7 Principles to Coaching Youth Hitting

The Coach

Dominate the Diamond

Meet the Creators of Dominate the Diamond

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Meet Coach Duke Baxter

With 4 decades of baseball experience, Coach Duke’s knowledge is deeply rooted in all aspects of the game. Duke has played baseball both collegiately and professionally where he’s received numerous accolades and awards. Today, he dedicates his career to developing athletes both at Zoned Sports Academy in Bridgewater, NJ, the training facility he founded, and through books and videos with Dominate the Diamond®. His love of the game translates into his coaching philosophy and approach. Whether he’s teaching kids, parents or other coaches he’s inspiring, motivating, fun and humble. His positive coaching approach has been a great motivator for players, parents and his peers. Coach Duke has instilled his philosophy of teaching and sharing in the creation of Dominate the Diamond® Courses as well as videos all over social media. His goal is to help every baseball and softball player, coach, and parent get educated, motivated, and then dominate on and off the field. 

DUKE BAXTER’S EXPERIENCE:
* Founder of the Zoned Sports Academy Training facility in NJ
* Amazon #1 Best Selling Co-Author- ‘Taking on the Title of Coach’
* Played Professional Baseball for the Somerset Patriots
* Played Professional Baseball for the Madison Blackwolf
* 'Rookie of the Year' for Madison Blackwollf
* Set the NCAA record with 31 doubles at University of North Florida
* Professional Hitting, Fielding Instructor at Zoned Spots Academy for (15+ years)
* Head Travel Baseball Coach
* Holds 2 United States Patents for baseball and softball training aids
* Co-Creator of the Dominate the Diamond® brand
* Coached and Trained over 50,000 baseball and softball players for over 2 decades 

Meet Coach Steve Nikorak

Coach Steve started playing baseball as 6-year old growing up in Stroudsburg, PA. His love of the game of the continued in high school and college. Steve attended and played baseball for Temple University before being selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 32nd round in 2012. He spent 4-years in professional baseball and now dedicates his professional career to coaching. Steve has coached thousands of athletes, one of which being his younger brother, Mike Nikorak, 1st round MLB draft pick in 2015 by the Colorado Rockies. Coach Steve’s knowledge goes well beyond the physical and mechanical aspects of the game. Steve not only wants to develop the athlete but also develop the person. As a former professional athlete, he has experienced both success and failure and believes that from every failure comes a learning experience. He tries to instill the life lessons that the game offers to each person he works with. He loves getting the opportunity to work with and meet new people, creating relationships and building trust. He believes that with preparation, comes confidence and it is our jobs as coaches to both prepare and develop young athletes that believe in themselves when they go out to compete. There is an immense need to educate youth coaches and he has started the process by helping to create Dominate the Diamond®.

STEVE NIKORAK'S EXPERIENCE: 

* Director of Player Development at the Zoned Sports Academy Training facility in NJ
* Amazon #1 Best Selling Co-Author- ‘Taking on the Title of Coach’
* Drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 2012
* Played Professional Baseball for the Somerset Patriots, NJ Jackals and St Paul Saints
* Professional Hitting, Fielding Instructor at Zoned for (5+ years)
* Head Travel Baseball Coach
* Co-Creator of the ‘Dominate the Diamond®’ Courses
* Coached and Trained over 10,000 baseball and softball players of all ages and skill levels