Pitching coach recommendations (11U)

[Anonymous]

Any suggestions on great pitching coaches for private lessons in the offseason for an 11 year old baseball player who wants to improve before spring? Ideally would be in DC or Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

Roger Mendoza at DC Dynasty is excellent!

Also Damon Cruz at Baseball Zone.

For both, you just need to create an account and see when they are available.

[Anonymous]

Yeah I was going to mention Damon Cruz earlier too but the OP mentioned Bethesda or DC and also our only experience is with Damon. So can't really say how he compares to others.

Overall the Baseball Zone has a great staff and a decent facility. I think there's a reason why it's pretty crowded there and I consider a local favorite.

We go to D-Bat too, can't say too much about their coaching/instructors because never tried it. Customer service wise we give the edge to the Baseball Zone. D-Bat does have a better selection of equipment to buy.

And then there's coaches who coach out of Training HQ off of East Gude in Rockville. It's a bit harder to find/follow information on them and I think private coaches rents space in their facility too.

I probably got most of the local baseball information from threads on dcurbanmom. Specifically there was this one where a coach did an ask them anything:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/921281.page

[Anonymous]

DBat is closing (if not closed already)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DBat is closing (if not closed already)

I don't know supposedly they're looking for a new place and their last update was that they'd be open until December and they have some places in mind.

We haven't been there in a couple of months, so don't really know what it's like there now.

Guess we'll see.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DBat is closing (if not closed already)

I don't know supposedly they're looking for a new place and their last update was that they'd be open until December and they have some places in mind.

We haven't been there in a couple of months, so don't really know what it's like there now.

Guess we'll see.

Are you referring to the Gaithersburg location? D-Bat is a chain with multiple locations. The Gaithersburg location seems nearly brand new.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DBat is closing (if not closed already)

I don't know supposedly they're looking for a new place and their last update was that they'd be open until December and they have some places in mind.

We haven't been there in a couple of months, so don't really know what it's like there now.

Guess we'll see.

Are you referring to the Gaithersburg location? D-Bat is a chain with multiple locations. The Gaithersburg location seems nearly brand new.

Yeah, sorry if I wasn't clear. I thought the other closest ones were in other states, like Virginia Beach and maybe PA and NJ.

But I'm talking about the Gaithersburg one. They sent a message a little while ago that they were moving locations and closing the Gaithersburg location in November. But in the last couple of weeks they sent another message saying that they were keeping the Gaithersburg location open through December but had some locations in mind to move to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DBat is closing (if not closed already)

I don't know supposedly they're looking for a new place and their last update was that they'd be open until December and they have some places in mind.

We haven't been there in a couple of months, so don't really know what it's like there now.

Guess we'll see.

Are you referring to the Gaithersburg location? D-Bat is a chain with multiple locations. The Gaithersburg location seems nearly brand new.

Yeah, sorry if I wasn't clear. I thought the other closest ones were in other states, like Virginia Beach and maybe PA and NJ.

But I'm talking about the Gaithersburg one. They sent a message a little while ago that they were moving locations and closing the Gaithersburg location in November. But in the last couple of weeks they sent another message saying that they were keeping the Gaithersburg location open through December but had some locations in mind to move to.

They picked a poor location, not near 270. Hopefully they will do better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DBat is closing (if not closed already)

I don't know supposedly they're looking for a new place and their last update was that they'd be open until December and they have some places in mind.

We haven't been there in a couple of months, so don't really know what it's like there now.

Guess we'll see.

Are you referring to the Gaithersburg location? D-Bat is a chain with multiple locations. The Gaithersburg location seems nearly brand new.

Yeah, sorry if I wasn't clear. I thought the other closest ones were in other states, like Virginia Beach and maybe PA and NJ.

But I'm talking about the Gaithersburg one. They sent a message a little while ago that they were moving locations and closing the Gaithersburg location in November. But in the last couple of weeks they sent another message saying that they were keeping the Gaithersburg location open through December but had some locations in mind to move to.

They picked a poor location, not near 270. Hopefully they will do better.

