Transcending Sport - Rob Crews

Pro and Olympic softball player, Tori Vidales, was kind enough to join me on the podcast for episode #56. We talked about her experience with the Mexican national team, her career at Texas A&M playing for Coach Evans, and her broadcasting career with ESPN Plus. Tori also shared why her family is her biggest influence and inspiration. We talked hitting, her approach to hitting and how youth softball differs today from when she played youth softball. Tori also breaks down why Athletes Unlimited is winning with their model for professional women's sports and how this is the just beginning for Pro Softball.

Rob takes a trip down memory lane and chats it up with one of his former 10U players who went on to Pro baseball. Coach Nate Irving, now on staff with the REDS, shares specifics about how he contributes to player development, his days in ACC baseball, and the role technology plays in his coaching career. A very insightful conversation. 

In Episode #54, Coach Josh Johnson, founder, and coach of Virginia Unity, a competitive fast-itch softball platform. Tune in and listen to how and why the Unity got started, how technology transformed the hitting philosophy, how he develops player mindset, the Mojo Merger, the 2021 National Championship and more. Timestamps [03:27] The whole idea behind Virginia Unity [06:16] About Virginia Unity success and championship. [12:15] Combining team winning and player development for individual players. [17:15] Identifying and recruiting the right team [21:09] The story behind Virginia unity merger with TN Mojo. [[30:33] The team composition for 2024 and 2025 classes. [32:33] The importance of buying, cost, and identifying whether a player has the ability to buy. [36:51] Next level for Virginia Unity. [43:44] Faster way to get kids to different levels. [45:19] Technology trends in the industry. [46:40] How kids can overcome pressure internally and externally in the team. [49:35] How to build up a kill

Summary: In this episode of Transcending Sport, Rob invited Mo Mercado to the show to discuss her time as a University of Arizona athlete. Now a softball instructor., Mo shares her origin story of how she became the pro she is today and how she’s passing on the torch to the softball athletes of tomorrow! Timestamps: [00:00] Introduction to Mo Mercado [03:25] Mo grew up in Temecula, Ca, which is now a hotbed for up-and-coming softball players. In her earlier years, they would commute to Garden Grove, a hub for the best teams at the time. Through her many years of practice, Mo learned the meaning of being successful and prepared, setting herself to a high standard to meet with her California competitors. [10:09] Having an uncle who played for the University of Arizona, Mo felt inspired to follow in his footsteps. After attending her dream school, Mo moved on to Team USA. [13:44] Mo credits getting her edge from her parents, who installed batting cages in their home, giving her and her sister the advantag

Summary: In this episode of Transcending sport, I am joined by the coach of the Virginia Glory founder and Bishop O'Connell HS Varsity Coach, Suzy Willemssen. She gives some insight into her process behind building a winning team and how she helps her athletes become better players. Episode Highlights: [03:02] Coach Suzy shares her journey into softball; she recounts being on the cusp of Title IX, so if she wanted to play any sports, she would have to go down to the YMCA. She was the first female to play baseball in her community, and by the time she was a sophomore, softball was brought to her school, which marked the beginning of her love for the sport. [09:45] Coach Suzy shares how she became a Virginia Glory coach. The Washington Glory Professional Softball team wanted to create a developmental team using their training facility. Having already coached a team called the Blue Jays, Suzy knew she was qualified, so she applied and was selected to be the 18 yr coach. [12:38] Coach Suzy reveals her tricks to

Summary: In this episode of Transcending Sport, I welcome Coach Tina Plew Whitlock. Coach Whitlock is a former MLB Coach, former USA player, and a USC softball standout. Coach Whitlock brings us along with her on her baseball and softball journey and shares with us her experience in being a founding SEC player to becoming a coach for the St. Louis Cardinals. Episode Highlights: [02:57] Coach Whitlock shares a bit of her background and how she got into baseball. She was the daughter of an active Navy member and moved around frequently. During her stay in Utah, the activities options for young girls were limited, so she decided to take up baseball. When Coach Whitlock graduated high school, she was immediately signed with the University of South Carolina and by the time her senior year came her and her team played in the first SEC Championship. They ranked #1 and made an appearance at the Women’s College World Series. [06:01] Coach Whitlock comments on the advantages of being a multi-sport athlete. She discusse

In this episode, Rob sits down with long-time friend Lou Ledoux, Founder and CEO of Axis Bats. While a fan of baseball since he was a kid, Lou never really gave much thought to the science of bats—much less the manufacturing process—until a little over 15 years ago when he was approached by an acquaintance looking for someone to create professional level bats for big league players. Being in his fifties at that point, Lou initially wasn’t all too eager to make a significant career shift. However, a long discussion with his wife gave him the confidence to jump into the bat industry. Listen in as Rob and Lou discuss all things bats, from how different wood species affect the feel and performance of the bat, knowing which bat size to give to a player depending on their build, designing an effective one-hand trainer, and optimizing your swing technique. -- WHAT TO LISTEN FOR Why Rob loves Axis Bats over all other brands, regardless of differences in “quality” Understanding the performance advantages of differ

