Nov 3, 2022 | Be The Best News, Coaching, Community, Partnerships and Opportunities
Wilmington, NC – Be The Best is excited to announce that due to growing support and unprecedented interest, it will cost only $50 to attend the three-day baseball and softball coaches convention in Wilmington this January.
The price was established to reinforce the significance of the number 50 at the annual event which celebrates 50 years of Title IX, as well as the 50th anniversary of Be The Best Baseball and Softball Coaches Convention.
“We wanted to give back to fellow coaches and sports enthusiasts by making our convention affordable for everyone,” says Lindsay Mayer, co-owner of Be the Best. “We couldn’t think of a better way to honor these past 50 years than to lower our ticket prices to $50.”
Speakers at the January 13-15, 2023 event include softball’s winningest coach, Carol Hutchins; Patrick Anderson of the St. Louis Cardinals; USA Baseball’s Andrew Bartman; USC softball’s Josh Bloomer; Darren Fenster of the Boston Red Sox; VA Tech softball coach, Doug Gillis; CJ Gillman from the Seattle Mariners; Savannah Bananas coach, Tyler Gillum; Team Canada Olympian and mindset expert, Joey Lye; Cheryl McCormick of Gravitational Performance; former UNCW softball coach, Kristy Norton; the 2022 D3 NCAA championship softball coach, Keith Parr; Georgia Gwinnett baseball’s head coach, Jeremy Sheetinger; Tony Short of Starz Gold softball; Mount Olive Baseball’s Rob Watt and John Tschida from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota softball.
“The athletes these coaches interact with on a daily basis will not only represent our county in some of the most hallowed stadiums and competitions on the planet but will also develop into skilled entrepreneurs, business leaders, elected officials, and coaches themselves. We are excited Wilmington gets to play a small role in that development process,” says Josh Hallingse, VP of Small Business Development and Business Retention, Wilmington Chamber of Commerce.
For 50 years, Be The Best has preserved the founding concept of providing an affordable, accessible convention created for coaches, by coaches. Now run by Alphas Alliance, a woman and minority-owned and operated business, Be The Best will be held for the first time in Wilmington, NC from January 13-15, 2023. The convention traditionally attracts about 1,500 attendees who come together each year to interact with former professional and Olympic athletes, college coaches, and other baseball and softball professionals who share their experience and expertise. Speaker topics include everything from how to build a championship program and making sense of the mental game to pitching mechanics and defense skills.
“Hosting the longest-running baseball and softball coaches convention in the country for its 50th anniversary is an honor,” says Kim Hufham, CEO of New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority. “We look forward to welcoming attendees and sharing with them all our destination has to offer, from Wilmington’s pedestrian-friendly Riverwalk and historic district to our three colorful island beaches.”
For more information and tickets, please email info@bethebest.com.
Oct 30, 2022 | Be The Best News, Coaching, Partnerships and Opportunities
Wilmington, NC – Be The Best is pleased to announce Carol Hutchins as a key presenter at the annual baseball and softball coaches convention, held in Wilmington, NC from January 13-15, 2023.
As head coach at the University of Michigan, Hutchins solidified the school as one of the top softball programs in the country during her 38-year tenure at the helm. Hutchins retired this past August with the distinction of being the winningest coach in NCAA softball history as well as holding the record of winningest coach – male or female – in Michigan’s athletic history.
Having never suffered a losing season, Hutchins has a plethora of skills, stories, and inspirations to share not only with players and coaches, but with the world at large. A high school athlete when Title IX was passed in 1972, Hutchins has advocated for women’s equality in sports ever since.
“I am a long-time fan of Be The Best and am excited to see old friends in a new home. It’s always a special weekend with a perfect balance of fun and learning. Wilmington is a great place for this convention,” said Hutchins.
To celebrate fifty years of Title IX – the passing of the landmark law that prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance – coupled with the convention’s 50thanniversary, Be The Best is dropping its general admission price to $50.
