Southern Oregon Fastpitch - Blackout owner Becky Brackett talks with Travel Baseball Coach - Justin about their new start-up program that aims to compete against the best in a year or two. Southern Oregon Fastpitch - Blackout has hit the Southern Oregon valley with speed and competence not seen before in a new softball program. In a few short months and long hours - around the clock - the teams were gathered and formed (12u, 14u, 16u) and during the same time a facility was procured. The facility is furnished with turf and 10 batting cages that roll back for a large field of play. There is a parent/kids viewing area with games and tv's to keep the families occupied while the young ladies earn their skill sets from top tier coaches both hitting, pitching and fielding. The facility has strength and agility work outs Monday-Thursdays from 6-7pm for players to workout in between field practices to get stronger and faster. Player profiles will be set-up for each player with their playing resumes, grades and other accolades for college bound players. Southern Oregon Fastpitch - Blackout also incorporates a leadership and mental classes taught by Ethos an organization out of Phoenix, Oregon who train police, fireman and other organization on leadership and mental toughness. Ethos has made a training version for sports athletes and will likely be noticed on the field after the ladies complete the course. There is much more but you will need to listen to the Podcast. TBC - Justin

Episode 5 – Seth Brown joins Travel Baseball Coach Justin for a discussion about his path from high school baseball to the Major Leagues. Seth’s ability as a baseball player really evolved during his college years – a late bloomer, as he put it – with MLB aspirations. Seth discusses his early collegiate career as a time of personal growth and change that toughened him for the grind of minor league baseball and the mental and physical toughness needed to play at the highest level. Seth's journey crossed roads with two extraordinary coaches who looked out for his best interests. When Seth had all but given up on his MLB aspirations and was down on himself the summer after his first year, he knew baseball was still in his future. It was a phone call from Coach Greg Hawk at Linn-Benton that was the hand of providence encouraging Seth Brown to continue with what he had started the year before. Seth quickly accepted the opportunity and had success with Coach Hawk during that year, which led to Coach Hawk recommending that Seth continue his baseball journey with Lewis-Clark State College and Coach Jeremiah Robbins. Here, Seth developed a work ethic through Coach Robbins' strenuous practices that would prepare him for professional baseball. No matter how hard Coach Robbins' baseball practices were, he became the leader who would not submit, no matter what they entailed physically. Seth developed the warrior mindset to achieve his best when he was exhausted, and that's just how Coach Robbins prepares his players. Coach Robbins is a three-time National Champion at the NAIA level and a two-time runner-up. Coach Robbins is doing something right, and Seth bought into it and rose to the challenge. Seth won a national title with Coach Robbins and led the team in home runs that year. Seth had one more year of college eligibility, but he was drafted by the Oakland A’s in the 19th round. When Coach Robbins heard that Seth was drafted, he looked out for his player's best interests. Coach Robbins told Seth to go on to professional baseball. Seth listened to his selfless and gracious Coach’s words and moved on into professional baseball. This podcast is filled with a lot more to this story. Please listen. TBC-Justin.

Episode 4 - Bill Rowe sits down and has a conversation with Travel Baseball Coach - Justin about his experience that baseball has afforded him.  A D1 National Championship as a Player in 2006 for the OSU Beavers, where Bill Rowe batted .450 in the College World Series and onward to his second National Championship as an Assistant Coach with the Oregon State Beavers in 2018. Between both national championships Bill Rowe was in the acting scene as a technical advisor in baseball, for the movies "Twilight" and "Calvin Marshall" to having small parts in TV series like "Portlandia", he also worked as a greens man on the NBC TV Series for "Grimm".   After assistant coaching with the Oregon State Beavers, Bill returned to his roots in Ashland; and to his passion for the game, where he became the Manager of the Medford Rogues Baseball and coached with a friend of his, Parker Berberet that he met through the Milwaukie Brewers organization.  These two started Southern Oregon Baseball Development travel ball teams for youths in the area to give the kids in the community high level coaching that has raised the level of play in the Rogue Valley.  Bill Rowe is currently working with the Southern Oregon University Softball program as an assistant coach focusing on hitting.  Meanwhile from time to time, he will step away and head north to Goss Stadium and jump into the sportscasters booth as a baseball analyst for Pac-12 Networks, if its local Oregon baseball Bill Rowe has a connection or has made an impact that could only broaden the width of baseball experience within our area.  I had a pleasure speaking to Bill Rowe, as I always do, however I was grateful to catch him in his very busy schedule - Thank you Bill - TBC Justin.

TBC - Justin sits down with Brian Fullerton, the Tournament Director for Legacy Sports fast pitch softball and baseball. Brian is joined by his wife, Administrator, Shannon Fullerton. Legacy Sports holds some of the largest fast pitch softball tournaments on the West Coast of the United States in many states - Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. Many weekends there will be two tournaments in different cities going on at the same time. Listen to the Podcast to learn the behind the scenes of starting and running tournaments for fast pitch softball and baseball and the coordination it takes to make these events go off successfully. Brian and Shannon have a team of umpires they bring with them and they are trained and well experienced which makes Legacy Sports Tournaments enjoyable for the kids and parents. The umpires have a special connection poker chip that they give to the kids based on a number of criteria, however if you want to learn more please listen.

Travel Baseball Coach - Justin interviews Kenny Fontenot the coach of the LA Matrix - 10u out of Egan, Louisiana. Kenny has been coaching this team since 8u and starting his 3rd year with the boys. Kenny shares some ideas about financing the team and the experiences he has gone through with the team since inception.

Travel Baseball Coach - Justin interviews guest Patrick McCormick from the South Medford Panther Baseball program.  The South Medford baseball program is a school based program where the kids play 10u thru 14u until they get to high school.  Patrick McCormick is in his second year with his current 10u team, starting last year with a couple of 10 years olds and the rest 9 and 8 year old kids to round out the team.  He is in his second year with this 10u team and seasoned they are going into the 2023 year.  Their first tournament is in Medford, Oregon the weekend of March 11-12.  Wish Patrick and his 10u team luck in the first tournament of year.