Ian M is a self-startup physical trainer. Even though he was born, raised and graduated from a university in Florida, it wasn’t until he took a leap of faith in the Dog eat Dog world of NYC to have the thriving career he has now. The start of his career consisted of employers like Goldman Sachs and Google all the while his passion for physical therapy grew until he decided to start his own company with his brother, Markow Training Systems. During this episode Rob chats it up with Ian, discussing the commonalities between pitching and hitting mobility issues he sees on a daily basis. Ian enlightens us to how the body develops unbalanced strength due to the asymmetry of the body’s build, and how using force and power on one side eventually stops your full range of motion. Rob pics Ian’s brain about how the lowest part of the body is the beginning to all movement and what he does with athletes to help their mobility. The guys talk about everything like what are the perfect shoes to wear, new technology like the

Rob Crews and Julianne Soviero have a candid conversation about player personalities and leadership development, World Series Caliber pitchers and what makes them different, teaching young players focus within the social dynamic of sports. The two also discuss how modern sports technology has shaped how they teach. Follow Julianne Soviero at Flawless Fastpitch

DK Willardson was a researcher before he was a baseball dad but when his son developed a passion for the sport, he put his background to work and took a quantitative look at swing path metrics. After releasing his book on the subject, Quantitative Hitting, the industry’s response highlighted just how effective integrating proven swing angle combinations could be. Today, his company Hitting Tech helps players further understand and model the same swing paths used by the best hitters in the game. Hear DK ’s journey from researcher and baseball parent to writer and inventor. He highlights which metrics matter most when using Quant Tee, his subsequent invention, that measures swing angles down to the slightest degree. All this and more, today on the #robcrewspodcast. “The data is very clear on certain things that work and it doesn't necessarily mean that as a coach that everybody has to do what works for the entire group overall... but as a general rule there are certain things that work much better than others.”

If you know softball, you know A.J Andrews—she’s the former LSU All-American turned pro who was the first softball player to ever win a Rawlings Gold Glove Award. Today, she joins Rob Crews to talk about growing up an athlete, taking pride in defense and serving as a role model. Hear how she developed her skills as an elite athlete and why she's motivated to not just stay in the game but to change it for the better. Hear from the outfielder herself on what aspects of the game matter the most for developing into a well rounded player and person. She shares her passion for inspiring young women of color, and making strides for equality for female athletes across the board. “Make sure that you don't align yourself with the possible and start really thinking about the impossible because impossible is nothing more than a dare, it's not a declaration.” -AJ Andrews [41:03] “Representation is of the utmost importance. At the end of the day, in softball you're going to find maybe one, maybe two African American women

4D Motion is on a mission to get game changing data in the hands of baseball and softball coaches and players. Their unique 4D motion system and modules are combining metrics with the magic— making training and remote coaching more accurate than ever.  Sang Kim, 4D Motion CEO, drops in on the Transcending Sports Podcast to talk about the science behind power, tech innovation and how 4D Motion is fine tuning the game. Get his insights on biomechanics, kinematic sequencing and what it all means for players looking to improve.  Learn which metrics matter most when it comes to hitting and throwing. Listen in as Sang breaks down how coaches can use 4D motion to make corrections that count, even from afar.  “I wanted to create something that was powerful, but fast, simple, portable and affordable so that anybody could use it, anywhere.” -Sang Kim[06:12]  “We want to try to achieve that perfect blend of the science of hitting with the art of hitting and I think that's important to coaches…” -Ro

Founded all the way in a small country in Europe called Latvia, HackMotion has been on the forefront of the sports technology industry; providing biofeedback wrist sensors for golf instruction since 2016. Breaking into baseball and softball, they’re on track to become a major player in your tech toolbox. Dropping in on the Transcending Sports Podcast today, CEO Atis Hermanis and CCO Reinholds Pirags talk tech, innovation and making the golf-baseball crossover. Hear the story behind their tech and what they plan to bring to the world of baseball and softball. Find out how closely tracking wrist movement and hand speed can help you to make game changing tweaks. “We really understand that ease of use is the key because otherwise, you just can't structure your lesson around the tech if it takes out value.” -Atis Harmanis, CEO of HackMotion [38:05] Key Takeaways: How HackMotion’s tech is working to improve baseball and softball. A breakdown of how their metrics will help players and coaches alike. Episode Timeline

