Train More Play Less

I am excited to have Justin Sherman on this episode of the podcast.  Justin is the owner of JustinTime Ball out of New York.  I am excited to share everything he is doing with youth baseball players.     Justin Sherman, a life-long lover of all things baseball, was introduced to baseball at a young age and continues to inspire other young athletes by instilling a sense of confidence and independence through the game.  Justin was born and raised in Westchester, NY where he played for New Rochelle youth baseball leagues and later went on to play for the New Rochelle High School varsity baseball team. While pursuing degrees at Westchester Community College and SUNY Purchase College, Justin played for the WCC Vikings Baseball Team, as well as the Purchase College Panthers where he was appointed team captain. Upon graduating, Justin later went on to be the assistant coach of the Purchase Panthers. He also began working privately with local young athletes—a hobby that would soon grow into what is now known as JustinTime Baseball.  As a coach, mentor, and founder of JustinTime Baseball, Justin has spoken at several baseball conferences and clinics. In May of 2019, Justin gave a speech to student award recipients at the Southeastern Zone Physical Education Award Ceremony in Arlington, NY. Justin is currently pursuing a Masters in Physical Education at Manhattanville College.   In this episode, Justin shares all about his baseball career and how that led him into what he is doing today.  He shares the importance of the basics as well as the impact baseball can have on your entire life.  He has so much great advice for both players and parents.   Show Notes: [00:37] Justin is the owner of JustinTime Baseball out of New York.  [01:51] In high school he was cut from his junior varsity team and the coach told him what he needed to work on and it ended up being one of the best decisions.  He later went on to play on the varsity team and for a division 3 college.   [02:25] He was an average player, but he put in ten times the effort.   [03:09] His program focuses on instilling work ethic and life lessons and pursuing your potential.   [05:27] The secret sauce is to do more. The actions of successful players are more frequent.   [06:15] The more you do, the more you can do.   [07:36] He realized he didn’t have to do anything different.  He just had to increase his actions.   [09:04] A great coach is one that pushes you.  The target is the pursuit of your potential.  [10:46] One thing Justin started before the pandemic is training parent coaches.  [13:01] Using some of the parents that have good ideas, love the sport, and are willing to sit down and study it is really key. It is huge if you can take the time and create a system for these helpers.  [16:01] Doing basic things (playing catch/throwing) at home is extremely helpful to the coaches.   [17:24]  The foundational parts are being skipped and then coaches have to go back and teach the basics.  [18:01] The youth are the future of our sport and our country. [19:25] The goal is to teach kids and give them mini victories.  They can take those principles of learning into their career and life.   [22:27] Know and build on your strengths.     [24:24] It is really tough when you learn how to coach at the younger ages when you are teaching the foundation. [27:18] Justin’s biggest advice for parents is to take it easy on your kids.  Enjoy the process. [29:42] Understand at the end of the day baseball is a game.  If players are questioning their playing time, don’t look at the coach, look at their work ethic.  [31:48]  Stop focusing on winning.  [33:24] Failure often motivates players to work, train and play harder.   [35:47] Train More Play Less is creating a class for kids to really work on the basics of playing catch every single day.   [38:19] Focus on correcting throwing and catching techniques earlier will make a huge impact. Links and Resources:   Train More Play Less Website Train More Play Less on Instagram Train More Play Less on YouTube Train More Play Less on Facebook Train More Play Less Podcast JustinTime Baseball Website JustinTime Baseball on Twitter JustinTime Baseball on Instagram JustinTime Baseball on YouTube

I am very excited to have Coach Marcelino with us on the podcast today. Brad shares about his background and baseball career.  He knew that the game gave him so much as a player that he wanted to give back and that led to his coaching career.  He has a very well rounded perspective and view from his experience as a player, recruiting coordinator, and from his time working with youth.  He shares so many great insights about getting exposure and maintaining a balance. He has so much great advice for players and parents. He shares his process for recruiting and choosing the right players.  Brad Marcelino started his coaching career at local La Costa Canyon High School for three years and helped the program become nationally ranked for three years. He helped five LCC players move on to professional baseball. Marcelino became an associate scout for the Baltimore Orioles evaluating local talent in San Diego. He played his collegiate baseball at Occidental College and California Lutheran University. After Cal Lu he played professionally and also attended Cleveland Indians Spring Training in 2004. He most recently competed in the 2012 World Baseball Classic which took place in Regensburg, Germany. Marcelino is the founder of the North County Mavericks high school/college prep baseball program which consists of 4th - 8th graders and is based out of North County San Diego. Brad Marcelino served as the Toreros' hitting coach and recruiting coordinator. He was USD’s hitting coach, outfield, base, and 3B coach for eight years. In this episode, Coach Marcelino shares his process for recruiting and choosing the right players for his team.  