I cannot wipe the smile off of my son's face everyday. The best decision of his life...
~Parent of Student-Athlete
You make a huge impact on these kids’ lives, at such a critical time in their life, being an amazing mentor, role model and coach for them, both in life and on the field. We know you made them better ball players but, more importantly, taught them how to do things the right way in everything they do, which we know (he) still carries forward with. We sincerely appreciate everything you did for him and the positive influence you had in his life.
~Parent - School of Baseball Graduate in 2018
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The Diamondawgs School of Baseball is a Mizuno Elite Team Partner |
The Diamondawgs School of Baseball is an incredibly unique training and development opportunity for baseball players in Calgary. Our program runs inside of the school day for the student athletes and that has a number of positive benefits:
1. Student athletes have the ability to develop multi-sport athleticism because they are not training for baseball each evening and through the weekend. It also provides better life balance and the opportunity to develop other areas of their life or work a part-time job.
2. Training during the school day creates more time outside of school to take care of their academics.
3. Our program develops better baseball players, but our teaching curriculum is centered around developing outstanding young men. Having our training connected with the high school provides many more avenues to develop our student-athletes on a personal level.
Our yearly training is broken into 3 different categories:
1. Classroom Sessions:
We have a classroom session one time per week through the winter months. We cover topics such as mental skills training, college placement, leadership, time management, test taking strategies, SAT prep, study skills, skills analysis through video, and baseball specific "chalk talk".
2. Baseball Training Sessions:
These sessions take place either on the field (Sept-Thanksgiving & April 10th-end of school) or indoors (Thanksgiving to April 10th). We teach position specific details as well as discuss, in depth, all team systems. While indoors players have the opportunity to make significant adjustments to their mechanics and see exponential improvements when combined with quality repetitions and work in the weight room.
3. Strength and Conditioning:
Besides the detail of our instruction and our classroom sessions, the School of Baseball strength and conditioning program is what sets us apart from any other baseball program in this area. Our head strength coach, Jeff Osadec, has significant experience working with amateur and professional athletes and he has in depth knowledge of baseball mechanics and how to improve those skills through strength development in the weight room. Learn more about Coach Osadec HERE.
Overview of High School Program
1. Consider attending a training session to have an opportunity to meet our coaches and work with our current student-athletes. Fill out the form below if you are interested in experiencing a Diamondawgs School of Baseball session.
2. Fill out the Student-Athlete Application form (link to online application below).
3. Once the Diamondawgs staff receive the completed application, we will contact you to book a 1-on-1 skill evaluation and interview. The evaluation and interview will take about 60 minutes.
4. The results of the evaluation and interview will be considered along with the submitted academic report and a review of the coach & teacher reference. A decision on acceptance is typically made within 14 days of the skill evaluation and interview.
5. Start communicating with your high school administration and guidance councellor to arrange for a period 4 spare to accommodate our training. Be prepared to take CALM (Career & Life Management) on line or as a summer course (more info HERE).
For more information about this program please contact Miki Kawahara
Registration is on-going throughout the year.
1. Student athletes have the ability to develop multi-sport athleticism because they are not training for baseball each evening and through the weekend. It also provides better life balance and the opportunity to develop other areas of their life or work a part-time job.
2. Training during the school day creates more time outside of school to take care of their academics.
3. Our program develops better baseball players, but our teaching curriculum is centered around developing outstanding young men. Having our training connected with the high school provides many more avenues to develop our student-athletes on a personal level.
Our yearly training is broken into 3 different categories:
1. Classroom Sessions:
We have a classroom session one time per week through the winter months. We cover topics such as mental skills training, college placement, leadership, time management, test taking strategies, SAT prep, study skills, skills analysis through video, and baseball specific "chalk talk".
2. Baseball Training Sessions:
These sessions take place either on the field (Sept-Thanksgiving & April 10th-end of school) or indoors (Thanksgiving to April 10th). We teach position specific details as well as discuss, in depth, all team systems. While indoors players have the opportunity to make significant adjustments to their mechanics and see exponential improvements when combined with quality repetitions and work in the weight room.
