B ill D ryden

Girl’s Windmill Pitching

Volum e 387 January 09, 2013

Less Than Two Months

It seems unbelievable to me that the fall season of 2012 just ended and we are less than two months a way frommost 2013 high school seasons and about 1 month from the start of the 2013 college season. I don’t includetravel season in that because I know many teams have showcases in Florida in January and they don’t stop.

If you haven’t been working on off-season strength and conditioning, working on better pitching mechanics,batting, fielding, etc, others have. Why do I harp on off-season work? If your strength is less than it should be, it won’t get much better when your team starts.If your pitching mechanics needed work when the season ended and you haven’t worked on them, they willneed work when your team starts up again.If you had problems hitting, fielding or throwing at the end of the season, the same weaknesses will plague youwhen the team starts back if you haven’t addressed the issues.In other words, individual weakness requires individual work. Teams don’t have time to work on yourindividual weaknesses because they must work on team building, team practice, team plays, etc.As a player who cares about your value to the team, and about your ability to play at your highest level, it isyour responsibility to work on your personal game.Do you realize that even in college, coaches only have limited amounts of time to work with players in the falland off-season? Those girls are expected to do individual work. If pitchers can’t find catchers, they throw intonets. They don’t just make an excuse and do nothing. When they get back from winter break they have to hit theground running and what they did in the fall and winter shows in their strength, conditioning, and ability toperform as expected.The reason I harp on it is because no one, absolutely no player, is expected to stay the same and not improveand many of my students have dreams of playing college ball. Without the intensity, without the willingness tosacrifice, without the drive and determination, the dream will remain a dream and will not come to fruition.I want every one of my girls to have the shot they want at making their dreams come true but I can’t help themmake it happen if they don’t work for it and I will not recommend a girl to a program if she can’t cut it.

Sadly, it seems to me, that we are getting away from personal responsibility and are ready to blame others,blame the weather, blame God, blame anything except ourselves. We are responsible for what we do, like it ornot. We make choices and live with the consequences.

As players you can make the choice to work hard. You can make the choice to improve. You can make thechoice to be a winner.

Photos

M y son-in-law Bob Henry and one of m y granddaughters

(Kaitlyyn) in Jam aica for a m ission trip

University of M aryland Softball bus m eets flying turkey.

Bus win...for the m ost part anyway.

Kaitlyn works with one of the kids in Jam aica

There are som e breathtaking landscapes in Jam aica

TipsDon’t forget to stay in touch with the college coaches. They are back in their offices. Don’t be the onewho doesn’t contact them and let them know what’s happening in your world.

Kerrigan Simpson came to her lesson Thursday night and I was extremely happy with her progress.Kerrigan had developed a habit of flailing and it was affecting her speed and her control. After muchhard work on drills, she had corrected it and the difference in control was very noticeable. Hard workproduces great results. Hardly working produces frustration. Great job, Kerrigan!

Girl’s Windmill Pitching Check out my website, http://girlswindmillpitching.com. You can find my newsletters, some links, photos,and some of my students’ video clips. Just click on the title in blue above or paste the URL into yourbrowser.

Girl’s Windmill Pitching Private Lessons

I am currently giving one on one 30-minute private pitching instructions on Monday, Tuesday andWednesday in the Georgetown, DE area and Fridays at the Lower Shore Family YMCA. I am alsooffering private lessons in the Harrington, DE area. If you are interested in lessons at either of the venues,let me know. I am only interested in taking on serious, committed students who will be consistent in lessonattendance and consistent in practice between lessons.Contact me at billdryden1@girlswindmillpitching.com

Competitive Sports Performance

This is the website of Dominick Flora, the personal trainer I recommend for all of my private studentsand every one I have sent is well satisfied with their improvement since beginning with him. Check outDom’s website or visit his place.Visit his site: Competitive Sports Performance or find Dominick Flora on facebook to see the sportspecific workouts.

Recruiter MOM This link will answer some valuable questions for the parents and student/athletes hoping to becomeprospects. I highly advise you to visit the site that has been set up and researched by Jan Greenhawk byclicking on the title above or by pastinghttp://recruitermom.org/index.html in your browser. Check this link. I’ve gotten good feedback.

Andy Givens’ Hitting InstructionAndy Givens is the former Delaware Technical and Community College Assistant Baseball Coach, andformer Head Softball Coach. He is currently the Head Softball Coach of the Delaware Diamonds 18UBlack team and gives private hitting instruction at his place between Georgetown and Laurel, DE. If youare looking for a superb, patient instructor to help give you an edge, contact Andy at (302) 228-7960 oremail him at:ragivens@comcast.net

My daughter, Ashley is a Mary Kaye Director in Qualification. If anyone is interested in becoming arepresentative to earn extra income or if you wish to purchase products or host a party contact Ashleythrough her website at: http://www.marykay.com/asomers6/default.aspx , click on the logo above or call herat (302) 228-3829.

