Halloween Home Run Derby 2023- Registration closed.

**Registration closed**

Here are the details for the Halloween Home Run Derby!

When: Friday, October 20th. Gates open at 5:30PM. Derby starts at 6:00PM and goes until we are done!
Where: Bethlehem Little League 5600 Bethlehem Rd, Richmond, VA 23230

There is no rain date for this event. It will only be rained out if there is rain that makes the field unplayable.

***All entries are non-refundable***

Open to everyone until slots are filled: male and female participants are welcome!

Early Registration ends on 10/6/2023 - $35 per participant (entry into derby, HR Derby T Shirt and Halloween swag bag)
** $25 per additional immediate family member

Final Registration Deadline is 10/13/23 - $35 per participant (entry into derby, Halloween swag bag)

**$25 per additional immediate family members

Payments made at the time of registration:
Checks made out to IYG Baseball LLC and mailed to: PO Box 5601 Glen Allen, VA 23058
Checks can be dropped in the IYG Baseball drop box at 7511 Ranco Rd in Henrico
Venmo: @IYGbaseball (please add $2 to all Venmo payments for Venmo fees)

Payment must be received upon registration or your spot will not be held. There are no refunds for this event. We are expecting the event to sell out like it did last year.

Halloween costumes STRONGLY encouraged….borderline required! (have fun with it)

Schedule:

6:00pm-7:00pm- Elementary age players hit. (10U-11U)
7:00pm-8:00pm- Middle School age players hit. (12U-14U)
8:00pm-9:00pm- High School age players hit. (15U+)
9:00pm- Adults Hit

8:30PM 50/50 raffle sales stop
9:00pm- 50/50 Raffle winner announced. Must be present to win.

6:00-8:30- Concessions (burgers, hot dogs, FF, chips, drinks)

Prizes for winners and runners up. Give-a-ways all night!

Rules:
-Each hitter must present their ticket before hitting on the field. Tickets will be given out at the sign in table to those who register before the event. Please don’t lose your ticket.
-Anyone (Female or Male) can participate in the derby 10 years old to adults.
-10 SWINGS and 1 round per participant.
-Batters do not have to swing at every pitch.
-Any swing counts as a swing.
-A home run is counted when it clears the fence, in the air.
-Ties will results in a swing off. 5 swings each until a winner is determined.
-Most home runs in each division wins. Prizes for 1st and 2nd place in each division. Underhand front toss from 15 feet away for all participants.
-All Elementary age participants will have a fence at 150 feet. (9U, 10U, 11U) (-12 or -10 bats allowed)
-All Middle School age and Female participants have a fence at 180 Feet. (12U, 13U, 14U) (-10 or -8 bats allowed)
-All High School age (male) participants and above will have a fence at 250 feet. (15U+)(-5 or -3 bats allowed)
-Announcer will call your name when it’s your turn to hit. On deck batter will be ready to go in the “on deck area”. In the hole hitter will be ready to go in the “in the hole” area. (Derby order will be posted at the event in many places)

Extras: We encourage you to come for the entirety of the event to watch some home runs fly out and have a chance to win prizes and give-a-ways.
Concessions
Prizes
Give-a-ways
Raffles
Much more!

How to register:

REGISTRATION CLOSED

Please direct any questions to tylerleclair@iygbaseball.com

We are currently looking for sponsors for our event. If you are interest in sponsoring please email tylerleclair@iygbaseball.com for more information.

Last year’s sponsors:
Bethlehem Little League
Fadez and Bladez
Aspera
Shez Crafty
301 Auto Repair Tire Pros
Kanawha Capital Management
Holbert Family Orthodontics
Disco Sports
Goliath Bats
Bethlehem Little League
R. Craig Evans Attorney at Law
Richmond Little League
BeautyCounter

Thank You for your support! Now let’s see some moonshots!
-IYG Baseball LLC

FAQ:
What is IYG?
-IYG is a local travel baseball and softball organization with teams from 9U-High School showcase. We have a 12,000 sq. ft facility with a full weight room. 9 cages, pitching mounds and space for groundballs. IYG is owned by Tyler LeClair who has been working at Improve Your Game under Joe Frostick since 2010. He acquired ownership of the baseball teams from Joe on August 1st, 2021 and the softball program in the fall of 2022.

What will the proceeds go to?
-This is a fundraiser for IYG a local travel baseball and softball organization based in Henrico, VA. The money raised will go toward upgraded equipment, new technology and funding for new programs for the development of our youth baseball players.

Our big goal this year is to purchase a Softball Hack Attack Pitching machine and many more upgrades!

Pitching Camp

We have two former pro pitchers flying into town for this one!

Josh Towers

Drafted 15th round by the Baltimore Orioles in 2001. 

Most notable time was in the 2005 season with the Blue jays where he finished with a 3.71 era with 33 games started. 2009 He earned a world series ring with the New York Yankees. Josh's career in the MLB between minor league affiliates and big league time was 10 years!! 

Brian Wolfe

Drafted 6th round to the Minnesota twins in the 2003 draft.  Called up to the big leagues in 2007 with the Blue Jays where he finished with a 3-1 record, 2.98 ERA in 38 relief appearances.  2010 Signed contract to play in the pacific league of Nippon Professional baseball. While in Japan he won 2  series championships. Finished career in 2018 in the NPB with an ERA of 3.43 and 414 KO.

We will also feature 2 former collegiate pitchers Trey Delacuesta of Hilbert College and Jacob Smither of Randolph Macon College.

Camp dates:

Wednesday 8/3- Friday 8/5
8-12 year olds (small field players) 9:00AM -10:30AM $175 pp
13 and 14 year olds (big field players) 11:00AM-12:30PM $175 pp

High School players- Wednesday 8/3 from 1:00PM-3:00PM $100 pp

Location: IYG Baseball Facility 7511 Ranco Rd in Henrico

This camp will focus on helping your son become a better pitcher. We will work on everything pitching from arm care to throwing with more velocity.

