Barry Odom expounds on Mizzou’s satellite camp plans, reacts to Michigan’s visit to KC

New Missouri football coach Barry Odom says he’s neither surprised nor put out by Jim Harbaugh’s upcoming “Swarm Tour” Part II, which will visit the Show-Me State.

Harbaugh, the Michigan coach who touched off a national debate last spring when he toured the country as a guest instructor at clinics through the Southeastern Conference’s recruiting territory, so-called “satellite camps,” is setting up shop in the Tigers’ backyard.

Photo credit from wxyz.com/Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh reportedly offers scholarship to eighth grader Blake Hinson

“You look across the country, that’s happening everywhere,” Odom said Wednesday during a teleconference for SEC East coaches. “The University of Missouri will do a great job when recruiting our state. We’re going to do a great job continuing to develop the relationships that we have. … I understand that we’re going to have some people recruit the state of Missouri and I look forward to us to doing the same.”

Photo Credit from gridironnow.com/ Mizzou made the right call with Barry Odom

Harbaugh will be featured at the Midwest Elite Football Camp, a clinic for high school football players June 15 at Blue Springs South High. He also will appear at a camp at Pittsburg State in southeast Kansas earlier that day.

Blue Springs South boys basketball coach Jimmy Cain is the brother-in-law of Harbaugh’s wife, Sarah. Cain is married to Sarah’s sister, Amy.

After the NCAA Division, I Board of Directors reversed course on proposed satellite-camp ban last month, the SEC also lifted conference-level restrictions on its membership fanning out as guest instructors across the country. Missouri is ramping up its own summer recruiting schedule with visits planned through Texas and the Gulf Coast.

“We’ll try to get as many evaluations as we can … and it will be a busy summer,” Odom said. “We’ll be in Dallas, specifically, and the Texas area four or five times. We’ll get down into Mississippi and over into Georgia and Florida.”

The Tigers have been announced as a participant in Oklahoma State’s mega-camp in conjunction with the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, which makes five stops in Texas — Belton on June 2, San Antonio and Houston on June 3 and Tyler and Dallas on June 4. Several other power-five schools — Mississippi, Kansas State, Iowa State, Arizona State, Boise State, Northwestern and Oregon State — also are scheduled to appear.

USA Today reported last month that Mizzou would be part of a 15-team mega-camp in Atlanta along with Mississippi among others, but it’s unclear if or how the NCAA Division I Council’s initial decision to ban the camps and the NCAA’s subsequent reversal affected those plans. The Tigers also reportedly will partner with North Carolina State for a camp in Atlanta, according to Power Mizzou.

Technically, guest instructors aren’t allowed to recruit players during satellite-camp appearances, but the rapport developed through instruction and the chance for a hands-on evaluation can be pivotal in the recruiting process.

Odom reiterated that getting prospects on campus remains the top priority as it allows for more time with the Tigers’ staff and, he believes, provides a recruiting edge by showcasing Mizzou’s facilities and campus.

Photo Credit from kansascity.com/Barry Odom: Mizzou prepared to join ‘satellite camp’ feeding frenzy

That didn’t stop the Tigers from joining the fray, including recently announced camps in Kansas City on June 7 at Park Hill High and in St. Louis on June 5 at Kirkwood High in addition to the on-campus lineup.

Missouri almost certainly isn’t done adding camp dates and locations, including a keen interest in an appearance in Chicago.

“We’ve got a couple of opportunities and just have to decide how it’s going to fit within our window of time and find a way to make it work,” Odom said. “That area, the city of Chicago, is 5 1/2 to 6 hours from our campus, so obviously it could be a draw there. Our alumni base, you’ve got St. Louis, you’ve got Kansas City, you’ve got Dallas and then Chicago. Those are our major alumni bases for the University of Missouri and they play great football. We’ve got to find the right fit and recruit the right kids, but it’s a great opportunity to take our staff somewhere else.”

Plenty of other camp options are bounds to a surface.

“Literally, I get a text every five minutes about another (satellite camp) and it’s tough,” new Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “You’ve got to decide, ‘Am I going outside my footprint of recruiting or am I staying inside, staying my ground?’ That’s the dilemma we have now in trying to make these decisions. We’re not really used to it. This is kind of a new thing.”

What's the Bottomline?

Who is Barry Odom?

Barry Odom (born November 26, 1976) is an American football coach. He is currently the head football coach of the Missouri Tigers football team.

