Thirty Dollar Thursdays - Complete Baseball Instruction & Training

As a baseball player you must be physically ready to perform the skills the game requires. What distinguishes the great players from the good players? Great players are dedicated to improving their overall game which includes baseball skills such as hitting and throwing as well as conditioning for baseball specific movements. You may now meet all of these baseball specific training needs at St. Louis Baseball & Fastpitch Academy in a convenient and affordably priced format. Each Thursday beginning December 3rd you may now receive 30 minutes of hitting instruction followed by 45 minutes of Nike SPARQ training. That is 75 minutes of total baseball instruction for just $30. Space and time is very limited so sign up today. For more information please contact Sean Erwin at sean.erwin@speedboosters.net

Fall/Winter Sessions

Speed Boosters will again be offering their "Open" fall/winter sessions at St. Louis Baseball & Fastpitch Academy beginning November 3rd. Open sessions will be offered on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 5:15-6:00, 6:00-6:45, and 6:45-7:30. Sessions are only $10 per 45 minute session. Speed Boosters also allows you to pay as you go! For more information contact sean.erwin@speedboosters.net

Speed Boosters session days and times for Grizzlies Baseball Academy at GCS Stadium coming soon!

Fall Sports Season

Are you ready for the fall sports season? Speed Boosters offers customized sports specific training programs to meet your needs. Whether you are preparing for football, volleyball, softball, or cross country Speed Boosters has you covered. Speed Boosters will even travel to you, a small group, or even to your team to do the training. Getting a training program started with Speed Boosters is simple. If you are interested in setting up training prior to the upcoming fall sports season visit http://www.speedboosters.net/SessionInfo.htm for additional information.

Female Speed & Agility Camp

Speed Boosters will be offering a Speed and Agility Camp specifically designed for females at Lafayette High School this summer. The camp is designed to meet the pre-season needs of female athletes prior to entering the fall sports season. Each participant will receive SPARQ training as well as a SPARQ rating from Speed Boosters nationally certified staff. The camp will run on Monday/Wednesday/Friday beginning on July 20th and end August 7th for a total of 9 training sessions. Camps will be as follows on the campus of Lafayette High School:

Elite Camp (Grades 9-12) 8:00-9:00 a.m. ($215)
Basic Camp (Grades 6-8) 9:15-10:15 a.m. ($135)
Basic Camp (Grades 6-12) 10:30-11:30 a.m. ($135)

For more information or a flyer contact Sean Erwin at sean.erwin@speedboosters.net or Lafayette High School Head Softball Coach Scott Denoyer at denoyerscott@rockwood.k12.mo.us

Spring Session Times

Our spring SPARQ Training sessions have now begun. Below you will find the days and times of our sessions at both of our locations. Whether its preparing for the spring season or in-season training Speed Boosters will meet your sports performance training needs. Summer session schedule, SPARQ Testings, and summer camp times coming soon.

Spring SPARQ Training Sessions
Location: St. Louis Baseball & Fastpitch Academy
Tuesday: 4:15-5:00, 5:15-6:00, 6:00-6:45
Wednesday: 5:15-6:00 & 6:00-6:45
Thursday: 4:15-5:00, 5:15-6:00, 6:00-6:45
Cost: $10 per session
Pay As You Go!

Spring SPARQ Training Sessions

Location: Grizzlies Baseball Academy @ GCS Stadium

Tuesday: 7:15-8:00 & 8:00-8:45

Thursday: 7:15-8:00 & 8:00-8:45

Call about Team Training Sessions.

Cost: $10 per session

Pay As You Go!

Thank You!

Speed Boosters would like to thank the 102 and 108 athletes who have trained with us the past two weeks at St. Louis Baseball & Fastpitch Academy and the Grizzlies Baseball Academy. Speed Boosters would like to wish all spring athletes the best of luck as they prepare for the start of their high school seasons next Monday.

New spring hours begin March 3rd and are listed below:
St. Louis Baseball & Fastpitch Academy - Tues/Wed/Thurs - 5:15-6:00 & 6:00 - 6:45
Grizzlies Baseball Academy - Tues/Thurs 7:15-8:00 & 8:00 - 8:45

We look forward to seeing you in our spring training sessions. For additional information contact Sean Erwin at sean.erwin@speedboosters.net

Baseball SPARQ Testing

On Thursday February 26th, Speed Boosters will be offering baseball SPARQ testing at St. Louis Baseball and Fastpitch Academy. The testing will take place promptly at 3:30 p.m. The baseball SPARQ test consists of the 30 yard dash, vertical jump, 5-10-5 shuttle, and rotational powerball throw. To find out how you rate attend the SPARQ testing session on Thursday.

