Baseball and Hamstrings

So we are going to continue the theme of freeing up your body so you can move. The next phase we are going to look at is to keep the hamstrings loose! The number 1 lower body injury over the years for baseball players has been the hamstrings. If you keep your hip flexors loose, your hamstrings will automatically become looser. With this being said, we loosen our hips first, then the hammys. Often times ballplayers are doing hamstring curls, both seated and laying down, but this just makes the hammy’s tight. If you feel you have to do these, then you must follow each set up with Inverted Hamstrings. Keep your hamstrings loose, as well as your hips, and combine this with good glute activation and core work, and you will be on your way to good health! We will go over the core next!

Dana Cavalea is the CEO of Major League Strength (www.mlstrength.com), a sports performance company whose mission is to educate ballplayers, coaches, and parents on all aspects of sports performance training.

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Brennan is the latest in a long line Garden City All- Americas

The Garden City (N.Y.) High girls' lacrosse program -- which has produced 14 All-Americas and won 11 Long Island titles in the last 14 years -- is the Goliath of an area where lacrosse is king.

But even by those lofty standards, Trojans senior Erin Brennan is special. The University of Pennsylvania-bound attacker is putting the finishing touches on an already stellar career with a senior campaign for the ages. Through 14 games, Brennan has led the two-time defending state champion Trojans to a 13-1 record. With 82 points she is on pace to break Garden City's record for points in a season set by former Virginia star Amy Appelt. As this season winds down Brennan already is beginning to feel a bit nostalgic.

"This season has been a little bittersweet," Brennan said. "I've been playing with these girls for so long and we've had so much success that it's going to be hard to see it end. But we still have a lot to play for this year."

What separates Brennan, who is the top-rated attacker in the Sports Illustrated/TAKKLE Girls' Lacrosse player rankings, from the other talented players across the country is her unselfishness. Of her 82 points through the first 14 games, 37 have come off assists. In a recent game against Long Island power Shoreham-Wading River, Brennan had assists on all three goals the Trojan scored in overtime in a tight 18-15 victory.

"She really understands the team game and has made herself into a terrific player," Garden City coach Diane Chapman says.

Other top attacks

Shannon Smith, West Babylon (N.Y.) High

Smith is a goal scorer in the purest sense of the word. A member of the U.S. U-19 squad last summer who already with 70 goals this season, the Northwester-bound Smith is a one-woman offensive show. She will be a force at the next level.

Chelsea Robinson, Lakeland High (Putnam Valley, N.Y.)

The Virginia signee is only 5-4, but don't let her size fool you. She is a tenacious attacker whose quickness creates scoring opportunities for herself and teammates. She may have the best first step of any attacker in the country.

Casey Ancarrow, John Carroll School (Bel Air, Md).

Teammate Alyson Carey, the top-ranked overall player in the SI/TAKKLE top 100, may get all the headlines, but Ancarrow -- who will play at James Madison -- is be the backbone of the team. A rare two-way star who was as valuable on the defensive end as she was while attacking, Ancarrow helped lead John Carroll to its second straight Interscholastic Athletic Association championship -- a league many consider the toughest in the country.

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Hip Flexors and Rotation: Unleash Your Power

In our last post we discussed tight hip flexors, and a simple stretch to release them! In this post I am going to tell you why this is important. If you think about the hip flexor, which is just above your quad, it is a muscle that connects the upper and lower body, much like what the core does. But this specific muscle, when it gets tight, can really cause problems when a ballplayer goes to hit and throw. The reason is a tight hip flexor will restrict rotation, thus you are a battling yourself in an attempt to get your trunk to rotate. If this is the case, and trunk rotation is slowed down, then this rotation is forced. Forced rotation is not only slower, but it also leads to injuries. If trunk rotation is resisted, and therefore slow, it will place extra stress on the hip flexors/ abdominals and, when throwing, the shoulder! In this video you will see this motion is explosive. If something is holding this motion back, like tight muscles, we are swinging and swinging, but our bat speed isn’t getting any better. The same is true for pitching and throwing in general. It is important to UN-RESTRICT YOUR RESTRICTIONS!

