Philosophy and repetition make Dugout Dawgs program special
Sunday morning’s practice hadn’t even started yet when a local stopped his walk to tell Dugout Dawgs founder Ryan Kinski, “You guys are great. And so are (the players) for coming out in this weather.”
By this point in the year, many programs have either stalled training or gone exclusively inside already — but not the Dugout. That improvement from working outdoors, even as it gets colder, goes a long way when the teams are back outside in the spring.
“Hitting is great, pitching is great, but when we can do the situational stuff, that’s what wins ballgames and that’s why we’re outside as late as possible,” 12U coach Mike Kennedy said. “By the time spring rolls around, they’re already molded into shape whereas most teams are really just getting to know each other and getting used to each other.”
That molding is an ongoing process week-to-week, day-to-day, even practice-to-practice. And the delivery of that guidance is different from player to player.
“Not only do you have to coach each team differently, but within your team,” 13U coach Mike Nardone said. “Maybe one kid needs to be pushed and maybe one kid needs a hug, but you have to be able to do all those things as a coach.”
On Sunday, at no point during the two-plus hours at Johnny Kelly Park could you hear your own thoughts; there’s no dead air. Somebody is constantly enlightening the players on either a macro or micro level.
“It’s about coaching to get to the next level,” 11U coach Paul Prue Sr. said. “Repetition. Team-building. You can carry on when everyone knows how to do things the right way.”
Perhaps more than any other generation, the importance of knowing how each kid receives information and guidance is extensive now. As a result, coaches and lifelong baseball educators have adapted their own styles to maintain positive results.
“I got less loud and more focused on good, quality repetition and good, solid work ethic,” 13U coach Dave Iava said. “A lot of programs are focused on wins and arbitrary successes that don’t really matter at this level.”
The main goal of the program transcends more than just results on the field.
“(Our coaches) all have the same philosophies,” Kinski said. “Be a good teammate, be respectful to umpires, the opponent and to the game … If we can raise good kids and help them along that path to be respectful then they’re going to have successful lives.”
“The coaching staff is really dedicated to making players better and making high school quality players both as young men and as players,” Iava added.
The care the program has for its players is a large part of why Nardone remained with the Dugout after his child aged out.
“Yeah, it’s about coaching — it’s about baseball — but it’s about using that as a tool to make great adults and to have kids that give back to their community and can do more in life,” Nardone said. “If we get a DI baseball player in a group, that’s great. But I’d rather have a kid that goes on to college, maybe he plays DIII, maybe he comes back and gets a job in the community and gives back. That’s more of a success for me.”
That dedication to players doesn’t stop at the door either. Kennedy started in this program as a player 19 years ago and is now in his seventh year as a coach.
“When college was over, I wanted to keep coaching and (Kinski) was the first person to call me and say, ‘Hey, come work for me.’” Kennedy said. “We don’t teach just baseball stuff. We teach about being good teammates, hustling and all the little stuff that (impacts more than) baseball.”
“We care about our players on and off the field,” 10U coach Ken Leandre added. “It’s not just about game day. Our coaches show up to high school baseball games, All-Star Games, etc … we start at seven, eight years old.”
10U coach Doug Mason called the Dugout a “feeder program,” meaning each coach and staff sticks with an age group rather than keeps a specific group throughout its duration with the program.
“I teach (the 10s) and pass them on to the 11s,” Mason said. “Then the 11s teach them and pass them on to the 12s. It’s a feeder program between all of the coaches … we don’t just focus on them being the world’s best 10-year-old.
“It’s the only program I’ve ever wanted to work with,” Mason added.
The Dawgs are off this week for Thanksgiving but will be back to work next week.