Odom played college football at the University of Missouri as a linebacker from 1996 to 1999.After his playing career ended he became a high school football coach, coaching Ada High School in Ada, Oklahoma in 2000 and Rock Bridge High School in Columbia, Missouri from 2001 to 2002. In 2003, Odom returned to Missouri as an administrative graduate assistant. He stayed in Missouri until 2012, serving in numerous different coaching and administrative positions.

In 2012, Odom left Missouri to become defensive coordinator of the Memphis Tigers football team. Odom returned to Missouri to become their defensive coordinator in 2015. Odom was named the head coach of the Missouri Tigers football team on December 3, 2015, after former head coach Gary Pinkel retired after 15 seasons at the university due to health related issues.

Sources:

kansascity.com: Barry Odom expounds on Mizzou’s satellite camp plans, reacts to Michigan’s visit to KC

en.wikipedia.org: Barry Odom

Royals’ Reymond Fuentes hopes to follow in cousin Carlos Beltran’s footsteps

Photo Credit from kckingdom.com/: KC Royals: Reymond Fuentes Should Be Starting In Right Field

In the early 2000s, Reymond Fuentes traveled from his Florida home to Kansas City, taking in a Royals game at Kauffman Stadium. His mother, Olga, wanted young Reymond to see her first cousin play baseball in person. Fuentes says that when they entered the stadium, he spotted Carlos Beltran in center field.

And that time, Fuentes says, “Ever since then, I’ve followed him,”

As a child, Fuentes patterned his game off Beltran, a former Royals star. He sought to his emulate his blend of power and speed. He gravitated toward center field, the position his second cousin has manned for most of his major-league career. When his family moved to Manati, Puerto Rico, he sometimes would see Beltran in the offseason.

Fuentes, 25, is now an outfielder in the farm system of the Royals, the franchise for which Beltran began his All-Star career. Fuentes mostly shrugs at the coincidence, but he cherishes his childhood memory in Kansas City. For now, though, he prefers to make a new one. It could come as early as next month.

Photo Credit From cjonline.com/: Royals notebook: Reymond Fuentes will be starter in right field

With Jarrod Dyson out six weeks with an oblique strain, the Royals will have at least one outfield opening on their 25-man roster. Fuentes could be a logical fit. On the Royals’ current roster, Fuentes is the player who most resembles Dyson. He offers a left-handed bat to complement the right-handed-hitting Paulo Orlando. He can man multiple outfield spots. His legs are a potential weapon off the bench.

Club officials say Fuentes does not possess the game-changing speed of Dyson, but as a former high school track star in Puerto Rico, he offers value as a pinch runner and possible base stealer. In five games this spring, he is batting .429 (3 for 7) with two walks and a stolen base.

When the Royals break camp in early April, their outfield mix is likely to include Alex Gordon, Lorenzo Cain, and Orlando. The club could choose to carry five at least until Dyson is healthy enough to return.

Photo Credit From m.mlb.com/: Dyson, Royals avoid arbitration with 1-year deal EmailPrint

Fuentes already has tasted the big leagues once. A former first-round pick of the Red Sox in 2009, he was dealt with the San Diego Padres in 2010 in a trade that sent Adrian Gonzalez to Boston. He spent two seasons in the Padres’ system, batting .330 across Class AA and Class AAA in 2013. He debuted for the Padres on Aug. 13, 2013, and spent the rest of the season in the big leagues.

He returned the minors leagues the next season. The Padres deemed him expendable at the end of the 2014 season. The Royals acquired him for a low cost, sending reliever Kyle Bartsch, a former seventh-round pick, to the Padres in November 2014.

In 2015, Fuentes batted .308 with nine homers for Class AAA Omaha. As the big-league team won the American League Central with speed and defense, Fuentes piled up 26 stolen bases in 35 attempts. He furthered his cause this offseason, batting .326 with a .824 on-base-plus-slugging in 33 games in the Puerto Rican winter league. He won the league’s batting title in the process.

“He’s always been a guy that can spray the ball around, a guy that can get on base,” Yost said. “He’s an above-average outfielder.”

For now, Fuentes is taking a modest approach to big-league camp. He says he would like to “open eyes,” but he would mostly like to build off what he accomplished last season and this winter. The injury to Dyson could present an opportunity in the short term, but Fuentes says he is more focused on the long game.

“It’s hard to see a player go down,” he said. “It’s tough. It’s not even about sports. It’s the health of somebody else. But everything happens for a reason.”

You Might Be Wondering:

Who Is Reymond Fuentes?

Reymond Fuentes was on born February 12, 1991. He is a Puerto Rican professional baseball outfielder for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the San Diego Padres. Fuentes is the cousin of New York Yankees outfielder Carlos Beltran.

Who Is Carlos Beltran?