He shares so many great insights about getting exposure and maintaining a balance. He has so much great advice for both players and parents.  Show Notes: [00:53] Brad lived in central California but was actually born in London. His dad played baseball also.   [01:15] He had a very neat baseball career where he had exposure to many neat places, cultures, ways to teach, coaches, teammates, and languages.   [01:41] Brad’s career was always about being an underdog, but that really lit a fire with him.   [02:05] He started his first coaching job at La Costa Canyon High School then he went to the University of San Diego for eight years.  [02:37] Now Brad works with 25 different MLB guys during the season and the off-season.  [03:09] He played multiple sports growing up.  You shouldn’t specialize too early.  [05:55] There is a time and a place to put the gas pedal on, but a high percentage needs to pump the breaks.   [08:24] He has several questions he asked the kids to see what is the best fit for them.   [09:49] He is not saying to not go get exposure, but you also have to learn to play the game and have a balance with it.  [10:05] It is important to spend time researching and visiting schools to see if you like it, instead of just going to showcases each weekend.   [12:08] When recruiting he wanted a kid that could compete.     [14:31]  Your recruiting, class, and players are your pulse.  [15:37] The landscape is difficult and it is especially difficult with the restraints on the programs.   [16:51] Trust is a huge thing with parents and kids.  Trust and be patient in your player’s development.  [17:38] Surrounding yourself with people that can give your sound advice is super important.     [20:07] It is important to not compare yourself to other players.  [20:45] One of the first things he does is ask the coaches what type of character work ethic, and family member a player is before recruiting them.  He wants to hear what he can’t see in a game.  [21:46] At the end of the day, I want a guy that is going to have high character, high values, and high morals regardless of the situation that he is presented with. [22:11]  Character and work ethic have a huge impact and will take a kid much farther.    [24:35] If you’re not a good teammate or person it is eventually going to catch up with you.  [26:51] If you want to be better, then hang out with people that are better than you.  [29:09] They have guidelines and rules and they want you to flourish through this system and player development platform.  [31:53] We don’t just recruit players at the college level.  We recruit families as well.  You have to be able to recruit the whole package.  [34:01] Bad habits and behaviors now lead to more problems later.   [35:13] It is important to stay right where you are, work, and grow instead of looking at the things all around you.   [38:08] If they focus on getting a little better each day that is more manageable for the kids.   [40:00] We need to get kids to buy into the fact that they are special and doing great things, but now it is time to grind and work hard to improve.   [43:11] For youth it is important to not get so caught up in how it is supposed to look at the end of the road.   [43:53] The first thing for youth and even high school age players is to watch the game and pay attention to what the good players are doing.   [44:15] If your kid goes 0-4 don’t blow them up in the car instead celebrate.  The more pressure we put on the kids the more they don’t like hitting.     [45:03] As a family be as positive as you can and find that balance.   [47:31] For youth kids, hit the ball hard. Knowing who you are as an individual hitter is important.  [49:43] We already know hitting is the most difficult thing.  [51:57] The kids need to become athletic and learn their bodies and that will translate into other things.   [53:49] It is important to know your kids and how they think as individuals and then you can begin to challenge them.   [58:19] There is a fight required to play this game and you have to be able to make adjusts.  [60:16] We all struggle with things.  Share the struggle so we can talk about it and work on it.   [62:15] As parents, take a deep breath and enjoy it versus pushing it. Allow your player to go through failure and figure it out.     [63:17] Brad’s advice for kids is that it’s never wrong to have goals and dreams. Be relentless when fighting for those goals, but you don’t have to get it right away. You need to continue to get 1% better and create good habits each day.  Links and Resources: Train More Play Less Website Train More Play Less on Instagram Train More Play Less on YouTube Train More Play Less on Facebook Train More Play Less Podcast  