Please register here:

Pitching Camp Registration

If you have any questions please contact tylerleclair@iygbaseball.com

Fall 2022 Tryouts!

Our fall tryout dates have been announced!

We have 2 options for each of the age groups we are trying out. You can choose 1 of the dates listed above when you register.

Ages:
10U- 9 or 10 year olds who turn 10 prior to 5/1/2023 or 4th graders
11U- 10 or 11 year olds who turn 11 prior to 5/1/2023 or 5th graders
12U- 11 or 12 year olds who turn 12 prior to 5/1/2023 or 6th graders
13U- 12 or 13 year olds who turn 13 prior to 5/1/2023 or 7th graders
14U- 13 or 14 year olds who turn 14 prior to 5/1/2023 or 8th graders
High School- (For fall of 2022)
2026 Freshmen
2025 Sophomore
2024 Junior

Tryouts are always free at IYG Baseball. We welcome all tryout who are interested in travel baseball.

If you have any questions about travel baseball please click here to read more.

Tryouts will be held inside our facility at 7511 Ranco Rd. This will ensure a controlled environment in which all of our coaches can get a look at all players. We will have stations set up to help tryouts run as efficiently as possible. We have metrics that we will use as a baseline for all tryouts for each team and measure each player’s metrics to see how they stack up.

When registering please choose 1 date that works for you and your family. If neither date works for you we can try to set up an individual tryout for your son.

If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to the owner of IYG Baseball Tyler LeClair. You can send and e-mail by clicking here.

You can also head to any of our social media sites to check out what we have been up to:
TikTok
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube (new)

We look forward to seeing you in June for our tryouts. We are really excited about where our program is headed and the upgrades we have made. Join us and see what we can offer your family as we help instill a lifelong love of baseball in all of our players.

Register Here

-Tyler LeClair
Owner at IYG Baseball LLC

Summer Hitting Camp

IYG Baseball Presents a blockbuster of a hitting camp!!

This, never been done before hitting camp brings together some of the top hitting instructors in Richmond, VA. With more than 105 years of combined coaching experience your son or daughter will learn from some of the best instructors baseball and softball has to offer.

The clinic will be small groups rotating through all of the coaches focusing on multiple phases of the swing. Your son/daughter will hear from each coach individually. Our goal is to give your son or daughter a variety of hitting philosophies in hopes they will find a coach they click with and find the mechanics that work for them!

Mark Meleski- Played and Coached in the Red Sox organization.
Scott Sizemore- Played in the Yankees, Athletics and Tigers organization including a lot of time in the big leagues.
Mark Fleisher- Played in the Orioles and White Sox organizations.
Joe Frostick- Played at UNC and Coached at the University of Richmond.
Tyler LeClair- Played at SUNY Brockport in NY. Coached High School in NY and at Freeman High School.
Nick Evans- Played at Bryant and Stratton College. Currently Coaches at IYG.

You do not want to miss this level of hitting instruction! Sign up now before spots fill up. We will cap the entries at 40 players in each age group.

Dates: Monday, 6/20 - Wednesday, 6/22

Ages: 9 year olds - 12 year olds
9:00AM-10:30AM each day

Ages: 13+ year olds
11:00-12:30PM each day

Cost: $150 for 4.5 hours of instruction.

Location: Improve Your Game Training Facility. 7511 Ranco Rd in Henrico.

Register Here

Indoor Baseball Practice Plan

Indoor Practice Plan

Duration- 93 minutes

Recommended for ages 13-18 or advanced 10-12 year olds.

Focus:
Defense- advanced ground ball mechanics
Offense- hand/barrel path and creating power using the lower half

8 minutes- Team dynamic stretching routine

Defensive Focus
5 mins- Everydays (barehand and glove)
15 mins- 4 stations (2 at a time) (3 minutes each station with transition time)
1. flamingo drill
2. 5 cone drill
3. big hop reads
4. bad hop drill (landmines)

15 mins- 3 stations (simultaneous) 4 mins each with transition time
1. Machine GB forehands
2. Machine GB backhands
3. Fungo GB (slow rollers and big hops)

5 mins- Flyballs (drop step left/right and reacting to short fly balls)

2 mins- waters and transition to hitting

Offense Focus
8 mins- Hit off tees (get loose and individual T work)
15 mins- 4 stations in 2 cages (simultaneous) 3 mins each station with transition time (hand and bat path)
1. Rapid fire drill
2. Slow stride and go drill
3. Split grip drill
4. Bucket bounce drill

15 mins- 3 stations in 2 cages (simultaneous) 4 minutes each station (lower half power)
1. Turn-hands back- Turn and go
2. Bosu ball swings
3. Pro velo bat or regular front toss

5 mins
Closer and wrap up/quick sign review/situational hitting review

The Why:

Defense:
Everydays- we use these every single day we are inside as the name suggests. We start with barehand on our knees, then use the glove on knees and finish with glove standing. We work 10 short hopped balls to the middle, 10 to the forehand and 10 to the backhand.

Flamingo drill- the flamingo drill is to help players with footwork in planting their throw side leg and getting that other foot down heel first to properly field a ground ball (GB).

5 cone drill- we use this drill to simulate approaching a ground ball from the right and fielding out in front.

Big hop reads- force a player to read the ball and get the short hop. Vary the hop heights on this drill to challenge players each time through. Players must field on 1 short hop.

Bad hop drill or landmines- Use a bunch of cones to simulate a bad hop and forces players to react to the ball taking an unexpected hop. it’s all about hand quickness and reaction time. Roll a ball into random cones to get different hops.

Forehand ground balls- force players to work on forehand mechanics.

Backhand ground balls- force players to work on backhand mechanics.

Fungo ground balls with varied hops- allow players to see the ball off a bat and react to different hops that the fungo hitters hits.