3. Strength and Conditioning:
Besides the detail of our instruction and our classroom sessions, the School of Baseball strength and conditioning program is what sets us apart from any other baseball program in this area. Our head strength coach, Jeff Osadec, has significant experience working with amateur and professional athletes and he has in depth knowledge of baseball mechanics and how to improve those skills through strength development in the weight room. Learn more about Coach Osadec HERE.
Overview of High School Program
- Full academy schedule consisting of just under 350 hours of training.
- Students-athletes complete most of their training during their regular class time.
- Approximately 15 games during the fall and spring (dependent on registration & weather).
- Training sessions will be a mix of baseball skill development (4 sessions during a typical week), strength and conditioning (3 sessions per week), and classroom sessions (1 session per week).
- Baseball skill development sessions will include position specific instruction, team defensive systems, as well as slow motion analysis of pitching, hitting, and defensive techniques. Teaching will take place mostly in small group sessions and will be held both outdoors (fall and spring) and indoors (winter months).
- Every hitter in the program uses a Blast Motion bat sensor to track and provide feedback on every swing. This allows for focused and individualized development of each hitter. Learn more about Blast HERE
- Hitters also use Rapsodo technology to track ball flight data and capture video with metrics that can be used for college recruiting.
- Pitchers develop through the use of the Rapsodo pitch tracking technology during each of their bullpens leading up to the season. Multiple metrics are tracked including spin rate, spin axis, pitch location, strike %, etc
- Strength and conditioning sessions will be baseball-specific in design and will be built to coincide optimally with each player’s competition schedule.
- Speed and agility training.
- Classroom sessions will cover baseball-related assignments, mental skills training and nutrition, as well as college placement projects (baseball resume, developing a list of possible schools, researching academic eligibility, etc.).
- Students who attend the School of Baseball from grade 10-12 will also work their way through the LEAD curriculum which is a leadership program designed specifically for youth and accredited by the City of Calgary.
- Comprehensive apparel/equipment package from Mizuno Baseball - as an Mizuno Elite Team Partner, the School of Baseball has access to some of the best baseball training equipment and apparel
- A coaching staff consisting of qualified teachers who have professional and college experience.
- Performance testing to measure progress.
- Top quality indoor and outdoor facilities.
- Skill evaluations after receiving student-athlete application.
- All players return to the program of their choice during the on-season.
1. Consider attending a training session to have an opportunity to meet our coaches and work with our current student-athletes. Fill out the form below if you are interested in experiencing a Diamondawgs School of Baseball session.
2. Fill out the Student-Athlete Application form (link to online application below).
3. Once the Diamondawgs staff receive the completed application, we will contact you to book a 1-on-1 skill evaluation and interview. The evaluation and interview will take about 60 minutes.
4. The results of the evaluation and interview will be considered along with the submitted academic report and a review of the coach & teacher reference. A decision on acceptance is typically made within 14 days of the skill evaluation and interview.
5. Start communicating with your high school administration and guidance councellor to arrange for a period 4 spare to accommodate our training. Be prepared to take CALM (Career & Life Management) on line or as a summer course (more info HERE).
For more information about this program please contact Miki Kawahara
Registration is on-going throughout the year.
Training Schedule
2019-20 Special Guests:
May 2020: Jordan Procyshen, Tennessee Smokies (AA affiliate - Chicago Cubs)
Jordan joined us in the middle of the COVID pandemic to talk about his journey from playing on Little League fields in Calgary to being drafted by the Boston Red Sox. His insights were incredibly valuable for our student-athletes as Jordan discussed the transition from high school to college, the best advice he ever received as an amateur player, what it takes to be a professional player, and so much more!
