In this episode of the Own the Feeling Level podcast, host Tony Martinez discusses the challenges and dilemmas faced by parents involved in travel ball. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on child development through quality coaching, individualized training, and learning from mistakes. The conversation highlights the need for parents to make informed decisions about their child's baseball journey, balancing the costs and benefits of travel ball participation while maintaining a supportive relationship with their children.

Takeaways

Travel ball can be a double-edged sword for development.
Focus on movement and mechanics over statistics.
Quality coaching is essential for effective learning.
Individualized training can yield better results than team practices.
Mistakes are crucial for learning and growth.
Parents should prioritize their child's development over wins.
Quality reps in practice are more valuable than game quantity.
Ask the right questions to find credible coaching resources.
Losing can teach valuable lessons if framed correctly.
Maintain a supportive relationship with your child throughout their journey.

Episode #1 Hitting Mechanics gentle Intro.

In this episode, Coach Tony Martinez challenges common myths and misconceptions about the baseball swing. He discusses how there is a more effective way to swing a bat that can work for most players, and how relying solely on a natural swing can limit a player's potential. He emphasizes that hitting is both an art and a science, grounded in biomechanics. Coach Martinez also debunks the idea that athleticism cannot be taught and that great hitters are born, not made. He shares his own journey of transformation and encourages young hitters to commit to learning the mechanics that create powerful, repeatable swings.

Episode #1 Hitting Mechanics gentle Intro.

In this episode of Own the Feeling Level Up, host Tony Martinez shares a personal story about a swing theory that shaped his journey and transformed his game. He discusses a conversation with a parent who had a different approach to the baseball swing, highlighting the importance of understanding different perspectives. Tony also talks about the impact of Dale Carnegie's book 'How to Win Friends and Influence People' on his life. He then shares his own experience of committing to becoming a power hitter and the success he found through dedicated practice. Tony introduces the concept of the MOVES and promises to provide videos and images of his swing in future episodes.

Episode #1 Hitting Mechanics gentle Intro.

Coach Tony Martinez shares his journey in baseball and his insights on Little League Baseball and elite hitting moves. He discusses the Western Regionals tournament and questions the winner-take-all setup for the championship game. He also analyzes the pitching strength of the Maui team and offers suggestions for maximizing their chances in future tournaments. Coach Martinez emphasizes the importance of positive inertia and movement in hitting, specifically the concept of opening the front foot to generate power. He addresses concerns about violating traditional hitting principles and highlights the need for maintaining a strong position at contact. He concludes by emphasizing the importance of feel versus real in hitting.

Episode #1 Hitting Mechanics gentle Intro.

I do have a bias for hitting maybe because at this young age I was not a very good hitter, and my personal story on how I changed that is what excites me to believe that hitting for power is a learnable skill, and with the right coaching, we can all help young athletes become the type of hitters who drive the ball and stay in the game.

Episode #1 Hitting Mechanics gentle Intro.

As we discover something that is groundbreaking our first instinct is to want to share with the world, but what I've learned is that our advice is not always received well, especially if we don't have the "pedigree" to back us up, or if the person is not ready to receive the information. What i have found is that anyone who is having any type of success is not ready to abandon their approach just because you feel you've discovered the "elite" way to do something. In this case we are talking about hitting in baseball which is one of the most difficult things to do in all of sports if not the most difficult. I hope this helps, good luck to everyone in their baseball journey. Coach Tony Martinez

Episode #1 Hitting Mechanics gentle Intro.

How do I protect my child from failure in sports?

I have come to the realization that despite our best intentions of getting our son involved in sports for all the virtuous values it offers, I have also exposed him to the high probability of failing. How do I teach my son about failing?

I love you, son.

—Dad

Episode #1 Hitting Mechanics gentle Intro.

A podcast video on the mechanics of the baseball swing and the importance of getting yourself to feel the proper movement. Hitting is the most coveted thing in baseball outside of Pitching trying to get hitters out that it deserves to be talked about over and over, at least I feel this way, if you do too then come join the discussion. -Coach & Dad Tony

Episode #1 Hitting Mechanics gentle Intro.