What are the top three most important things for a pitcher? Why do you need to be able to throw a breaking ball in any count at any time? What exactly is “recovery” and why is it so important? Does every throw matter? Can you compete and get better during catch play? What’s the first thing you should do if you’re struggling with your breaking ball? This week on Riding The BUS we have a conversation with the Dylan Belanger, Pitching Coach at Division 1 Stephen F. Austin, where we cover all of those questions and much more! Coach Belanger has built his career through the Junior College ranks into Division 1 baseball through a combination of expertise and relationship building. Tap play, take a listen, and get ready to take some notes because this episode has great insight for every player on the field, not just pitchers. 

On this week’s edition of Riding The BUS we bring you a Foundations Megasode - a combination of the first three Foundations Episodes of this podcast. These Foundations are essential to any player who wants to make the most of every opportunity on and off the field, in tournaments and in showcases. Starting at the beginning, the first episode is on True Belief, and it's the first for a reason. Everything starts with True Belief. Then, after True Belief comes Controlling the Controllables. Controlling the Controllables is a two step process: 1) identifying the controllables you have within competition and 2) investing your time, effort, and energy in controlling them. If you want to make sure you have the mindset that is going to help you maximize every opportunity ahead of you this summer, then tap play and take a listen to learn how True Belief and Controlling the Controllables will help you keep your DEVELOPMENT BUS rolling at top speed. TIMESTAMPS:00:00: #1: True Belief14:48: #2: Controlling the Controllables, pt. 140:57: #3: Controlling the Controllables, pt. 2

What is more important to catching than any of the actual physical skills? How are hitting and catching related? What is an adjusted pop time and why should you know what that is? What is one very common throwing technique that is wrong? What roles do mobility and nutrition play in being a great catcher? How can perseverance make or break your career? This week’s episode covers all those questions and more in #20. Catching & Perseverance ft. Brock Bennett (Univ. of Georgia). Coach Bennett has extensive experience coaching catchers at extremely high levels. If you are a catcher, or want to understand the ingredients of a great catcher, then this is a must listen for you. Tap play, take a listen, and get ready to take some notes as Coach Brock Bennett from the Univ. of Georgia talks Catching and Perseverance. 

What should be your #1 goal above all else at a showcase? What should you do before, during, and after your showcase to make the most of your experience? What are the things you can control to give yourself the best chance to get noticed at your showcase events this summer? Summer showcases are right around the corner and these are just a few of the many questions we answer in episode 19. Checklist for a Great Showcase: 15 Tips to Perform, Stand Out & Get Noticed. Riding The BUS host Trey Fowler has 20+ years of NCAA coaching & showcase experience, and he walks you through these 15 tips that take you from parking lot to parking lot so that you can make the most of any and all possible opportunities. No matter what showcase events you choose to attend, our hope is that you stand out and get the exposure you’ve been working so hard for. Tap play, take a listen, and get ready to take a bunch of notes as this episode is all about helping you perform, stand out, and get noticed at your showcase events this summer.  

Do you have to believe in yourself to be a champion? What do championship teams have more than other teams? What does an approach look like for championship level hitters? What role does batting practice play in your approach? What do all great infielders have in common? Are feet actually more important than hands for infielders? How can you use MLB hitters to help your hitting development? What is toughness in baseball and why does it matter? This week’s episodes answers all those questions and so much more with Coach Scott Wingo (Univ. of South Carolina). Coach Wingo played at South Carolina and was a back-to-back National Champion with the Gamecocks, including the 2011 College World Series Most Outstanding Player. Coach Wingo didn’t roll out of bed with the physical tools to be a champion. Instead, he developed the mindset and character and used those to fuel his skills on the field. Tap play, listen up, and take some notes as we learn about the Championship Traits for Hitting & Infield from 2x NCAA D1 National Champion and current coach at Univ. of South Carolina, Scott Wingo. 

Why should you stay in the midst of adversity? Does self-talk really help? What does it take to stick to a routine that helps you succeed? What leads to being an elite defender? How do you erase doubt from your mind? What is the best book you should read for your mindset? Join us for the answers to these questions and so much more on this week’s episode, #17. College Player Series ft. Alex Carballo (Kennesaw State Univ.). Alex was an elite player at the NCAA Division 1 level, but he didn’t start that way. Alex worked his way to the top of college baseball and his journey through ups and downs, highs and lows, is packed with knowledge bombs that will help any player navigate the adversity he is guaranteed to face and come out better in the end. Tap play, listen up, and get ready to take a bunch of notes on what it takes to thrive through adversity in this latest installment of our College Player Series featuring Alex Carballo, former star outfielder from Kennesaw State University. 

Do you know the difference between baserunning and basestealing? Do you have an “approach” as a baserunner? What is a “tight arc” when running the bases? How do you develop great instincts as a baserunner? Baserunning doesn’t get a lot of attention, and yet baserunning plays a huge role in scoring more runs and winning more games. Not only that, but it’s a misconception to think that you have to be fast to be a great base runner, and even a base stealer. Baserunning is one of the few things that you can completely control in the game of baseball, and great baserunners help their teams win games. In this week’s episode, we are pumped to bring you Jared Broughton from Clemson University to talk Elite Baserunning. Our goal is to help you develop your game in ALL areas, and baserunning is a huge opportunity for players to stand out to both coaches and scouts. Tap play, listen up, and take some notes on how to become an elite baserunner in this week’s episode, 16. Elite Baserunning ft. Jared Broughton (Clemson University). 

We are back this week with another edition of Ask The BUS where we answer YOUR recruiting and player development questions. Is high school baseball important? What is the first thing any player should do in the recruiting process? What do parents need to know about their role in the recruiting process? Do stats matter to college coaches? What is the best way to stand out to a college coach off the field? How does eligibility work? All these questions and more are covered in this week’s episode, 15. Ask The BUS. Tap play and get ready to take some notes!

Is starting in the weight room as young as 10 years old a bad thing? Is simply gaining strength the main purpose of the weight room? Why is movement so important to physical health? How is ankle mobility the key to creating force? What are the things you can do to improve strength, decrease unnecessary tension, and improve your mobility? We are so pumped to bring you Episode 14. Baseball Specific Strength and Conditioning ft. Nate Hemphill, founder/owner of PSP3. PSP3 trains athletes of all ages - from 10 year olds stepping into the weight room for the first time to Major League Baseball Players. Nate started out as a baseball strength coach at the collegiate and professional level before following his passion to bring much needed strength and conditioning expertise to the youth/amateur ages. This fact is simple (but not easy) - your physicality, athleticism, and ability to stay healthy will impact how far you make it in the game of baseball more than just about anything else. If you want to play college baseball, you need to listen to this episode. Tap play, take a listen, and make sure you’re ready to take notes because this episode is absolutely essential for any baseball player who wants to maximize his ability.  

What was the biggest thing that turned a good college pitcher into a draftable professional pitcher? What should you do if you’re not getting the playing time you want? What are the two “steps” to a good weight room program? What are the elements of an MLB pitcher’s routine? Does every throw matter? What are the keys to competing at your highest level possible? We are pumped to bring you the answers to those questions and so much more in this edition of our Pro Player Series featuring MLB Pitcher Travis Bergen. Travis pitched at the Division 1 level at Kennesaw State University and transformed himself from pitching just 15 innings in an entire season to a 7th round draft pick by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2015 MLB Draft. Travis pulls back the curtains and offers tons of knowledge bombs and specific details about his mindset, workouts, routines, and recovery. If you want to learn from a current MLB pitcher and help yourself get better then tap play, take a listen, and get ready to take some notes!