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BVSA Teaches: Good Habits for a Shortstop

BVSA Teaches: Good Habits for a Shortstop

On this episode of BVSA Teaches, Frank Ramppen talks about good habits for a shortstop. Hey guys, Frank here. We’re down here at an empty baseball field, and I hope you’re all doing well and staying safe and healthy. Here’s a tip for today, specifically for shortstops. Delayed steals are a big part of the game at a higher level, and they can be very effective. We’ve had a lot of success with delayed steals in our team.

Usually, delayed steals catch the infielders off balance, not necessarily the catchers because catchers are always ready to throw. So here’s the tip of the day: as a shortstop, when there’s a runner on second base, whether there’s a runner on base or not, you should always move toward second base with your prep step. Every pitch, for the rest of your life, move towards second base, unless there’s a runner on third. This will help you get into the habit.

Meanwhile, if the ball is hit and the runner on second base is stealing, you’re already moving to your bag to catch the throw from the catcher and not get beat by the delayed steal. Give it a try and practice it.

Contact Us!

Here at BV Sports Academy, we are a passionate group of dedicated baseball and softball instructors with some pretty impressive resumes. More importantly we have been educated by Bobby Valentine himself. We teach a proven curriculum that has developed some of the finest talent in our area, and we’re just getting started. We’re have been blessed to be joined by some of the top programs around when it comes to other sports like lacrosse and soccer. Parties for all ages, we do those too! There is something for everyone at BVSA. We look forward to helping all athletes become the best they can be. If you would like to book anything or have any further questions, please email info@bvacademy.com 

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BVSA Teaches: Hitting Tip #1

BVSA Teaches: Hitting Tip #1

On this episode of BVSA Teaches, Frank Ramppen gives hitting tip #1. Hey guys, Frank here at Bobby V’s all alone, just checking in. I hope you’re all doing well and getting through this very difficult time while staying positive and optimistic. Today, I just want to talk about one of the absolutes we talked about, which is dynamic balance. Dynamic balance means being in balance from the start of your swing, when you’re in your stance, through the whole process, including your load, your transfer, the rotation, your path, all the way through to the end of the swing. 

Maintaining balance throughout the entire process of the swing is called dynamic balance. You must maintain while actively moving and rotating through the swing. At home, grab a bat, go outside, go to your basement or garage, and work on some of those balanced positions. Make sure that you feel balanced when you’re in your stance. Also, when you transfer to the pitcher, and when you start, go through, and finish your swing. Dynamic balance is a crucial part of the swing, so that’s the tip of the day. Stay safe!

Contact Us!

Here at BV Sports Academy, we are a passionate group of dedicated baseball and softball instructors with some pretty impressive resumes. More importantly we have been educated by Bobby Valentine himself. We teach a proven curriculum that has developed some of the finest talent in our area, and we’re just getting started. We’re have been blessed to be joined by some of the top programs around when it comes to other sports like lacrosse and soccer. Parties for all ages, we do those too! There is something for everyone at BVSA. We look forward to helping all athletes become the best they can be. If you would like to book anything or have any further questions, please email info@bvacademy.com 

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BVSA Teaches: Wall Ball At Home Drill

BVSA Teaches: Wall Ball At Home Drill

On this episode of BVSA Teaches, Frank Ramppen talks about the wall ball at home drill. Hey guys, Frank here from BVSA. Just trying to stay in touch with you guys and show you some drills to do to pass the time and try to stay productive and be ready. We don’t know when this is going to end, but we have to keep ourselves ready. So, I’m just showing you some drills that you can do if you have a wall. We have this nice cement wall here, but you can do a similar drill with any kind of ball depending on what kind of wall you have. 

You can throw balls to yourself, practice fielding ground balls, and work on forehands and backhands. You can do it like an outfielder and throw the ball. If you don’t have a cement wall, you can use a tennis ball and just keep working. You can also juggle and learn to juggle. Just keep yourself moving, keep the hand-eye coordination going, and have fun. Stay healthy and safe. Hope to see you soon.

Contact Us!

