M3 Coach Neil Question

Hello as moderator I struggle with whether this does or doesn't belong on the forum. While I appreciate your suggestion that perhaps a training facility's instructor backgrounds need to be better explained or vetted, I am not sure whether it doesn't make more sense to simply ask them directly. M3 has provided their website and contact info in previous posts.

I don't know the folks at M3 however I have seen Nikki Beal working at the facility over the winter with groups as well. I think she's smart enough to know who and where to work with/out.

Agreed. I emailed the folks at M3 to make them aware, so they could reply if they felt it was warranted.

Good Morning Blair248
Sorry I didn’t reply soon enough, but I was quite busy training athletes, Coaching teams and generally living.
Up until now I didn’t even have a profile on UTM (Sorry, Chris. LOL)

Before I answer any of your queries, I just wanted to make an observation; my contact info is the 3rd word in the online profile that initially generated your curious post. Why didn’t you click on it and contact me directly?

To start, I believe it prudent and wise that you wanted to vet my credentials or claims. As a parent of 3 kids I too would like to know just who they may end up dealing with or relating to. Good on you!
I however do find it interesting that you choose to do it here as opposed to contacting me directly. You even claim to having contacted SPO, yet didn’t contact me directly? Boy, you went to a lot of trouble to get to know me. Thank you. I’m flattered.
Also, it’s kind of cool that I am the subject of your only two posts on UTM. Thank you, again.

As for my back ground; I played both competitive fastball and slopitch (or as you call it, lob ball). Admittedly I am much more well known for my slopitch career. I played and Coached internationally, including in the Men’s Open World Championships. I had the privilege of playing in eight Softball Canada National Championships. We medalled in 4 of them. Again, at the Men’s Open level.
I was also decent enough as a player and a Coach to have got paid to travel and contribute with some great teams over the years.
I also am proud to have been a Coach on the 2011 Softball Canada Women’s Open National Champions, Guelph Gryphons. Those girls rake!!! Much more fun than the Men’s game, actually.

I was inducted into the SPO Hall of Fame in 2017 at the Ontario Softball Congress gala HOF dinner. PWSA, Softball Ontario, ORSA and OASA honoured their inductees at the same dinner. It was a wonderful night and a fantastic honour. SPO believed my legacy worthy and I am eternally grateful to them for that decision.

As for my ability to Coach; I would prefer if you would ask people such as Mike Branchaud (Softball Canada Manager – National Teams/Canadian Championships), Steph Sutton (Softball Ontario Technical Program Specialist), Nikki Beal (needs no introduction), Nick Shailes (Team Australia, 3 times world MVP Men’s Fastpitch), Jeff Ellsworth (Team Canada Men’s Fastpitch 2004-present, Men’s Jr Head Coach), Gregg Zaun (16 year MLB career), Sean Reilly (google him) or any number of other fantastic Coaches I have had the privilege of Coaching alongside and/or learning from. I would believe as a 25 year softball person that you would know those names. I hope, anyway. (Please remember, Fastpitch, Slopitch and Baseball hitting and defense are all fundamentally the same. Hence why I effectively and successfully Coach kids, teens and adults in all three of those disciplines.)

Now we’ll speak of Coach Mike Hook….even though your focus appears to have gone only to my background as per your most recent post. Coach Mike played in the Ontario Blue Jays organization and was inducted into their Hall of Fame. He went on to a fantastic Collegiate Career at Louisville. After Louisville, Coach Mike went on to play pro ball for a stint before finishing his baseball days in the Intercounty Baseball loop. Mike also instructed for 8 years at the much respected ProTeach Academy.
After that Mike too found his way to slopitch as he was still exceptionally competitive and the Men’s Open game is a very fast, talent laden game. (Believe me, it’s nothing like your Dad’s lob ball league).
Both Mike and myself were honoured to be part of our National Men’s Slopitch softball team at various times. Softball Canada does have a National Men’s and Women’s team at the Open Class/Elite level, by the way...and the selection criteria is no less intense and demanding as it's National Fastpitch counterpart. I know this as I was also on the Softball Canada National athlete selection and evaluation committee for 4 years.

Anyway, I hope this puts your concerns to rest and next time, unless of course you wish to keep your identity secret….for reasons only you would know….please feel free to contact me at neil@m3baseballacademy.com

By the way, I have been around softball, fastpitch and slopitch, local, national and International for 42 years. Now that you know who I am, please tell me who you are. I’ll even offer up a free hour in the tunnel with myself so we can talk softball. My email is above and I look forward to you taking me up on my offer.

Thank you for the response Neil and clarifying that we are talking SLOW PITCH. No need to take it personal though, they were two very simple questions.
I will pass on the tunnel invite as we do all our hitting at The Baseball Zone and I would have very little input or advise as I have never played Slow Pitch.

BTW, There is no listed Guelph Gryphons team for the year 2011. Did you mean the Toronto Gryphons in women’s Slow Pitch?

Cheers

Blair

Thanks for answering the questions Neil, as that’s all I was ever asking for. But once again, please don’t take it personal as you clearly are. I guess I don’t relate “Softball” to “Slow Pitch” which is my fault.

No need to go into my background as I am not the one advertising it on a hitting facilities web site. And to be honest, my playing days of Softball are well behind me.

Best of luck at M3

Have a great season Neil.

Neil, I didn’t have (or see) your email address. It was posted on this web site so it was here that I posted my 2 questions. As mentioned before, all I asked was for clarity and in no way called you or anyone else out.

I will email you direct moving forward if I have any other questions.

Regards

Blair.

Thank you, Blair.