5 Tool Players

The "Five Tools" for a baseball player are speed, hitting for average, hitting for power, arm strength, and fielding. It amazes me that many players address the last four tools but do not work on the first tool (speed) and probably the most important. Speed really effects each of the other four tools. A player with speed stands out among others.

Yes, speed can be developed through a program that addresses form, first step quickness, explosive power, and efficient movements. Just by taking 1/10th of a second off your time from home to first you are taking one less step down the first base line. How many times over the course of a season is a player thrown out by one step? I would argue it happens from 8-12 times per season. Increasing your speed by just that 1/10th of a second would give you 8-12 additional hits over the course of the season. That will give a player a huge increase in batting average. Don't overlook the importance of speed!

To begin a SPARQ training program with Speed Boosters at one of our two locations or at your team practice contact Sean Erwin at sean.erwin@speedboosters.net

Talent is Overrated?

I'm in the middle of reading Talent is Overrate by Geoff Colvin. The title really grabbed my attention. The premise of the book is very simple: you are not born with certain abilities or talent, you gain the ability to perform at a high level (regardless of activity) through "deliberate practice." Basically you must develop a specific program where you can improve your abilities which will then carry over to your sport, activity, job, or trade. Colvin uses examples of such high level achievers as Mozart, Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Tiger Woods, and Jerry Rice.

The story of Jerry Rice's rise to a great performer was interesting. He was talked into playing high school football. He was not highly recruited out of high school. Division IAA Mississippi Valley State was the only program to really show interest. How did Rice go from his humble beginnings to being one of the greatest players to every play in the NFL? His approach. No one put in as much time as Rice did to prepare for the game. It is estimated that only 1% of his time was spent playing on the field in the NFL compared to the other 99% which was spent preparing for that time using "deliberate practice." Amazing yet not surprising.

How do we improve our performance? Deliberate practice. Athletes will not improve their performance on the field by playing 100 games a year regardless of sport. Improved performance will come through a well designed "deliberate practice" routine. Building a good strong foundation for future development in your sport will come through a sports performance training program as well as your sport specific skill instruction. How much "deliberate practice" are you taking part in?

For more information on Speed Boosters training sessions as St. Louis Baseball & Fastpitch Academy and the Grizzlies Baseball Academy @ GCS Stadium contact Sean Erwin - sean.erwin@speedboosters.net

Grizzlies Academy

Speed Boosters Nike SPARQ sessions have begun at the Grizzlies Baseball Academy. Every Monday & Wednesday night from 5:15-6:00 and from 6:00-6:45 you can Nike SPARQ train with Speed Boosters nationally certified staff. Sessions are only $10 for a 45 minute session. As well as Speed Boosters training you can get professional hitting and pitching instruction from the staff of the Grizzlies Baseball Academy which includes former and current pro players as well as the current coaching staff of the minor league Gateway Grizzlies. Begin your pre-season training today with Speed Boosters training and professional instruction by the Grizzlies Baseball Academy staff. For more information contact Sean Erwin at sean.erwin@speedboosters.net

Grizzlies Academy Sessions Beginning

We will be beginning our SPARQ training sessions at the Grizzlies Baseball Academy beginning Monday January 19th. Sessions will be offered on Monday & Wednesday nights from 5:15-6:00 and from 6:00-6:45. It is open enrollment which means you can attend on the nights and time that fit best into your schedule. The cost is just $10 per training session. Along with the training sessions on Monday and Wednesday nights we will also be offering team SPARQ testing and training. To arrange your team sessions please contact me at sean.erwin@speedboosters.net To learn more about SPARQ visit their website at http://www.sparqtraining.com/

Becoming A Better Athlete

How important is sports performance training in your quest to becoming a better player? Extremely important! Just ask Urban Meyer and Bob Stoops. The NY Times had a great article on the importance of the strength coaches for the Oklahoma and Florida football programs. The role that these strength coaches play within each program is ever expanding. At the college level an athlete will spend more time with his strength coach than he will with their position coach. How much time do you spend focusing on strength and conditioning? Many coaches at the collegiate level see the hiring of the strength coach as the most important hire they can make. If you get a chance check out the article http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/sports/ncaafootball/08college.html?_r=2

If your looking to prepare and improve your strength, speed, and agility prior to the season now is the time. For information on Speed Boosters training and facilities visit www.speedboosters.net

How are you preparing for the season?