Jordan joined us in the middle of the COVID pandemic to talk about his journey from playing on Little League fields in Calgary to being drafted by the Boston Red Sox. His insights were incredibly valuable for our student-athletes as Jordan discussed the transition from high school to college, the best advice he ever received as an amateur player, what it takes to be a professional player, and so much more!
2018-19 Special Guests:
October 2018: Coach Bobby Tewksbary
Coach Tewksbary's became one of the most sought after hitting instructors after helping unlikely journeyman Chris Colabello get to the big leagues and then becoming a catalyst for Josh Donaldson's rise to AL MVP in 2015. Tewksbary's client list also includes AJ Pollock (Diamondbacks), Jose Bautista, and dozens of other big leaguers.
Coach Tewksbary is the co-founder of AB Athletic Development in Nashua, NH. Since 2008, he has grown AB from a part-time passion project into a full-time career with a 7,000 square foot facility and clients around the country and Major League Baseball. Coach Tewksbary is also a special assistant for the Italian National Team as they prepare to qualify for the Olympics.
Coach Tewksbary's became one of the most sought after hitting instructors after helping unlikely journeyman Chris Colabello get to the big leagues and then becoming a catalyst for Josh Donaldson's rise to AL MVP in 2015. Tewksbary's client list also includes AJ Pollock (Diamondbacks), Jose Bautista, and dozens of other big leaguers.
Coach Tewksbary is the co-founder of AB Athletic Development in Nashua, NH. Since 2008, he has grown AB from a part-time passion project into a full-time career with a 7,000 square foot facility and clients around the country and Major League Baseball. Coach Tewksbary is also a special assistant for the Italian National Team as they prepare to qualify for the Olympics.
2017-18 Special Guests:
January 2018: Coach Grana
A recruiting trip for Coach Grana from NCAA Div III MacMurray College (Illinois) brought him to Alberta and he spent an afternoon watching our student-athletes work out at the Coyote Den.
January 2018: Coach Hubka
Recruiting visit from one of the most successful coaches in Alberta. Coach Hubka came in to talk recruiting and PBA Baseball with our student-athletes.
A recruiting trip for Coach Grana from NCAA Div III MacMurray College (Illinois) brought him to Alberta and he spent an afternoon watching our student-athletes work out at the Coyote Den.
January 2018: Coach Hubka
Recruiting visit from one of the most successful coaches in Alberta. Coach Hubka came in to talk recruiting and PBA Baseball with our student-athletes.
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Academy Alumni
Coach Kawahara and his staff have worked with dozens of players since 2007 who went on to play college baseball. Here are a few:
Cole Alguire - Grad 2020
Transfer to Vauxhall Baseball Academy
University of British Columbia (NAIA)
Ethan Balogh - Grad 2018
Mendocino College, CA (CCCAA)
Graceland University, IA (NAIA)
Bobby Bogensberg - Grad 2007
California State University East Bay, CA (NCAA-II)
Glendale Community College, CA
New Mexico Junior College, NM
Koll Cherkowski - Grad 2019
Thompson Rivers University, BC (CCBC)
Donovan Feenstra - Grad 2010
University of the Cumberlands, KY (NAIA)
Professionally with 2 Independent Teams
Raj Gill - Grad 2018
Prairie Baseball Academy, AB (CCBC)
Nicholas Granton - Grad 2010
Northern State College, SD (NCAA-II)