Dana Cavalea is the CEO of Major League Strength (www.mlstrength.com), a sports performance company whose mission is to educate ballplayers, coaches, and parents on all aspects of sports performance training.

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Syracuse brings home their 9th NCAA lacrosse D-I Title dethroning Johns Hopkins

Foxboro,MA - In front of a crowd of approximately 50,000 fans in Gillette stadium; the third seeded Syracuse lacrosse team brought home its 9th title in the past 25 years by taking down last years champion, fifth seeded Johns Hopkins. In a battle of perennial lacrosse powerhouses, Syracuse dominated for most of the game even though the score showed a close game at 13-10. The Orange out shot Hopkins 46-38 on their road to victory capped by an incredible behind the back goal. The Orange tied Hopkins for most NCAA titles in D-I history with 9.

The win was important for two reasons. Defensemen Kyle and Tom Guadagnolo lost their brother Aaron in a motorcycle accident last Tuesday and the whole team was overwhelmed with emotion. Kyle played spectacular holding attacker Steven Boyle to one goal.

Also on a less important note the Orange athletic teams needed a good shot in the arm as last year the lacrosse team didn't make the tournament for the first time since 1982. The basketball team has not made the NCAA tournament in the past two years as it may be reeling from a hangover from its 2003 championship. And as far as the football team is concerned they have been mired in a horrible slump for the past decade as the new coach Greg Robinson has been busy recruiting and getting his players into the system over the past four years.

Lacrosse's popularity has been increasing throughout the years and its great to have two perennial powerhouses year after year with the occasional underdog making it to the finals (see University of Delaware in 2007). It will be great to see some of the players from the Takkle Top 100 play next year for these two teams next year and hopefully meet again at Gillette Stadium for the 2009 championships. #7 on the top 100, John Greeley will play for Johns Hopkins next year. Monday drew a crowd of just under 50,000 and a 3 day record setting total of 148,000 is a great sign of the direction lacrosse is heading.

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SI's Top 25 High School Athletic Programs: Are you one of them?

Sports Illustrated recently launched its uber popular feature of Top 25 High School Athletic Programs yesterday. Coming in at number one is Punahou, the have won 16 state titles in sports ranging from boys' air riflery to girls' canoe paddling to wrestling to girls' water polo; in addition to their utter dominance, 12 seniors received Division I athletic scholarships. Since 1958 they have brought home 368 Hawaii championships. Some of the past and present impressive athletes include Michelle Wie and Barack Obama. Obama was actually part of the 1979 basketball state championship team.

This year Punahou has highly touted Manti Te'o who won the Hawaii Gatorade player of the year is regarded the best player in his position (LB).

Coming in at number two is perennial powerhouse Mater Dei. After leading the football team to the state quarterfinals, quarterback Matt Barkley, who will follow Mater Dei alumnus Matt Leinart's path to USC, became the first Gatorade Football Player of the Year who was not a senior. Forwards Travis and David Wear, twins who committed early to UNC, starred for the state hoops title winners. Mater Dei has 19 graduating seniors who have recieved division I scholarships this year which is a great testament to their school with an enrollment of 2,300 students.

Coming in at number four is Cy-Fair HS out of Cypress Tx. Cy-Fair has the Gatorade Womens National Player of the year, Nneka Ogwumike, who averaged 18.2 points, led the Bobcats to a 39-2 record and the girls' state title. Also, a Cy-Fair graduate is youtube phenomenon and member of the Takkle Top 100, Sam Mcguffie who will attend Michigan next year. He has dazzled viewers with his blazing speed and quickness and sheer athleticism and will be alot of fun to watch on Saturday's come this fall. For the remainder of the top 25 check out Sports Illustrated for a comprehensive review of Punahou and the rest of the top 25.

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Day 1 of Training - Hip Flexor Stretch

Hey Guys, back again. Since I have given you a background on the Major League Strength philosophy from the mental perspective and character standpoint, it is now time to start entering the world of training.

