Instructor of the Week

Each week we honor one of those people who represent us so well, as Instructor of the Week. This week we are proud to present Jenn Newman of Toledo, Ohio. Her story is incredible, encouraging, and some of the things she has to say will make your day. Let’s get right to it.

Jenn has a real obsession with doing things right. We asked what drives that. “There are a lot of things that drive me and have driven me over the years. Some good, some not so good, but I think the most consistent factor in my life that pushes me to give so much to my students is my faith in God. I teach how I played and that’s best summarized by Ecclesiaties 9:10 “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might;” and Colossians 3:17 “whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” In college I received a fairly scary medical diagnosis and had to endure some very painful procedures because of it. To this day I’m not totally healed but this situation gave me great perspective. The strength, energy and knowledge that God gave me today should be used for good because at any time that can be taken away. In my previous career I also worked with persons with disabilities. There are others out there who will never be able to move, talk, or go through life with the same advantages as many of us. I feel as if I have a responsibility to give my all, and require your all, out of respect for those who cannot.

I’m also driven to give to my students because I understand an impact that a coach can have on a player. I want to impact my players not only on the pitching rubber, but in life. I’ve learned a lot of character lessons through the game that were necessary as I navigated difficult situations off the field.”

The very first time we met, Jenn’s parents were with her and it was obvious that he was a big influence on her life. We asked her about that impact. “I have to say that I cannot mention my father’s impact without also acknowledging my mother’s support. She was like the glue that held us all together over the years, bringing us back down to reality when we would lose focus on the most important things in life.

There are a few stories I like to tell about my dad that describe how he so positively impacted my life and career…
When we were 8 years old my Dad told my school team that we were going to win a State Championship (which had never been done in any sport at my school.) Everything he did after that not only fostered that dream in me, but helped develop me into the pitcher who would ultimately fulfill that goal.
He was usually my coach, so as a youngster I was always the last to play the position I wanted and definitely the last to pitch. He didn’t want anyone to say he showed favoritism so made me work twice as hard as anyone else in order to earn a spot. He was challenging but never discouraging. He was always quick to celebrate my successes and would stay after any game or practice to hit, pitch or field “just one more.” He made the game fun, and made hard work enjoyable.
I remember one time during the off season we were working on the drop-curve. My dad was a good catcher and hardly missed, but this one particular pitch broke so much that it curved around his glove hitting him right in the ankle. He didn’t get mad, yell, or hardly even squirm, he jumped up and yelled with excitement “Did you see that break?!!” I think he was in crutches for a week or so, but he sure was proud of that pitch that put him in those crutches because he told everyone about it for years. I know he loves watching the game, but what he did right was make sure that i knew how much he enjoyed watching ME play. Even more than that, how much he enjoyed practicing and playing together. Games are fun, but there’s nothing that will replace all of those great memories fielding ground balls until the sun went down, pitching in my elementary gym until they kicked us out, or hitting in the garage until my mom made us go to bed. We spent 1000s of hours analyzing and communicating how to make each skill or movement better. He wasn’t always trying to “fix” me, but he was constantly encouraging me to be better.

As a parent now myself I try to remember to always tell my girls that I enjoy participating in their activities. I try to give them the freedom to make mistakes, but the encouragement to do better next time. I learned that from my Dad.”

Finally, we asked Jenn why she loved being part of Tincher Pitching. “I love being a part of this group because it’s like an extension of what my dad and I had! I love the idea sharing and the creativity with drills. I love learning and this group always has me excited to learn something new! This group has been invaluable for me during my year of transition into a full time instructor. Almost a year after I met Denny I had so many students calling that I had to bring on another instructor. In that year we expanded our family and made two job transitions. This network of coaches made that possible by encouraging me, providing resources, and answering questions that would have taken me weeks or even months to find the answers to on my own.

When you sign up for a Tincher lesson you don’t get 1 instructor, you get the 80+ instructors across the country who are all on board to help you succeed.”

Thank you Jenn for starting our day right. If you are a former college pitcher who would like to join a group like this, contact us today.