Chris P.

My coaching experience has expanded over the years, from working with pitchers and hitters only, to head coaching at the high school level. However, much of my experience when I was a college athlete was working with our pitching coach in training and developing the younger pitchers on the team. I played baseball at Westmont college, but have coached various individuals from the Los Angeles, San Diego and Santa Barbara areas.

I'm currently a varsity high school baseball coach in the Pasadena area.

I pitched for four years as a college baseball player at Westmont College in Montecito, CA. I finished with my senior year with the team's 2011 MVP award. During my college years I trained with P3 (Peak Performance Project) in Santa Barbra, which is a highly successful training facility that works with many professional athletes, including baseball players.

My initial session is primarily focused on the individual player: trying to understand their level, where they are at, how long they have been playing, and what skill sets they have. Every hitter and pitcher has a specific body type that corresponds to a specific stance and swing that makes them successful. There is a balance between teaching certain techniques and allowing the athlete to be as natural as possible. There are essential body positions, mechanics or techniques, that are key for success as a pitcher or hitter. However, each pitcher and hitter will get to these positions in different ways. After I have determined what is the most comfortable and efficient way to get to these fundamental positions for the athlete, the player will transition into specific drills that help him become much more explosive from those same positions. At this point, repetition becomes most essential, because it allows the individual to repeat the movement as natural as possible during a game, which allows him to focus on the various elements that are taking place on the field of play.

For the older athletes (13U), more weight training, balance, and agility work will be inserted into the mix of each practice session. It's important for players to begin developing strength and mobility as they get into high school.