Texas Baseball Ranch March 2018

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RANCH REVIEW THE

MARCH 2018

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FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

Group training in Russia

Many of you reading this may snicker and say, “I didn’t even think the Russians played baseball.” Well, in fact, there is a proud tradition of baseball in Russia, and just recently, that tradition has been rekindled and expanded upon. The Ranch staff have been incredibly impressed with these five pitching athletes — their athleticism and dedication to the sport is admirable. In fact, these five pitchers, ages 18–29, would stack up very well with any top- tier junior college or small college pitchers. One of the pitchers actually played professionally in the minor leagues for three years. In truth, we were taken aback by just how skilled these young men were. The training has gone so well in fact that we are under negotiations to actually travel to Russia next spring to train not only more Russian players, but also Russian coaches. We will keep you updated in the future regarding what has been decided, but I think the groundwork has definitely been laid for the Texas Baseball Ranch® to not only have regular trips to Italy and Australia, but to Russia, too.

It is not hard these days to find stories about Russia in the news. Of course, a vast majority of the news regarding Russia is not positive. The great story is that at the Texas Baseball Ranch®, we do have some really positive news regarding actual United States-Russia cooperation and interaction. Of course, I could have used a catchy headline like “The Real USA-Russia Collusion Story,” but I opted against using it because most of us are frankly a little tired of the topic by now. Also, some people may make a political inference into the headline, which would actually be the furthest thing from the truth. Therefore, I decided against my effort to be jocular and instead went with a more enduring, classic headline: “From Russia With Love.” Those of you who are 50 years and older will probably instantly remember the 1963 James Bond classic, “From Russia With Love.” It stars none other than perhaps the most famous James Bond of all time: Sean Connery. Regardless of headline choices, the Texas Baseball Ranch® hosted five Russian Federation national pitchers for two weeks of training in March.

–Ron Wolforth Where You Can DREAM as BIG as Your Work Ethic Will Allow! PHONE (936) 588-6762

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ELITE PITCHERS BOOT CAMPS 20 Service Highlight Take Your Game to the Next Level Are you struggling to take your pitching game to the next level? • Is your stuff inconsistent?

Do you experience pain while throwing?

Do you struggle with confidence?

You might think that you’ve plateaued or that it will take months to get over the hump, but with the right coaching, you can solve your biggest issue in just three days. Join Coach Ron Wolforth and the Texas Baseball Ranch® for this year’s series of Elite Pitchers Boot Camps. These camps are a unique experience to get one-on-one training tailored to your needs. You’ll be around incredible coaches and high-level peers who are all invested in making you the best athlete you can be.

Is your control letting you down?

Whatever the case, our Elite Pitchers Boot Camps are the perfect place to iron out your major issues and take the next step toward exceptional performance. We only open up a limited number of spots for each session to ens you get the personal attention you deserve. Check out the dates for our upcoming camps.

July 20–22 (Fri-Sun)

June 8–10 (Fri-Sun)

At the Texas Baseball Ranch®, we know that coaching can’t be one- size-fits-all. No two athletes are the same, and you’re not even the same athlete you were last year. Similarly, everyone has their own unique hurdles. That’s why we focus on helping each athlete achieve their own unique potential rather than assuming everyone needs the same things.

August 10–12 (Fri-Sun)

June 22–24 (Fri-Sun)

July 6–8 (Fri-Sun)

September 1–3 (Sat-Mon

Go to texasbaseballranch.com/elite-pitchers-bootcamp to register.

With that in mind, let us ask you: What’s your biggest pitching problem?

Don’t delay. Your game won’t get better on its own. All you need is the right information, the best training, and a killer work ethic to tak your game where it needs to go. Let us help you get there in three jampacked days.

• Are you unable to achieve enough velocity to get the attention of scouts?

WHY MUSCLE PLIABILITY IS THE NEXT WAVE IN HEALTH AND FITNESS

FAD OR NEXT BIG THING? We’ve all seen the waves of new health and fitness regimes that will change your life forever. With a lot of trainers moving toward this approach, it’s easy to be cautious about whether or not this is the right path for you. Pliability is not just a specific workout plan; it’s also a great workout companion.

Muscle pliability is all the rage in modern strength and conditioning training. This method of training has recently been made famous by athletes like Tom Brady, but it’s applicable to all levels of training. The concepts are very basic, the workouts can be done anywhere, and it benefits a variety of training goals. WHAT IS MUSCLE PLIABILITY? Muscle pliability is the lengthening and softening of your muscles. The long-standing belief in strength training is that lifting weights is the path to strong and healthy muscles. While you will get bigger by lifting, it also makes your muscles shorter and tighter. This increases the likelihood of an injury. Training for pliability elongates muscles, making them softer and less easy to strain. HOW TO TRAIN FOR IT Training for pliability is simple and can easily be integrated into any workout plan. Pliability workouts use resistance bands and foam rolling to train your soft tissue. The intensity of the training is at your discretion and can be as minimal or intense as you like. Training is usually accompanied by some form of massage to help prevent buildup of lactic acid and muscle tightening.

By adding pliability to your workout regimen, you can enhance recovery and limit injury. It’s the perfect add-on to your program. It helps you push your body further while mitigating long-term complications. Plus, who doesn’t love a massage after a workout?