Here at BV Sports Academy, we are a passionate group of dedicated baseball and softball instructors with some pretty impressive resumes. More importantly we have been educated by Bobby Valentine himself. We teach a proven curriculum that has developed some of the finest talent in our area, and we’re just getting started. We’re have been blessed to be joined by some of the top programs around when it comes to other sports like lacrosse and soccer. Parties for all ages, we do those too! There is something for everyone at BVSA. We look forward to helping all athletes become the best they can be. If you would like to book anything or have any further questions, please email info@bvacademy.com 

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BVSA Teaches: At Home Transfer Drill

BVSA Teaches: At Home Transfer Drill

On this episode of BVSA Teaches, Frank Ramppen talks about the at home transfer drill. Hey guys, Frank here down at BVSA again and the place is empty. We’re all on lockdown and sincerely hope you’re getting through it. It’s a tough time for all of us, especially for the kids. Trying to keep them busy, positive, and working is important. On behalf of all the Bobby Valentines instructors, we miss you guys. We really miss doing what we do and love doing, teaching all the kids and watching them grow. We’re hoping this thing gets over soon so we can get back to working with you and seeing you every day. Stay safe, healthy, and keep practicing. 

Here’s a simple little drill that everybody can do. For the girls, grab a softball, and for the boys, grab a baseball. We’ve got to be able to handle this thing easily, and the more we have it in our hands day-to-day, the better. When you’re in lockdown in your home, put a baseball or softball in your hand and play with it. Work on the transfer and getting the four-seam grip. Do it around your back, go both ways, do everything you can between your legs, around your legs as you’re moving, and every different way that you’re handling the baseball. 

On the field or the softball on the field, you’re going to have to handle the baseball or the softball. The more comfortable you are having it in your hands and moving it around, the better you’re going to be on the field. That’s a simple drill you can do. You can do it sitting down, you can do it walking around the house, just don’t break any of the furniture or the glass. Hang in there, guys. We hope to see you soon. Fun little drill, stay busy, stay positive.

Contact Us!

Here at BV Sports Academy, we are a passionate group of dedicated baseball and softball instructors with some pretty impressive resumes. More importantly we have been educated by Bobby Valentine himself. We teach a proven curriculum that has developed some of the finest talent in our area, and we’re just getting started. We’re have been blessed to be joined by some of the top programs around when it comes to other sports like lacrosse and soccer. Parties for all ages, we do those too! There is something for everyone at BVSA. We look forward to helping all athletes become the best they can be. If you would like to book anything or have any further questions, please email info@bvacademy.com 

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First County Bank Athlete of the Month – Frank Drugge

First County Bank Athlete of the Month – Frank Drugge

Our March, First County Bank Athlete of the Month is 16 year old Frank Drugge. Drugge is one of our hardest working and dedicated athletes that come through BVSA on a daily basis. Even on the last day of business before having shut down due to COVID-19 he was in the cage on his own getting his work in. Drugge is consistently the first player at practice (early) and the last player to leave practice (late).   He does this all in the efforts to work more than what is required of him.  He is a very smart player, who goes out and completes on every pitch, and someone his teammates know will be there for him. Drugge is currently a Junior at Darien High and is hoping that all this hard work won’t be for not and the spring season can get played.

Drugge is a versatile player who can play anywhere that is needed other than catcher (can’t hurt to ask though) and he pitches as well. However, he has been playing a multitude of sports for most of his life. Drugge has been playing baseball since he could walk and continues to show the same drive he had as a child to excel to this day. In addition, soccer was a lifelong passion of his until this past fall when he chose not to play for the high school. Drugge actually played for Jhonny Arteaga of JA Elite, our soccer partner here at the facility. Drugge also picked up indoor track this past winter and made FCIAC’S in the 55 meter dash.

However, he is more than just a dedicated athlete. Drugge is another great example of the student-athletes we have at BVSA. Currently maintaining a 3.72 GPA, while in BC Calculus and AP Calculus-based physics Drugge is an active member of National Honor Society, Math Honors Society, and Music Honors Society. Additionally music is his other passion in life, something he is thoroughly engaged in as he is Darien High’s lead trumpet in their jazz band (2nd year) and Norwalk Youth Symphony’s principal french horn player (1st year). With all this going on in his life and him working as hard as he does for baseball, time management is definitely a skill Drugge has shown.

With the high school season still up in the air, we can only hope to see Drugge in his Darien blues driving the ball to all fields.  But in the chance we do not get to see this, we at BVSA get to look forward to the summer Fury season with Drugge on our 17U team. Coach Anthony Conte has this to say, “As a coach, you are constantly forming relationships at all different levels with your players.  Drugge is a kid we took to many years ago when he made his inefficient mechanics work to his advantage. He was basically throwing a slider every pitch and having great success.  Drugge has come and gone over the years but has always been polite, focused and hardworking.  He has since fixed his mechanics, grown multiple feet and continued that “figure it out” attitude.  Drugge is well deserving of this accolade!  We are pumped to be coaching him this summer as he continues his quest to find the right high academic university.  I am especially looking forward to continuing to get to know and learn from this awesome young scholar athlete,” 

Another great thing about Drugge is he will be successful in something.  Baseball, music, or something school related because that is just the type of person he is! Congratulations again on this honor, we here at BVSA are excited for his future and even more excited to be a part of his present.

