Rachel Balkovec Interview | Driveline R&D Podcast Episode 26

Rachel Balkovec is currently a minor league hitting coach for the New York Yankees; formerly a strength and conditioning coach for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Houston Astros. Rachel talks about some of her stops throughout her professional background, the importance of participating and immersing herself into what she is teaching as a coach, her early interest in data-driven coaching, and much much more.   

Link to the mentioned gaze tracking study (moon-landing study): https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2020.00003  Frans Bosch constraints led approach: https://fransbosch.systems/  

Rachel's Socials: 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/_rachelbalkovec 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachel.balkovec/ 
2:15 Introducing Rachel 
4:00 Covid shutdown exercise adventures 
7:05 Takeaways from her professional background stops 
13:25 How Rachel approaches risk throughout her career 
15:10 The constraints led approach in the Netherlands 
18:50 Rachel's early interest in data-driven coaching 
21:20 The importance of understanding data collection abstractly 
22:40 Projects that Rachel wishes she could complete that got cut short 
25:45 Rachel's thoughts on the growth of Softball player development 
35:10 Why Rachel participates in the things she coaches 
38:25 The value of understanding failure 
43:10 The role of participation on group culture 
47:20 Favorite/least favorite part of working with us  

Link to the hosts' twitters: 
Anthony Brady: https://twitter.com/BaseballFreak_9 
Alex Caravan: https://twitter.com/Alex_Caravan 
Kyle Lindley: https://twitter.com/kylelindley_