Now operated by Alphas Alliance, Be The Best takes on a new vibrancy. As a minority- and woman-owned company, co-founders Diego Ibarra and Lindsay Mayer are fully committed to supporting women in the workplace, as well as on the field; and welcome sponsors and partnerships with other like-minded organizations and businesses.
“We thought it was important to recognize the impact both Title IX and Be The Best have made over the past 50 years,” said Mayer, in reference to the newly lowered ticket price. “Title IX blazed an important path without which some of us wouldn’t be where we are today. We are so looking forward to making new connections with the Wilmington community. ”
Be The Best traditionally attracts about 1,500 attendees who come together each year to interact with former professional and Olympic athletes, college coaches, and other baseball and softball professionals who share their experience and expertise. Speaker topics include everything from how to build a championship program and to make sense of the mental game to pitching mechanics and defense skills.
For more information on sponsorship opportunities, tickets, and general information on the convention and speakers, please contact info@bethebest.com
Oct 19, 2022 | Be The Best News, Partnerships and Opportunities, Softball
Wilmington, NC – Be The Best is excited to announce the addition of Carol “Hutch” Hutchins, to the speaker line-up at their annual baseball and softball coaches convention, held in Wilmington, NC from January 13-15, 2023.
Hutchins served 38 seasons at the helm of the University of Michigan softball team, solidifying the school’s spot as one of the top programs in the country. She retired this past August as the winningest coach in NCAA softball history with a career record of 1,707-55-5 (.755). She also holds the distinction of being the winningest coach – male or female – in Michigan’s history. She was the first collegiate coach to reach 1,500 wins in 2017 and two years later, the first to 1,600.
“We are so honored that Hutch chose to share her expertise and insights with us at Be The Best,” says Diego Ibarra, co-founder of Be The Best and Alphas Alliance. “I guarantee that every person who hears her speak will pick up something that will help them in life as well as in the game. Hutch is the best of the best.”
As head softball coach at the University of Michigan, Hutch led the team to the NCAA Women’s College World Series 12 times. In 2005, Michigan became the first program east of the Mississippi River to claim the NCAA Championship when they defeated UCLA. As a coach, Hutch boasts 22 Big Ten regular season titles, 10 Big Ten Tournament championships and qualified for the NCAA Tournament 29 times.
With Hutch at the helm, Michigan received 69 All-American citations (23 being first-team), while 14 earned Academic All-American honors. Also granted under her tutelage were 20 Big Ten Player of the Year awards, 16 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year awards, 13 Big Ten Freshman of the Year awards, 202 Academic All-Big Ten awards, 212 All-Big Ten citations, and 154 All-Midwest or All-Great Lakes Region certificates.
However, Hutchins confesses that her “greatest joy and the ultimate reward has not been measured by wins and championships. Success is measured by the many, many people who fill your life.”
Former players have gone on to excel at the international and professional levels, medaling in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, WBSC World Championship, World Cup of Softball, Japan Cup, U.S. Pan American Games, Junior Pan American Games, Junior World Championship, Canada Cup, International Cup, and World University Games.
Inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2006, Hutchins earned 18 Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year honors, eight NFCA Regional Coach of the Year awards, and two NFCA National Coach of the Year honors. In 2016, she was named the inaugural recipient of espnW’s Pat Summitt Coaching Award, presented to the coach who “exemplifies the character and courage” of the late University of Tennessee women’s basketball coach.
A strong advocate for gender equality in sports, Hutch is a recipient of the Nell Jackson Award, considered the highest honor the Michigan State Varsity “S” Club can give a female alumna for professional accomplishments and community service. She was inducted into the Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2021, the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2011, and the Greater Lansing Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000.
“There’s so much more to softball than teaching skills,” Hutchins says. “Developing strong women who can go out into the world and make a difference is even more important than winning championships.”
On October 10, it was announced that Hutchins would receive a WeCOACH Lifetime Achievement Award. This prestigious award is presented to women in sports who succeed at the highest levels in their respective careers, while also displaying an unwavering commitment, pioneering spirit, and trailblazing leadership to empower and pave the way for girls and women in all sports and levels to break through for many generations to come.
