Posted on

BVSA Teaches: Approach as a hitter

BVSA Teaches: Approach as a hitter

On this episode of BVSA Teaches, Frank Ramppen talks about approach as a hitter. Today’s topic is about approaching pitches in baseball. The mental part of the game is critical. There is a pre-plan routine that should be followed before going up to bat. It is important to have an idea of what your plan is and what you’re looking to do when you’re in the batter’s box. The approach can vary depending on the situation in the game.

When the game is close, and the pitcher isn’t throwing strikes or blowing you away, different approaches may be required. In general, you’re looking to hit pitches that you can crush early in the count or when you’re ahead. A device with numbers 1 – 8 is used to help hitters determine the area they should be looking to hit the ball. For example, early in the count, hitters may be looking for pitches in the range of 4-5-6, or 3.5-4-5-6.

What to think about

At higher levels, hitters need to be more selective. Many kids don’t swing the bat when they get in the game. This is despite all the work put into developing good swings and mechanics. Coaches don’t want to teach kids to go after only one or two types of pitches. However, they need to understand that early in the count or when they’re ahead in the count, they should be looking to hit a specific area.

When they get behind in the count, hitters need to expand the zone. Specifcally with two strikes, they should be more aggressive and swing at pitches one through eight. It’s too hard to teach kids to change their swing with two strikes, but they can choke up a little bit. Coaches should pay attention to what the umpire is calling on that day and help the kids adjust their approach accordingly.

The general rule of thumb is to be aggressive and think “swing on every pitch” until you see that it’s a ball. Hitters should look for pitches they can drive when they’re ahead in the count. They can expand the zone when they get behind, and be more aggressive with two strikes. Even kids that aren’t that good yet can foul off outside pitches. This way they can live to see another pitch by taking a pretty good balanced swing.

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 

Posted on

BVSA Teaches: Getting out of the Batters Box

BVSA Teaches: Getting out of the Batters Box

On this episode of BVSA Teaches, Frank Ramppen talks about getting out of the batters box. Hey guys, in this video, we’re going to talk about baserunning, specifically getting out of the batter’s box and running through first base on a ground ball and the turn to make at first base when the ball gets away. 

First of all, getting out of the batter’s box, I don’t think there’s any real teach other than to have balance. Our main objective when we’re in the batter’s box hitting is to hit the ball as hard as we can somewhere and get on base. So balance is what we teach from our stance throughout our entire sequence. Our dynamic balance. Right after we take our swing and make contact, some little kids have to be taught not to throw the bat. They’re in such a hurry to get that swing out of their hand, and they end up throwing the bat and hitting the catcher. So, some drills are needed to ensure that they know that they have to finish their swing and drop the bat.

Opposite Arm, Opposite Leg: BVSA's Guide to Proper Running Position

Obviously, you make your swing, make your contact, and put the bat back down. The key is to get into your runner’s position as quickly as you can right after. That is opposite arm, opposite leg, in a good athletic position, not standing up too tall. Different swings are definitely going to have slightly different positions. Meanwhile, we have to get into that running position as quickly as we can in line.

It’s important to run in a proper line. If you run too far inside the baseline and not in that little box that’s halfway or three-quarters of the way down the baseline, and the catcher throws and hits you, you could be called out for interference. So we have to make sure that we run in a proper line. Sometimes you may take your swing and you’re too far out at first. You have to get towards the line and in that proper track running in as athletic a position as you possibly can.

Now, we’re going to talk about the two different ways to work through the bag. We’re out of the box in a good sprinter’s position, running down the box on line down the line. We’re inside where that box is normally. We don’t want to be out here. We’re running down the line as hard as we can. We’re not watching the ball. Many little kids, as soon as they get out of the box, they’re watching the ball. Keep your eyes straight.

The first base coach will take care of what they need to do with that ball. So many kids watch the ball, and that’s a very important teach. Head up, running through the bag, we want to touch the front of the bag as we come through. We want to catch the front of the bag over here, away from the first baseman to avoid contact. Try to time it and make sure that you’re catching the front of the bag, not stopping. Continue your acceleration, and then your break down over here, always looking over your shoulder.

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 

Posted on

Jack Patterson – First County Bank Athlete of the Month

Jack Patterson
Jack Patterson

Bobby Valentine’s First County Bank Athlete of the Month for January is Jack Patterson. Jack currently plays for Stamford Little League and Stamford Travel, and spends more time at BVSA than some of our own staff.

“Jack Patterson is easily one of the most consistent and dedicated kids we have in the building. His drive to become a better player, let alone athlete, is unmatched with the amount of swings he takes, pitches he throws, and simply minutes here in the building…
 
It is a pleasure to have Jack here on a regular basis and we are seeing the development of one of the next great baseball players from this area right in front of us!” – Justin Virgulak, BVSA Director 
Jack, who recently turned 11 years old, played over SIXTY games last season, batting over .500! As if that wasn’t impressive enough, he had more extra base hits than singles AND hit his very first home run! On the mound, he averaged over two strikeouts per inning. When he wasn’t on the mound, he also played first base and center field.
 
