From the coaches dugout!

Happy Holidays to all the fans of Everest Fastpitch. I am the Scrooge that Dickens wrote about. I don’t dislike Christmas; I just wish it was in July when the weather is warmer. When I think of Christmas now, I think of cold, snow, shoveling…. Nothing positive, that’s for sure.

The Off Season: I often get asked by parents or kids, what should I be doing in the off season to improve my fastpitch skills. My first response is always, play another sport. Whether it is basketball, hockey, or gymnastics stay active. All those sports would improve your fastpitch talents in one way shape or form. Basketball would improve your overall athleticism, foot work, hand eye coordination, and quickness plus it is a team sport and learning how to bond with a group is very vital to fastpitch success. Hockey, that’s easy, improves hand eye coordination. You get used to having something in your hand and trying to hit a moving object. When I coached baseball at Onalaska High School in 1992 we convinced a hockey player to play baseball. He had played a little at a younger age but had not played for two years. He earned a spot on varsity and shortly into the season earned a starting spot. That year he never struck out, he wasn’t a great hitter, but we used his ability to put the bat on the ball to our advantage. The next year, his senior season, he again did not strike out. His hand eye coordination from hockey made him a baseball player. Gymnastics improves your upper body strength. Gymnasts are incredibly strong. Their strong wrists and arms are just the beginning to being a great hitter. If you don’t find any of those sports to your interest, try to stay active anyway you can. Skiing, tubing, lifting weights, running, or cardio training will do. Contrary to what others might say, throwing a ball every day of the off season is not necessary. If you can find the time occasionally that is fine, but throwing a ball or catching isn’t something a person forgets how to do.

Camps:  Continue to check the website for camps. January and February is a popular month for colleges to hold camps because the coaches can use their team members as clinic coaches and it provides time for college teams to bond before they start the season. Building camaraderie among your team is very important before the season starts.  Also Camp .333 is a local camp that provides excellent fundamental building for young players. The camp offers instruction once a week and can be flexible to meet the needs of your child and family as to which day works best for your family. Their website is linked on our website. Also open gyms will be up and running in January. Once again check the website for those times and days (always Sundays), this year 8-12 grade will be in the High School, and younger group in the Junior High Gym.

Where Are they Now???? This Everest Fastpitch Grad was a two sport star at Everest in volleyball and softball. When she went to college she found interest in another sport. Her junior year at Everest she broke the school record for hits in a season, and followed that up her senior year by breaking that record. Currently she is attending school at Winona State and is a member of their Rugby Team who won the Midwest Regional this November and is in the hunt for a National Championship. She made a great transformation from a fastptich catcher to a rugby player, following in the footsteps of our pitching coach Amanda Buege who played rugby at UWSP. Who is she? Holly Edelburg

 

Stay Warm,

Coach Mathies