I would really like to encourage all of you to ask questions about your particular needs, and also to create debates/discussions on things you have heard that you might question. There are so many myths out there these days on the internet, and from some of the people we come across, so I ask you to tell us your concerns here on Takkle, and we will do our best to answer all your questions and help make you a better baseball player!


In regards to training, the starting point is always assessing the athlete. Each athlete is different, so we must treat each as an individual. In our many assessments of athletes and their movement, we find some common points between baseball /softball players in regards to restrictions. The #1 common theme is that they possess tight hip flexors, which lead to tight hamstrings. This, in conjunction with a weak core, is the starting points of our program, but also the starting point to many injuries ballplayer face. Here you will find a simple hip flexor exercise that you should do each day to loosen up. This will be the starting point for our Takkle community. It’s simple but it works! In our next posting we will breakdown why this was important, and how it relates to our sport, and then give you some other stretches. The key is flexibility first, strength second. This is a sure fire recipe for success.


Ok ... talk to you guys soon!

-Coach Cavalea

Dana Cavalea is the CEO of Major League Strength (www.mlstrength.com), a sports performance company whose mission is to educate ballplayers, coaches, and parents on all aspects of sports performance training.

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Why is Tyler Fiorito #1 in the SI/Takkle Boys Lacrosse Top 100?

In a recent game against highly-touted St. Paul's of Baltimore, McDonough School (Owing Mills, Md.) goalie Tyler Fiorito showed why he is considered the best high school lacrosse player in the country.

With his team clinging to a one-goal lead in the third quarter, a St. Paul's attacker broke free in front of the crease and wound up for what looked like a certain game-tying goal. But Fiorito -- who his coach Scott Corrigan calls "the best goalie he has ever seen at this level" -- raised his stick and his team with an amazing save, preserving the lead for the Tigers, and shifting the momentum. The Eagles went on to win 9-6.

"It's a scary thought to think of where'd we be right now without him," Corrigan said. "There's just no way to measure how much he means to this program."
But Fiorito, a Princeton commit who is the nation's top lacrosse player in the Sports Illustrated/Takkle Top 100 rankings, shies away from individual accolades. Corrigan, who coached current University of Virginia goalie Bud Petit when he was in high school, calls Fiorito's instincts "unmatched," but what has really impressed him is the way he has become a vocal leader for the defense.

"It's to the point where I don't even have to worry about the defense that much anymore because I know Tyler's got it," Corrigan said.
Blue Chip Lacrosse head scout Jake Reed says that Fiorito guided a team that had at best average talent last year through the toughest lacrosse league in the country -- the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference -- and into the playoffs. With last week's win against St. Paul's, the Eagles appear to be on the verge of making the playoffs again.
"Last year, we had a lot of young guys on the team, especially on defense, that really lacked experience, but I think they've improved greatly this season," Fiorito said. "I think that I am as proud of their development as I am of anything I've done this year."
Princeton is next for Fiorito, and Corrigan knows that he is going to leave a void -- and not only on the field.

"I'm definitely going to miss him when he's gone," Corrigan said. "I trust and respect him, so much so that I let him babysit my kids."

Other Top Goalies

Steve Rastivo,Ward Melville (East Setauket, N.Y.) High
The Penn State signee is widely considered to be the second-best goalie in the country. A bit flashier in the cage, Rastivo is quick and constantly in motion. An excellent vocal leader as well, Rastivo has made Ward Melville into a power in New York's Suffolk County's Division I.

A.J. Fiore, Ithaca (N.Y.) High
Fiore, a Cornell commit, seems a little awkward in goal at times, but he is effective. He is not nearly as athletic as Fiorito or Rastivo, but he is fearless and makes all the saves that he should make.

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Live the lifestyle

Hey Guys. Just checking in with this week’s blog to address something that is very important to me, as well as the success of all the athletes we work with. That something is a slogan that we reiterate time and time again to our athletes: “ Live the Lifestyle.”