Justin Virgulak

Justin Virgulak

Writer and Editor

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Everett Andersen – First County Bank Athlete of the Month

Our February Athlete of the Month is 16 year old Everett Andersen. Andersen shines as a great example of what young kids should aspire to be like and a kid that any parent would be proud of. A long standing member of the B.V.S.A. family, there are few that work as hard as he does across so many different sports and activities. His time spent in the cage, in the gym, on the field, and Andersen is a through and through competitor, with the heart of a great teammate, and someone who is a true coach’s player. Andersen is currently a Sophomore at St. Lukes School and has been a member of the Varsity baseball team since eighth grade. This will be his third year starting and is more prepared than ever to make a large impact on the team.

Andersen is predominantly an infielder who has an electric arm off the hill, but has the versatility to play the outfield when needed. However, the hard work described earlier and the years of experience playing is what turned Andersen into the dynamic athlete he is. He like most started in the backyard playing around and wanting to compete with his brothers. Andersen is the youngest of five who all played high school baseball, which allowed for steep competition at home helping to progress him that much quicker. Organized baseball started for him at five years old and played for the Wilton District teams from the ages of seven through the end of little league (twelve years old). In this time, he was the only eleven year old ever selected to the Wilton LL 11/12/ District Team and in the following year as a twelve year old won the league’s Home Run Derby. Simultaneously, Andersen started to play BVSA Fury in his ten year old year and has continued ever since. He continues to also be a program favorite, with coaches loving his approach to the game and overall attitude.

Andersen has been playing sports for St. Lukes since 6th grade; baseball, football, and basketball. All three taking a lot of time, commitment and effort to be his best. He would probably tell you himself that basketball was for the fun of it, competing with his friends. But football and baseball have an added element to it. He has been playing football since 3rd grade and has been the starting Varsity Quarterback for St. Luke’s the past two years. Although, baseball is again where he stands out, being brought up to Varsity in eighth grade, starting at Shortstop and only missing three innings all season. Former St. Luke’s Baseball Program Director and current Director of Operations at BVSA, Anthony Conte said, “I had the pleasure of coaching Everett at St. Luke’s as an 8th and 9th grader. I’m also currently coaching him for our 17U BVSA Fury team and see him, what seems like everyday, working with Frank. Everett is a yes sir, yes coach type of kid. He’s always ready to go, constantly works his butt off and has fun doing it; makes him a great dugout guy. I can’t wait to see how things play out for him this season and in the future.” An evident advantage to his game is training with Frank Ramppen and Ramp3 Baseball all off-season. Frank had this to say of Everett, “Everett and I have been working together for 6 years. He is so deserving of this acknowledgement as you can see by the achievements and comments above. I could go on and on and add to the baseball, athletic accomplishments but as a dad of two young athletes I feel that would be selling him short. Yes, he is a hard working, tremendous athlete and teammate but above and beyond that, what an outstanding young man and human being he is. We normally work together 2 and sometimes 3 days a week since he was 10 years old. Week after week, month after month and year after year he is so consistent. His manners, energy, enthusiasm, smile and caring demeanor are infectious. It has been an honor for me to work with such an outstanding young man. I am so proud of him in so many ways and look forward to following his incredibly bright future.”

Outside of baseball and his sports, Andersen is an honor student at St. Lukes and maintains a 3.5 GPA. Additionally he sings a cappella at the school with the group No Strings Attached and there is a great video on Ramp3’s Instagram of this! Andersen with the limited time left also ballroom dances and has been since he was a fifth grader. All of this going for him, training for two sports and playing for multiple teams throughout the year he really makes the most of his time. The now 6’3”, 180lbs student-athlete plans and is working toward college baseball at a demanding academic institution. With his drive, perseverance, and overall work ethic he will surely achieve this. We at B.V.S.A. are proud to have him representing us and are excited to see what the near and distant future holds for him.

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Henry Schwoerer – First County Bank Athlete of the Month

Henry Schwoerer – First County Bank Athlete of the Month

Our January Athlete of the Month is 18 year old Henry “Hank” Schwoerer. Schwoerer has been a truly dedicated player to the entire process of becoming the best player he can be and to the process of getting himself recruited to play at the next level. He committed himself in the classroom, in the cage, and in the weight room to be an example of what every student-athlete should strive to be. Schwoerer is also a dynamic player who can affect the game on all sides of the ball (hitting, defense, baserunning and on the hill). Schwoerer has been a contributing member to his Fairfield Prep Jesuits team for multiple years now and plans to make a quick impact to his Western New England Golden Bears.