Fly ball drop steps- have players set up facing you and work on the drop step left and right to track fly balls over their head. They are to read and catch the ball. If they can stop and come back to the ball…that is ideal.

Offense:

Rapid fire drill- trains players to have quick hands and react to a ball in different parents of the strike zone with the end goal of barrel contact. To toss the ball too rapid here so players can not reset their swing. Stress finishing the swing. Players like to cut their swings short and that is a no no here.

Slow stride and go- slow stride, front foot down with a slight pause, then we unload the backside. This drill trains players to keep their hands back after foot plant in case it’s an off speed pitch. We can still hit that ball with power if our hands stay back.

Split grip- This drill emphasis not rolling over through contact. Players split their grip dramatically and focus on palm up palm down through the zone and not rolling over.

Bucket bounce drill- This drill forces players to react to the ball quickly as we bounce it off a bucket. They must get the barrel to the ball. The ball will bounce high, low and sometimes inside and outside. This is a great reaction drill and barrel recognition drill. Bounce a ball off a bucket top and the players hit the ball.

Turn-hands back- turn and go- This emphasis keeping the hands back as we start our lower half. We want the lower half to work first to generate more power in the swing. The lower half pulls the hands through the zone.

Bosu ball-Players set up on the decline of the Bosu ball and try to feel their weight shift into the ball and then explode out of the ball to get more backside into the swing. This helps them push down into the ball as well as we want to apply force into the ground with our back foot when we swing.

Pro Velocity bat- This drill help with layback and snapping the barrel through the zone. If you don’t get a good turn you will not hit the ball on the barrel of the pro velocity bat.

Thank you for your support and good luck this season!

*New* Live Hitting Nights at IYG

We have installed 2 full size, 70 foot cages so we can have live at bats inside the facility. We are excited to announce that we will have live hitting nights in January and February for anyone trying to get ready for their seasons. We have hitting nights for ages 10 and up.

These hitting nights are open to all players regardless of teams affiliation. Hitters can come see live pitching well before the season starts and pitchers can face live batters in a controlled environment not affected by weather.

We organize these nights so players are active the entire time. We have cages going for tee work and drills when they are not hitting live. Everyone rotates like a lineup until we don’t have any pitchers to throw. These nights usually last 1-2 hours depending on the age group. Each pitcher will throw a set number of pitches and face as many batters as that allows them. Each hitter will be in the cage for 1 at bat and then rotate out until their next at bat. Everyone who signs up will get at bats against live pitching. If we do not have a lot of pitchers then we will hit off our new pitching machine.

An added bonus is we have multiple coaches running these nights so players can get some instruction while they are here. We want to help all players get better.

We have also added Rapsodo hitting to our program and will be incorporating that into these nights as well. When players make contact with the ball Rapsodo will show them where they hit the ball on the field projected onto a TV to provide instant feedback. Rapsodo also provides many other hitting metrics for players to look at including exit velocity, launch angle and spin rate.

Live Hitting Nights February 2022:

Friday, February 4th 5:00-6:00PM 10U-12U (separate cages)
Friday, February 4th 6:00-7:00PM 13U and 14U (separate cages)
Friday, February 4th 7:00-8:00 High School players

Friday, February 11th 5:00-6:00PM 10U-12U (separate cages)
Friday, February 11th 6:00-7:00PM 13U and 14U (separate cages)
Friday, February 11th 7:00-8:00PM High School players

Friday, February 18th 5:00-6:00PM 10U-12U (separate cages)
Friday, February 18th 6:00-7:00PM 13U and 14U (separate cages)
Friday, February 18th 7:00-8:00PM High School players

Friday, February 25th 5:00-6:00PM 10U-12U (separate cages)
Friday, February 25th 6:00-7:00PM 13U and 14U (separate cages)
Friday, February 25th 7:00-8:00PM High School players

Hitting night cost is $25 per player.

Register here

Need more info? Email: tylerleclair@iygbaseball.com

Off Season Development Programs for Jan/Feb

Below you will find options for our off season developmental programs. Each of these programs will start the week of Monday, January 10th and run through Sunday, February 6th. This will amount to 4 weeks of each session for a total of 8 hour long sessions. Catching is the only exception, those clinics meet 1 time per week. 

These programs are for all baseball and softball players. We don’t care what hat you wear, we would love for you to join us!

Programs for Ages 10U-12U 

Younger Hitting Session - 10-12U Players
Cost-:$175 per player.
Meets: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30-5:30. 8 Sessions.
Number of players: 12 players maximum. 

This session will focus on swing mechanics and breaking down each phase of the swing. Players will all receive video analysis of their swing and feedback from coaches on where they should focus their efforts to improve their swing. The goals of this session are to improve the quality of the swing plane, measure and improve attack angle to and through the ball, increase rotational power and improve the player’s ability to make barrel contact. 

Younger Infield Session - 10U-12U Players
Cost-:$175 per player.
Meets: Wednesday 4:30-5:30 and Saturday 2:00-3:00PM. 8 Sessions.
Number of players: 12 players maximum. 

This session will focus on fielding mechanics and breaking down the proper glove and footwork needed to be consistent in the field. Each player will receive video analysis of their fielding mechanics and feedback from coaches on how to improve their consistency in fielding and throwing successfully. The goals of this session are to teach proper pre pitch setup, footwork when approaching, fielding and throwing the ball and how to put their bodies in position to be successful. 

Younger Pitching Session - 10U-12U Players (headed up by Jeff Zona, former pitching standout and current Phillies scout)
Cost-:$175 per player.
Meets: Tuesday 7:30-8:30 and Friday 5:00-6:00PM. 8 Sessions.
Number of players: 12 players maximum. 

This session will focus on pitching mechanics and breaking down the proper form to help players throw strikes consistently. Each player will receive video analysis of their pitching mechanics and feedback from coaches on how to improve consistency in their pitching delivery. The goals of this session are to teach proper mechanics, using the lower half for velocity and proper arm care to reduce the risk of injury. 