What “Live the Lifestlye” means is if you want to be an athlete, act like it -- in all aspects of the word. What you do off the field is just as important as what you do on the field. Treat your body as if it is a high performance machine, feeding it with only the best food and always giving the machine enough rest. Living the Lifestyle is the first step to obtaining on-field success because it will ensure that your body is prepared for the battles ahead. Those that choose to party and drink have also indirectly chosen to fail on the field as well as choosing to let their teammates down because they are going to be playing short staffed since you have failed to give your best effort.

I understand for some this might sound a little too serious, but the fact is, if you want a college scholarship -- or to go pro with your career -- this is the kind of sacrifice that is needed. Playing at the next level is hard enough, but if you choose to live a lifestyle short of rest, with poor food quality, and continuing to choose hanging out over getting your work in both academically and from a sports training standpoint, you are never going to make it. Many great players never make it because they can’t stay on track and keep their Lifestyle in check.

This is not easy, but it pays huge dividends down the road. I am fortunate enough to work with future Hall of Famers everyday, as well as some great young players through Major League Strength, and the ones that display great character are the ones winning achievement awards such as MVP’s, Collegiate All-Americans, as well as going on to receive great jobs at an early age. What “Living the Lifestyle” does is provide you a foundation for success and this will not go unnoticed. With that being said, analyze your life, and make sure you have yourself in check, and are working towards the goal of “Living the Lifestyle.”
See ya soon!

Coach Cavalea

Dana Cavalea is the CEO of Major League Strength (www.mlstrength.com), a sports performance company whose mission is to educate ballplayers, coaches, and parents on all aspects of sports performance training.

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Ebanks Headed to West Virginia

Devin Ebanks, the highly-rated St. Thomas More Prep guard, ended his recruitment drama this weekend by announcing that he would become a Mountaineer.

According to a report on SI.com, during halftime of his game at the IS8 tournament in Queens, the former Bishop Loughlin star stepped out of the lay-up line, took the microphone and simple said “West Virginia” before stepping back into line to complete the drill.

Ebanks had originally signed with Indiana last year before the Kelvin Sampson phone call scandal broke. Once Sampson was forced out, Ebanks asked out of his letter of intent, and reopened his recruitment. Memphis was also thought to be in the hunt, but in the end, it was the thought of playing for West Virginia coach Bob Huggins that brought Ebanks into the fold.

"Coach just said he likes tough kids who have that New York pedigree," Ebanks said.

Ebanks will join fellow New York products Darryl “Truck” Bryant of St. Raymond’s and Kevin Jones of Mount Vernon in Morgantown next year. Jones was in attendance at the IS8 tournament.

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The J’Mison Morgan era at LSU was short but sweet

The J’Mison Morgan era at LSU was indeed a very short one.

The 6-11 center out of Dallas was granted a release from his national letter of intent on Monday and is now expected to sign on with UCLA. The opportunity for more playing time at UCLA with the departure of Kevin Love seemed to play a heavy role in Morgan’s decision.

Morgan’s mother, BianCa Morgan, told the Los Angeles Times that UCLA "now feels right."

Indeed, ever since the Tigers hired former Stanford coach Trent Johnson, the Bruins have had their eye on Morgan. UCLA was originally one of four finalists for Morgan, who chose LSU over the Bruins, Alabama and Kansas last November. According to the Riverside Press Enterprise, UCLA assistant coach Donny Daniels left a message for Morgan hours after longtime LSU coach John Brady was fired in early February, and members of the UCLA staff continue to pursue Morgan throughout the Tigers search for a replacement.


Johnson told the Monroe, La., News Star that he had no idea if J’Mison had made a decision as to where to go next, saying it was not yet a done deal that he would be suiting up in Westwood next year.

"I don't know if he's going to UCLA, per se," Johnson said. "He's just been released. It's a difficult time for kids to make decisions."

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Takkle brings on board the CEO of Major League Strength: Dana Cavalea

My name is Dana Cavalea. I am the Director of Strength and Conditioning of the New York Yankees, as well as the CEO of Major League Strength, a training company designed to enhance the athletic ability and lifestyle of youth baseball and softball players. I am extremely excited to bring you the most cutting-edge information in the field of Performance Training for Baseball and Softball!

