By Isaiah Trevino –    This week marks the first week of our Summer Program for 2024 here at the Texas Baseball Ranch®. The Summer Program is a very special time for many young athletes, including myself at one point when I was still playing baseball. The great thing about the Summer Program is you’re not only training for baseball, but you are also learning many lessons that you will be able to take far beyond the game. With mindsets in the morning and afternoon, it’s really hard to walk away from the Summer Program and not have learned a ton about the sport (specifically pitching ..read more

By Kolten Smith –    Everyone reading this article wants to be their best at something. Whether that is the best baseball pitcher at their school, the best employee at their job, the best husband/wife, or any other goal they want to obtain. Regardless of what you want to be the best at, many people do not do everything they can to put themselves in that position. While it is impossible to give 100% effort 100% of the time, there is one simple step you can do to be more successful. What is that step? Watch the best do what they do.   I will start by using a baseball example to il ..read more

By Jill Wolforth-   (Because of the importance of the message in this email, I have made it a tradition to send it out annually each May. It took on an extra special meaning 5 years ago (2019) when our son Garrett was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds.  The article was originally written his last month of high school, May 2015 and I have kept it in original state.  The message doesn’t get old and needs to be shared as often as possible, so please pass it on.)    With all the baseball and softball athletes that we work with, it is quite common for us to hear all kinds of s ..read more

By Pierce Jones-    Across the states, many high school baseball seasons are ending, and it often brings up the question of what an athlete should do next. Do I play for a travel team this summer? Do I take time off? Do I train? All of this can be very overwhelming, especially at a time when you are bombarded with witnessing what everyone is doing while simultaneously listening to everyone else who seems to have the “right” answer. It becomes challenging to filter what you might find to be true or misleading, and I will be the first to say that there will never be a perfect path. Wha ..read more

By Jonathan Massey –    As I sat down to write this week’s blog, it occurred to me that most high school baseball players (at least here in Texas) just had their high school season end, or it will end in the coming weeks. The same can be said for the college season as it winds down over the next month. This means there is going to be a handful of high school seniors who have a burning passion to play at the next level without any prospective schools, as well as a handful of college seniors just praying that their name gets called in the draft so they can put the jersey on at least on ..read more

By Coach Wolforth –    For those unfamiliar with the intricacies of professional golf, Scottie Scheffler’s unorthodox swing may not ring any bells. Unlike the classic swings of golf legends like Hogan, Nelson, Nicklaus, or even Tiger Woods, Scheffler’s style stands out on the tour.   Despite his unconventional technique, Scheffler recently clinched his second Masters victory at the age of 27.   Many golf professionals might have felt compelled to tweak Scheffler’s swing, aligning it with the sport’s perceived norms. However, Randy Smith, Scheffler’s coach since the age of 7 ..read more

By Isaiah Trevino –    Betting on yourself is easy to say, but it takes a lot of courage and bravery to do. It is often necessary to bet on yourself to make the jumps and leaps you need to make in your life and career. I’m going to share a story about a man betting on himself and reaping the benefits. A WWE Superstar and pro wrestler, he has grown into one of my favorites because of his story.    If you keep up with pro wrestling and the WWE, you know that last week was “WrestleMania 40.” In the Main Event, Cody Rhodes was going up against Roman Reigns. Now, Cody had been i ..read more

By Kolten Smith –   It is a busy time for baseball players across the country right now. Youth athletes are in the middle of their travel ball season, many high schools are starting their district play, and colleges are now in their conference play. With that said, many families are planning their summer schedules now, too, whether that be playing on a travel ball team, a summer league, or just focusing on training. Whatever plans you are considering, I believe a Texas Baseball Ranch® visit would benefit your son.   At the Ranch, we have multiple options available. The first one I’ll ..read more

By Jill Wolforth –    Several years ago, Coach Wolforth introduced a practice where staff members were assigned individual books related to their interests. They were expected to share their thoughts on the current chapter they were reading each week and discuss its relevance to our work at The Texas Baseball Ranch®.   This past year, we had an intern named Laila Marcia. She chose not to attend college immediately after high school and expressed an interest in entrepreneurship. Laila had a pleasant personality and enjoyed working with people, so we offered her an internship at T ..read more

By Pierce Jones –    Baseball is known to have its ups and downs throughout the season that can take a toll on you mentally, make it seem like everything you try to do does not add up, or does not provide you with the rhythm you are looking for. This is where becoming precise can be very beneficial in your game and help you get into that groove much easier.   Unfortunately, where athletes often fail, especially at a younger age, is they do not have a set routine that they like to follow and/or do not know how to create one. It is oftentimes much easier to “follow the herd” of yo ..read more