A website for baseball coaches, players and parents!
ATHLETE 1 PODCAST

Episodes

Aug. 27, 2025

5 Accountability Moves Every Championship Team Makes

Send us a text Ever wonder why some baseball programs consistently win championships while others, despite similar talent, fall short? The answer often lies in one word: accountability. But not the kind that's just plastered on team hoodies or chanted in pre-game huddles. True accountability separa…
Aug. 20, 2025

What Does “Burn the Boats” Look Like in High School Baseball?

Send us a text Ever wonder what it takes to build a championship baseball team in a place where players sometimes have to shovel snow off the field just to practice? South Dakota State Champion coach Jeremy Van Heel takes us behind the scenes of his Brandon Valley High School program's remarkable j…
Aug. 13, 2025

How to Prepare for College Baseball: What Coaches Really Look For

Send us a text What happens when college baseball recruits finally arrive on campus? Are coaches getting the players they thought they recruited, or do they discover someone entirely different? Brian Warning, former college recruiting coordinator at Thiel and Lake Erie College, pulls back the curta…
Aug. 6, 2025

The Most Insane Baseball Performance You’ve Never Heard Of

Send us a text Some baseball stories transcend the game itself, becoming legends that remind us why we love this sport. Ryan Heath's April 23, 2007 performance is exactly that kind of story. Imagine a quiet, hardworking kid from a small rural high school who had never hit a grand slam in his life. …
July 30, 2025

4 Moments That Defined the Greatest CWS Upset Ever - Gary Gilmore

Send us a text When Gary Gilmore arrived at Coastal Carolina, they had won just 17 games the previous season. Nobody—except perhaps Gilmore himself—believed this program could ever reach college baseball's pinnacle. Yet through a remarkable development-focused philosophy, unwavering faith, and a cu…
July 23, 2025

3 Leadership Lessons That Ignited A State Championship

Send us a text Championship teams aren't born—they're built through transformative moments. When Olentangy High School was run-ruled by their rivals midway through the 2025 season, head coach Ryan Lucas watched something remarkable happen. His players, on their own accord, gathered in the locker ro…
July 16, 2025

5 Reasons High School Pitchers Are Getting Injured More Than Ever

Send us a text What's destroying young pitchers' arms across America? The answer might be right there on the radar gun. In this eye-opening episode, Coach Ken Carpenter tackles the alarming rise in serious arm injuries among youth and high school pitchers. Drawing from conversations with experts li…
July 16, 2025

Is It Still Called ‘Old School’ If It Works? Clint Hurdle

Send us a text Ever wonder what happens when a Major League manager storms the field to argue a call? For Clint Hurdle, former Pittsburgh Pirates and Colorado Rockies manager, one such confrontation led to an unexpected humbling when an umpire refused to eject him, saying "I've had to watch this ho…
July 9, 2025

Why High School Baseball Matters More Than Travel Ball for Overall Player Development

Send us a text Baseball's developmental landscape has undergone a massive shift in recent years. The glittering allure of travel baseball—with its showcases, fancy uniforms, and promises of exposure—has many believing it's the superior path to player development. But is it really? Drawing from 27 y…
July 2, 2025

What Can Chinese Taipei’s Batting Practice Teach American Teams?

Send us a text When Coach Will Gorden stepped off the plane in China to lead a development program for Major League Baseball, he faced an immediate challenge: coaching 42 young baseball players who didn't speak English. This experience became the foundation for his transformative coaching journey t…
June 25, 2025

How To Build A State Champion Without Flamethrowing Pitchers

Send us a text What does it take to build a championship high school baseball program without flame-throwing pitchers or Division I talent? Wisconsin Hall of Fame coach Jeff Ryan pulls back the curtain on his old-school approach that's produced 438 wins and a state championship at small-school Pres…
June 18, 2025

Stealing Victory: How 160+ Stolen Bases Led to CWS Championship Game

Send us a text Nestled within the captivating world of collegiate baseball lies an extraordinary tale of transformation. Phil Schallenberger, head coach of Messiah University's baseball program, guides us through his team's remarkable journey from a disheartening 1-7 start to playing for the Divisi…
June 11, 2025

8 Traits Every Championship High School Baseball Team Shares

Send us a text The difference between consistently winning baseball programs and those that occasionally succeed isn't raw talent—it's the foundational elements Coach Ken Carpenter reveals in this powerful episode. Drawing from 27 years of coaching experience, Carpenter breaks down the eight critic…
June 4, 2025

How Top High School Baseball Programs Build Winning Cultures (and How You Can Too!)

Send us a text Ever wonder how top high school baseball programs consistently develop winning cultures? Coach Blake Iles of Olathe East High School in Kansas pulls back the curtain on his coaching philosophy that's produced multiple 20+ win seasons and championships. What makes Iles' approach uniqu…
May 28, 2025

Want to Win a Baseball State Title? Focus on This First...

Send us a text The journey to a state baseball championship begins with preparation long before the tournament starts. Coach Al Zeiher of Saline High School in Michigan joins us to share his championship philosophy as his team readies for the playoff gauntlet. We dive deep into Michigan's fascinati…
May 21, 2025

Transfer Portal Outweighs Recruiting High School Players

Send us a text The college baseball landscape has fundamentally changed, and today we're pulling back the curtain on the recruiting reality that coaches and players are facing nationwide. At the heart of this transformation is a critical choice: developing high school talent or tapping into the tra…
May 14, 2025

Steal These Practice Strategies from One of America’s Top High School Baseball Teams

Send us a text What does it take to build a high school baseball powerhouse ranked #1 in Arkansas and among the top 25 programs nationally? Coach Leighton Hardin of Conway High School pulls back the curtain on his championship formula. The secret to Conway's "Wampus Cats" success starts with three …
May 7, 2025

The One Coaching Adjustment That Can Win You a Title

Send us a text When the rain washes out a week of games and the state tournament looms on the horizon, how do you keep your pitching staff ready? For Coach Jason Brandt, the answer might surprise you. Coach Brandt of Wapakoneta High School has crafted one of Ohio's most consistent baseball programs…
April 30, 2025

The Winner Effect: The Science Behind Clutch Performance

Send us a text Winning changes everything—but not in the way most coaches think. Beyond the scoreboard and standings, victory triggers a fascinating biological transformation in the brain that makes future success more likely...
April 23, 2025

How 43% Legion Players From One Program Advance To Play College Baseball

Send us a text What happens when American Legion baseball meets small-town Montana culture? Paul Mrazik, Director of the Montana Baseball Coaches Association and Head Coach for Cranbrook Post 24 Legion, takes us into a world ...
April 16, 2025

The Starting Lineup Dilemma

Send us a text Ever wonder why your son isn't in the starting lineup? The truth might surprise you. Baseball isn't just about who can hit the ball farthest or throw the fastest pitch. High school coaches make tough decisions ...
April 9, 2025

Revolutionary Approach To Managing Pitchers and Arm Care

Send us a text Johnny DeRing, head baseball coach at Buckeye Valley High School(OH), offers a masterclass in building successful high school baseball programs that goes far beyond traditional coaching wisdom. The power of com...
April 2, 2025

Why Baseball Planning Is Overrated

Send us a text Baseball's beautiful chaos demands more than just careful planning—it requires thorough preparation. In this thought-provoking episode, Coach Ken Carpenter challenges conventional coaching wisdom by explaining ...
March 26, 2025

Parker Byrd's Return to College Baseball After Losing His Leg

Send us a text Parker Byrd's journey from star high school shortstop to amputee baseball player at East Carolina University defies all conventional expectations. After committing to ECU as a freshman, his life took a devastat...