! ! Berlin Summer Instructs Program I. Staff Field Coordinator & Head Instructor: Dave Swanson Assistant Instructors: SB Staff (See Below) II. OVERVIEW • Concept – Opportunities for fundamental teaching and learning in practice & game-playing situations. • Team Goals – work with each player to bring out the best of his/her abilities with the following skill areas: Infield, Outfield, Base Running, Hitting, and SITUATIONAL BASEBALL – knowing where to be on the field based on the play at hand! • Pitching instruction will be offered to those who pitch or will be pitching. • We will continue to stress the importance of knowing the game, rather than being too caught up in Hits & Runs!! III. Player Expectations • As a coaching staff we expect that each parent/student understand that in order to be prepared for game action everyone must be on the same page with the same goal; to develop the proper baseball skills needed to have a chance to compete consistently at a high level! • Teaching the game to the kids is, and will always be our primary focus…and we will prepare them to perform on the field. In order for this to happen it’s going to take full attendance, and being 100% committed to this program!! • Bring ENERGY to each practice and being POSITIVE regardless of the outcome. IV. Positioning • We will introduce each ballplayer to IF and OF as this is to allow them an opportunity to learn and see the game from different depths and angles. • It is our strong belief that the more versatile a ballplayer is the more valuable he/ she can be to their team(s) as their career progresses. Being one-dimensional will limit his ability to develop the required skills/instincts that allow for advancement in this game of baseball. • Left Handed throwers will play 1B, LF, CF, or RF only as this, along with pitching will be the only positions that your son will play due the field dynamics. V. Player/Instructor Ratio • 6:1 With this ratio we believe this provides an opportunity for the kids to benefit from the instruction; high reps, ability to learn by observing, and work in pairs during Drill Work. • Age Groups; 8-10 • Students will be placed into groups by age; 8-9, 9-10 • We have a limit of ONLY 18 students!! • Students will be expected to play multiple positions as this will best enhance their opportunities as they advance in the game of baseball. Parent Involvement • We invite parents who coach, or have interest in coaching to join our staff in the Dugouts during the Thursday SIM GAME. This is to provide parents who coach their sons/daughters the opportunity to listen in on our coaching philosophies, and learn some of the coaching philosophies used in our game today. VI. Price • Two-Week Commitment Fee per student - $299.00 VII. Schedule • Three Week Program • Six 2.5-hour sessions, held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays; July 12th, 13th, & 14th, and July 19th, 20th, & 21st. A ll sessions take place in Berlin at Garrity & Pulcini Fields. • TUESDAY - INSTRUCTION • WEDNESDAY - INSTRUCTION • THURSDAY 9:00am-9:25am; Stretch, Throwing, & Fielding REPS 9:30am-11:20am; SIM GAME • Program time; 9:00am-11:30am • Arrival Time; 8:50am Swanson’s Professional Baseball (860) 539-0019 [email protected] Summer Program Instructors: Dave Swanson (Field Coordinator) Dave is a former professional baseball player and spent the past two years serving as the Cleveland Indians Pitching Rehab Coordinator/Assistant Rookie Pitching Coach. He was selected in the 9th round (251st overall) of the 1991 Free Agent Draft by the New York Mets out of Berlin High School, and spent his 11-year career with Mets, Rockies, and Red Sox MLB organizations, along with playing independently with the Amarillo Dillas, Waterbury Spirit, and Bridgeport Bluefish. While at BHS he was named the 1991 Gatorade Player of the Year for Connecticut and Gatorade Player of the Year for New England. During his playing career he pitched in 234 games, starting 146, had a career record of 58-48 (27-21), logged 1044 innings, and had a 3.78 ERA. He was dealt to the Colorado Rockies as part of the Brett Saberhagen trade in 1995. Following his 11-year playing career “Swanny” earned a Communication degree at CCSU, leading to his 11-year run working as the K-Zone Producer for ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball. Along with his time at ESPN he developed Swanson’s Professional Baseball Instruction, LLC, which now enters its 14th season in business. Swanny also spent nine years as an assistant baseball coach at Northwest Catholic High School, and joined Coach V.’s staff in 2015 assisting the pitchers at the JV & Freshman levels in addition to his work on Sunday Night Baseball where he is works alongside former New York Yankee Aaron Boone and two-time USA Olympian softball star Jessica Mendoza. Through the SB program Swanny and his staff have worked with over 50 students who have gone on to play at the collegiate level, along