The high school baseball season is a little over 2 months away from beginning. The difference between making and not making the team will be an evaluation over the course of 3-4 days which is often indoors. You need to stand out as a player and be fully prepared by tryouts. How are you preparing for the season? Speed Boosters has teamed up with St. Louis Baseball & Fastpitch Academy to offer 90 minutes of baseball training for just $10. On Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning January 13th athletes will be able to compete in Nike SPARQ training for 40 minutes followed by 40 minutes of hitting (tee, soft toss, short toss, live). All sessions take place from 3:30-4:45 p.m. at St. Louis Baseball & Fastpitch Academy. For more information contact sean.erwin@speedboosters.net

Speed Boosters & Grizzlies Baseball Academy

Speed Boosters is proud to announce the addition of offering training at a second facility. For the past three years we have been training out of St. Louis Baseball and Fastpitch Academy (STLBA) and have traveled to many other facilities, practices, and showcases to not only train but to also SPARQ test nearly 4000 athletes. The involvement and development of athletes at STLBA has been outstanding. We will now be bringing our proven and innovative training to the metro east through a partnership with the Grizzlies Baseball Academy. On January 10th the Grizzlies Baseball Academy will open the doors to their new state of the art training facility at GCS Stadium. The facility will be a one stop shop for a players baseball training needs. The facility is a great place to get individual instruction from former pro players or to bring your team to practice. Additionally they have the Pro Batter PX2 which is a real life Major League pitching simulator that is the first of its kind in the St. Louis area. To finalize a players baseball training needs we at Speed Boosters will be offering multiple services including SPARQ training and testing, sports performance training (combining strength & SPARQ training), sports nutrition consulting, and sports performance training consulting. We are excited about this partnership and are looking forward to helping metro east athletes reach their full potential and achieve their goals. For more information on the Grizzlies Baseball Academy visit their website at www.grizzliesbaseballacademy.com

When To Begin Training

"When should my son/daughter begin training?" This is a question that I am often asked on a daily basis. With schools increasing time spent in Language Arts, Math, and Science time is being taken away from other areas. Unfortunately one such area is often Physical Education. Some students are now only getting Physical Education once or even twice a week. Where are these young students going to learn movement skills and how are they going to build a foundation and general understanding of fitness and sports related movements? Over the course of the past year I have seen a large increase of young athletes (7,8,9,10 years olds) coming to speed training. Through speed, agility, and explosive movement training young athletes are taught proper form and technique that will create a good base or foundation for all fitness or sport related movements. Learning proper form and movement patterns is also a great way prevent injuries. So when should your son or daughter begin training? Whenever they begin to compete in athletics. Giving your young athlete the proper foundation that all sport specific movements are based on will not only help in injury prevention but will also help them increase their athletic performance. The younger kids love doing SPARQ training. They see it as "fun" and not work and look forward to the training every week. Have your young athlete start off on the right foot by joining a Speed Boosters training sessions.
TRAIN BETTER, TRAIN SPEED BOOSTERS!

Speed Boosters Developments

Over the course of the past couple years Speed Boosters has greatly expanded. We are at an all time high for athletes participating in our programs. As athletes begin to see the importance of sports performance and SPARQ training and continue to reap the benefits of being involved in our training programs the numbers will only expand more. In a continued effort to offer the best possible experience and results and at the most affordable price for our athletes, Speed Boosters will be offering new services and a greater number of programs. Within the next week or two we will be announcing the new developments and opportunities we will be offering for athletes in the St. Louis and Metro East area. TRAIN BETTER, TRAIN SPEED BOOSTERS!

