DNA’s mission is to support local baseball initiatives and youth baseball development in Northeast Ohio.
Our objectives are carried out by two separate yet intertwined branches of the organization – DNA Academy and DNA Travel.
Listen to Coach Andy Pohl on a recent episode of the Hey, Shaker! podcast. Enjoy a conversation about the unique opportunity we have in Northeast Ohio to build a stronger community through youth athletics.
DNA Academy
DNA Academy’s mission is to elevate the level of coaching, competition, and participation in Northeast Ohio by giving athletes opportunities for growth and development within their local communities. DNA Academy offers the following programs and consultation services to meet these objectives:
· Player development training programs for younger athletes, regardless of skill level, to establish a solid foundation and core fundamentals
· An advanced off-season Training Academy for high school aged athletes with a holistic approach that includes speed, strength, agility, & flexibility training
· Customized coaching clinics for house league and travel programs
· A defined coaching curriculum with attainable outcome goals for youth baseball organizations that facilitates developmental progression across age groups
· Consultation services that help local leaders establish an inclusive and community based model for travel baseball that is best for kids and families
DNA Travel
Building community through a grounded approach towards youth baseball
DNA Academy Travel Baseball is a 501c3, community based baseball program offering a multi-dimensional off-season and summer baseball experience targeting Shaker and Beachwood residents. We provide an inclusive and affordable opportunity for competitive baseball that operates in tandem with the goals, philosophies, and best practices of our local schools regarding youth athletics.
Purchase and Download One of Our E-books
How to Effectively Teach Youth Baseball and Encourage Skill Development
Youth coaching is not about winning games. It is about helping athletes master new skills, enjoy competition and develop a team first attitude. We wrote this manual to help both first-time and seasoned coaches effectively teach youth baseball and encourage skill development.
Best Practices for Youth Baseball Skill Development
Many youth baseball coaches don't have the opportunity to learn how to effectively teach baseball fundamentals. We want to change that. Drawing on over 35 years of coaching experience, we will teach you the best way to coach the skills critical for the development and success of all youth baseball players.
Hi kids, I’m Basketball Head! I promise that I will try to help you shoot the ball better than you ever have. And I’ll make it so much fun to practice that you will want to do it on your own.
Don’t get discouraged if you don’t score immediately. The correct fundamentals always feel weird at first. It takes hard work to master the right shooting skills that will hold up under game situations. But eventually you will get positive results, which means more baskets!
You'll learn:
- correct posture and balance,
- where to look when shooting,
- how to correctly follow through on your shot off the dribble,
- and much more!
About the Book
The purpose of this book is to make kids’ shot technique game sound which means that their shooting form will be sound even under game speed pressure (e.g., the opponent’s defense, the speed of the game or shooting free throws when they are tired). And that is a challenge because every player reacts differently in game situations. But if kids follow all our skill breakdowns, they can achieve a game-sound shot.
Digital download only. After purchasing the manual, you will receive a link to download the complete manual.
“I was impressed with Andy the moment I first met him. He has a passion and enthusiasm for the game which is truly contagious. He is driven by a desire to teach his players to play the game the right way. No one should be deceived by his youthful appearance. That only leads me to think he will coach successfully for a very long time.
“Dave Rosene has been a good friend of mine for over a decade. He gave me my first coaching job, at the JV level, when he led the program at St. Ignatius. It was there that Dave coined the phrase baseball intense.
“That phrase has stuck with me from coaching jobs at Harlan Career Academy onto Kenwood Academy, where I currently serve as an assistant varsity coach. I can honestly say that Dave has been both a mentor and go-to person through out my coaching career. Often times I find myself consulting him, while watching a pro game for definitions of terms or clarification of strategy.
“Both Dave and Andy are motivated to develop players to their innate potential. Both teach the fundamentals with patience and attention to detail. I continue to learn from them both, as they continue to raise the bar and re-define the term baseball intense.”