Hutch is no stranger to Be The Best. She has shared her inspirations at the convention many times over the years and recognizes the value of the interactive format that allows connections to be created and relationships solidified.
Be The Best, now owned and operated by Alphas Alliance, traditionally attracts about 1,500 attendees who come together each year to interact with former professional and Olympic athletes, college coaches, and other baseball and softball professionals who share their experience and expertise. Speaker topics include everything from how to build a championship program and making sense of the mental game to pitching mechanics and defense skills.
For sponsorship opportunities, tickets, and general information on the convention and speakers, please email info@bethebest.com
Aug 25, 2022 | Be The Best News
The country’s longest-running baseball and softball convention marks 50 years with show in Wilmington, NC on January 13-15, 2023.
Wilmington, NC – In celebration of Be The Best’s 50th anniversary, some of the country’s most esteemed coaches and experts will come together to share insights and instruction at the Wilmington Convention Center on Friday, January 13 through Sunday, January 15, 2023. Alphas Alliance, a software company that caters to coaches, is thrilled to announce their acquisition of Be The Best as well as the unveiling of this year’s exciting speaker line-up.
“The Wilmington and Beaches CVB and its travel partners are honored to be selected as the site of the convention’s 50th anniversary,” says Kim Hufham, President/CEO of the New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority. “Our riverfront convention center is within easy walking distance of hotels, inns, and vacation rentals, as well as restaurants specializing in locally-sourced seafood and produce. Wilmington’s variety of museums, beaches, tours, cruises, parks, gardens, and sports facilities make it the ideal destination for attendees to bring along their families for a memorable convention and vacation.”
The site was specifically chosen for its affordability and versatility as well as its deep roots in the baseball and softball worlds.
“Wilmington’s vibrant collegiate and amateur level sports scene combined with our beautiful beaches and historic downtown have long been a draw for athletes of all skill levels to train, recover and refocus,” says Natalie English, CEO of Wilmington’s Chamber of Commerce. “We are so pleased that Be The Best has selected our city for this event.”
On the baseball side, speakers at the event include USA Baseball, Andrew Bartman; Savannah Banana’s Head Coach, Tyler Gillum; 2021 NAIA National Champions, Georgia Gwinnett College Head Coach, Jeremy Sheetinger; Seattle Mariners Hitting Coordinator, CJ Gillman; St. Louis Cardinals MiLB Head Coach, Patrick Anderson; Team USA Olympic Team / Boston Red Sox Coach, Darren Fenster; and University of Mount Olive Head Coach, Rob Watt.
On the softball side, speakers at the event include 2022 CAA Champions, UNCW, Retired Head Coach, Kristy Norton; 2022 D3 NCAA Champions, Christopher Newport University, Head Coach, Keith Parr; University of South Carolina Hitting Coach, Josh Bloomer; Virginia Tech Pitching Coach, Doug Gillis; 2x NCAA D3 Champions Head Coach, John Tschida from Saint Mary’s University; and Starz Gold Head Coach, Tony Short.
Also speaking at the event about elite mindset and mental performance are renowned speakers, Olympian, Joey Lye; and Cheryl McCormick from Gravitational Performance.
“Being around other people who want to learn and grow and get better just makes our game better,” says Andrew Bartman, Director of Coaching Development for USA Baseball. “Be The Best is a very high-level event that offers both intimacy and access to the presenters who are there to share ideas with other like-minded individuals.”
Now owned and operated by Alphas Alliance, Diego Ibarra and Lindsay Mayer bring a new vibrancy to Be The Best. As owners, coaches, and entrepreneurs, they explore out-of-the-box concepts and incorporate cutting-edge technology, yet are deeply committed to Be The Best’s original vision, which was put in place when it was founded back in 1972. Ibarra and Mayer recognize that the success of the longest-running baseball and softball convention is contingent on it being a show for coaches, created and run by coaches.