STL Softball Showcase

Myself and the Speed Boosters staff had the opportunity to work with ESPN Rise Magazine, Nike, and SPARQ at the annual St. Louis Softball Showcase last weekend. It was a great event attended by well over a thousand of the areas top softball players. Over the course of the weekend we had the opportunity to SPARQ test 1,323 players. It's always great to see young athletes compete and see the results of their dedication and hard work. There were several athletes that really stood out from the rest. What did these athletes have in common? They were part of a well designed sport specific training program to increase speed, power, agility, reaction, quickness, flexibility, and injury prevention. The gains received from training have carried over directly to the diamond and have put them at the top of their game. Below is a list of the "Top 10" from the weekend that can also be seen at http://myespn.go.com/blogs/highschoolsoftball

TOP OVERALL SPARQ RATINGS
Mackenzie Sykes -2010-2B-Originals (RE) -133.02
Brandee Bohr -2009-OF-S E Iowa Softball Allstars -126.75
Brianna Corwin -2010-C-Originals (RE) -120.27
Jenna Marston -2009-SS-St Louis Diamond Cats -120.12
Marissa Mersch -2011-OF-Lemont Rockers (DD) -120.09
Cynthia Miller -2010-OF-Illinois Bandits 18U Gold -118.65
Alyssa Smith -2011-2B-Oak Park Windmills (MS) -115.68
Allie Anttila -2010-OF-Illinois Chill (BE) -115.26
Staci Bonezek -2011-3B-Homer Hawks Black 16-U -113.82
Lauren Ackerman -2009-C-St Louis Diamond Cats -111.6

What are you doing to improve? TRAIN BETTER, TRAIN SPEED BOOSTERS

Speed Boosters SPARQ Team Challenge

What are St. Louis area high school basketball programs doing to prepare for the basketball season? Competing in the Speed Boosters SPARQ Team Challenge training sessions with Speed Boosters. Speed Boosters SPARQ training sessions consist of dynamic flexibility development, speed, linear and lateral footwork progressions, and explosive movement training that prepares the basketball player for the rigors of the high school basketball season. Check back soon for basketball specific development drills from the training sessions as well as updates on how the players are progressing.

TRAIN BETTER, TRAIN SPEED BOOSTERS.

Speed Boosters Football SPARQ Training Top 10

Congrats to all of the football players that completed 6 weeks of SPARQ training. The results that were obtained are a testament to what a well designed program based on research and a strong work ethic can accomplish. Below are the "Top 10" SPARQ ratings with the increase each athlete saw in their SPARQ rating from the first week of training.

1.)Mike Heumann - 110.25 (Increase 56.76)
2.)Robert Pratt- 108.27 (Increase 37.35)
3.)Randy Emilien -85.5 (Increase 20.10)
4.)Sean Alexander- 81.33 (Increase 34.83)
5.)Sam Smith- 77.16 (Increase 26.91)
6.)Steve Wiley- 75.36 (Increase 22.16)
7.)Ryan Campbell- 74.58 (Increase 38.01)
8.)Garth Shermann- 71.94 (Increase 29.88)
9.)Kyle Portell- 69.36 (Increase 32.22)
10.)Dylan Bannecke- 67.14 (Increase 31.11)

Again, congrats to all that trained this summer and good luck as you enter your fall seasons.

TRAIN BETTER, TRAIN SPEED BOOSTERS.

Fall & Winter Training Sessions Announced

It's been a while since I had the opportunity to post to the blog. So far it has been a crazy summer full of camps, training, and SPARQ testing hundreds of athletes within the St. Louis area. I have also been working on several projects with SPARQ that I will hopefully have more info on soon. We just recently completed our summer training sessions and had some unbelievable results. I will post the top SPARQ results soon. Many have inquired about our fall and winter SPARQ training schedule at St. Louis Baseball & Fastpitch Academy. I have provided our schedule below for those that are interested in increasing their on field performance. If you are interested in SPARQ team training or having your team SPARQ tested please feel free to contact me at sean.erwin@speedboosters.net . Speed Boosters is dedicated to helping individual athletes and teams achieve their goals and can come to your practice to train or SPARQ test your athletes. TRAIN BETTER, TRAIN SPEED BOOSTERS!

FALL SESSION
(Begins August 25th)
Nike SPARQ Training Sessions
Days: Monday & Wednesday
Times: 7:00-7:45 p.m.
Location: St. Louis Baseball & Fastpitch Academy
Cost: $10 per session
Open Enrollment- Attend on days and times of your choice

WINTER SESSION
(Begins November 3rd)
Nike SPARQ Training
Days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Times: 5:30-6:15, 6:15-7:00 p.m.
Location: St. Louis Baseball & Fastpitch Academy
Cost: $10 per session
Open Enrollment- Attend on days and times of your choice