Younger Catching Session - 10U-12U Players
Cost-:$80 per player.
Meets: Monday 4:30-5:30. 4 Sessions.
Number of players: 8 players maximum. 

This session will focus on catching skills. Each player will receive video analysis of their catching skills and feedback from coaches on how to improve consistency in their receiving, throwing and blocking. The goals of this session are to teach proper receiving, blocking and throw techniques to help improve their skills.

Programs for Ages 13U- High School

Older Hitting Session - 13U-18U Players
Cost-:$175 per player.
Meets: Monday 7:30-8:30PM and Thursday 7:30-8:30PM. 8 Sessions.
Number of players: 12 players maximum. 

This session will focus on swing mechanics and breaking down each phase of the problem swing. Players will all receive video analysis of their swing and feedback from coaches on where they should focus their efforts to improve their swing. The goals of this session are to improve the quality of the swing plane, measure and improve attack angle to and through the ball, increase rotational power and improve the player’s ability to make barrel contact.

Older Infield Session - 13U-18U Players
Cost-:$175 per player.
Meets: Saturday and Sunday 4:00-5:00PM. 8 Sessions.
Number of players: 12 players maximum. 

This session will focus on fielding mechanics and breaking down the proper glove and footwork needed to be consistent in the field. Each player will receive video analysis of their fielding mechanics and feedback from coaches on how to improve their consistency in fielding and throwing successfully. The goals of this session are to teach proper pre pitch setup, footwork when approaching, fielding and throwing the ball and how to put their bodies in position to be successful.

Older Pitching Session - 13U-18U Players (headed up by Jeff Zona, former pitching standout and current Phillies scout)
Cost-:$175 per player.
Meets: Wednesday 7:30-8:30PM and Friday 6:00-7:00PM and. 8 Sessions.
Number of players: 12 players maximum. 

 This session will focus on pitching mechanics and breaking down the proper form to help players throw strikes consistently. Each player will receive video analysis of their pitching mechanics and feedback from coaches on how to improve consistency in their pitching delivery. The goals of this session are to teach proper mechanics, using the lower half for velocity and proper arm care to reduce the risk of injury. 

Older Catching Session - 13U-18U Players
Cost-:$80 per player.
Meets: Tuesday 7:30-8:30PM. 4 Sessions.
Number of players: 8 players maximum. 

This session will focus on catching skills. Each player will receive video analysis of their catching skills and feedback from coaches on how to improve consistency in their receiving, throwing and blocking. The goals of this session are to teach proper receiving, blocking and throw techniques to help improve their skills.

Advanced Weight Lifting - 13U-18U Players
Cost- :$250 per player.
Meets: Tuesday, Thursday 7:30-8:30PM and Saturday 10:00AM-11:00AM. 12 Sessions.
Number of players: 10 players maximum. 

This session will focus on baseball/softball exercises in a smaller group setting. We will focus on safety in the weight room and proper lifting form. Each player will receive a workout program tailored to their individual needs at the end of the session. Nutrition will also be a big part of this session. This session is for players who have some experience in the weight room. 

Please register here!

IYG Baseball Holiday Camp

Holiday Hitting/Fielding Camp

The holiday camp will be 6 hours of instruction over 3 days. Our instructors are Nick Evans, Joe Frostick and a couple of returning college baseball players! The camp will be structured so each player receives hitting and fielding instruction each day.

Camp Details:

Who: Male and Female players ages 8-18.

Younger Camp (8U-12U) Monday 12/20-Wednesday 12/22
Older Camp (13U+) Monday 12/27-Wednesday 12/29

Time: 9:00AM-11:00AM

Cost: $125 per player

Location: Our indoor facility 7511 Ranco Rd in Henrico

Please register HERE

Spring 2022 Tryouts

Tryouts for spring 2022 are here!

Open tryouts are now being held for 2 teams for the spring of 2022. 11U and 12U Spiders!

IYG Baseball is proud to announce the possible formation of a new 11U team for the spring of 2022! We have an experienced coach ready to get started with a new group of boys eager to learn the game.

Our 12U team is looking to fill their roster with a strong player or two.

What we offer:

An experienced staff of baseball coaches and trainers including former professional players, coaches and scouts.
1 and 2 day tournaments March-June. We usually play 1-2 times per month
2 practices per week
Fitness twice per week
Open facility times
Countless opportunities for extra work
Optional private lessons
Optional camps/clinics/small group lessons
12,000 sq ft indoor facility
Field practices during the season
Resources upon resources with the new upgrades we have made to our program:
-Hack Attack Pitching Machine
-Blast motion technology
-5,500 sq ft of new turf
-new cages
-2 70 foot cages for live BP sessions inside our facility
-Full weight room with upgraded equipment

Tryouts Schedule:

11U tryouts
Tuesday, December 7th 5:30-7:00PM
Sunday, December 12th 12:00PM-1:30PM

12U tryouts
Thursday, December 9th 5:30-7:00PM
Saturday, December 11th 10:30AM-12:00PM

All tryouts will be held at our indoor facility located at 7511 Ranco Rd in Henrico.

I would love to chat with you about how we can help your son develop on and off the baseball field. Tyler LeClair- 804-495-7574 or tylerleclair@iygbaseball.com

To register for tryouts please click this link.

Off Season Development Programs

IYG Baseball Off Season Development Programs

Registration Closed. Thank you!

Below you will find options for our off season developmental programs. Each of these programs will start the week of Monday, November 15th and run through Sunday, December 19th. We will not have sessions November 22nd-November 28th (Thanksgiving week). This will amount to 4 weeks of each session. 

These programs are for all baseball and softball players. We don’t care what hat you wear, we would love for you to join us!