Do you see the logo above? That is the logo of the Visalus weight loss and fitness program. Two of my

daughters, their husbands, my wife and myself are on the program and have had great results, losing pounds,

increasing energy. The proof is in the photos below:

Me From end of July until

Jan 6 down 40 lbsth Cheryl from end of July untilJan 6 down 28 lbs

Ashley from spring until

now, down 58 lbs

Daughter Kim from springuntil now down 40 lbs

Visalus Family, Son-in-law Bob(down 20 lbs), Kim, Cheryl, me, Ray,Ashley

Ash and Ray before and now. Rayhas lost 73 lbs

Seeing is believing. Is it a magic bullet? No! It is a program that can help anyone who is willing to take achallenge. I went to the cardiologist January 2 and he told me he didn’t really care about me losing morend

weight. He just wanted me to stay active. I will shoot for 200 lbs anyway. My heart rate(electrocardiogram) was 56 bpm. My oxygen rate was 98.75% and my blood pressure was 122/70. I feel greatand have energy. My wife Cheryl had knee problems and could not walk much. Once she started theprogram, she got up to 40 minutes a day on the elliptical and when we go to Sam’s Club she will say “let’sleave the jeep here and walk to Walmart.” That is a world of difference. Ashley and Ray belong to a gymand workout and Kim does a spinning class plus walks trails.This is a completely new world for all of us and the Visalus program transforms people. It is even certifiedKosher for those who adhere to Jewish diets.Take the 90-day challenge and see the difference.Go to my website at Bill’s 90-day Visalus challenge , step on the mound and take the challenge.

News and Tournament Results

I wrote in the last newsletter about Amanda Parsons committing to Moravian. January 3 I got the followingrd

email from Head Coach John Byrne, replying to the question of what he saw in Amanda that drew him torecruit her.“Hi Bill, sorry I did not get back to you before the Holiday.

As far as Amanda goes, I was impressed with both her level of confidence as a person and her versatility as a player.

Defensively she can play many positions which is a nice feature. She is very aggressive at the plate and plays the game

with a lot of enthusiasm. We look forward to having her join us next year.

I hope this helps!

John”

Lady Orioles 18U player extra ordinaire Hannah Eslick

Usually when I do articles about girls, it is one of my pitching students or someone on a team that I am involvedwith coaching but this one is about a former clinic pitching student who I told to forget pitching.That sounds bad, but it isn’t. Hannah Eslick came to a winter clinic I was running sponsored by the Maryland

Stars 3 years ago. She wasn’t bad at all and could have done something with pitching, but the first time Iwatched her play was at a tournament where she caught and played infield for Jan Greenhawk’s MarylandMagic Orange 12U. I knew when I watched her that she was one of those kids who had D-I written all over her.She was the one you watch on the field and just stands out from everyone else. The amazing fact was she was inthe 5 grade. I told people about her. She was amazing at shortstop and a terrific hitter, a terrific catcher. I toldth

the family she was naturally good enough at other positions that she didn’t have to pitch. Now, she is an 8th

grader, playing for the Lady Orioles Elite and this past weekend she was at the rising stars showcase in Florida.A friend of mine who is a D-I coach told me he was sending his assistant to that tournament to watch a 2013pitcher they verballed. I contacted the assistant and asked him to take a look at her. He did Sunday morning andhe sent me a text saying “I’m watching Hannah right now! She is good!” Of course she’s good. Do you think Iwould ask you to watch someone who wasn’t good?Later he sent another text saying “She’s a gamer! I’m going to talk to Coach (his head coach) about her.”So, there you are. Is it too early for colleges to look at you? Hannah is an 8 grader.th

Maggie Cannon is a 7 grade pitcher and already on D-I watch lists.th

Hard work, talent, and being in the right place at the right time is the key. Yes, I know some people and can talkto them but unless you are where they are, it doesn’t happen. Thanks for showing well, Hannah!

Cristen Quillen and Maggie Cannon, 7 graders with the Delaware Storm organization will begin the springth

season on the Delaware Storm 12U but when June rolls around they will graduate to the Storm’s 18U team.This summer Maggie guest played with the Morris County Belles 18U Elite at the Team New Jersey Showcaseand played with the Delaware Storm 18U at the Delaware Fall Invitational and Early Signing showcase inMyrtle Beach. Cristen also played some 18U with the Storm and Head Coach Jerry Kirby invited both to becomepart of the 18U team. Coach Kirby will have a young team this year consisting of a heavy amount of 7 , 8 , andth th

9 graders.th

Congratulations to former Seaford High and Delaware Express pitcher Katie Hitch who has signed withU.M.E.S. She accepted a scholarship offer from Head Coach Sam Douglass and her family gives God the gloryfor working everything out for the young lady.

Delaware Storm Pitcher Cristen Quillen Delaware Storm pitcher M aggie Cannon

Speaking of U.M.E.S., Stephen Decatur and Diamond State Swoop fireballer Jesci Iacona is making a visit to theschool Monday. Coach Douglass is very interested in her, having followed her for several years, and Jesci isexcited to visit the D-I school. It’s a small world. The first pitcher I ever helped get a scholarship was Jen Hallfrom Princess Anne. She went to Delaware Tech for 2 years on scholarship and we met with then Head CoachKirk Hall of UMES and he scholarshipped her for her final two years. At the same time, Sam Douglass wasKirk’s assistant coach and another Jen Hall was also playing at UMES. Now that Jen Hall is the assistant coachat Decatur High where Jesci is a senior.

I’m very proud of my son-in-law Bob Henry and my granddaughter, Kaitlyn Henry. They left Monday for amission trip to Jamaica. I have included a few photos in the photo section. She follows in her sister, Lauren’sfootsteps doing mission trips and singing. Bob doesn’t sing. LOL

Stephen Decatur and Diam ond State Swoop

pitcher, Jesci Iacona

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