We are going to do things a little differently on today’s episode of the podcast.  We usually have ex-pros, coaches, mental coaches, or program owners.  Today we have two more Division 1 baseball players on the podcast.  The reason we are doing it differently is that these guys have made such a huge impact on the kids in our facility right now.  The kids are always asking if these players are going to be at the facility.  For these younger kids, they know they want to be D1 ballplayers because they love the sport.  These last two to three weeks they have actually been able to see what that dream looks like.  They see what these D1 guys look like and how they train.  Seeing their commitment has made the younger players want to train even more.  Today we are interviewing brothers, Matt McLain and Sean McLain. Matt is a sophomore and plays baseball for UCLA and Sean plays baseball at Arizona State.  Matt was drafted by Major League Baseball in the first round after high school and turned down a lot of money and went to school. Our youth throughout the country need to hear this.    Show Notes: [02:47] Matt McLain is a sophomore.  He plays shortstop at UCLA.  [02:52] Sean McLain is 19 years old and plays baseball at Arizona State.   [03:15] Sean shares his baseball journey and the importance of playing multiple sports.  [04:50] Their parents encouraged them to play more than one sport very early on. Play all the sports, have fun, meet new friends, and see what you like.   [06:04] They played Little League until they were 12 years old and then they moved on to travel ball through high school.   [08:48] Having each other and competing with each other made them all better.  [09:48] In 6th grade, Matt knew that he wanted to play sports for the rest of his life.  He loved baseball and football.  In 8th grade, baseball became his favorite sport.   [10:48] Matt was drafted in the first round after his senior year, but really wanted to follow his dream of going to UCLA.   [12:22] Matt had his dreams set early of going to UCLA and he made it happen.   [13:41] Matt gives the credit for his success to his parents who taught them if they want something they have to work hard at it.    [14:26] If you work hard and stay positive you will get something good out of whatever it is.     [17:52] Freshman year in college can be tough.  You have to fight really hard for a position on the field.   [19:09] For Matt, college baseball was more mental.  You can’t let what other people think about you catch up with you.   [20:04] As a freshman, Sean got off to a great start but a week before opening day he broke a bone in his hand.   [20:31] Get as many quality at-bats as you can.  Look at the positive side of tough situations, because you are just going to get better.   [21:37] For Sean it was really tough as his first time living alone, but he started setting reminders on his phone so he was always where he needed to be.   [22:26] It was the first time that Sean had to step out of his comfort zone and talk to other guys since he didn’t have Matt around.  He was lucky that some guys took him under their wing.    [24:16] Time management is big because you are going to have school, laundry, practice, and many other responsibilities.  Don’t procrastinate on your homework.  [26:11] They would go to school and then have practice right after school.  They would come home to eat dinner and after dinner, they would work out in their garage with each other.   [27:03] At college they would eat breakfast, lift weights, shower, and then go to class.  After class, they would go to practice.       [27:53] It is really important to get ahead of your next day.  Sean liked to plan out his next day in advance so he knew what he was doing and what free time he had.   [28:55] School is always the main thing for each day.  School is first and baseball is second.  [29:44] It is not just about baseball.  There are so many other things you have to focus on including school, family time, and religion.    [30:46] You can’t put all your eggs in one basket.  You have to be well rounded.   [31:36] Grades are really important.  They open up opportunities that otherwise would never happen.    [32:28] Matt always tries to create a challenge for himself in the classroom and on the field.   [32:50] At the end of the day it all comes down to if you are having fun.  If you’re not having fun playing baseball then don’t play it.   [34:40] These guys have made a huge impact on the kids at the facility.   [35:11] If you can take care of the small details, baseball is going to take care of itself.   [36:17] They did a few showcases, but Matt got recruited to UCLA through his high school team.  If you are good enough, they will find you at your own high school or travel team.  [37:02] If they are recruiting you, they know you are a good enough player.  The difference is in the type of person and teammate you are and the type of grades you get.   [38:40] No matter what happens just keep the same attitude and don’t slump your shoulders.   [40:09] Matt is an energy giver to his team.  Sean took it upon himself to be a leader on his team even as a freshman.   Links and Resources: Train More Play Less Website Train More Play Less on Instagram Train More Play Less on YouTube Train More Play Less on Facebook Train More Play Less Podcast Matt on Instagram UCLA Baseball on Instagram Sean on Instagram Arizona State Baseball

