14 - Butch Thompson "Culture, Drop down guys, and the MIND"

Bio

 

• Current Coach at Auburn University
• Former pitching coach and associate head coach at Mississippi State College
• Coach Thompson has turned 31 pitchers who went undrafted out of high school into MLB draft picks, including the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, Casey Mize.
• 2006 Fellowship of Christian Athletes SEC Coach of the Year
• 2014 Baseball America and American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) National Assistant Coach of the Year
• serves as the large-school representative for the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association, and is the All-American committee member representing the South region for the ABCA.
• Servant leader who is a mentor to many. 
• Just an incredible person

Show Notes

• Pitchers pitch 2 out 3 phases, big rest on the 3rd phase
• Start on yourself before helping others (put your mask on first when they fall)
• Ethos (their character) to build up
• Bring in speakers to help build guys up
  • 3 new words after listening to the speakers
  • Confidence - 
  • Committed -  
  • Unified - 
• Book studies
• Attack, Legacy, Vision
  • Attack - offensive, be our default
  • Legacy -  
  • Vision - 
• Legacy by James Kerr
• Change while you are on top to avoid decline and extend growth
• Evaluate yourself as a coach when your player no longer needs you after they leave you!
• Ask why, so the players own it and empower the players.
• Experience has taught me that I did not give them enough skills to be their best coach
• This has taught us balance, and perspective on what really matters. Good time to pause and reflect 
• Do as good a job with a balance and perspective as possible
• Went to see Chad Bradford to learn about submarine pitching
• Peacock feathers of a pitching staff (all different arm angles)
• Same ratio between arm and shoulder/elbow, it is just a bend at the waist (hinge)
• Do a ton or core and stability because you go to weaker position (bent over)
• Stay down and stay in it
• Body organizes itself
• Back spike in the ground, no weight in the toe
• Have a plan to get the opposite hitter out!
• Not always mechanical, but sometimes just pitch sequence (change up after a slider)
• Autograph a piece of paper 50 times and you can’t sign your name the same twice
• Repeatable mechanics are not obtainable
• I’ve had success in a certain flaw so I will pair and look for that.
• The mind is the most important tool
• Overboard on mechanics and takes away from developing the mind (BALANCE)
• Mechanics improve by working your guts out
• You take a big step when you pitch who you are! (IDENTITY)
• Your working to get to auto pilot (no thought)
• It is important but if it dominates your thought you can never get to that autopilot moment
• Know where you are trying to get to. Where the AHA land is!
• My focus is on taking off yourself, and focusing on taking away from the hitter
• Video behind them to show what really matters. Let’s go find your game!

 

Contact

• Email - butchthompson@auburn.edu