Casey Roche got his baseball tech start with Diamond Kinetics after leaving his Indy Ball team. Find out today, why helping players boost their game has become one of the most rewarding parts of his life. Casey jumps into the metric magic behind Diamond Kinetics and what it is that sets their tech apart. Hear Rob Crews break down why he considers them one of the best baseball tech companies around. Listen in to find out what metrics you should be tracking the closest when it comes to your swing and how tech integration is just as important as the tech itself. “Make a player a little more complete or at least understanding what they're good at so they can make their approach better, It's one of those things that I think that when you get to college you really gotta work on if you want to be a good hitter.” -Casey Roche [00:01] Key Takeaways:  How Casey Roche went from being a collegiate baseball player to working in baseball tech with Diamond Kinetics.  How metrics are helping to improve players.&nb

Coach Darren Gurney is an international baseball coach and founder of Rising Star Baseball Camp, a training camp/clinic located in Rob Crews’ home town of New Rochelle, NY. Since 1998, Rising Star Baseball has been helping to increase quality and diversity in the sport. Coach to over twenty MLB draft picks and other professional players, Darren Gurney has no shortage of insights on the game. Hear the story behind his journey as a coach. He shares how he worked with players abroad in countries like Japan, Italy and the Dominican Republic, widening his lense in game and life along the way. Also, as a collegiate coach who’s worked with players of all ages, he shares his take on implementing tech. Find out why he says it can be risky and get Rob’s tips on doing it seamlessly. “I think people fall for the glitz and the glamor of the technology. What does an exit velocity matter if I don't know my launch angle? And what does my launch angle matter if i don't pair it with my exit velocity?” -Darren Gurney [43:28] Ke

In this episode, Rob Crews talks about the role of technology in vision, perception and cognition training  and development, This is an excerpt from a market research interview from one of the leading sports technology companies in the world of decision-making training. 

When Coach Kevin Shelton started Texas Glory in May of 2000, his players were hitting off a tee— today, they’ve grown into an over 100 team national organization with some of the most promising players in the game. Listen in to hear how Coach Kevin got his start in fastpitch and what went into building Texas glory into the national brand it is today. He breaks down the moments, players and shifts in mindset that made the difference on their path to success. He talks about everything from unique Texas slappers to the benefits of 20-player rosters. Find out how the short game has evolved and what's next for the Glory. “We didn't know how much bigger the world was out there and we were frankly scared to attack it...Finally, the kids said, 'Listen, why don't you believe in us? Let's go play the best in the country. What are we doing? And that's what changed everything.” -Kevin Shelton [12:41] Key Takeaways: How Kevin Shelton got his start in coaching fastpitch softball. The values behind the Texas Glory Brand an

In softball and baseball, the things you can't see might be even more important than the things you can. Neurotech is bridging the gap between the two and elevating the game along the way. Jason Sherwin, CEO of DeCervo drops in for this episode of the Transcending Sports Podcast.  DeCervo is the company behind the decision boosting uHIT software. Find out how Jason developed the tech behind uHIT and get his take on the neurotech industry’s future in sports. He breaks down how uHIT works on a cognitive level to improve pitch recognition.  Find out what new innovations DeCervo has for hitters, how they’re making their MLB quality tech available for younger players and how you can make the most of the stats you get from it all. “When we talk about neuro coaching, through neurotechnology, now we're addressing something that we've never really been able to address... It's something about making fast decisions that also translates into the confidence of an athlete.”  -Rob Crews [27:43]  Key Take

With the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic erupting in the middle of the softball season, players around the country— particularly high school juniors are on edge about their recruitment and scholarship options moving forward. Today, Jaimie Duffek, NCSA’s director of softball sits down to talk about options for student athletes and the future of college recruiting as we know it. She shares insights as a former recruiting coach, on the new recruiting rules put in place by the NCAA. The ripple effect of cancelling winter and spring sports and what she thinks about travel ball culture. Listen in for softball resources in response to the Corona outbreak and ways we might all make the most of our down time together. “I don't really think that there's a safe haven anymore unfortunately... We've created this culture in the travel ball scene where we've made it really too easy for families and athletes and parents to give up, throw in the towel and say the grass is always greener on the other side when that’s not alway

Looking at national stats, there is an undeniable difference between California based softball teams and the rest of the country. Could it be as simple as their ability to play outdoors year round? or Is there something in that Pacific Ocean water?  Mike Stith, OC Batbusters 18U head coach and founder of the Sports Training Complex in Anaheim, CA sits down with the #robcrewspodcast to break it down. Catch his insights on Californian softball culture and what’s behind their consistent production of world-class athletes.  Offering some golden advice on vetting parents and players alike, Mike shares some simple strategies for spotting drive in young players. Hear how he went from coaching a recreational team for his daughters to helping develop the Batbusters into a 122-team-strong national organization. Also, get his take on tech implementation and what the future holds for the sport. “What people don't understand is, my players see the best pitching in America every time they step to the plate. Ever