Working with some of the best athletes in the game has given me a unique coaching perspective which I wish to deliver to the TAKKLE Community in a fun, easy to understand, yet results driven fashion.

Over the next few months you will learn some great tips on how to enhance your performance using some of the same techniques the pros use. You will also have the opportunity to ask me any performance related questions you might have. This is your chance to better yourself through training, so feel free to ask any questions you might have on nutrition, mental conditioning, and enhancing body composition improvement.

I look forward to hearing from all of you and am extremely excited to be a part of the Takkle community! Throughout the course of the year I will also introduce you to some of Major League Strength’s other coaches so you can get different opinions, and learn different styles of coaching used to enhance performance.

Well that’s it for today. We will be back Friday with some basic background on what we do so you can understand where we get our ideas on training from, and why we do what we do! See ya soon!

- Coach Cavalea

Dana Cavalea is the CEO of Major League Strength (www.mlstrength.com), a sports performance company whose mission is to educate ballplayers, coaches, and parents on all aspects of sports performance training.

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Takkle Top 100 football player shot

A member of the Florida Gators football team, Matt Patchan, was shot in the shoulder Friday night while at a Tampa area park. All reports say that Patchan is doing well as Florida Coach, Urban Meyer issued a statement that Patchan is expected to fully recover. Patchan, however declined to comment on the issue. Patchan is 25th ranked player in the Takkle/SI Football Top 100. For highlights of Matt in high school check out the Takkle Top 100 Football rankings. We wish Matt a speedy recovery and hope he can dominate in his first season with the Gators this fall!

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Takkle Video of the Day - Through the legs dunk from the foul line

Video Posted from jason's Gallery on Takkle.com

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Takkle Video of the Day 5-9-08

Video Posted from Eric's Gallery on Takkle.com

This is why you should never attempt a dunk off a trampoline!

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Takkle Video of the Day: 5-8-08

Video Posted from Caleb's Gallery on Takkle.com

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University of Kentucky offers eighth grader a scholarship

Kentucky made news this week when it announced that coach Billy Gillispie had offered a scholarship to California 8th grader Michael Avery. Gillispie saw Avery play at a LeBron James sponsored event in Akron, and decided to offer the guard, who is yet to decide which high school he will attend, a spot on the Wildcats 2012-2013 squad.

"We're taking things one day at a time," the player's father, Howard Avery, told the Lexington Herald-Journal last week. "Right now, (Gillispie) is there and he's a terrific coach. Without a doubt, Kentucky is a terrific program. Factors change. I'm not going to worry about 25,000 different things when I'm trying to get through this day."

Last year, USC coach Tim Floyd offered a scholarship to Illinois forward Ryan Boatright, a move that drew criticism from the media and outraged some in the recruiting community. University of Kentucky president Lee T. Todd expressed surprise when told of the commitment.

"An eighth-grader?!" he blurted out, according to the Herald-Journal. "Not that you'd tell people not to ever do it. But I'd hope there aren't very many eighth-graders thinking of playing at a specific college.”
But the question remains as to whether this is an aberration or the wave of the future. I, for one, hope that this trend does not continue. But we’ll see.

- Tom Crean and Indiana have started the process of cleaning up the mess left behind by the Kelvin Sampson affair. Highly-touted Class of ’08 guard Verdell Jones announced his intentions to go to IU this week, choosing the Hoosiers over Minnesota, Kentucky, and Illinois. Jones, who is from Champaign, Ill., may be called upon right away to start for an Indiana club that has only three returning scholarship players remaining on the roster. Jones joins guard Nick Williams (Mobile, Ala.), forward Tom Pritchard (Lakewood, Ohio), guard Matt Roth (Washington, Ill) and junior college guard Devon Dumes (Vincennes University) in the Hoosiers 2008 class. Indiana also got a commitment from Class of ’09 shooting guard Maurice Creek of Temple Hills, Md.

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A look at the top prep prospects for this summer's amateur MLB draft

The Major League Baseball amateur draft is still five weeks away, but many of the best high school seniors in the country are putting the finishing touches on their already impressive resumes.

