I want to thank you for your efforts on my behalf so I could participate as an EBCA Exchange Coach. I had a superb experience in the Netherlands; the visit allowed me to accomplish everything that I desired. Here are notes on various aspects of my visit that should make up for my lack of blogging.
Here are the various teams whose practices I was able to observe during my 19-23 January visit to the Netherlands:
· Club Kinheim (pitchers and catchers ages 8-10 and 10-12) in Haarlem
· Kennemerland (Region Haarlem) Future Stars (ages 10-up who want to be Haarlem Academy players)
· Baseball Academy APPM Rabbits (region Haarlem) (13-15 and 15-18)
· Baseball Academy Scimitars Midden-Nederland (region Utrecht/Almere) (13-15 and 15-18)
· Neptunus Juniors (16-18)
· Neptunus Tridents (16-21)
· NL National AAA-team (16-18)
· NL National Team
It was a great slice of NL baseball.
What I observed during practices that made an impression was that at all levels:
· Players work consistently on basic ball handling drills, throwing drills (throwing to a base, even if not 90 feet away), and hitting the ball hard.
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| Scott Weberg - Blue Jays |
· All NL teams were using movement exercises to enhance players’ speed, agility and reaction time. I had the great opportunity to travel to various venues with Toronto Blue Jays minor league Strength and Conditioning (S&C) Coordinator Scott Weberg. His most significant influence on my thinking was observing the amount of effort he dedicates to developing athletic movements. His drills involve sprinting, lateral movement, backpedaling, and sharply changing direction.