“Relentless. That’s the first word that comes to mind when I think of Jack. He simply does not stop. I feel like every day at some point he ends up in the cage next to me putting in work. I’ve seen him come in after having the flu, nothing stops him from accomplishing what he wants to accomplish.” – Joe Wanderlingh, BVSA Instructor
 
Jack is currently in fifth grade at Newfield Elementary School where he excels in the classroom. When he is not on the baseball diamond, he is on the football field playing for the Stamford First Down Club. Whatever spare time he has left, he loves to play wiffle ball and football which comes as such a big surprise!
 
We here at BVSA want to congratulate Jack once more on earning this honor of First County Bank Athlete of the Month for January. Safe to say this is just the beginning for Jack, and we cannot wait to see where he goes from here. It is an absolute joy seeing him around BVSA, and we look forward to continuing watching him grow into the baseball player that he is. Congratulations Jack!
Posted on

BVSA Teaches: Moving Plate Drill

BVSA Teaches: Moving Plate Drill

On this episode of BVSA Teaches, Frank Ramppen talks about the moving plate drill. Hey guys, today we’re going to talk about the mechanics of swaying and how to practice timing. Some people think regular batting practice isn’t good for timing because it’s at a different speed than what you see in a game. In a game, you’ll see all kinds of pitchers with different speeds, angles, deliveries, and ball movement. So, it’s important to practice timing by throwing in different speeds and changing the placement of the pitches. 

As we get closer to the season, we focus less on mechanics and more on timing. You can do live pitching and make it up as you go, gauging your students’ frustration level and achievement level. Take X amount of swings from one spot on the map and then move up to another station. Moving closer to home plate in your rounds of batting practice is real effective in timing as you get closer to the season. Remember, part of being a good hitter is being able to make adjustments.

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 

Posted on

BVSA Teaches: Load & Transfer (Stride Drill)

BVSA Teaches: Load & Transfer (Stride Drill)

On this episode of BVSA Teaches, Frank Ramppen talks about the load & transfer (stride drill). One of the biggest issues with the transfer is the distance that you need to go to travel with your stride and the distribution of your weight. A lot of times, the kids don’t gain enough ground towards the pitcher and/or they don’t get their weight moving to their front side. They may have a long stride, but they really never transferred their weight. They’re still back here on their backside.

One really simple drill you can do is with no swings, drop swings, or on the tee. You can do it at every level of hitting. When they get ready to hit, line their foot up with this corner of the plate. Tell them they should stride to the front corner of the plate. That’s a good enough distance for most older kids. For 8 and 9-year-olds, it should be a little bit shorter, and if so, you could use a little foot fence.

Just give them an idea of when they do their load and transfer. then they could look down after their swing and see where their foot was. A lot of times, especially off the tee, we’ll be surprised that they’re barely moving their foot forward. It’s really hard to have a really efficient, effective transfer of weight when you’re not gaining any ground.

That’s a simple little one that you could use at the beginning, and you could do it throughout all their lessons or during the BAP’s to make sure team practices whatever to make sure that they’re gaining that ground. Then, obviously, work on the weight, which I’ll show you some other drills for.

 

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 

Posted on

BVSA Teaches: Load & Transfer (Small Bat)

BVSA Teaches: Load & Transfer (Small Bat)

On this episode of BVSA Teaches, Frank Ramppen talks about the load & transfer (small bat). Hey guys, here’s a drill that might help. It’s good for kids or even older players who tend to disconnect when they get down and ready to swing. We don’t want the player to half-rotate and get a big looping swing. Instead, we need to stay connected up here and drive that left arm back. Accordingly, we need to be in the position to get down to contact, which should be with arms bent and staying connected at that point. Keeping those arms bent to generate power from the back leg is what we need to do.

To practice this, use one hand and put the short back with the one hand to help work through your load and transfer. Basically, drive straight to the ball without letting the arms lock out here. This drill may or may not work for you, so find what works best for your swing. Keep at this if it does help and work it into your routine.

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 

Posted on

BVSA Teaches: Stick Drill for Hands Back

BVSA Teaches: Stick Drill for Hands Back

On this episode of BVSA Teaches, Frank Ramppen talks about the stick drill for hands back. Hey everybody, I’m Frank Ramppen from Bobby Valentine Sports Academy, and I’m here with Anthony Pascal, a junior at the University of Bridgeport. We’ve been working on something pretty high level, a little more specific than what you would teach with the little guys. But you know, Anthony is already a high-level catcher and hitter, and he does a lot of things right in his swing. The thing we’ve been focusing on is maximizing his separation. We need to get his lower half working in front of his upper half, so there’s sequence and maximizing his torque. It’s easier said than done because there’s a tendency for most hitters to want to bring their hands too early.

So we’re going to do a couple of drills to help him feel the right timing. Let’s start with the stick drill. All we do in this drill is put the stick down stationary behind him. He gets his hands back into a nice relaxed position, does his load and transfer, whatever feels natural to him. Then he explodes off of his back foot, starts the rotation, and keeps his hands back. He might move his hands a little because most hitters have some movement with their hands.

