April 22

April 22 Update

MLB Originals - YouTube

Maybe taking a hint from Trevor Bauer and Momentum (a baseball media outlet I focused on in Monday's blog post), the MLB has created a new YouTube series called MLB Originals. This series will include a variety of shows that will be released each Monday at 9:00 AM on the MLB YouTube channel. The MLB shared the breakdown of their shows in a news article on April 13:

"'MLB Originals' premieres with QUICK QUESTION, which takes a closer look at common customs and situations found in baseball through experts and animation. This week’s episode explores “Why do ballparks have different dimensions?” with background and anecdotes from MLB’s Official Historian John Thorn and Janet Marie Smith, Senior Vice President of Planning and Development for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who oversaw the design and construction of one of baseball’s most renowned ballparks, Camden Yards.

Other “MLB Originals” series include:

  • STACK’D: Players answer personal questions and perform special challenges all while testing their tower-building skills with over-sized wooden blocks. The show is hosted by MLB Youth Ambassador and acclaimed softball player, Lauren Chamberlain.

  • FITTED: The tradition of a veteran player taking a rookie suit shopping is on full display as teammates talk baseball, fashion and life. The debut episode features Oakland’s Marcus Semien and Jesús Luzardo.

  • NEWLYBROS: MLB stars who are close friends, either through childhood, in the Minors or as Major League teammates, are put to the test through this adaptation of the popular game show.

  • THE TRYOUT: Celebrities and athletes who have always wanted to have a shot at the Majors see if they have what it takes with the help and coaching of a current MLB star. The first episode features Cubs superstar Javy Báez and Puerto Rican recording artist and song-writer Residente.

  • THE BLUEPRINT: Each championship team is built with a collection of draft picks, trades, and free agent acquisitions that lead to success on the field. This show explores the moves that made winners out of teams like the 2019 Nationals, 2016 Cubs, and 2010/2012/2014 Giants."

Their debut trailer is shared below:

USA Baseball - Coaching Development Programming - USA Baseball Website

USA Baseball, once trailing far behind other major baseball countries, recently started heavily investing in Long Term Athlete Development throughout youth baseball. They recognized a need for national-level baseball programming in the USA as youth baseball has shifted into a variety of different pockets around the country. National Sport Organizations, such as Babe Ruth, PONY, Little League, Cal Ripken, USSSA, and NFHS were (and still are) operating independently from one another, with no clear progression pathway from one level to the other. This litany of national and regional sporting bodies, combined with the "Wild West" environment of unregulated travel baseball, has created a patchwork of baseball leagues that do not work together. Many anecdotes of youth athletes throwing 200+ pitches in a weekend or playing hundreds of games through the calendar year (yes, there are stories of 8U, 11U, and 13U athletes bouncing between teams and playing 60+, 70+, 80+ games through the year), and the subsequent injuries and burnout, forced USA Baseball to take action and attempt to implement directives and tools for organizations and leagues around the USA to follow.

Their efforts have paid off with a great set of coaching development courses, rooted in Long Term Athlete Development principles. These courses are available for free to ANY coach. USA Baseball provides high-quality learning materials and videos, starring major figures in USA Baseball, such as Joe Maddon, Dave Roberts, John Smoltz, and more. These coaches and baseball figures have been involved with coaching Team USA at various levels and have a commitment to developing grassroots baseball across the country. Their courses are available at their coaching certification website.

USA Baseball provides a set coaching pathway: 'A' Certification, 'B' Certification, and 'C' Certification. Even though these credentials are not recognized as NCCP materials in terms of the Coaching Association of Canada, the NCCP, and Baseball Canada, they contain aspects of the required training that coaches in Canada require. NCCP Regional or Provincial Certified coaches can receive PD points by completing these courses and submitting their evidence of completion to Baseball Alberta OR including it as self-directed and self-reported learning at The Locker on the Coaching Association of Canada website.

Further, USA Baseball has developed community-level and regional coaching clinics for coaches of all ages and skill levels to attend. These courses (currently available online), can be hosted at any time of year throughout the USA. As travel to warmer locations is popular here, consider looking to see if a clinic is available at your destination. Their community clinics and regional clinics are available here:

USA Baseball Community Clinics
USA Baseball Regional Clinics

Their most recent online community clinic is available below. Keep an eye on USA Baseball TV for future videos.

Yours in baseball,

Coach Lovie
Baseball Development Lead
Sherwood Park Minor Baseball Association
baseballdevelopment@spmba.ca