How to Have a Productive Summer

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

Are you having a productive summer? The months of June, July and August provide players with an abundance of time to work on many aspects of their game. Unfortunately, very few players take advantage of this extra free time and let their game suffer in different areas. If you have a game plan and set some goals for yourself, you can give yourself a lot of separation from other players.

So, what can you be doing today that will get you ahead of the pack tomorrow? Before I run down a possible “to do” list, I think it’s important to emphasize, above all else, balance in the summer schedule. Too much focus on one area can cause just as many problems as not putting in any effort at all.

The majority of the summer should be spent on, of course, improving your game. You should always strive to play at the highest level possible, while at the same time ensuring that you’ll get the necessary reps and exposure. On top of that, summer ball is a good time to try different things and get reps at new positions.

A lot of players make the mistake of concentrating too much on tournaments, camps and showcases, and forget about the endless process of conditioning and training. Getting plenty of reps on the field will allow you to stay fresh with your bat and glove, but unless you continue to put in time in the gym, you can easily get out of shape and suffer a setback or injury.

One of the most overlooked areas that recruits can work on is their academics. After all, who wants to think about books in the summer? While you don’t have to work through a summer school course, you can really help yourself by putting some time aside each week in preparation for the SATs or ACTs. Even if you’ve already taken the test once, you can put yourself in a better position by working to improve your scores by 100 points. The summer is also an excellent opportunity to work on upcoming admissions essays. Ideally, you should brainstorm for a creative essay, a “why you want to attend” essay and a “tell us about yourself” essay.

Finally, rising seniors should try to create a mock “college” schedule that they can follow to prepare for the life of a college student-athlete. Many players struggle at the college level not so much by the competition they face, but by the rigors of early classes and training in the morning. Time management can really make the difference between a starter, a bench player or a spectator, and the more practice you have at this, the more success you’ll have at the next level. While you know your schedule best, don’t be afraid to work with your parents and friends currently in college to develop an efficient schedule.

The key to having a productive summer and reaching any goals we set for ourselves is to have a game plan. By making yourself aware of what needs to be accomplished over, you can set reasonable benchmarks and improve your chances of getting the most out of your free time. If anything, game plans will ensure that, among the travel, tournaments and practices, you may be able to have some fun this summer!

Kelly Kulina is the Senior Vice President of College Recruiting at Baseball Factory. Kulina is a former Associate Head Coach and recruiting coordinator with the University of Maryland. As a former recruiting coordinator for ten years in the ACC, Kulina has vast contacts and is widely respected throughout the nation. From 1989 to 2000, Kulina coached 46 players who were selected in the MLB draft.

Boost Your Mental Acuity!

Bernadette Bechta: Blackboard Basics

Summer reading lists can cause groans among high school students. However, the time you spend reading and preparing for standardized tests over the summer can drastically improve your performance in the fall and spring test dates. During the summer months your mind is free from homework, tests, and the daily school routine, so it is the best time to improve your reading and testing skills.

Proper preparation certainly has its rewards! One of my most memorable students is one who could not afford to enroll in a SAT prep class yet needed a high score to receive an academic scholarship. Instead, she decided to read at least 20 books each summer to improve her comprehension skills and vocabulary. The result: a perfect SAT score (1600/1600), a college scholarship, a fellowship for her Ph.D. She is now a Professor at a prestigious university. The lesson here is to visit the library often this summer; checkout books on various topics, look for audio tapes for those baseball trips and college visits, and practice, practice, practice for those SAT tests.

There are several approaches to SAT preparation.

1. If your schedule and budget permits, you can enroll in a SAT prep class that meets your schedule. However, check out the references, ask questions, and determine if the class format meets your learning style. Look for a program with flexible makeup dates that coincide with your summer baseball schedule.
2. If you are disciplined with your time, you can work with SAT Prep books. This can be an effective strategy that allows for flexibility. However, you must work on a regular basis (at least 6 hours/week in the summer), and take Practice Tests and analyze the results. I surveyed my students and included some of my favorites, so here is a list of what I consider to be the best SAT Prep books on the market right now: Bernadette's Favorite Summer SAT Prep Books and a Few Others.
3. Hire a one-on-one tutor. This approach always helps the student who is trying to improve their score to a certain level. A tutor can personalize your approach to the test and help you to analyze your previous scores.

Additionally, while you are visiting colleges this summer and driving to showcases, camps, and clinics, try reading one of these books, mostly sports topics, for pleasure.

Great Sports Stories and more...

Consider reading to be your summer workout for the mind. When you go to the gym, stop at the library. When you pack your baseball bag for a trip, toss in an audio tape or SAT prep book. Give up an hour of ESPN each day to work in your SAT Prep book. The results in the fall will show in your mental acuity; that is, a buff mind!

Bernadette Bechta serves as the main academic contact for all players and parents in Baseball Factory's Exclusive Program. With over 20 years of experience as a teacher and advisor at the high school level, Bernadette will provide families with guidance on topics ranging from application essays to financial aid. In addition, Bernadette’s two sons have both gone through the Exclusive Program, so she knows the ins and outs of the process from a parent’s perspective.