Overview of the Sequence

It’s important that when you stride forward, your hands work back a little or wait until the front foot gets down. Many young hitters tend to bring their hands forward too early. Anthony will demonstrate it a couple of times.

Nice little load, good transfer, back foot starts the swing, and you can see his hands stay back here. The goal is for his belly button to rotate and face out while his chest stays back. He can hit any pitch from that position. What many kids do is they rotate their chest and hands at the same time, making it more difficult to hit pitches away. Let’s do it one more time.

Great job, Anthony! That’s just one good drill that might help you improve. Keep up the good work, Amp!

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 

Posted on

BVSA Teaches: Banded Half Swing

BVSA Teaches: Banded Half Swing

On this episode of BVSA Teaches, Frank Ramppen talks about the banded half swing drill. Here’s a drill about staying connected and having the lower half happen first, and then your upper half happen after. Many kids fly open too early with their front side, and lock their left side out, getting into a big spinny move. Instead, we want to get down to this position of being transferred. You want that lower half to fire, and then we want that upper half to stay connected, so it all rotates together, as that right elbow drops into the slot, and you find your contact point, depending on the pitch. Too many kids let that front arm go flying and do some strange things. 

You can get a really light band, you really can’t do this with an L screen. A couple weights up here to hold the L screen work for stability. We’ll take the lower half, and then this will move. This rotates first, then this starts to rotate, and this keeps this angle right, versus a lot of kids who lock it out and get long or do that and pull out. This kind of keeps you pulling that band straight towards your target. It will keep you on plane and keep you in the right place. This isn’t the easiest drill for kids to learn but just another idea you can try out.

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 

Posted on

BVSA Teaches: One Handed Swing (Small Bat)

BVSA Teaches: One Handed Swing (Small Bat)

On this episode of BVSA Teaches, Frank Ramppen talks about the one handed swing (small bat) drill. Hey guys, here’s a short training session on a drill called the back one-handed swing. I prefer, and I think most people prefer, the left-handed version of this drill. This drill is useful for plenty of things, mostly for working on the bat path and staying inside the ball. Many times, when kids swing, their hands tend to go out, causing their swing to be too big and circular. Basically, this drill is designed to teach them to keep their hands inside the barrel. They’ll want to hit the ball up the middle or the other way with the proper bat path.

Make sure the kids stand up to the plate in their normal stance and distance away from the plate. Meanwhile, their backs both facing the side. Get in there nice and tight and stay behind the ball, transfer your weight, and get the barrel to the ball. For the right-handed swing, I don’t like this much because I think almost everybody tends to roll over their wrists on contact. If you want to make sure you’re doing it right, you’ve got to stay through the ball with your palm up and drive it. But everybody wants to hit the ball hard, so their first instinct is to roll over.

Overall, this drill is great for working on bat path and contact.

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 

Posted on

Tristan Pearl – First County Bank Athlete of the Month

Athlete of the Month
Athlete of the Month

Bobby Valentine’s First County Bank Athlete of the Month for December is Tristan Pearl. This former three year varsity pitcher at New Canaan High School is currently a member of the Choate Rosemary Hall pitching staff heading into their Spring 2023 season. This southpaw was co-captain in 2022 for the Rams alongside Zack Ramppen, as well as an All-FCIAC East selection.

It all started for Tristan in the Federal Little League in Stamford, where he played from T-ball all the way up to Majors. From there, he played in the New Canaan Cal Ripken League and New Canaan Travel for three years. Following that was stints with our very own BVSA Fury, the Westchester/Long Island Junior Ducks, the Greenwich Cannons, and Baseball U CT. This upcoming summer, he’ll play for Ridgefield American Legion.
 
"I remember the first time I noticed Tristan on a baseball field. He was pitching in a Fury game he had to be around 11 years old. I thought to myself man this kid has potential! Potential is one of those strange things… it could mean the ceiling is extremely high and that player with the right coaching can play at a higher level. It also means that the player is still not where he should be. In Tristan’s case at 11 years old who really is? Tristan and I went to work! We worked together for the past 6 years. T was dedicated to the “process” day in and day out. I’ve seen him grow not only physically but mentally and emotionally. Both on and off the field. Tristan's character and work ethic is what channeled him to play at the college level. I’m extremely proud of all he has accomplished in his short journey thus far. There is so much more he’s going to accomplish in this game over time. Babson college is not only receiving a great LHP , but more importantly a great young man who comes from a great family!
Mike Abate
Mike Abate Abate Training
Tristan is a 2022 graduate of New Canaan High School, and is currently pursuing a post-graduate year at Choate Rosemary Hall, where he expects to graduate from in May.  After graduation, he will be pitching for Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts as a Fall 2023 commit. While there, he plans to study International Business & Entrepreneurship at Babson.
 
We here at BVSA want to congratulate Tristan on earning this honor of First County Bank Athlete of the Month for December. It has been a pleasure watching him train, following his career, and watching him succeed in all aspects of life. We cannot wait to see where he goes from here. Congratulations and good luck at Babson, Tristan!