Covering all the bases

Tony Altobelli

In a community rich in sports opportunities, John Elliott offers

baseball, baseball and even more baseball.

Elliott, the frosh-soph baseball coach at Corona del Mar High, has a

passion for the game and a world of experience he enjoys sharing with any

youngster who will listen.

But his time is not just limited to prep prodigies at CdM. Elliott

also runs and operates a year-round baseball program called the Quakes

Baseball Academy, where any youngster up to the age of 16 can learn the game from a former high school, college and minor league standout.

“I truly believe I could have made it to the big leagues,” Elliott

said. “But I was just too immature mentally at that time. Perhaps, if I

would have had a better approach and a better understanding of the game,

things might have turned out differently.”

Elliott’s baseball teaching philosophy with the Quakes is simple.

Throw away the wins and losses and concentrate on physical and mental

improvement in all facets of the game.

Having a year-round schedule allows Elliott and his Quake pupils the

opportunity for long-term growth instead of instant results.

“Basically, my agenda is to prepare the kids for the future,” Elliott

said. “Youth baseball and even lower-level high school baseball is window

dressing until you can perform at the varsity level and beyond.

“I want to work on the kids’ mechanics,” Elliott continued. “Give them

the understanding of each situation that goes on out there and go over it

enough so when it finally does occur during a game, he is not only

physically ready, but mentally ready as well.”

Elliott, 36, learned firsthand that athletic success can come at

different times for different players.

“My senior year at Fountain Valley High, I hit only .260 at the

varsity level,” Elliott confessed. “But from there, I moved on to Long

Beach City College, made the team and hit .440 my freshman year and .450

my sophomore year. All the hard work I went through as a youngster was

finally clicking. It just took me longer to make it work for me.”

From Long Beach City, Elliott was drafted in the fourth round by the

Houston Astros, for whom he played three years at the class-A level,

followed by two years in double-A.

During that five-year period, Elliott learned how important failure

really is to baseball players. It’s that philosophy that is the backbone

to his coaching techniques.

“It’s important to learn from failure, especially as a young baseball

player,” Elliott said. “That’s why I’m not concerned with wins and losses

at this level. If a kid strikes out four times, but is learning the

correct approach at the plate, to me, that’s better than getting four

lucky hits in a row. I’m looking for long-term results, not short-term.”

In addition to traditional hitting and fielding practice, Elliott uses

some more sophisticated training techniques with the Quakes for better

baseball results.

“I use plyometrics, which is using your own body weight to enhance

power and quickness,” Elliott said. “Also, ballistic training, training

in 30- to 40-yard intervals, quick movements. This is stuff I learned at

the minor league level and I think is invaluable information for younger

athletes.”

The Quakes are stacked with players from all over Orange County,

including Newport Beach 13-year-old Dennis Heenan.

“Dennis has enough talent to probably start for most frosh-soph high

school teams in this area,” Elliott said of the two-time Daily Pilot

Youth Dream Team selection. “He’s the poster child for how to be

successful in this game and that’s work, work, work. He does everything I

ask of him and he’s a great example for other players to follow.”

Elliott’s results speak for themselves. At CdM, using only freshman,

the Sea Kings have won two Pacific Coast League frosh-soph titles in a

row.

“John and I both agree that the most important thing at the lower

levels is to get the player playing on the big field as soon as

possible,” CdM varsity coach John Emme said. “His teaching programs have

raised the bar in terms of youth baseball in this area and he’s a great

asset to have at CdM.”

In addition to the Quakes and his time at Corona del Mar, Elliott also

owns a batting cage in Mission Viejo, one of the biggest indoor baseball

facilities in Orange County.

“We’ve just recently added a snack bar and four hitting machines which

can pitch baseballs or softballs and can throw four different speeds,”

Elliott said. “It’s doing very well and it wouldn’t be half as successful

with the support of my fiance, Karissa Carmichael. She’s the real boss of

the whole operation.”