The past two-three weeks three Division 1 baseball players have been training in our facility after their season was cut short due to Covid19.  A big thing for me as a coach and a father, these guys have made such a big impact on the younger players that are in our facility right now.  They might not know it, but the kids are constantly talking on the way home or to the facilities about them and asking if they are going to be there again.   The big thing that we talk about in our program is that everybody has a dream, but you have to understand and see what that dream looks like.  Our kids in our program right now are getting the opportunity to see what that dream looks like by training with these D1 ball players. They are making such an impact on the kids training here and will be able to make an impact on kids throughout the country.   Chase Sebby is a fifth year graduate student.  He plays catcher at Ball State University in Indiana.  Aaron Simpson is a senior outfielder at Ball State University. Justin Simpson played baseball the past two years at Golden West Junior College and next spring he will be playing with Central Michigan University.  He is a middle outfielder.    Show Notes: [01:24] The big thing that we talk about in our program is that everybody has a dream, but you have to understand and see what that dream looks like. [02:04] Chase Sebby is a fifth year graduate student playing catcher at Ball State University.   [02:14] Aaron Simpson is a senior outfielder at Ball State University.   [02:22] Justin Simpson played baseball the past two years at Golden West Junior College and next spring he will be playing with Central Michigan University.  He is a middle outfielder.  [03:01] They each share about their baseball journey from their youth all the way to college.   [04:04] Chase always loved baseball growing up.  He always put his all into it and was hard working.   [05:16] Chase struggled with hitting, but he could always catch.   [05:42] Aaron started playing baseball very early in life.  His uncle played for the Dodgers and Angels.   [07:01] Aaron has been around baseball his whole life and he loves it.    [08:41] Justin also remembers growing up hitting at a very young age.   [09:21] Almost his whole life he was playing two years up with his brother Aaron.    [10:49] The competition in the house helped them both push to be better.   [12:45] They preached to the kids that everyone has a dream.  Jason wants them to understand what that dream looks like.   [14:02] Baseball is a great sport because you don’t have to be big.    [14:49] How did you get to the D1 level?  [17:24] Chase moved from St. John’s University to Cypress College.  Chase started opening day and became the starter for them.   He almost hung up his cleats twice to put his degree first when Ball State called needing a catcher.   [19:06] Everyone thinks it is easy, but to play at the D1 level is tough.   [20:14] Aaron played multiple sports in high school.  At the end of the season of his senior year, USD contacted him and he went as a walk-on.  After a year in a half he transferred to Cypress College.  Ball State reached out to him and he committed at his visit.   [25:34] Justin was a switch-hitter in high school.  His senior year things really started clicking.  He started his college baseball career at Golden West University and will be playing ball next spring at Central Michigan University.   [30:03] If you play well in the OEC you get out. Junior college baseball helps you to get looked at more than high school.     [32:27] It is a process.  Everyone is going to develop at different times and bloom at different times.   [33:21] If you are a late bloomer, just because you have to go to a junior college don’t think that you’re not good enough or your baseball career is over.  Set your goals high, but if it is not D1 right out of high school, don’t give up and keep working.   [34:27] Chase is very passionate about going the junior college route.  If he had to change something he would go straight to junior college, because he would have saved a lot of money, gotten the same experience or better and set himself up better for his future.   [37:01] Aaron wishes he knew more about his swing earlier in his college career.  If he could do it all over again he would go the junior college route because of all the options available.  Junior college players get a lot of attention from D1 schools.   [39:21] When you go the junior college route you give yourself the opportunity to go better than you could out of high school.  You give yourself the opportunity to train and get stronger.   [40:59] Giving yourself a couple years to go to a JC especially if it is close to your house, gives you extra time to mature and grow and sets you up for success down the line.   [43:28] College coaches want to know how you are as a person. They want to know that you have a good attitude and play hard.   [45:12] They share their advice with the younger generation.   [45:22] Go to junior college.  Don’t burn yourself out when you're a kid. Have fun!  [45:59] Hit the weight room and grind.  Learn about yourself.  Don’t ever take your foot off the gas and keep working hard.   [47:41] If you truly put yourself in the weight room and work hard it can do wonders for you.   [50:18] Model yourself after these baseball players. It is more than baseball.   [52:21] Get good grades.  If you don’t get good grades you're not going to a good school.     Links and Resources: Train More Play Less Website Train More Play Less on Instagram Train More Play Less on YouTube Train More Play Less on Facebook Train More Play Less Podcast Ball State Baseball on Instagram Central Michigan University Baseball on Instagram