What’s the quickest route to the Majors?

What’s the quickest route to the Majors?

If you’re Dana Cavalea, it’s through hard work and performance training.

Cavalea, the Director of Strength and Conditioning for the New York Yankees, has always been a baseball guy. He played the game in high school as well as at the University of South Florida, where he also studied the body, and more specifically, how to make athletes stronger and how to prevent injuries. Cavalea, now 25, made the decision to focus on his studies instead of concentrating on baseball, and ironically, he was in the major leagues in three short years, working first for the Toronto Blue Jays and the Pittsburgh Pirates before coming to the Yankees, the team he rooted for as a kid growing up on Long Island. He is also the founder of Major League Strength, where he spreads the gospel of performance training to athletes young and old.

We sat down with Dana so we could find out a little bit about what it likes to work with Major League athletes everyday, and also to get his expertise on what many young baseball and softball players need to be aware of when they are in the weight room.

TAKKLE: We’ll start with pitching. What kind of advice would you give to a young pitcher who is trying to increase their effectiveness?

DANA: I always tell pitcher that from a performance side of things, you can throw 100 miles per hour, but if you’re hurt or if you are feeling any discomfort in your arm, you are basically useless to your team. When you’re doing strengthening exercises as a pitcher, you are basically working on one of three things. You are either strengthening your rotator cuff, increasing the agility around the shoulder joint, or strengthening your scapula, or the muscles around the shoulder blades. And the thing people has to realize is that it takes time for your muscles to develop and get stronger. There is a reason why there is a four-year gap between Olympic Games. People need time to recover and strengthen themselves. These things take time. It’s not about rapid results.

TAKKLE: Say you are a 15-16 year-old baseball player who is just now trying to get into strength training. What is the biggest mistake most kids make when just starting out?

DANA: The biggest mistake they make by far is basically just jumping right in uneducated. You can really get hurt. You can’t accelerate your body’s rate of development. I see a lot of young kids who can’t do push ups or don’t know how to use their body strength, and the first thing they wanna do is just jump right under the bench press. I wanna really stress that kids find a coach or a certified professional that has their best interest at heart and someone that you feel comfortable with that can guide you along the way and really help out not only with the physical side of being an athlete, but also the mental side. Just learn the ropers before you jump in.

TAKKLE: So you are saying, that as far as strength training goes, especially for pitchers, that it is more of a marathon, and not a sprint?

DANA: Exactly. When I talk to lot of kids, the first thing I ask them is how long do you wanna play this game. And they say to me, “at least another 10 years or so.” And I always reply back, so why are you trying to do everything at once? Just take your time.

TAKKLE: What’s it like working with Major League, All-Star athletes every day?

- To be continued. Check back tomorrow for the rest of the our interview with Dana!

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Throwdown of the day Friday the 13th!

Throwdown Posted from Takkle.com

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Can the Rays bend it like Beckham?

Tim Beckham, the #1 player on the Takkle Top 100 and #3 in baseball america was the #1 overall pick in the 2008 MLB first year player draft. Beckham hit .500 with 31 runs batted in and 16 stolen bases this year. There are many pundits, including famed GM Billy Beane of Moneyball fame, that claim drafting a player out of high school has much more risk associated along with it, and if you are going to use a number one pick you should choose a player who can provide value and become a MLB ready asset in 3-5 years. Not to mention you are going to have to pay a pretty penny in a signing bonus in order to sign this player. Note: Beckham should receive a $4-6 million signing bonus as #1 overall draft pick from the 2007 draft, David Price received 5.6 million. Teams have until Aug 15th to sign the players they have drafted.

The ceiling for Beckham is quite high as I have heard comparisons thrown around to the Upton brothers (B.J. and Justin) who have made quite a splash in the MLB and both were drafted out of high school. Justin was drafted with the first pick in the 2005 draft and played a large role in the 2007 post-season for the Diamondbacks. This is Justin's first full season in the major's and some say he may be better than his brother. B.J was the second overall pick in 2002 and is a major asset to the Tampa Bay Rays where he sits in the heart of the lineup. B.J., like Beckham was a shortstop out of high school but was converted to center field last year where he has overcome the position change shortcomings with his athletic ability covering a great deal of ground with his speed and holding runners with 11 OF assists last season.