Programs for Ages 10U-12U 

Hitting Session 1- 10U-12U players
Cost-:$200 per player.
Meets: Tuesday and Thursday from 4:30-5:30PM at the facility. 8 Sessions.
Number of players: 12 players maximum. 

This session will focus on swing mechanics and breaking down each phase of the swing. Players will all receive video analysis of their swing and feedback from coaches on where they should focus their efforts to improve their swing. The goal of this session is to improve the quality of the swing plane, ensure players are using their lower halves and ultimately increase their ability to get the barrel of the bat to the ball. 

Hitting Session 2- 10U-12U players
Cost-:$200 per player.
Meets: Wednesday 7:30-8:30 and Friday 6:00-7:00PM. 8 Sessions.
Number of players: 12 players maximum. 

This session will focus on swing mechanics and breaking down each phase of the swing. Players will all receive video analysis of their swing and feedback from coaches on where they should focus their efforts to improve their swing. The goal of this session is to improve the quality of the swing plane, ensure players are using their lower halves and ultimately increase their ability to get the barrel of the bat to the ball. 

Infield Session 1 - 10U-12U players
Cost-:$200 per player.
Meets: Wednesday 4:30-5:30 and Saturday 2:00PM-3:00PM. 8 Sessions.
Number of players: 12 players maximum.

This session will focus on fielding mechanics and breaking down the proper glove and footwork needed to be consistent in the field. Each player will receive video analysis of their fielding mechanics and feedback from coaches on how to improve their consistency in fielding and throwing successfully. The goals of this session are to teach proper pre pitch setup, footwork when approaching, fielding and throwing the ball and how to put their bodies in position to be successful. 

Infield Session 2 - 10U-12U players
Cost-:$200 per player.
Meets: Tuesday 7:30-8:30PM and Saturday 3:00PM-4:00PM. 8 Sessions.
Number of players: 12 players maximum.

This session will focus on fielding mechanics and breaking down the proper glove and footwork needed to be consistent in the field. Each player will receive video analysis of their fielding mechanics and feedback from coaches on how to improve their consistency in fielding and throwing successfully. The goals of this session are to teach proper pre pitch setup, footwork when approaching, fielding and throwing the ball and how to put their bodies in position to be successful. 

Programs for Ages 13U- High School

Hitting Session 1 - 13U-High School players
Cost-:$200 per player.
Meets: Mondays and Fridays from 4:30-5:30PM. 8 Sessions.
Number of players: 12 players maximum. 

This session will focus on swing mechanics and breaking down each phase of the problem swing. Players will all receive video analysis of their swing and feedback from coaches on where they should focus their efforts to improve their swing. The goals of this session are to improve the quality of the swing plane, measure and improve attack angle to and through the ball, increase rotational power and improve the player’s ability to make barrel contact. 

Hitting Session 2 - 13U-High School players
Cost-:$200 per player.
Meets: Monday 7:30-8:30 and Thursday 7:30-8:30. 8 Sessions.
Number of players: 12 players maximum. 

This session will focus on swing mechanics and breaking down each phase of the swing. Players will all receive video analysis of their swing and feedback from coaches on where they should focus their efforts to improve their swing. The goals of this session are to improve the quality of the swing plane, measure and improve attack angle to and through the ball, increase rotational power and improve the player’s ability to make barrel contact. 

Infield Session 1 - 13U-High School players
Cost-:$200 per player.
Meets: Saturday 4:00PM-5:00PM and Sunday 4:00PM-5:00PM. 8 Sessions.
Number of players: 12 players maximum.

This session will focus on fielding mechanics and breaking down the proper glove and footwork needed to be consistent in the field. Each player will receive video analysis of their fielding mechanics and feedback from coaches on how to improve their consistency in fielding and throwing successfully. The goals of this session are to teach proper pre pitch setup, footwork when approaching, fielding and throwing the ball and how to put their bodies in position to be successful. 

Advanced Weight Lifting - 13U-High School players
Cost- :$250 per player.
Meets: Tuesday, Thursday 7:30-8:30PM and Saturday 10:00AM-11:00AM. 12 Sessions.
Number of players: 10 players maximum. 

This session will focus on baseball/softball exercises in a smaller group setting. We will focus on safety in the weight room and proper lifting form. Each player will receive a workout program tailored to their individual needs at the end of the session. Nutrition will also be a big part of this session. This session is for players who have some experience in the weight room. 

Please register for all sessions here

Direct all questions to tylerleclair@iygbaseball.com

Thank You and as always we look forward to working with your player!

Halloween Home Run Derby

Newly formed 8U division for the Home Run Derby!
Eligible players 6 years old to 8 years old can now enter the home run derby on the small field at Bethlehem Little League! Please register using the link below.

Here are the details for the Halloween Home Run Derby!

When: Friday, October 29th. Gates open at 5:30PM. Derby starts at 6:00PM and goes until we are done!
Where: Bethlehem Little League 5600 Bethlehem Rd, Richmond, VA 23230

Rain date: Friday, November 5th

Open to everyone until slots are filled: male and female participants

10/15 Early Registration $20 (family discount $10 PP) (entry into derby, HR Derby T Shirt and Halloween swag bag)
10/22 Final Registration Deadline $20 (family discount $10 PP) (entry into derby, Halloween swag bag)

Payments made at the time of registration:
Checks made out to IYG Baseball LLC and mailed to: PO Box 5601 Glen Allen, VA 23058
Checks can be dropped in the IYG Baseball drop box at 7511 Ranco Rd in Henrico
Venmo: @IYGbaseball

Halloween costumes STRONGLY encouraged! ;-)

Schedule:

6:00pm-7:00pm- Elementary age players hit. (10U-11U)
7:00pm-8:00pm- Middle School age players hit. (12U-14U)
8:00pm-9:00pm- High School age players hit. (15U+)
9:00pm- Adults hit
9:00pm- 50/50 raffle announced (must be present to win)