“I am beyond excited to move this event to Wilmington, NC,” says CEO, Lindsay Mayer. “It is a beautiful, affordable city right in the heart of the baseball and softball worlds. I look forward to connecting thousands of coaches and athletes as well as creating business opportunities that extend beyond the field.”
Be The Best traditionally attracts about 1,500 attendees who come together each year to interact with former professional and Olympic athletes, college coaches and other baseball and softball professionals who share their experience and expertise. Speaker topics include everything from how to build a championship program and making sense of the mental game to pitching mechanics and defense skills.
“I see it as a journey,” VP, Diego Ibarra says. “And no matter where we are on our individual paths – whether it’s Little League, travel ball, college, or at the pro level – we can all learn from each other in our quest to Be The Best players, coaches, and selves we can possibly be. I am proud to be in a position to help empower so many individuals on their personal journeys.”
Registration is now open and can be accessed at www.bethebest.com.
If you are interested in a sponsorship or being an exhibitor at Be The Best Convention, please contact Lindsay Mayer or Diego Ibarra at info@bethebest.com or visit the website at www.bethebest.com.
Alphas Alliance is an innovative software company built to make coaches’ lives easier. For more information, please visit www.alphasalliance.com.
Jan 24, 2022 | Be The Best News
New Wilmington tech startup makes major waves by bringing the longest-running baseball and softball convention to Wilmington for its 50th Anniversary
Wilmington, N.C.—Be The Best, the country’s longest-running baseball and softball show is making waves and moving to Wilmington, NC. The Be The Best Baseball and Softball Convention will take place January 13-15th, 2023 at the Wilmington Convention Center. Owners Lindsay Mayer and Diego Ibarra acquired Be The Best as part of their Alphas Alliance venture, as a way to further connect coaches, athletes, and businesses, and create opportunities that extend beyond the sport.
“The Wilmington and Beaches CVB and its travel partners are excited to be selected as the new site for the ‘Be The Best’ Baseball and Softball Convention in January 2023. Hosting the longest-running baseball and softball coaches’ clinic in the country during the organization’s 50th anniversary is an honor. We look forward to welcoming attendees and sharing with them all our destination has to offer, from Wilmington’s pedestrian-friendly Riverwalk and historic district to our three colorful island beaches,” stated Kim Hufham, president/CEO of the New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority.
“Our riverfront convention center is within easy walking distance of hotels, inns and vacation rentals, as well as restaurants specializing in locally sourced seafood and produce. And, it’s only a few minutes’ drive from the beach. From the river to the sea, Wilmington and our beaches offer a variety of family-friendly attractions, museums, tours, cruises, parks, gardens, and sports facilities that make it the ideal destination for attendees to bring along their families for a memorable coastal convention and vacation.”
Each year, Be the Best, attracts approximately 1,500 people interested in learning more about coaching, and bettering themselves in the world of all things baseball and softball. Athletic coaches of all age groups from Little League through college participate in the clinic.
CEO of Wilmington’s Chamber of Commerce, Natalie English stated, “The Wilmington Chamber of Commerce is pleased the ‘Be the Best’ Baseball and Softball Convention has selected Wilmington, NC for their 2023 event. Baseball and softball are America’s pastime and we can’t think of a better place to host members of this special athletic tradition than Wilmington, NC. Our vibrant collegiate and amateur level sports scene combined with our beautiful beaches and historic downtown have long been a draw for athletes of all skill levels to train, recover and refocus.”
Be The Best is known for its expert guest speakers that include former professional baseball players and managers, decorated Olympian athletes, college and university coaches, and other credible baseball and softball professionals who offer tips and tools to enrich their art of coaching. Guest speakers cover topics like how to build a championship program, pitching mechanics, hitting drills, and defense skills.
“The athletes these coaches interact with on a daily basis will not only represent our county in some of the most hallowed stadiums and competitions on the planet but will also develop into skilled entrepreneurs, business leaders, elected officials, and coaches themselves – we are excited Wilmington gets to play a small role in that development process,” stated Josh Hallingse, Wilmington Chamber of Commerce’s Vice President of small business development and business retention.