If Beckham is anything like the Upton brothers it seems as though it will be a great pick for the Rays. If Beckham can contribute at SS or 2b the Rays will be a good team for a very long time. The Rays have been spoiled in past years with their draft choices and the culmination of their draft choices have finally paid off with a stellar young pitching staff and the second best defense in baseball to go with a powerful speedy offense. Baseball prospectus has the Rays winning 90 games this year, that prediction does not sound far fetched. With B.J Upton, Evan Longoria, David Price, Scott Kazmir, Scott Shields, Carl Crawford and Matt Garza and Tim Beckham the Rays have a young and talented team with plenty of upside for years to come.

With younger players having a larger impact on major league teams and veteran's performance declining it seems as though there is a shift in power and there could be a growing trend to draft high school players. 9 of the 30 players drafted this year in the first round were high school athletes.

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The Nate Miles saga

The Nate Miles saga may be coming to a conclusion.

The well-traveled swingman graduated from North Carolina’s Patterson School last January with intent of attending UConn. But due to a convoluted transcript – Miles has attended five high schools and missed time to deal with his sister’s cancer – the NCAA has yet to grant him eligibility due to a dispute as to whether he has completed enough core classes.

But Miles, who is originally from Toledo, was back on campus in Storrs this past week for an official visit. His hope, according to published reports, is to be granted eligibility in time to enroll for the second summer session at UConn, which starts June 23.

"The visit went well," Sean Patterson, Miles’ legal guardian, told the Hartford Courant this week. “He met with all the people he needed to, all the people that are going to be part of his future, I think, mostly, it was good for UConn. They got a chance to see what kind of kid he is and they like him. It was important for him to get in front of them and show them what kind of person he is."

UConn officials seem to be confident that he will receive the okay from the clearinghouse and will be a member of the Huskies this winter.

• Johnny Coy, a Class of 2008 small forward who signed with Arizona State, now has a decision to make. Coy, who is a third baseman for Benton High School in St. Joseph’s, Mo., was drafted in the 7th round of last week’s Major League Baseball draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. Seems like everybody in St. Joseph’s wants to know what Coy is going to do, and so to probably does Sun Devils coach Herb Sendek.

"Everywhere I go, people ask me what I'm going to do,” Coy told the St. Joseph’s News Press. “Everybody throws out their opinion about what they would do if they were me."

The Sun Devils recently sweetened the pot. Arizona State baseball coach Pat Murphy and Sendek contacted the Coy family this week by phone to inform Coy he could play baseball for the Sun Devils, if he honors his basketball scholarship and spurns the Phillies. Arizona State is one of the most storied programs in college baseball. Although Coy has until the middle of August to sign a Major League contract, he said he will make his decision known by July, when he is scheduled to report to ASU.

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Improve Your Chops for Bat Speed

As we patrol weight rooms nationwide, ballplayers love to use med balls, and they love to mimic their swing with them, always chopping and rotating. This is great, but in-season it often leads to overuse injuries due to all the swinging that is taking place in conjunction with med ball training. The cure for creating balance in the body, especially around the core, is the Med Ball Lift. The med ball lift is the opposite action of a chop, and helps to balance out the left and right side, while at the same time giving the obliques and muscles between the ribs a great stretch. In addition, those magical hip flexors also get a benefit -- they get loose!

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 Baseball 1st round 2008 draft recap

The #1 player in the Takkle Top 100, Tim Beckham, was chosen first overall by the young and talented Tampa Bay Rays. By most experts opinion Beckham had the most upside and is a 5 tool athlete. Beckham is an athletic, supremely talented player with potential above average defensive ability at the Major League level. His actions are smooth, fluid and easy.