Truman State University, MO (NCAA-II)
Bayley Hartl - Grad 2018
Cabrillo College, CA (CCCAA)
Michael Heaton - Grad 2013
Spokane Falls Community College (NWAC)
University of British Columbia (NAIA)
Carter Hercun - Grad 2022
University of Toronto (OUA)
Nolan Hines - Grad 2020
Clark College, WA (NWAC)
Viterbo University, WI (NAIA)
Wylie Johnston - Grad 2012
University of Calgary (CCBC)
Tyler Lowey - Grad 2008
Thompson Rivers University, BC (CCBC)
Andrew Malone - Grad 2010
Colorado Mesa University, CO (NCAA-II)
Jeremy McPhee - Grad 2011
Jamestown College, ND (NAIA)
Brad Mikalishen - Grad 2020
Prairie Baseball Academy, AB (CCBC)
Corbin Mossop - Grad 2022
Okanagan College (CCBC)
Blake Nelson - Grad 2020
Douglas College, BC (NWAC)
University of Calgary (CCBC)
Dymitri Pavlove - Grad 2019
Big Bend Community College, WA (NWAC)
Prairie Baseball Academy, AB (CCBC)
*2019 Central Memorial Grade 12 Athlete of the Year
Nick Pelletier - Grad 2015
Okanagan College, BC (CCBC)
*Qualified for 2019 Age Group World Triathlon Championships (Lausanne, Switzerland)
Levi Pellett - Grad 2017
PBA in Lethbridge, AB (CCBC)
Dillon Rouleau - Grad 2019
University of Calgary, AB (CCBC)
*2019 Central Memorial Most Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year
Braydon Saunders - Grad 2017
University of Calgary, AB (CCBC)
Nicholas Sauve - Grad 2022
Okanagan College (CCBC)
Isaac Swisher - Grad 2022
NHIT-Concords Community College (USCAA)
Cole Alguire - Grad 2020
Transfer to Vauxhall Baseball Academy
University of British Columbia (NAIA)
Ethan Balogh - Grad 2018
Mendocino College, CA (CCCAA)
Graceland University, IA (NAIA)
Bobby Bogensberg - Grad 2007
California State University East Bay, CA (NCAA-II)
Glendale Community College, CA
New Mexico Junior College, NM
Koll Cherkowski - Grad 2019
Thompson Rivers University, BC (CCBC)
Donovan Feenstra - Grad 2010
University of the Cumberlands, KY (NAIA)
Professionally with 2 Independent Teams
Raj Gill - Grad 2018
Prairie Baseball Academy, AB (CCBC)
Nicholas Granton - Grad 2010
Northern State College, SD (NCAA-II)
Truman State University, MO (NCAA-II)
Bayley Hartl - Grad 2018
Cabrillo College, CA (CCCAA)
Michael Heaton - Grad 2013
Spokane Falls Community College (NWAC)
University of British Columbia (NAIA)
Carter Hercun - Grad 2022
University of Toronto (OUA)
Nolan Hines - Grad 2020
Clark College, WA (NWAC)
Viterbo University, WI (NAIA)
Wylie Johnston - Grad 2012
University of Calgary (CCBC)
Tyler Lowey - Grad 2008
Thompson Rivers University, BC (CCBC)
Andrew Malone - Grad 2010
Colorado Mesa University, CO (NCAA-II)
Jeremy McPhee - Grad 2011
Jamestown College, ND (NAIA)
Brad Mikalishen - Grad 2020
Prairie Baseball Academy, AB (CCBC)
Corbin Mossop - Grad 2022
Okanagan College (CCBC)
Blake Nelson - Grad 2020
Douglas College, BC (NWAC)
University of Calgary (CCBC)
Dymitri Pavlove - Grad 2019
Big Bend Community College, WA (NWAC)
Prairie Baseball Academy, AB (CCBC)
*2019 Central Memorial Grade 12 Athlete of the Year
Nick Pelletier - Grad 2015
Okanagan College, BC (CCBC)
*Qualified for 2019 Age Group World Triathlon Championships (Lausanne, Switzerland)
Levi Pellett - Grad 2017
PBA in Lethbridge, AB (CCBC)
Dillon Rouleau - Grad 2019
University of Calgary, AB (CCBC)
*2019 Central Memorial Most Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year
Braydon Saunders - Grad 2017
University of Calgary, AB (CCBC)
Nicholas Sauve - Grad 2022
Okanagan College (CCBC)
Isaac Swisher - Grad 2022
NHIT-Concords Community College (USCAA)