71 Eric Kibler: USA Baseball & Horizon (AZ) HS (Ret.)

Bio

• Start the Horizon High School program (AZ) in 1980
  • 2007 National Champions
  • 6 Arizona 5A State Championships
  • 3 Arizona 5A State Runners-up
  • 20 Regional Championships
  • 7 National Invitational Championships
  • 881 total wins 809 wins in Arizona which the most wins for a coach in Arizona history.
  • 3 first round draft picks. 28 overall players drafted in MLB
  • Over 200 players gone onto to college and played
• USA Baseball staff member

  • Coordinator of USA 14U and 17U olympic development program. 

  • 2018 started the 16U program

  • 2010 USA Baseball COY
  • 2012 USA Baseball Development COY
• Arizona Baseball Coaches Association HOF, Arizona Coaches HOF, High School association HOF,
• National HS BCA COY in 2018
• 5X Arizona COY

Notes

• To be a good teammate, don’t care who gets the credit and we will be in good shape
• Taught you how to practice, and then gave you ownership
• Pound the fundamentals and make sure you are efficient
• Took a lot of things personal as a young coach
• The joy playing like a kid is what keeps me moving forward**
• I hope I never forget what its like to play like a kid! ~Kris Bryant
• Play multiple sports and give “active rest” - play other sport, work on hitting, skills, etc
• You have to train the athlete and be athletic to be great 
• Play for now, and if you play they will find you, and play for now and the end will take care of itself
• Do you want to be good or do you want to be great? If great, then the expectations went up
  • Every pitch BP
  • Make other players better
• Want to and not a have to
  • You should not “have to” come to practice, you need to “want to”
• If i teach them how to practice and then give them ownership
• Mental game is coached up more than it used to be due to the negative leadership that wanted positive outcome (“my way”)
• When you think you need some help you come ask me and then we are all in!
• Everyone is an individual and a little different, so you need to say and do things that works for them
• Standards instead of rules - standard has more worth
• Ownership is a big deal - you have no control over and it develops trust
• There are program absolutes! Hustle, trash talk, class
• Model the behavior and calming during post season/pressure situations
• Being honest with players is the best thing you can do for players
  • I care enough to tell you the truth
• You need to be careful with your words because conversations stick with the players
• When we make mistakes we must own it, and the players see that and then they will own it when they make mistakes. 
• Captains meeting once a week to keep everyone mind right and see who needs a kick in the butt or a pat on the back
• Start with a quote and talk about how it impacts each person
• Baseball is not my life, and baseball humbles you, so start with a quote and see how it impacts our life
• Interview in the fall  - 1 on 1 to evaluate strengths and weaknesses
  • Based all year
  • Figure out who the person is
  • See if they have good self awareness
• USA baseball Manual - write down my experiences
• Process versus results - everyone except us is result focus
• Get comfortable with being uncomfortable to get past it (feeling rough)
• If you are playing a team sport, you should always put in extra time for your teammates**
• I will really emphasize the little things, and role the player did during the game
• Every player needs to have a role no matter the talent
• Practice plan
  • Quote
  • Practice in 10
  • Dynamic
  • steals/baserunning
  • Bands 
  • Throwing program (and be OUT there)
    • Go stealth when kids cannot say a word
  • If you lose the clubhouse your done, and it starts with communication
  • I don’t go too long because I want every rep quality rep
  • Team defense or position drills depending on the staff
  • Good footwork is paramount to being a good fielder
  • Relays with live baserunners. Run till you get out (then work on rundowns).
  • “What happens in the game the most often?”
    • No catcher pop ups everyday, because it does not happen everyday
  • Winning 1 run ball games
    • Throwing program
    • Baserunning - “the coach is just your stop sign”
      • Live baserunning with outfielders - put in situations
      • I can’t expect them to perform in situations we have not covered
    • Situational baseball
    • Speeding the game up
    • Competitive bullpens
      • Scripted
      • P-I-T-C-H (horse for bullpen)
    • Pace - 12 seconds or less between pitches
    • Intensity 
  • Practices are for coaches, games are for the players. If I do my job I should be able to sit in the stands
  • How can I play you if you can’t do your job?  Do you want to be good or great?
  • Playing time is huge! Sit the player if he is not acting right, and you
  • Give pitchers permission to get hit
  • No words on the field, the tunnel (cage) is our classroom
  • Is this practice going to help us win a game or lose a game?
  • Baserunning and bunting - special teams of baseball
    • 1st/3rd game - score as many ways as we can
    • Runner on 3rd and score the game winning run
  • Evaluate our strengths and weaknesses as a coach
    • How can I score with the team that I have?
  • Hit with 2 strikes - embrace and get more mentally tough
  • Pitch recognition - look at the bullpen, hitters take and say where it was
  • I know how to pitch a kid how they take a pitch
  • Taking pitches is as important as hitting pitches
  • huskycoach2@gmail.com
  • 602-291-1952
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