6:00-8:30- Concessions (burgers, hot dogs, FF, chips, drinks)

Rules:
-Each hitter must present their ticket before hitting on the field. Tickets will be given out at the sign in table to those who register before the event. Please don’t lose your ticket.
-Anyone (Female or Male) can participate in the derby 10 years old to adults.
-10 SWINGS and 1 round per participant. If there is time, we will allow players to hit 1 more time for a $10 fee (not as part of the trophy competition).
-Batters do not have to swing at every pitch.
-Any swing counts as a swing.
-A home run is counted when it clears the fence, in the air.
-Ties will results in a swing off. 5 swings each until a winner is determined.
-Most home runs in each division wins. Prizes for 1st and 2nd place in each division. Underhand front toss from 15 feet away for all participants.
-All Elementary age participants will have a fence at 190 feet. (8U, 9U, 10U, 11U) (-12 or -10 bats allowed)
-All Middle School age and Female participants have a fence at 200 Feet. (12U, 13U, 14U) (-10 or -8 bats allowed)
-All High School age (male) participants and above will have a fence at 270 feet. (15U+)(-5 or -3 bats allowed)
-Announcer will call your name when it’s your turn to hit. On deck batter will be ready to go in the “on deck area”. In the hole hitter will be ready to go in the “in the hole” area. (Derby order will be posted at the event in many places)

Extras: We encourage you to come for the entirety of the event to watch some home runs fly out and have a chance to win prizes and give-a-ways.
Concessions
Prizes
Give-a-ways
Raffles
Much more!

How to register:

**Registration is closed for the Halloween Home Run Derby**

Please direct any questions to tylerleclair@iygbaseball.com

We are currently looking for more sponsors for our event. Here is a list of our amazing sponsors so far!
Stars and Stripes Express
J and J Body Shop
Gordon Brothers Construction
CodeBlue Technology
Aspera Insurance Services
R. Craig Evans, Attorney at Law

Thank You for your support! Now let’s see some moonshots!
-IYG Baseball LLC

FAQ:
What is IYG Baseball LLC?
-IYG Baseball is a local travel baseball organization with teams from 10U-High School showcase. We have a 12,000 sq. ft facility with a full weight room. 9 cages, pitching mounds and space for groundballs. IYG Baseball is owned by Tyler LeClair who has been working at Improve Your Game under Joe Frostick for 10 years. He acquired ownership of the baseball teams from Joe on August 1st, 2021 and has big plans for the organization.

What will the proceeds go to?
-This is a fundraiser for IYG Baseball LLC a local travel baseball organization based in Henrico, VA. The money raised will go toward upgraded equipment, new technology and funding for new programs for the development of our youth baseball players.

R. Craig Evans Attorney at Law
804-746-3773

Why IYG?

Culture. We are quickly on our way to becoming one of the top youth travel baseball organizations in Richmond. I truly believe that.

Our main focus at IYG is development. I know a lot of organizations say that, but we mean it. Our goal is to help your player improve in order to get to the next level, whatever that is for them. We do that through quality coaches, structured practices, individualized plans for development, extra reps outside of practice time, open use of our facilities and countless other strategies.

This isn’t just a place to show up, get your practice in and leave. We have a very open, warm environment where coaches are willing to work with anyone who comes in. We want players to enjoy spending time in our building. When players start to say “hey mom or dad, can I go to IYG and hit/pitch/lift” we know we are on the right path.

We will continue to focus on making our players better human beings. We all know that baseball/softball will end at some point for all of us, however, life goes on. If we can impact these player’s lives in more than just baseball/softball…we have succeeded.

We may not be a fancy, multi million dollar facility, but what we do have is moxie. We have the determination to be the best organization around. To us, that isn’t measured by championships. It is measured by the joy your son or daughter gets from seeing the improvement in their game on and off the field.

I invite you to call me 804-495-7574. I would love to talk to you about our organization and all we have to offer. I promise you this. We are going to do everything we can to ensure IYG is a name that people know.

Improvements/changes/upgrades are coming….and we couldn’t be more excited.

Tyler LeClair
Director of Baseball

What is Travel Baseball/Softball truly about?

To us, travel ball is about development. Development as an athlete, but more importantly development as a functional member of society. It’s about building relationships with like minded individuals in the pursuit of a dream. The dream, of course, is to play at the highest level possible. Helping players reach “the dream” is what it’s all about. The highest level is individual to each player. Sure, most of us have the dream as playing on a big league field some day for our favorite team. A very small percentage of us will ever accomplish that dream…but why not give it our best shot? One of my favorite quotes of all time is from Wayne Gretzky “you miss 100% of the shots you never take”. If you never shoot, you never score.

The question to ask yourself is, what is your shot going to look like? To me, your shot isn’t one moment in time. Your shot begins when you start the journey to accomplishing your dream. Whether your dream is to play in high school, college or the pros. Your shot has to give you every opportunity possible to reach that dream.

So what should that shot look like? To me, it begins with who you surround yourself with. Surround yourself with players of the same mind set. Surround yourself with coaches who have your best interests in mind. Surround yourself with an organization/team that develops your specific needs as a player. We are not cookie cutters of each other. We are all individuals. We preach to our players that there is not one way to do something in this sport or in life and if you have been told otherwise, you are being mis-lead.

So what is development? Development is the process of growing, becoming more mature, advanced or elaborate according to dictionary.com. Development is also continuing to make progress. If your focus is not on development and progress, you will be left behind. Don’t let that happen.

How does a player develop? Specific to this sport development comes in a number of ways. A few ways that we help players develop are:

+Creating a welcoming and positive atmosphere- Players play better when they feel valued, encouraged, welcomed and a part of something bigger than them.

+Purposeful and productive practices- We want practices without wasted time where players are standing around doing nothing. Wait time itself should be productive. It could be a rest and recover time, it could be a time for instruction, it could be a time for mental reps, etc.