Honestly I didn't think it was an issue with not getting enough customers. There have been times that it's been packed there and they seem to have good turnouts for their camps and clinics. And there are teams that practice there too. It's probably convenient for people in the Clarksburg and Damascus areas and it's not like there are a lot of choices to pick from in Montgomery County. So people are willing to travel.

It's a nice facility and I figured it was probably a rent issue, where maybe the rent over there got increased or something.

If they open a facility like that closer to 270 it would probably be more expensive too which they'd probably pass the cost on to the customers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah I was going to mention Damon Cruz earlier too but the OP mentioned Bethesda or DC and also our only experience is with Damon. So can't really say how he compares to others.

Overall the Baseball Zone has a great staff and a decent facility. I think there's a reason why it's pretty crowded there and I consider a local favorite.

We go to D-Bat too, can't say too much about their coaching/instructors because never tried it. Customer service wise we give the edge to the Baseball Zone. D-Bat does have a better selection of equipment to buy.

And then there's coaches who coach out of Training HQ off of East Gude in Rockville. It's a bit harder to find/follow information on them and I think private coaches rents space in their facility too.

I probably got most of the local baseball information from threads on dcurbanmom. Specifically there was this one where a coach did an ask them anything:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/921281.page

Hey that was me Happy to revive that thread!☺️

It’s been awhile (I check in every few weeks). Since then I’ve opened a private training facility (Rockville). It’s geared more towards ballplayers that are highly motivated and looking for advanced instruction. We currently have a major league baseball pitching coach on staff developing our pitchers. My personal opinion is there are so many instructors out there and a lot of misinformation. In my mind it just makes more sense not to waste time and receive instruction that really makes a difference - immediately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah I was going to mention Damon Cruz earlier too but the OP mentioned Bethesda or DC and also our only experience is with Damon. So can't really say how he compares to others.

Overall the Baseball Zone has a great staff and a decent facility. I think there's a reason why it's pretty crowded there and I consider a local favorite.

We go to D-Bat too, can't say too much about their coaching/instructors because never tried it. Customer service wise we give the edge to the Baseball Zone. D-Bat does have a better selection of equipment to buy.

And then there's coaches who coach out of Training HQ off of East Gude in Rockville. It's a bit harder to find/follow information on them and I think private coaches rents space in their facility too.

I probably got most of the local baseball information from threads on dcurbanmom. Specifically there was this one where a coach did an ask them anything:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/921281.page

Hey that was me Happy to revive that thread!☺️

It’s been awhile (I check in every few weeks). Since then I’ve opened a private training facility (Rockville). It’s geared more towards ballplayers that are highly motivated and looking for advanced instruction. We currently have a major league baseball pitching coach on staff developing our pitchers. My personal opinion is there are so many instructors out there and a lot of misinformation. In my mind it just makes more sense not to waste time and receive instruction that really makes a difference - immediately.

Able to share the name of the training facility?

[Anonymous]

DAMON CRUZ ARRESTED
https://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail_Pol.aspx?Item_ID=45288
If your kid worked with this man please check on them.

[Anonymous]

Always thought there was something off about that guy. Sorry to hear I was right. My son went to him a couple times at Baseball Zone but was never alone with him.

[Anonymous]

That's freaky. But as someone with two kids who have been to private sports coaches, I am wondering how this happens. I am generally sitting there in view of the lesson, and even when I have left briefly, there are a bunch of other people around. Was this a small facility with just one guy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's freaky. But as someone with two kids who have been to private sports coaches, I am wondering how this happens. I am generally sitting there in view of the lesson, and even when I have left briefly, there are a bunch of other people around. Was this a small facility with just one guy?

I think we're going to need to wait for the details to hear what happened.

But the place is pretty much like how you described the place you go to. And Damon used to always make sure parents were in the loop and talk to the parents during the sessions.

Also the owner seems to keep a close eyes on things. Where I think he monitors things from his office and whenever he sees an issue, such as an employee taking a while to adjust a pitching machine, long lines, parents standing around, he'll run out to try to help fix the issue. ie come and help fix the machine, open more pitching machine cages, have his employees set out chairs, etc.