with 10 students who played, or are currently playing at the professional level. Those of which include Berlin’s Matt Carasiti (Colorado Rockies) and Anthony Marzi (New Britain Bees). Tim DeJohn (UHart Infield Coach) Tim DeJohn is entering his first season as an assistant baseball coach under Justin Blood. DeJohn joins Hartford after working as the associate head coach at Southington High School (CT) with responsibilities as the infield, first base, and catchers coach. In his five seasons at SHS, DeJohn helped lead the team to four CCC Conference Championships, five consecutive State Semi-Finals appearances, and three State Finals appearances in 2011, 2013, and 2014. The program achieved a .760 winning percentage, while producing 20 collegiate players and 2 Major League Baseball draft picks. After a four-year playing career at Western Connecticut St. Univ. which saw him place second all-time in number of games pitched in a single season (20 appearances in 2006 as a senior), DeJohn served as an assistant coach in the Spring of 2007, tasked with coaching the outfielders. Tim’s dad Mark is a former Major League player (Detroit Tigers; 1982), and has been a member of the St. Louis organization coaching staff since 1986, and coach on Tony LaRussa's Major League staff with the Cardinals during LaRussa's first six seasons as Redbird manager (1996–2001). In 2011, he served as minor league field coordinator of instruction for the Cardinals. DeJohn is a graduate of Western Connecticut State University with a B.S. in History, and he obtained his M.A. in Education from the University of Bridgeport. Mike Piper (Camp Strength/Conditioning Instructor) Central Connecticut State University Head Baseball/Softball Strength Coordinator Mike Piper will join the staff as part of this advanced program where he will take the kids through current drills that will help enhance their speed and agility, allowing them to be more prepared on the ball field. Mike will simulate what he teaches his college-level ballplayers, and provide this education to you and your kids this summer. Bob Doolittle (Assistant Field Coordinator) Bob is a former RHP at Div.III Cortland State University in Cortland, New York. He coached youth baseball in Hebron, CT and AAU travel baseball for 11 years, and both of his sons Andy (Clark Univ.) and Pat (Muhlenberg, PA) played baseball at the college level. After 38 years as a public school teacher in Glastonbury, CT Bob retired in 2012. Hunter Tralli (Camp Infield/Hitting/Base Running Instructor) A former standout Berlin Little Leaguer, Hunter played baseball and basketball at Northwest Catholic High School in West Hartford where he played at the Varsity level in baseball beginning in his sophomore season. He led his 2015 NWC team to the Connecticut Class S State Championship, was named to the Connecticut All-State Team, played in the Connecticut Senior All-Star game, and named to the Connecticut Senior All- Star Team in the New England Challenge. He was also selected All-Conference in both 2014 and 2015 and Academic All-conference in 2014. Hunter was Awarded a Baseball scholarship to attend Assumption College 2015 where he was named to the NE-10 All-Conference Rookie Team, and will play with the Torrington Titans of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League of New England this coming summer. Evan Michalek (Camp Outfield/Base Running Instructor) A former Berlin Little League standout and an integral part of the 2015 Northwest Catholic High School State Championship run. Evan was named co-captain during his senior year. Now at Lasell College, he is starting in the outfield as a freshman on the baseball team, and majoring in finance and law. Evan’s primary role this summer will be to work with the outfielders and base runners, along with bringing some of the most up-to-date practice drills that are taught at the college level at the current time. Summer Program Registration Name: Age: Shirt Size: Primary Phone: Secondary Phone: Address: City: State: Zip: Email: Condition of Attendance: In consideration of the Town of Berlin and Swanson’s Professional Baseball Instruction LLC, allowing my child to attend, I (we), individually and as legal guardian(s) (and/or) parent(s) of _______________________________________, a minor, (“my child”) do hereby release, discharge, indemnify and hold harmless Town of Berlin and Swanson’s Professional Baseball Instruction LLC and its owners, directors, officers, employees, agents, successors and assigns from and against, and waive any and all clams or liabilities for any injuries, losses or damages, including without limitation: injury to my child, myself and/or property arising out of or incident to my child’s participation and/or attendance at the Town of Berlin and Swanson’s Professional Baseball Instruction LLC, whether caused in whole or in part by negligent act(s) or omission(s) of its owners, directors, officers, employees or agents.