Approximately 100 vendors attend the yearly event, showcasing new products and technological advances in their sport. Exhibitors make sales and contacts at the clinic and continue to supply coaches with products and information throughout the year. For more information on becoming an exhibitor and/or sponsor, please visit www.BeTheBest.com for more details.
Registration for Be The Best Baseball and Softball Convention is now open for the event taking place in January of 2023. The registration rate for an adult pass to the event is $175 (Early Registration $125), and there are many different discounts offered including full staff rates, student rates, and club/organizational rates. Coaches and other interested parties are encouraged to sign up now at www.BeTheBest.com where more details are available.
Throughout this three-day event, Lindsay and Diego plan to provide attendees with an experience that will leave a long-lasting positive impression on everything that Wilmington and Be The Best have to offer.
In her announcement, Alphas Alliance CEO Lindsay Mayer states, “We are beyond excited to move our event to the beautiful Wilmington, NC! Not only is this region of the country an enjoyable and affordable escape, but it is also a staple to the youth baseball and softball travel community. Our goal is to add value to the community through our educational networking event, and we know that by moving Be the Best to Wilmington we will be connecting thousands of coaches and athletes as well as bringing business creating opportunities that extend beyond the field.”
For more information, please contact Lindsay Mayer or Diego Ibarra, info@bethebest.com, or visit the website at www.BeTheBest.com or www.AlphasAlliance.com.
Lindsay Mayer and Diego Ibarra founded Alphas Alliance in May of 2021 after being encouraged by their Head Coach Jay Miller while at Hofstra University. By December, their first product, AlphaSigns has attracted some of the best softball and baseball programs in the country, and hundreds of travel organizations. Read the Alphas story here!☺️
Dec 31, 2019 | Baseball, Be The Best News, Coach Profiles
Mack Jenkins
Pitching Coach
Washington Nationals Organization
Baseball disasters come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes it has to do with a missed sign. Sometimes a passed ball. And sometimes, a dropped kid. Mack Jenkins recalls with a touch of horror, his biggest coaching disaster, that had nothing to do with any of his players.
Once, when Mack was coaching third base, there was an on-field promotion with kids running the bases. One small child was having a hard time making it home, so being the good guy that he is, Mack picked him up. As he raced toward home plate, Mack tripped and fell, terrified kid in his arms.
But, the kid was fine. And, except for a bit of a bruised ego, Mack recovered, continuing to make a difference on the field and off, as he coached hundreds of players over the course of 30 years.
During the 1989 World Series, after retiring from playing professional ball himself, Mack was offered a job with the Cincinnati Reds. For the next 23 years, he made his way through the system, coaching all levels from Rookie Ball to AAA. He traveled the world – working in cities such as Billings, MT; Cedar Rapids, IA; Charleston, WV; Chattanooga, TN; and Louisville, KY, as well as stints in the Dominican Republic and Venezuela. In 2012 he became the assistant pitching coach for the major league Reds, before becoming bullpen coach, then finally, pitching coach..
In 2019, he made the move to the Washington Nationals organization, working in Class A in Hagerstown, MD.
A valuable lesson learned throughout his baseball tenure is that failure is not fatal. Mack’s players learn early on that uncomfortable feedback is just part of the game for a professional athlete. They have to accept it, embrace it, and learn from it. His players know they have to show up every single day. With enthusiasm and energy, ready to compete fearlessly, no matter how they feel physically.
Mack does not compromise on certain beliefs. Preparation leads to performance. Enthusiasm is the mother of effort. Building relationships is crucial in driving talent and growth. Mack believes in challenging his players. Asking a player to make a dramatic change when necessary, expecting to be trusted, and not needing to be thanked when that pitching change ended up reenergizing an entire career.
Mack understands that the right team culture is key. That a good coach speaks well and knows how to say the same thing with different words. That the thirst for knowledge is never quenched. And, that sometimes, even the best of the best drop a ball.
Or, a kid.
