This week’s article is about discipline and trust in your program. I train a lot of different kids. They are all shown a hip routine, spine routine, neck routine, shoulder routine, chest, bands, plyos, throwing etc. About 3% of them are able to come in and get right to work OR do the extra reps at home when no one is watching. Today we will highlight the work ethic of Joey Martino and Connor Hafto.
Joey Martino: Joey is a very smart kid. He’s able to listen and do what he’s told the first time. If he doesn’t understand he will ask for a demonstration, and then it clicks. He’s got it. This week Joey won an award at his school called the Gold Fitness award. Only 1 was given out to his grade which he received, and only 4 in the entire school! Joey is a great athlete, but Gold? Is he the best athlete in his grade? The award requires you
to place top 85% In pull ups, sit ups, sit and reach, shuttle run, and the mile. The gym teacher explained that flexibility is a crucial factor in the decision making process. Most kids struggle with the sit and reach. Joey ALWAYS did his full stretching routine before the lesson time slot even started. And he would even ask for more stretches or do a second set. His mother sent me videos of him stretching while watching baseball. You want to separate yourself? Do the work OUTSIDE of practice and training sessions. Kudos to you Joey congratulations well deserved!
Connor Hafto: Connor an amazing comeback story. Other coaches mentioned cutting him from my Young Guns team. He had less then 5 IP in high school last year. Two things Connor has that you can’t teach are passion and a strong work ethic. I kept him. We trained HARD for about 5 months. His lifts doubled. His flexibility tripled. His velocity jumped 7MPH. We didn’t change much. Only his kinetic chain, arm action, plyo routine, hip routine, and soft tissue routine…probably a few other routines in there but who’s counting! Connor is also my assistant coach for my 13u team and will work for me in the summer! He texted me yesterday asking to get arm care in, I said “yes of course.” We talked about how he’s young for his grade and will REALLY jump velo for his freshman year at college. I project top 87. We also joked saying he should win most improved player or “6 man of the year” (talking about basketball). 2 hours later Connor won the most improved player award for Washington Township. Connor was 6-0 on the mound this year. It was no question that when he (him) was on the mound, the minutemen had a GREAT chance of winning. Keep working kid, long way too go.