Be a Closer!

Bernadette Bechta: Blackboard Basics

Spring is an exciting time of year! High school seniors are preparing for graduation, Advanced Placement tests, and their Senior Prom. Underclassmen will take state-required assessment tests that determine graduation eligibility. They hope to get their driver’s license and strive to have a strong junior season. Spring sports’ news and scores fill the morning and afternoon announcements. Spring fever definitely hits many student athletes right about now. Many teachers can be heard discussing the fact that athletes care more about their ERAs than their GPAs. This is also a dangerous time for student-athletes. Keep the basics in mind as you close this school year:

• It is more important to be a ‘finisher’ as well as a ‘starter’. Your end of the year grades are the ones that end up on your transcript. Do what you need to do in the fourth quarter and final exam to secure the grade you need and want. Visit the Guidance Counselor to help you determine the needed grades.

• Advocate for yourself with teachers. If you are struggling in a class, stop in after school on a regular basis to ask your teacher questions. Schedule an appointment on the day before a test to seek extra help. Teachers admire this trait in students and coaches will understand if you tell them ahead of time.

• Manage your time. Sometimes when you are in-season with a sport, you have to prepare ahead of time. If you know you will have a test on Friday, do some preparation on Sunday. Read the textbook and make notes so that you can review before the test. Your weeknights can be stressful with practice and games, so you must use your weekend time wisely.

• Keep track of your grades. If necessary, use a grade sheet to record each assignment and ask the teacher to record your grade at the end of each week. You will soon learn the importance of each assignment and recognize how a quarter grade evolves over a period of time.

• Stay focused on your goals, both academic and athletic. Don’t let anyone or anything distract you. Summer will soon be here and you will have time then to catch up with your social activities.

• Treat your teachers, coaches, parents, staff, classmates, teammates and yourself with respect. You will soon be asking for letters of recommendation and they are an important part of your application. Coaches will soon be selecting team captains for next year. You will be remembered tomorrow for who you are today!

Remember, it’s the score at the end of the game, not the end of an inning that determines the winner of a baseball game. There are many championship teams that get off to a slow start, yet finish strong to earn a postseason berth. A team’s record at the end of a season is what determines whether they qualify for playoffs. So, whether you are closing the school year as a sophomore, junior, or senior, each academic milestone builds into your student record.

Successful students complete their homework every day, they prepare for test day, and strive to perform well on the last exam. The same is true for baseball players. They practice hard, play to win each pitch, make each play without error, hit every ball hard, and try to make a difference on a team in every game. Everyone wants to end the season on a win. Try to be the “Closer” who cares about the ERA, as well as their GPA, SAT, and class rank.

Bernadette Bechta serves as the main academic contact for all players and parents in Baseball Factory's Exclusive Program. With over 20 years of experience as a teacher and advisor at the high school level, Bernadette will provide families with guidance on topics ranging from application essays to financial aid. In addition, Bernadette’s two sons have both gone through the Exclusive Program, so she knows the ins and outs of the process from a parent’s perspective.

Summer Pitching Development

Steve Bernhardt: Building the Better Ballplayer

As summer baseball gets into full swing, pitchers throughout the country should be feeling great. With most high school seasons that were filled with cold weather, rain and missed starts now over, pitchers can settle into a regular summer rotation. Throughout our summer game schedule we need to continue to work on improving.

In my opinion, young pitchers should concentrate on two areas: fastball command and arm strength. Let’s look at each.

First, and most important, is fastball command. This means that you, as a pitcher, can throw your fastball exactly where you want. Keep in mind that command is different than control. Control means that you can throw your fastball for strikes. Command means that you can throw it to your target. This may mean on the inside corner, it may mean low and away, it may even mean throwing it intentionally six inches off the plate with an 0-2 count on the hitter. Being able to command your fastball is the single most important part to being a successful pitcher.

In order to have command, you must be able to repeat your delivery and release point every pitch. There are many stories of pitchers in the Major Leagues who drew the strike zone on a wall growing up and threw to spots on that wall in and out of the strike zone. Their command got so good that they wore out certain spots on the wall. Whether you work on this on your own or in organized bullpen sessions, work hard to throw your fastball where you want it.

Secondly, continue to work on arm strength. To this day, the only proven way to improve arm strength is to play long toss. Even throughout your summer season, you need to find days that you can stretch out your arm and throw long. This helps to build arm strength and arm speed, ultimately resulting in improved velocity.

All pitchers should implement a regular program over the summer that includes their game starts, side sessions with an emphasis on fastball command, and long toss sessions. After several months of following that schedule, your results are sure to improve.


Bernhardt played for five years in the Colorado Rockies organization. As Executive VP of Baseball Operations at Baseball Factory, he oversees all events and instruction. Bernhardt currently serves as an Associate Scout with the Colorado Rockies. He received his B.S. from the University of Richmond where he was an All-Conference player.