coordinator for the Colorado Rockies.
7 Notes ... but composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Vivaldi, The Beatles, and Billy Joel used them to compose beautiful music.
And, of course, we have our four Elite Pitchers Boot Camps on the schedule. The offseason is a great opportunity to get in shape and ensure you’re prepared for
10 Digits ... but thinkers like Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, Einstein, Tesla, Gates, and Jobs used them to discover hidden mysteries.
the spring season. Check out the dates in our “Upcoming Events” section. There will be one each month from October through February. So, if you’re looking for someone to help you get a clear understanding of where you are and what it will take to get where you want to go, consider joining us this fall or winter at the Texas Baseball Ranch®. For information on all these events, go to TexasBaseballRanch.com/events or call us at (936) 588-6762.
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26 Letters ... but writers such as Shakespeare, Dickens, Steinbeck, Shelley, Hemingway, Emerson, Twain, Rowling, Seuss, and Grisham all used them to unleash imagination.
ABCDEFGHIJKLM NOPQRSTUVWXYZ
On Dec. 12–14, we will be hosting our 7th Annual Elite Catchers Boot Camp. This has evolved into a very special event, and just like our pitching camps, it has become the
So, as we go through our practices, training, games, and even daily lives, it’s a good idea to remind ourselves not to get too complex or complicated.
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The Truth About ‘The Athletic Pitcher’ Busting the Myth: It’s Not All About Genes!
It’s the biggest lie in baseball: You are either born with “it,” or you aren’t. And if you have to work on “it,” that means you don’t have “it.”
troubled pitchers identify their trouble spots, eliminate their constraints, and become exceptional pitchers who attracted big- name scouts and college coaches.
I’ve got a confession to make. I once believed a player had to have “it” in order to become a star pitcher, and that you were either born with “it” or not.
Over the years, I completely changed my mind on “conventional” training, and now I want to change your mind, too. In 1999, I began to realize that any pitcher can improve their velocity, speed, control, mobility, flexibility, and strength. When I
But today, the thought that it’s “all about your genes” makes me laugh. Over my 30-plus years of coaching and training players, I have witnessed
changed my mindset, truly amazing things started to happen. Over 108 of our athletes have been drafted, more than 370 pitchers have touched 90 mph or more, 126-plus have touched 94 mph or more, and 18-plus have touched 100 mph or more. With The Athletic Pitcher 3.0 Program, you can prove to the world you are more than a set of genetic blueprints. And I can promise you one thing: You can start playing at a level your other coaches and trainers don’t believe is possible. I have seen it happen over and over again.
pitchers undergo remarkable transformations in their game. And none of these transformations had anything to do with their genes.
I have seen really solid pitchers with just a few minor trouble spots
completely lose their athleticism and mental game, all because they tried to use “one-size-fits-all” training programs that interfered with what made them special in the first place. And I have helped
UPCOMING RANCH EVENTS
The Night Derek Jeter Became ‘Mr. November’ This Month in Baseball History As the clock passed midnight on Nov. 1, 2001, the New York Yankees battled to win a fourth consecutive World Series. The Series had started later than ever because of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The Arizona Diamondbacks were up 2–1 in the series and, with two outs in the 10th, Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter had battled to a full 3–2 count at the plate. Then, as the Diamondbacks pitcher caught the outside corner of the plate with a fastball, Jeter slammed a game-winning home run, making him the first player in Major League Baseball history to get a hit in November. Alluding to former Yankee Reggie Jackson’s nickname as “Mr. October” for his star postseason play, the scoreboard flashed Jeter’s new nickname: “Mr. November.” Since 2001, the World Series has stretched into November on multiple occasions. But Jeter has maintained his exclusive status as the sport’s first “Mr. November.”
ALUMNI/ADVANCED CAMP • JAN. 3–4 ELITE CATCHERS BOOT CAMP • DEC. 12–14
SIGN UP AT TEXASBASEBALLRANCH.COM/EVENTS ELITE PITCHERS BOOT CAMPS: • NOV. 22–24 • DEC. 28–30 • JAN. 17–19 (MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY WEEKEND) • FEB. 14–16 (PRESIDENT’S DAY WEEKEND)
A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR OATES SPECIALTIES ! EQUIPMENT PROVIDER,
USE PROMO CODE: TBR5
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
PAGE 1 Coach Ron Wolforth’s Advice to Parents: Time and the Long Game PAGE 2 Skill Development Can Be Simplified PAGE 3 The Truth About Top Pitchers: They Weren’t Born That Way!
This Month in History
PAGE 4 How a Rescue Dog Is Lifting Spirits at Sea
Anchors Aweigh, Belly Rubs Ahead
Meet the Navy’s First Full-Time Morale Dog
For one special soldier, the mission is clear: Provide comfort, lift spirits, and stand by his crew, four paws at a time. Raider, a 1-year-old Lab mix from an animal rescue in San Diego, isn’t your typical recruit. He’s about to make waves as the first full-time morale dog on a Navy ship, and he could transform life at sea for hundreds of sailors. With a wagging tail and unwavering loyalty, this pup is ready to serve his country in the most heartwarming way. The nonprofit Shelter to Soldier has been training shelter dogs as service animals for veterans since 2012, with a mission to “save lives, two at a time.” Though the organization partners dogs with individual veterans, it began bringing therapy dogs to Navy ships for special training outings and made a discovery. Crew members felt a special connection with the pups and
kept asking, “Can we take this dog on deployment with us?”
Raider is the first canine cadet for the job. He was adopted from Labs and More Rescue and has been deep in training since April. This new furry crew member has been working hard on learning to use a “potty patch” on board and special safety gear like booties for his paws and eye protection. Along with getting his sea legs, he’s learning various commands that will help in his role, which is “designed to support the emotional wellness, morale, and mental health of sailors and Marines,” according to the nonprofit. Raider will join a team of five handlers and live full time on the USS Makin Island in his own room. Crew members will get their wish, and any time the base deploys, he’ll be along for the ride.
Known for his goofy personality and affinity for belly rubs, he’s already bringing cheer to the base and inspiring others to follow in his pawprints. The nonprofit is busy training morale dogs for other ships. “Everyone is just really excited to have a furry companion to go with them when they’re underway,” Director of Operations and Training Nicky Moore said, adding, “What makes you happier than a dog?”
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