+Repetition of game-like situations- Preparing kids for things that happen in the games, outside of the games. Creating game-like situations in a practice setting is the best way to ensure players are not surprised by what can actually happen in games.

+Providing opportunities to play/learn multiple positions and encouraging different sport participation- This will build the over all athlete. Even if a player ends up playing only 1 position at a high level. Learning different positions and playing different sports has immeasurable benefits.

+Sport specific fitness training- players should be building strength, endurance, explosiveness and flexibility related to the sport they play

+Evaluation and reflection- This is a way to ensure players are developing. Assessing is a key part of learning. Having players reflect on their own play and progress helps the players see that they are heading in the right direction.

+Playing in tournaments- I left this one last for a reason. My true beliefs are that tournaments have their place in the sport and are important, but playing in tournaments every weekend is not where true development happens. This might be a separate article but think of how many reps you get in a game compared to how many reps you get in a well designed practice. Everyone likes to compete and everyone like to win, but is that truly what is important? If it is, our program is definitely not right for you. We use tournaments as an assessment instrument to see what we need to work on in practice to make sure our players get better. If we win that’s awesome, if we don’t, we have come out with things we need to work on for each individual player.

This is a small snapshot of what we hope you are getting out of your baseball/softball experience. If you play for our program we value you and appreciate your dedication and work ethic. If you don’t play for our organization we still want you to succeed. Just promise me this…that you will make sure your shot gives you every opportunity to score.

Article by Coach LeClair
Director of Baseball

Infield camp with Scott Sizemore

This is a camp you do not want to miss! Scott Sizemore played with the A’s, Yankees and Tigers during his pro career. He is one of the best instructors in the Richmond area and a very respected member of the baseball community. We are thrilled to be able to host a 2 day camp like this!

The dates are Monday, December 28th and Tuesday the 29th. We will have 9-12 year olds in from 9:00AM-10:30AM. After that, the 13 year olds through high school will have the facility from 10:30-12:00PM. Following the boys are the girls! They will be coming in from 12:30-2:00PM. The cost of the camp is $75 per player.

No matter your skill level, you will be able to pick up a lot of valuable information that will make you a better infielder and a better baseball/softball player. Scott is a thrill to work with. We have nothing but great things to say about his expertise of the game. He conveys his knowledge in a way that players of all ages and abilities can understand.

Come challenge yourself and learn from a former pro baseball player! We hope to see you there!!

We will be distancing as much as the facility allows us to and we have a limited number of campers attending each session to adhere to the current guidelines. We will continue to sanitize all of our surfaces and make sure we leave some time in between each camp to wipe everything down.

Please register via e-mail: info@iygbaseball.com

The off-season? I'll just take that off...

Wrong!

Sure, you want to recover and rest from a very long spring/summer/fall season. This year I call it the spummall season. It seemed like all those seasons were just one long blur of a season. It was non stop baseball from June-November. So yes, your body needs to heal and rebuild a bit. We recommend at least shutting down the arm for a while. Our program will be shutting down arms until probably January.

For us, the off-season is about rebuilding stronger. Our bodies break down over the course of a long season, that is what happens. It is how we rebuild ourselves that makes all the difference. Our off-season program is built on a few different ideas:

1. The arm needs time to rest and heal.
2. The body should be build up. (physically and mentally)
3. Team chemistry becomes stronger.
4. Strengthen weaknesses and don’t let strengths weaken.
5. Increase baseball mentality.

See, there is a lot to accomplish in the next 3-4 months. Right now it is the beginning of that time. Use the next 3-4 months to get better in all aspects of your game. Don’t look back in February and think “wow, I wish I had done more”. Make it your goal to be able to look back in February and say “I did everything I could and I’m proud of myself”. I promise, there are players trying to out work you this off-season….I promise. Don’t let that happen.

Baseball/Softball Players Don't Lift Weights...

False. Baseball and Softball players need to lift weights. According to the ISSA (International Sports Science Association) kids can start basic weight training as early as 5 years old. However, I don’t think they mean your kindergarten brother or sister should be bench pressing their body weight after nap time. It just means that you don’t have to be graduating high school to finally start picking up some iron.

I strongly believe that If you are entering high school and you have not started lifting weights you are behind in the count…probably 0-2. You’re not out, but you’ve got some work to do. A lot of local high schools have off-season weight training programs. Some even have in-season weight training programs which I love! Why stop lifting just because you are in season? There is no need, in my opinion. That is for a different post. Here are a handful of reasons I think it is important to introduce yourself to the weight room.

Lifting Makes your Stronger

I’m a genius, right? When you lift you are basically breaking down muscle so it rebuilds itself bigger and stronger. There is a common myth that lifting weights will make people huge. It will if that is what you are trying to do. You’ll need to be on a very specific program that is designed with heavy weights and eat a ton of food for lifting to make you huge. Baseball and softball training is more focused on muscular endurance, especially for younger athletes. Muscular Endurance training involves lifting light weights for a high number of repetitions. The ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) says you should aim for 10-25 repetitions of an exercise for 2-4 sets while training muscular endurance. Muscular Endurance exercises will improve muscular strength, but they are more focused on the muscle being able to perform an exercise over a longer period of time. Also, there is much less stress on the joints during this type of training.

Lifting Improves Body Composition

Body composition is the relationship of fat mass to fat-free mass in the body. It’s not that young kids need to be worrying about their body composition. It’s just lifting will improve your muscle to fat ratio. In turn, this will increase your athletic performance. Specifically speed, agility and explosiveness. In “simple” terms. Muscles naturally burn calories. They burn calories just being muscles. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn. The more efficient your body is.

Lifting Increases Bone strength

Stronger bones = less injury risk. According to a Harvard Study (and they are smart), weight training can reduce the risk of Osteoporosis leading to fewer bone injuries.

