By Kolten Smith –
When I was 16 years old, my travel ball coach recommended a place called the “Texas Baseball Ranch®.” I was a sophomore in high school looking to gain more velocity with the goal of playing college ball. As soon as he told me that the Ranch was a world leader in helping athletes gain velo and “get better mechanics,” I was ready to sign up right then!
I first attended a three-day Elite Pitchers Boot Camp in December 2016 and had a great time. Coach Wolforth and the TBR staff created a plan for me that included drill work, mobility enhancement stretches, and workout exercises. I improved so much after this camp that in the summer of 2017, I decided to attend what we now call the “Summer Intensive Development Program.” I was going into a very pivotal junior year of high school, and I knew I needed to take the next step in my development. I was initially hesitant because I would miss a few weeks of travel ball, but it turned out to be a great investment, both training-wise and personally.
After the summer of 2017, I attended the Summer Program again in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. Just like in the first summer, in these subsequent ones, I gained a lot of velocity, improved my command, became more athletic, and much more. However, the point of this blog is not just to talk about how I improved as a baseball player at the Ranch, but also to reflect on how I changed as a person as well.
Coach Wolforth, Coach Kadey, and me in the summer of 2018
The ages of 16-21 encompass life-changing events for any person, and I am glad TBR helped mold me into who I am over the years. I truly believe that the overall environment of the Summer Program is second to none on Earth. We always say that the Ranch is a baseball sanctuary, meaning we accept anyone who is bought in and wants to be the best version of themselves. We meet every athlete where they are, development-wise, and give them the tools to succeed on their baseball journey. I personally experienced this as an athlete and now see it every day as an instructor.
Needless to say, the experience of the Summer Program itself was always incredible. Every athlete who attends the Summer Program has the same goals as you, and they push each other to give 100% every single day. Every year I attended the Summer Program, I was always so excited to see the friends I made from the year before. We would build on the previous summer and get better and better. I am still good friends with many of the people I trained with. (Shoutout, in particular, to Kenton, Jimmy, Brandon, Preston, D.K., and many others.)
As someone who now teaches every summer, I fondly reflect on my years of training here. Although I still get to be involved in most of what the Summer Program has to offer as an instructor, being an athlete working out at the Ranch is an experience second to none. I encourage anyone reading this to visit us this summer. See how we can help you take the next step in your training and experience the magic of the Summer Program for yourself!
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Important TBR Updates
- Interested in our “Summer Intensive Development Program”? Join us for 2-11 weeks this summer. For more information on this one of a kind Summer Training experience and for a registration form visit https://www.texasbaseballranch.com/events/tbr-summer-program/.
- Would you like to participate in the Ranch Summer Program but can’t find 2+ weeks in your schedule? We have an option for you! Attend one of our 3-Day EPBC’s and add the summer program week after. It’s seven days of training and is a great option for those players with an extremely busy summer schedule. Give us a call and we can provide you with more details – (936) 588-6762.
- The dates for our 3-Day Elite Pitchers Bootcamp for this summer include:
May 24-26 (Sat-Mon)
June 6-8 (Fri-Sun)
June 20-22 (Fri-Sun)
July 4-6 (Fri-Sun)
July 18-20 (Fri-Sun)
Aug. 1-3 (Fri-Sun)
Aug. 30-Sept 1 (Sat-Mon)
To register or learn more CLICK HERE
- Have you been considering attending one of our 3-Day Elite Pitchers Bootcamp but are still on the fence? To help, we have a detailed information package entitled “What Makes This Boot Camp Different”. If you’d like to receive this package and start making plans for the summer, email Jill@TexasBaseballRanch.com and request a copy.
- Check out this video on our YouTube Channel: “The Identity Crisis Every Baseball Pitcher Must Overcome“. Watch it at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YEqIynB3Z0 and share your opinion in the comments.