Coming in with the 3rd overall pick the Kansas City Royals chose Eric Hosmer, a power hitting first basemen out of American Heritage HS in Plantation, FL. He features a rare combination of natural hitting ability and exciting raw power, made even more interesting because he hits from the left side of the plate. He has present strength on a large 6-foot-4 inch frame, and also handles the glove very well at first base. Hosmer is one of the top hitting prospects in the draft and has drawn comparisons to Casey Kotchman.

The Top 100's # 2 player, Kyle Skipworth slipped to the 6th position in the draft as the Marlins got a great offensive catcher with a large upside in the power category from the left side. Skipworth's quality left handed stroke put him on the radar last summer, and it alone has kept him there to this point. His move to the zone is short, quick and easy - allowing him to consistently get the good part of the bat to contact. His defense could use some work, but that should get better with time as he has a good arm and an okay glove behind the dish.

The next player to go in the draft was Aaron Hicks, #9 in the Top 100 rankings and went 14 to the Minnesota Twins who are notorious for finding value in the draft. Hicks is an immense natural talent, with quick twitch actions and overall life in his body to spare. He is one of the rare players with five tool potential. While he is still learning to put all of this ability into play, he is far from just a raw talent.

Going 15th in the draft to the Los Angeles Dodgers was Ethan Martin, #6 in the Top 100. The Dodgers intend to turn him into a pitcher. He has the potential to move quickly up the ranks.

At #16 in the draft was Brett Lawrie, Lawrie was chosen by the Brewers. Lawrie is #25 in the rankings and may have gone earlier in the draft if it wasn't for the fact that he plays in Canada. A pure hitter with an intelligent and advanced approach to the game. The ball really gets off his bat with great life from gap to gap, thanks to his combination of strength and bat speed. He has yet to find a home defensively. Some still give him a chance to stay behind the plate, where his value would be best, especially in a young talented organization such as the Brewers.
The next team in the draft to take a high school ball player is the 24th position by the Philadelphia Phillies. Anthony Hewitt, #22 in the Top 100. A live bodied, athletic player with excellent tools nearly across the board. He plays shortstop at present, though most see him making the move to the outfield. He runs very well, and throws well enough to allow him to run his fastball into the low 90's.

At number 28 in the draft the New York Yankees went with Gerrit Cole, # 7 in the draft. Some think he dropped this far due to his representation by Scott Boras. Of course you see the Yankees flex their financial muscle and scoop up a top prospect. There is no question that Cole's stuff is among the best in the 2008 class. His fastball has reached into the mid 90's, and he has shown a biting breaking ball in the low 80's along with a developing changeup. Opinions vary on the quality and repeatability of his mechanics and arm action. As a result, there is some debate as to whether his future will be at the front of a rotation or the back of a bullpen.

Finally, at number 30, the last pick in the first round of the 08' draft is Casey Kelly by the Boston Red Sox. Kelly, son of former Yankee 2b Pat Kelly, is ranked 5th in the Top 100. A naturally gifted athlete that makes parts of the game look very easy, especially with the glove. Also a highly sought after quarterback, making his arm strength quite an obvious asset. He has power potential, along with the makings of a solid right handed stroke at the plate. He may have fallen this far due to the fact that he is a highly sought after two sport athlete where has committed to play football for the Tennessee Volunteers.

Thanks to Baseball Factory for providing thorough and insightful scouting reports on the Takkle Top 100.

For the full results of the draft you can check them out here.

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Throwdown of the Day 6-4-08: Most Unusual SI Cover

Throwdown Posted from Takkle.com

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Bridges - Key to a strong core

Hey Guys. The new cool word on the training block is CORE. What is core? Your core is the bridge between your upper and lower body. Now we must bridge the gap between our training! The core is composed of your abdominal muscles, lower back, shoulder blades, and glutes. Most people think doing crunches gets the core, but this could not be further from the truth. Crunches lead to strong flexion strength, but not the stability we are looking for. When we train the core, we want to make the middle of our body as strong as possible and stable, as we move our arms and legs. So, when we swing, we want our core to engage, to protect our lower back, and help us drive the ball! The best exercise we have found for beginners so far is the Core Bridge. This exercise is simple, can be done anywhere, and really does the job! Give it a try and let us know how you feel!

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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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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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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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 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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