104: Jack Leggett - HOF Clemson & USA Baseball

Jack Leggett

 

Bio

• Former HC of USA Baseball 18U National Team
• Author of the ABC’s of Coaching
• 2014 ABCA Hall of Fame member
• Former head coach of the Clemson Tigers from 1994 to 2015
  • 21 NCAA appearances, 9 Super Regional appearances, and 6 trips to the College World Series
  • compiled a 955-480 record at Clemson
• coached over 140 professional baseball signees, 9 first rounders, and 25 players who have played in the Major Leagues.
• His 1,332 wins as a HC ranks 9th all time for Division 1
• ACC COY 1994, 1995 and 2006
• Watch Jack Leggett “The Man” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnosgDOBjY4&t=4s
• See more on his website - https://jackleggett.com/

 

Notes

• Delegated a lot to the players with small coaching staff
• Limited staff you had to know how to handle all aspects
• Conflict, change, committed, championships
• Make them believe we were all playing for 1 team (USA)
  • First starts in the recruiting process - it will take you to be unselfish
  • Emphasize at practice the unselfish plays
  • Emphasize those elements in the game
    • Every player on the bench needs to recognize
• Fundamentals are a big deal
• We are committed to fundamentals
• Throwing competition into your practice
  • Engine runs at a higher level
• If there is no competition or consequence then they think it is ok to not execute
• If you practice like a harley davidson, then you will play like a harley davidson*
• Intense, repetition, and accountability*
• Talented play with fundamentals is much better than a talented player, and if they talented and fundamental and competitive they are special
• Throwing drills, base running drills, kept it simple (plays that you only really need to use, and just get an out), relationships with players, seeing the wide lense of the game, handled umpires better, more poise
• Helped being athletic, enthusiastic, and been around good coaching
• The players knew I cared about them more than just being a baseball player*
• You learn something all the time. Everytime you go to the field you find something to learn
• The minute you stop coaching and teaching that are not slidable, then you need to stop coaching
• watch, pay attention, listen, learn all the time, pick peoples brains, learn the fundamentals
• Show them the right way, and then show them the wrong way
• If you can show a kid something, break it down step by step, and then rep it
• Roll the ball, roll it further away, short fungo, longer fungo, live ground ball
• Accountability, feedback, and breakdown of fundamentals
• Have a plan, keep it simple, rep it out
• Willing to change, understand why he needs to change, attack the change
• Be willing to trust you
• Be willing to tell players WHY
• You are passionate, you care, you are with them in the trenches is the most important quality that you care about them more than just a baseball player
• Be able to talk to them when you lose and when you win
• MTA - make the adjustment
• Get to know your players so you make fewer mistakes
• If you want your players to be in shape you should be in shape
• If you can’t communicate what you know then it doesn’t matter how much you know
• Body language during tough moments in a game
• The most valuable lesson is the game is never over to till the last out, the last pitch - its never over
• Changing pitchers are the toughest decisions
• Make better decisions with better depth
• Get a good feel for what is happening in the game that day
• You can’t be right all the time
• Knowing what your team is all about and having them prepared
• Play consistently and be ready to play everyday together
• Email on the website https://jackleggett.com/
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