Individual Training

Zac now offers private individual training (as available). Individual training is ideal for new players who want to get a feel if this is the right place for his/her development or for players who cannot make the catching group times.

Small Group Training

Catching workouts are conducted in small groups (~4 players), not 1-on-1 private instruction. This type of group training environment has some key benefits for catchers:

Less Stressful

During training, it's important that athletes feel free to experiment and fail. This process of self-discovery is critical to an athletes future success but can often be hampered by the pressures that come with private instruction. Feeling like a coach is always watching and evaluating you often limits how far "outside the box" players are willing to venture for fear of reprisal or disappointment from the coach.

The small group environment gives the players to opportunity work in side sessions with their peers. Try out new ideas and build a stronger understanding of what works best for them.

Individualized

While players may all be working on the same general skill (i.e. receiving, blocking, etc.), there is no set drill sequence or agenda that players will work through. This is necessary due to the experimental nature of self-discovery. It is likely each player will have different goals and drills than the other catchers he is working with.

Ownership

Taking ownership of your development is key for all athletes, but it is especially important for catchers. The freedom afforded to catchers in the group training environment fosters their ability to make decisions about their own training. While Zac is there to help guide players in this process, it is ultimately the players who are deciding what they are working on and how they work on it.

This is a skill that will not only serve players well in baseball, but it is also a very important life skill.

Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills are often neglected in catcher training, but having the ability to build strong relationships with your pitchers, give and receive feedback effectively, and deal with emotionally charged situations is one of the most important responsibilities of the catcher. Group training offers players the chance to interact with their workout partners in much the same way they will interact with their pitching staff. Offering feedback to each other on what they see, explaining and listening to what they are each working on, and dealing with frustrated or emotional teammates all help build crucial skills for a catcher.

Interpersonal skills players can develop through the group training environment include:

• Verbal Communication
• Non-Verbal Communication
• Listening Skills
• Emotional Intelligence
• Team-Working
• Negotiation, persuasion, and influencing skills
• Conflict resolution and mediation
• Problem-Solving and Decision Making

Self-Paced

Because there is no set agenda for each workout, players are free to work at the pace they desire. Unfocused or careless reps are often worse than no reps at all. Players are never chastised for taking a break, or stepping out of a drill to have a discussion. In fact, many players are unaware of the benefits taking a brief break can have and may be encouraged to step out, recollect themselves, and then try again.

What to expect as a player

There is no "right" or "wrong" way of doing something

The goal of training is not to copy what works for others, but to find what works for YOU! This means that you will not be told what to do, rather you will be given suggestions of things to try and then work together with Zac in finding what is optimal for you.

A lot of experimenting

For most drills, you will be told a result you're trying to achieve and then asked to experiment with different strategies to see how each affects your ability to achieve the desired result. For example, while receiving off the machine, you may be told to finish with your glove blocking the view of the pitcher and show the ball to the pitcher. You will then be asked to experiment with other aspects of the catch, such as how you relax the glove, where you relax to, stances, etc. And evaluate and discuss how these affect the result with Zac.

If you are not used to this style of training, you may feel a little unsure and hesitant at first, but for many players within 1-2 workouts it will become second nature and you'll love the freedom.

Failure is a GOOD thing!

Failing is how we learn what works and what doesn't. Zac works hard to create an environment where failure is encouraged, not punished, and a place where players feel safe to try out new ideas without fear of looking 'bad' or 'foolish'. Being comfortable with failure and understanding how to use failure as a learning opportunity is key to taking ownership of your development.

What I Teach

• Modern pitch framing techniques for strike zone optimization
• Advances in pitch framing tactics, data, and performance metrics
• Catcher skill prioritization for maximal run prevention
• Setup strategies and solutions for combating the negative influence of blocking & throwing on pitch framing with runners on base
• Tactics for increasing deception and positively influencing umpire decision making
• How recent trends and the evolution of the position are challenging conventional catching wisdom
• Positioning and targeting tips for maximizing a staff's various strengths and pitch qualities
• Evolution of blocking techniques and how they are modified to minimize runner advancement
• Movement solution optimization for consistent, strong, and accurate throws to all bases
• and much more...

How I Teach

• Constraint led training to enhance motor skill acquisition and promote effective movement pattern adaptions
• Training environments built to allow players to find their optimal movement solution through self-organization
• Detailed task and constraint analysis to increase in-game retention
• Delayed live video feed to allow players to instantly associate perceived movements with actual movements
• Data driven performance evaluations to provide un-biased feedback on player progress and performance
• Results based guidance to encourage efficient movements optimized for each individual

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