Schwoerer, from Stamford, started his career playing for Stamford National Little League as well as playing for Cloonan Middle School’s baseball team in 7th and 8th grade. After this though he was a mainstay for both BVSA’s Fury teams and Prep’s baseball team. He played Fury for 3 years across many seasons and has been a Varsity member at Prep all four years (a starter for 3). Last summer he played Baseball U for their black team and looks forward to competing for Stamford Legion at Cubeta field this upcoming summer. Schwoerer through all the baseball over the years developed into a coach’s player and an amazing teammate. Coach Conte had this to say about Schwoerer, “Hank was an awesome addition to the BVSA squad.  He marches to his own beat, always has a smile on his face and loves to work. I don’t care who you are, coaches love athletes who love the work and Hank is one of those athletes. He was blessed with a high level of talent but continues to develop everyday. I was personally pumped when he locked in WNE. You love to see a kid like Hank land somewhere where he has the potential to really flourish as a human being and an athlete! WNE is lucky to have a student athlete like him join their ranks.” So much so that he is one of this year’s captains in his senior campaign. Additionally he was a part of the SCC Championship Team for Fairfield Prep in 2018 and was selected on to the CT High School Coaches Junior Select Team in 2019.

Off the field Schwoerer does a lot both in his school and neighborhood communities as well. At Prep he is a Freshman Orientation and Freshman Retreat Leader, helping guide the new students on what to expect along with getting them ready for the next level of schooling. Schwoerer also volunteers at the Boys and Girls Club in Stamford, as well as St. Leo’s church (also in Stamford). He is a very dedicated student as well and finds time to workout multiple times a week. When Schwoerer heads off to WNE this fall he will be studying Sports Management and continuing to be a good example for other players. We here at Bobby Valentine’s are happy to have been a part of his journey and look forward to seeing what Hank has in store next!

Justin Virgulak

Justin Virgulak

Writer and Editor

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Thomas Garcia – First County Bank Athlete of the Month

Thomas Garcia – First County Bank Athlete of the Month

Our December, First County Bank Athlete of the Month is 14 year old Thomas Garcia. Garcia is truly a dedicated athlete who puts maximum effort into all his endeavors. Which is why he being recognized with this honor was such an easy decision for Andy Towers and B.V.S.A. management. A ferocious athlete with an intense drive to be the best he can be in any drill, practice or game. However it should not go unstated or unappreciated that even though Garcia is a high level lacrosse player, his passion and drive to be great in all sports comes from an appreciation for the camaraderie created with teammates. Having a common goal and love for team and teammates’ success separates him from others.

Garcia who is only just an eighth grader has a diversified portfolio in the sports he has participated in and the experiences he has had in each. For starters Garcia has been a contributing member of New Canaan’s top lacrosse team, the highly competitive Eclipse 2024 AA team for six years now. A two-way midfielder who takes face-offs has helped lead this team with the direction from great coaching. But he is only that much more prepared due to the rigorous, intense, and high-level training down here at BVSA in the winter with Andy Towers. Towers who runs Lacrosse Draws and is the head coach of the Chaos in the PLL had this to say about Garcia, “Thomas Garcia is my choice for the First County Bank Athlete of the Month. No one works harder in our program and no one is more consistent than Thomas. This kid truly exemplifies everything that a college coach is looking for in a prospect as it relates to focus, effort, and grit, and most importantly being a great teammate.” The summer was no different for Garcia, his U-13 Eclipse 2024 team qualified to play in the World Series of Youth Lacrosse in Denver, Colorado. He also played in the National Lacrosse Federation tournament where he and his team excelled. Another highlight for Garcia was in 2018, he was named a 2018 CONNY Allstar by the CONNY Coaches, Competition, and Committee.  It set him up to play in the 25th Annual CONNY East-West Allstar Classic at Yale University’s Reese Stadium where he proceeded to tally two goals, two assists and several ground balls.

However, it is important that it does not go understated that Garcia is a student-athlete. While playing lacrosse he also participated in football, wrestling, and baseball being a standout or a major contributor in all these sports as well. But away from the playing fields Garcia maintains a 4.1 GPA (weighted) for his coursework and shows the same level of determination to be great there as well. Garcia is also a member of the Model United Nations, as well as a volunteer at St. Aloysius Church and as a coach for his younger sister’s basketball team. With all of these factors only favoring the hard working Garcia he does not have set plans for college yet. All he would like is to attend a school such as Stanford or Williams where it is academically competitive and he can continue his playing career. Everyone here at BVSA, Coach Andy, Coach Pete and all his teammates look forward to seeing what he is able to accomplish in the near future!