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THE TRUTH ABOUT TRAVEL/SELECT BALL What Parents and Players Need to Know

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My greatest fear with select/travel ball is that young people are damaged mentally and emotionally before they can figure out the game physically. You see, the dirty little secret that very few select/travel ball coaches will admit to is that almost any level of success a player achieves is literally meaningless until the athlete is 15 and trying out for high school teams. In fact, most of the time it is a fool’s errand to evaluate a player seriously before they are 18.

Travel ball/select ball is indeed a double-edged sword. These teams can be a blessing and a

curse. With their higher standard of competition and dedication comes a bigger commitment in terms of time and money. In these leagues, the neighborhood feel of playing with friends doesn’t exist. Instead, you find regional and national recruitment,

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THIS MONTH IN BASEBALL HISTORY The Inaugural World Baseball Classic Baseball may be “America’s pastime,” but the game has spread to all corners of the globe. For many years, the Olympics was the only place to see players from different nations competing against each other. When the International Olympic Committee removed baseball from the games in 2005, it left a huge void. The World Baseball Classic (WBC), which held its inaugural tournament in March 2006, stepped in to fill it. Modeled after the FIFA World Cup, the first WBC featured 16 teams from around the globe and rosters stocked with Major League players. The U.S. team, despite boasting superstars including Ken Griffey Jr. and Derek Jeter, was bounced from the tournament in pool play. After pool play and the playoffs ended, Japan and Cuba faced off in the final. That game, held on March 20, 2006, at Petco Park in San Diego, crowned baseball’s first true international champion. Daisuke Matsuzaka, little-known outside of Japan at the time, pitched Japan to a victory and earned a contract with the Boston Red Sox not long after. Over a decade after its inception, the WBC is a fixture of the baseball world. Last year, the U.S. finally won its first title. Bottom line: The dedication, discipline, and intensity select/ travel ball requires can be a very good thing as long as you keep performance in its proper perspective. In your heart of hearts, you know in 10 years no one will care if your son won a tournament or a world series. Skill development must be the primary objective, and you must never let the sideshow distract you from that goal. Until athletes have gone through puberty and begin to reach physical maturity, scouts are basically shooting in the dark. No expert can predict with any certainty who will be stars at 19 and 21 years of age. Yes, I am well aware of the claims that getting “exposure” at 16, 15, 14, and even as young as 13 years old is vitally important to college scholarships or positioning for the professional draft. Whenever I hear such rhetoric, I’m immediately suspicious of how the person speaking might be profiting financially by marketing this idea to overzealous parents, because the evidence to the contrary is so overwhelming.

even for players as young as 10. Travel/select ball is a million miles away from the little league you and I grew up playing.

What that means for your pitcher is simply that playing the game of baseball is far more complicated now than it was when you were growing up. It’s more complicated physically, but it is also more complicated mentally and emotionally.

UPCOMING RANCH EVENTS ELITE PITCHERS BOOT CAMPS

June 8-10 (Fri-Sun) June 22-24 (Fri-Sun) July 6-8 (Fri-Sun)

July 20-22 (Fri-Sun) Aug 10-12 (Fri-Sun) Sept 1-3 (Sat-Mon) EXTENDED STAY SUMMER PROGRAM

June 4 - Session I begins July 2 - Session II begins

For more information, go to www.texasbaseballranch.com/events

A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR OATES SPECIALTIES! STRATEGIC PARTNER,

www.OatesSpecialties. com/Durathro

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www.texasbaseballranch.com 5451 Honea-Egypt Road Montgomery, TX 77316

(936) 588-6762 INSIDE THIS ISSUE

From Russia With Love PAGE 1 This Year’s Elite Pitchers Boot Camps PAGE 2 The Perfect Add-On to Your Workout Program PAGE 2 Straight Talk on Travel Ball PAGE 3 A New Chapter in International Baseball Relations PAGE 3

Don’t Forget to Clean the Heart of Your Home THE IMPORTANCE OF SPRING CLEANING YOUR UTILITY ROOM

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU REPLACE YOUR AIR FILTER?

The start of spring brings everyone’s favorite seasonal chore — spring cleaning! As you dust, vacuum, organize, and declutter, don’t forget about the one room that often gets neglected. This year, give special attention to the utility closet. The utility closet houses your furnace, boiler, water heater, A/C junction, and other similar large appliances. Homeowners often forget about these appliances because they are out of sight and out of mind, and this can cost a lot in the long run. Dust, for instance, can be hard on HVAC systems. Over time, it accumulates in the HVAC intake and clogs the air filter, reducing its effectiveness and efficiency. This results in a short lifespan for your system, higher power bills, and a poorly heated or cooled home. Like all the other rooms in your home, this space needs to be kept clean.

Homes with minimal foot traffic (single or double occupancy) and no pets or allergies: 6–12 months.

Family homes (three or more occupants) with no pets or allergies: 3–6 months.

Family homes with at least one pet or minor allergies: 2–3 months.

Family homes with multiple pets or allergies: 1–2 months.

In addition to changing the air filter, it’s important to schedule a routine inspection of your home’s HVAC system. This includes an inspection of the appliances themselves and any connecting ducts. Dust, dander, and mold can accumulate in the ducts and spread throughout the home, which can lead to health issues, including respiratory problems. A routine inspection will identify potential problems in your HVAC system. On top of that, you can get these systems professionally cleaned and maintained. These are simple steps that will keep your home’s air systems running smoothly for years to come. Plus, you’ll be ready for the summer months ahead!

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