ROCKINGHAM — Eleven baseballs laid diagonally across home plate inside a batting cage of Richmond Senior High School’s indoor facility on Thursday.
Using a bat to lead his instruction, first-year Raider head baseball coach Eric Brown went over hitting zones and timing with a group of a dozen players.
The 10 minutes of instruction was followed by a hitting session that featured four different stations and a lot of questions and answers between players and coaches.
It’s that type of atmosphere, coupled with the love of the game, that Brown hopes to use to establish continued success within the program and a new zest moving forward.
The Raiders have been meeting three days a week for fall workouts, which will run through Oct. 27.
Brown, who was hired in July and is in his 10th overall season as a high school head coach, noted that things are going well and that fall workouts are averaging 15 players a day, with as many as 20 in attendance some days.
“It’s good to see that turnout and commitment from the players to show up on a consistent basis,” Brown shared. “Workouts in general have been positive. There’s been a lot of teaching happening.
“The players have been receptive and have started to come out of their comfort zones to do what the coaches are asking them to do. They want to get better and want this program to be successful. They have done a really good job of bringing energy every day and buying in.”
Helping coach varsity this school year will be assistants Ryan Mercer, Andy Shuler and Corey Wallace. Joining the program as the head junior varsity coach is Anthony Hailey. All of them have been helping with workouts.
With the spring season still over four months away, a normal day of fall workouts consists of throwing, base running, defense and offense, Brown explained.
The team meets prior to the start of each workout to go over the daily schedule, followed by a “dynamic warm up and static stretch.” That’s followed by a throwing progression program put in place by Brown.
After throwing, the Raiders complete daily defensive drills before coming together for baserunning and/or team defense. The final 30-45 minutes are left for offensive workouts, which include tee work, front toss and live-arm batting practice.
“All BP rounds are situational hitting,” Brown shared. “We’re working on implementing our offensive philosophy and approach at the plate.”
More than anything this fall, Brown is focused on establishing his vision for the program since it’s his first in Rockingham. For the 2002 Richmond graduate, that entails implementing new routines and teaching new habits and standards of the Raider baseball way.
“A big focus is on doing the little things correctly, attention to detail and a team-first mindset,” Brown explained. “When multi-sport athletes show up in the winter and spring after their seasons end, the players who have been through fall workouts will be able to lead the new players and teach them these new routines and display good habits.
“Outside of that, obviously the main focus is player development. When workouts resume after the winter dead period, we will put a big emphasis on arm care and implementing our full throwing program for all players, but specifically pitchers to get them ready for the spring.
“We are focused on building a program, not just a team,” he closed. “The better we can develop all players, regardless of age and grade, the better off our team will be this year and our program as a whole and in the future. Champions behave like champions before they are champions.”
Following fall workouts ending, the Raiders will take a month-long break before returning for more preseason workouts on Nov. 27.
Below are photos from Thursday’s Raider baseball workout taken by sports editor Kyle Pillar.