Justin Virgulak

Justin Virgulak

Writer and Editor

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BVSA Teaches: Down the Mound Drill

BVSA Teaches: Down the Mound Drill

On this episode of BVSA Teaches, Frank Ramppen talks about the down the mound drill. Okay, one of the big problems with the transfer is not gaining enough ground and more importantly, not actually transferring your weight. But a lot of kids will do their load and then they’ll stride, some longer than others, and even if it’s a long one, they’ll get hung back here. Their head stays back here; their head’s not over their belly button. They really didn’t get their weight transferred enough to that front side in here to be able to use that ground and fire off that back foot effectively.

Getting to Your Front Side

So my favorite drill for that is to use gravity and get one of the mounds. You can do a lot of different things with these. These mounds are easy to move around. You get them in their stance, nice balanced position. You have them do their load, and when they transfer, gravity should help move their body down the hill with them to get to that front side. Meanwhile, it makes it harder to stay back here and get locked in and stuck on that back foot. Just using the mound and the gravity will help them. Obviously, you have to teach them along, coach them along, make sure they’re getting there, make sure they’re getting here.

And then you can actually take some swings. Additionally, you can set the tee up right here and take some swings off the tee. Make sure they’re doing it. You can do front toss. You can do everything. Just be careful when you do these. Make sure that they’re not setting up too far on the back of the mound that they could fall off. Make sure they’re not too far forward that they’re going to fall off when they’re swinging too far backwards. Obviously, safety comes first. Make sure they’re centered in the middle of the mound doing that efficiently. Again, you can do it through all phases of the swing.

BVSA Teaches: Down the Mound Drill

Contact Us!

Here at BV Sports Academy, we are a passionate group of dedicated baseball and softball instructors with some pretty impressive resumes. More importantly we have been educated by Bobby Valentine himself. We teach a proven curriculum that has developed some of the finest talent in our area, and we’re just getting started. We’re have been blessed to be joined by some of the top programs around when it comes to other sports like lacrosse and soccer. Parties for all ages, we do those too! There is something for everyone at BVSA. We look forward to helping all athletes become the best they can be. If you would like to book anything or have any further questions, please email info@bvacademy.com 

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BVSA Teaches: Balance Disk Drill for Baseball

BVSA Teaches: Balance Disc Drill for Baseball

For this episode of BVSA Teaches, Frank Ramppen talks about the balance disc drill for baseball. Alright guys, so we talked about the stance and that’s the beginning of the whole swing and getting into a balanced stance. Now when you start working with some of these younger kids, especially in our BAP programs, some of these kids have no idea how to get into that pyramid stance. My favorite drill to teach a kid how to get into a proper stance is to use the balance discs. So you get the balance discs, and we have them throughout the facility. Put the balance discs down somewhere in relation to the plate to give them an idea of what they’re doing. If they have no idea of their width you should get the discs to shoulder width apart or slightly more. So many kids just want to stand up straight or stand with their feet so close together.

Different Stances

So as soon as you put them on the balance discs, start off doing it straight on. If they’re a kid that naturally wants to stand with an open stance, you can do that too. As soon as you get on the balance discs, you’ll see the little kids struggle to keep their balance. What happens is they start to get that feel in here of their weight being inside their legs. This is that pyramid feel that we are looking for. Alright, that is really the best way to do it. The discs are great, get them on there. If you can also get the mirror that we have and put the mirror over here in front of them so they can look at what they look like in that stance when they’re fighting to keep their balance. Okay, and especially for the younger kids who don’t get it right away, do it every lesson that you have with them or at the beginning of every BAP or as a station in BAP’s so just keep repeating it until they understand that balance position and they really lock into it, okay.

BVSA Teaches: Balance Disc Drill for Baseball

Contact Us!

Here at BV Sports Academy, we are a passionate group of dedicated baseball and softball instructors with some pretty impressive resumes. More importantly we have been educated by Bobby Valentine himself. We teach a proven curriculum that has developed some of the finest talent in our area, and we’re just getting started. We’re have been blessed to be joined by some of the top programs around when it comes to other sports like lacrosse and soccer. Parties for all ages, we do those too! There is something for everyone at BVSA. We look forward to helping all athletes become the best they can be. If you would like to book anything or have any further questions, please email info@bvacademy.com