Here's a rundown of the nation's top high school prospects and where they could land in the draft.

Tim Beckham, SS, Griffin High (Kennesaw, Ga.)

Considered by many to be the top high school player in the country, Beckham is a smooth athlete who has all the tools to be a big-time player at shortstop. He runs well, hits with some power, is already a top-notch fielder and has a smooth stroke that could turn him into a tremendous offensive player. His speed, his defense, and the position he plays has many Major League scouts salivating. Beckham has signed with Southern California, but don't expect him to make it to become a Trojan. He's a little raw, but he's too good to pass up.

Prediction: Top 5 pick

Eric Hosmer, 1B, American Heritage School (Cooper City, Fla.)

Hosmer is the best high school power hitter in the country. At 6-foot-4, the left-handed Hosmer has the potential to become a home run hitter at the next level. Although a little suspect with the glove, his potential for power is great enough to get him into the Top 10. However, he is represented by Scott Boras, who's clients tend to fall in the draft out of fear of rough negotiations.

Prediction: Top 10 pick

Gerritt Cole, RHP, Orange Lutheran High (Santa Ana, Calif.)

Cole has the best pure stuff of any high school pitcher. He can throw 95 mph, has a biting breaking ball that comes in the low 80s and is developing a change-up. He throws a heavy sinking fastball that will break a lot of bats at the next level. Cole's control is sometimes scattershot, but that should improve as his mechanics get better. An aggressive competitor with a three-quarters delivery, there is some question as to whether Cole's future lies as a front of the rotation starter or a back of the bullpen closer.

Prediction: Top 10 pick

Tim Melville, RHP, Holt High (Wentzville, Mo.)

Melville, who has signed with North Carolina, would also be a corner-infield prospect if he didn't throw a 95-mph fastball and a fantastic curve. A prototype starting pitcher with great size (6-5, 205 pounds), a big arm and a low-effort delivery, he pitches more than he throws. Although his stuff is a little weaker than Cole's, the smoothness of his delivery and his front-of-the-rotation potential may make him a safer pick.

Prediction: Top 10 pick

Kyle Skipworth, C, Patriot High (Riverside, Calif.)

Skipworth is a left-handed hitting catcher who is a better hitter than a catcher at this point. Most catchers at this stage of their development are good receivers who have to learn how to be good hitters. His defense is improving, but make no mistake, it is his smooth left-handed power swing that will keep Skipworth in the top half of the first round.

Prediction: Top 15 pick

Kyle Lobstein, LHP, Coconino High (Flagstaff, Ariz.)

Outside of the University of San Diego's Brian Matusz, Lobstein is the best left-handed pitching prospect in the 2008 draft. He has a low-90s fastball, with a solid change and good breaking ball, all of which he can throw consistently for strikes. At 6-3, 180, he already has a major league body. Although his ceiling may not be as high as Cole or Melville's, he is the most complete high school pitcher in the draft.

Prediction: Top 10 pick

Casey Kelly, SS, Sarasota (Fla.) High

Kelly's a quality pitcher, but his future at the next level probably lies in the infield, just like his father, Pat, who played eight years in the majors. Casey has a smooth swing and could develop into a top-notch power hitter. Some scouts say he will eventually shifted from shortstop to third base. Kelly also signed with the University of Tennessee as a quarterback. The lure of SEC football makes him the player most likely on this list to actually attend college and could lead to him falling on some draft boards.

Prediction: Top 20 pick

Anthony Gose, LHP, Bellflower High (Bellflower, Calif.)

With a good fastball and breaking ball, Gose also has potential as an outfielder, but he's extremely raw and could use a little more seasoning. Most likely a bullpen guy at the next level. He has signed with Arizona.

Prediction: Late first round pick

Aaron Hicks, OF, RHP, Wilson High (Long Beach, Calif.)

One of the more intriguing prospects in the draft, Hicks has good speed and above-average power potential, but he also has a 94 mph fastball and a good curveball. He lacks control and his offensive skills are extremely raw. He might end up at USC.

This article can also be found on Sports Illustrated.

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