99: Lance Spigner - Univ of Arkansas Rich Mountain

Bio

• Current HC at University of Arkansa Rich Mountain
  • In his first season (started the program brand new) he led the bucks to a Plains district championship runner up
  • 3rd season, recruited 2019-2020, played 2020-2021, getting ready to start “playing” year 2
• 2021 ABCA Ethics Coaching award winner
• Former Horatio HS HC (28 years) - top of 2A and bottom of 3A
  • HS Teacher of the year 
  • 3X ABCA region 6 COY
  • 18 conference championships
  • 10X regional championships
  • Final four in the state 14 times
  • 5X state champion
  • Over 500 WINS

 

Notes

• When the people around you set the bar high and help you do the right thing the ethics come naturally
• Coaching is a relationship game (umpires, coaches, working on the field)
• Treat everyone with respect, and the way you want to be treated
• You can’t fool players now
• Everything now needs to be modeled or you won’t get the buy in
• Fine line between leading by example and sometimes you need to speak up
  • If you don’t speak up you are condoning the behavior
• Same player just a different version
• 1 year of experience 30 times, or 30 years of experience
• We take days off when it is time to take days off
• Always thinking long run and we need to be fresh at the end
• You need to be able to read you team and play for the end game
• Variety is a big deal (the mind of an adolescent), get as much variety and competition as possible
• Better bunt game - pair up players and compete with a better bunt game
• Validation BP - swings in a round, if they get a hit, they have to validate it with a bunt and score a point
• Turn 2 game - 2 deep on infield, everyone else at home on the tee, run full speed to 1b, infielders try to turn 2 before runner gets to 1b, 
• Owes a payback - jumping jacks
• Bridge activities - something that gets us to get to team d
  • Live baserunning - 3 lines, and front guy actually goes live
  • Push out or drag out - coach pitch
• Team defense
  • Fundamental drill - 4 rounds, PFP, ground ball on infield (time on the clock), pickoff, ball to outfield
    • Added a catcher play and timed DP (6 rounds)
    • Add stop watch to outfield
  • Practice binder with game situation script
    • Game situation for team defense with live runners or vs air (time)
• Team offense
  • Game situation scripts
    • Runners at each base, yell out situation of each pitch
  • Don’t train the same
    • Production point BP
      • 2 teams (could use more if you like) 
        • Rbi, dirtbags, runners - execute specific skills based on who they are
      • Barrel, Barrel, Wall, Wall, Barel, wall - wall is it needs to get to the wall or get over the wall
      • Train guy specifically to their skills
  • Pair up pitchers on different groups (nasty boys)
  • Horse bullpens as you match up pitchers
  • Technology makes it easier to compete!
    • 10% of your Max EV, with certain velo or spin rate
    • Test max EV off tee
    • Average EV on front toss, sitting down, over top, to imitate what they will see in the game
  • You have to think about the level of baseball you are talking about in terms of playing the short game
  • 28-32 ft from home plate painted on the field (kill bunt)
  • Deer point game
    • Rectangle painted 10 ft wide parellel to baseline and split it in half
      • Pitcher side bunt 10 points, foul line side 20 points, on the line 30 points
      • Goal is to make it through 10 rounds and should be 100 points minimum
  • Infield ball handling - 10 reps and raise ball in the air for winner
    • Around the waist
    • Around the knee
    • Figure 8
    • scissor
  • 25 ball drill - 2 groups, 90 ft apart, 25 in a row, and then go 25 run downs, miss it, start back at 0, 
  • STAR drill - throw the ball back and forth 25 times in a row, never turn your back to the baseball, and can’t throw it to your immediate left and right.  
  • Find a mentor or as many as you can to help mentor you
  • Reach out to coaches, and don’t be afraid to reach out, 
  • Lifelong learner - keep growing, keep learning
  • If you are not reading, you are missing out!!
  • Twitter - @spigner23 
  • lspigner@uarichmountain.edu
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