Lifting Increases Confidence

Confidence is incredibly important in the sports world. If you’re playing with confidence you’re a tough athlete to beat. Lifting releases endorphins which are the “feel good” hormones. They help you feel more confident in yourself as you’re working out and after you’re done. You can do a lot with confidence as an athlete. If you feel good about the work you have been putting in that will directly translate to the field.

Lifting increases overall quality of life

It makes you more healthy overall. Your immune system is strengthened when you are weight training, reducing your risk of getting sick. If you stay healthy you are able to participate in practices, games, and events.

Quality travel, high school, college and pro teams all institute some kind of strength training regimen into their program. My advice is don’t wait to start lifting. If you are reading this article then you can get in the weight room. Our program offers fitness sessions that you can be a part of even if you’re not a player on one of our teams. We want to make sure all local athletes are getting a chance to be introduced to weight lifting.

Above all else in this article, please be safe. Make sure you know proper lifting technique and form before starting to lift any weights what-so-ever. If you are unsure of technique and from please contact our head personal trainer Coach LeClair for a consultation.

Is Hitting Off a Tee Really That Important?

Hitting off a tee can feel monotonous. You put a ball on the tee...you take a swing...you put another ball on the tee...you take a swing. You get a bucket in and you’ve had a good session. Right? Wrong! 

Hitting off a tee is one of the best hitting drills you can do in all of baseball or softball. Here is why I absolutely love tee drills. 

1. You can hit off a tee by yourself 

All you need is a tee, some baseballs, and a bat. You can spend as much time as you want hitting into a net, fence or an open field. Have fun chasing those baseballs. I did that when I was a kid. I wanted to see where the ball traveled on the field. You load a tee by yourself, you swing by yourself and you can pick by yourself. Easy. 

2. You can work on whatever you want

Do you have trouble hitting the outside pitch? The inside pitch? The high in the strike zone pitch? On a tee, you can set up whatever your weakness is and work on it. If you are working inside tee work make sure the tee is set up on the inside part of the plate in front of your front foot. When you work on down the middle pitches the tee is right on the plate (slightly to the front of the plate). When you work away, you set the tee up off your back foot on the outside part of the plate. If you want to work on hitting off a high tee and getting on top of the ball, elevate the tee on a bucket or stool. You can set up any scenario you want in your mind and hit off a tee, 2-0 count, 2-2 count, full count bases loaded; the bottom of the 9th tie game; game 7 of the world series! Who hasn’t done that one? 

3. You can do it at any effort level 

Sometimes working at a 50% effort level helps hitters feel the things they are doing wrong and doing right. Don’t be afraid to slow down your swing to feel inefficiencies. Whether it’s making sure you drive the knob to the ball, keep your hands inside the ball, making sure your hands are in front of the barrel or ensuring you are turning your hips before your hand’s fire; you can slow it down and feel it.   

We can talk all day and night about the benefits of hitting off a tee, but your time can be better spent on a tee right now. Here are some closing thoughts. Don’t just go through the motions. Put the ball on the tee, look out to the pitcher, make sure you are in a game-like hitting stance, take a deep breath, follow the fake pitch into the tee with your eyes and take your swing based on what you are working on. If you make a mistake. Reset the tee and do it again until you get it right. Then do it over and over. When you do this you are training your brain to do the right thing. Muscle memory is when you do something and you don’t have to think about doing it. When you can get to that point and you are taking good swings. You will be a successful hitter. Even current pro hitters hit off a tee, all the time. I promise. 

-Coach LeClair

Free Baseball Skills Clinic for Charity on March 8th!

This is such a cool thing for someone to do! Click here and check out this young man who started Baseball for Books! To be a part of the clinic all you have to do is show up. If you want to bring a few new or gently used books to donate to Elementary school aged children you can. When you come you get a 2 hour baseball clinic ran by some great instructors. You can’t beat free!

We will send two coaches out of our facility, Scott Sizemore, one of our hitting, fielding and pitching instructor and Tyler LeClair our Director of Baseball and Softball. They will be volunteering their time to run stations at the clinic. It should be a lot of fun! Check out the Baseball For Books website for more information on the entire program! We hope to see you there!

5 Things That Help You Get Noticed At Tryouts

Tryouts are here! We want to share a few tips on things that can help you get noticed by coaches at any level.

1. Give 100%- Make sure you are putting all of your effort into everything you do, even the small things. Coaches want to see that you can be committed to what you are doing, even if it is something as simple as stretching. Don’t just go through the motions. You’ll get noticed by the effort you put in.

2. Make adjustments- If you keep making the same mistakes over and over again coaches are going to notice that you don’t know how to make adjustments. Part of making adjustments is being able to identify your mistakes. What is causing you to swing and miss? What is causing you to miss the ground ball? If you can identify what is causing the problem, you can fix the problem. If you don’t know how to identify problems a private lesson may be what you need. If you can identify the problem, make your adjustment to show coaches you are adaptable.

3. Hustle everywhere- Jog everywhere you go. If you have to go get your bat out of your bag, jog there. If you have to go to the next drill, jog there. If you have to go to the bathroom, jog there! Coaches LOVE hustle. If you show hustle in tryouts and practice then we know there is a better chance you will hustle in the games.

4. Know your backups- If you are suppose to be backing up a play, be there. If you can help and backup a play, make sure you do that. Coaches love it when you are in the right position to help the team. Backing up is an underrated skill to have. If you don’t know when or where you should be backing up DM us on Instagram, we will help!

5. Be Coachable- This is a big one. You have to be able to be coached. This means when a coach gives you a change to make you make it. Not every single change a coach asks you to make it going to work for you, but if you at least try it, you show you are coachable. Chances are if a coach is trying to make a change, a change needs to be made. Don’t be of the mindset that you are so talented you don’t need the help getting better. This attitude will push a boarder line player out of a roster spot very quickly.

We hope these tips give you an extra edge as you try to impress some coaches. Good luck during tryouts!