Carlos Iván Beltrán is a Puerto Rican professional baseball outfielder for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has also played in MLB for the Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, and St. Louis Cardinals. Beltrán was the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year in 1999 while with the Royals. He has been named to nine MLB All-Star Games and has won three Gold Glove Awards and two Silver Slugger Awards. Beltrán is the fifth player to reach both 400 home runs and 300 stolen bases and just the fourth switch-hitter with 400 home runs. He is also a member of the 30–30 club, as he has hit 30 home runs and stolen 30 bases in the same season.

SOURCES:

kansascity.com/: Royals’ Reymond Fuentes hopes to follow in cousin Carlos Beltran’s footsteps

en.wikipedia.org/: Reymond Fuentes

en.wikipedia.org/: Carlos Beltrán

How Can I Improve My Vertical Jump?

Photo credit from muscleandfitness.com/: BUILD POWERFUL LEGS AND INCREASE YOUR VERTICAL

You might be wondering what  could be the best ways to train to improve your power and jumping ability with explosive movements?

We've got you covered! The following exercises and workout tips are the answer for your question. It also helps to improve lower body explosiveness, power, and strength, which will enable you to improve your vertical leap. As a bonus, you'll get in great anaerobic and aerobic shape.

Here's the Deal:

JUMP EXERCISE:

Photo credit from vertjumpreviews.com/: WORKOUTS TO INCREASE VERTICAL JUMP

Jumping is the very basic exercise that may help your vertical leap increase. There are some jumping exercises you can perform.

1. JUMP! Sometimes you just have to jump, jump, jump. For this exercise, You can generally go to a wall and leap as high as you can 10 times. This once-per-week exercise is about practicing the vertical leap to get a feeling for the movement itself.
2. JUMP ROPE! The jump rope is an incredibly effective, versatile workout tool, It really helps to build explosive power. Consider it a functional cardio exercise and aim for 30 minutes, 4-5 days per week.
3. JUMP OVER AN OBSTACLE! Jumping over an object, like a playground bench or box, will provide you with a physical marker to surpass. Go all out with this move and channel your inner pogo stick, the higher, the better. Aim for 10 jumps in 10 minutes; attempt a new jump every minute on the minute.
4. HURDLES!  Similar to building explosive power by jumping over a stationary object, hurdles allow you to practice your leap. Space eight flights of hurdles two feet from each other and aim to jump over each like a pogo stick basically, as high as you can. Repeat this for 10 repetitions: one flight of eight hurdles equals one repetition. Do this twice per week.

SQUAT EXERCISE:

Photo credit from: t-nation.com/: 19 Squat & Deadlift Variations

Squats are considered a vital exercise for increasing the strength and size of the legs and buttocks, as well as developing core strength. It also one workout tips that could help to develop your vertical leap. The squat has a number of variants, some of which can be combined:

1. JUMP SQUAT! This power movement exercise is vital to improving your vertical jump as it improves your explosiveness and strength in your lower body and core.
2. SQUAT TO RAISE ARMPIT!  We love these exercises, as they are relatively simple to master, but gives you a great way to train explosive movement. So instead of taking months to master a clean or snatch movement, you can start on simpler versions especially if you’re less-skilled in Olympic lifting, with more speed and explosive potential. This exercise develops strength in the shoulders while also targeting the jump based motion of the hips.
3. SQUAT! Whether you are back squatting with the bar, or doing body weight squats, this exercise is an essential part of a vertical jump program. This exercise will build strength in the legs and core, which are key in the landing phases of any plyometric program.
4. LIGHTWEIGHT, HIGH-REP SQUATS! Bodyweight squats are a great way to practice your vertical jump because your squat stance mimics the lowest crouch position of your vertical jump. Incorporate these into your routine twice every week, increasing the number or sets and reps as you improve.

CALF RAISES:

Photo credit from noexcuseshealth.wordpress.com/: Leg Exercise – Calf Raises

Calf raises are essential whether when you're looking to dunk, high-jump, or just leave the ground with an extra bit of oomph. Most athletes do a 1,000 calf raises before bed, and their vertical leap increased by 12 inches. While it might sound like an overwhelming number of calf raises, when broken into a more manageable scheme like 10 sets of 100 reps, it's totally doable. Best of all, there's no need to add weight and no equipment is involved. This is a great, do-anywhere exercise.

SOURCES:

bodybuilding.com/: ASK THE RIPPED DUDE: HOW CAN I IMPROVE MY VERTICAL JUMP?

breakthroughbasketball.com/: 5 Explosive Exercises For Your Vertical Jump