ABOUT
Philosophy
We strive to bring out the best in our athletes on and off the field by using demanding workouts that push the body and mind. This training not only breaks down muscle and mind but builds it back up to create a sharper, stronger, more well rounded athlete. This training is our passion because it improves ones body, mindfulness, and love for the game. Sports are a joy to play but they also serve a way to learn more about yourself and others. We strive to develop elite, positive, consistent, and balanced athletes.
During our training sessions we develop a minute by minute schedule so that we can get the best out of our time. We do not stress the necessity of constant and overflow of repititions; instead we stress perfect form and body-mind connection, which creates excellent muscle memory; allowing your body to perform when it is tired or anxious. Overall, the training is rigorous but in a way that can translate to the field through excellent form.
Why is the company called Big Dawg Training?
Big Dawg Training got its unique name from several influences. While playing sports at Episcopal High School in Virginia fellow teammates and I would use different adjectives to describe athletes. In a conversation you may hear , "Oh wow that dudes a beast, man that shortstop is nasty, or that linebacker is an absolute savage." However, we would rarely describe someone as a "Big Dawg." This was reserved for very unique and special players. A Big Dawg is beyond a beast; it is an athlete that not only excels as a player but as a leader. This is a person that cares greatly for his teammates. A Big Dawg is a chief that leads you into battle - a playoff or championship game; a human that cares about the team more than himself and works extremely hard to get the job done and leaves it all on the field. This translates to a person off the field that is passionate, caring for others and wants to compete to prove that hard work and dedication will get you far in life.
Many teammates describe Mickey Mantle as not only one of the best players they have every seen play baseball but one of the best teammates they ever had. Mickey Mantle went head to head with Roger Maris to capture the MLB home run record in 1961 while they were both New York Yankees. The fans all pulled for the Mick because he had been the fan favorite for so long, contrasting to Maris who received boos and disrespect from the stands. The press would often try to present questions to drive the two apart or provoke jealousy or hate. However, Roger Maris stated they were the closest to each other that season. Mickey would look out for, promote and defend the younger Roger Maris. Mickey and Roger even became roommates that year. Maris said that once Mantle was your friend you had a friend for life and nothing else would get in the way of that. That is the definition of a Big Dawg. He was a Hall of Fame baseball player and Hall of Fame leader and teammate. What legacy will you leave as a person and player?
Big Dawg Training is also influenced by the grit, toughness, calmness and strength possessed by bulldogs. As a fan and alumni to the University of Georgia we always pull on our teams by saying "Go Dawgs!"
Training Options
Big Dawg Training offers elite training as private one on one lessons or group/ team training; simply write us an email and we will get back to you. We train everywhere - batting cage, weight room, football field or the baseball diamond depending on what you would like to develop.
BASEBALL WORKOUT (60 mins):
0-5: Warm up/Stretch - Dynamic / Isometric movements
5-12: Tee Work - Outside corner, middle, and inside - up and down - working on spraying the ball to all fields with power so that we cannot be beat with location of the pitch.
12-24: Soft Toss - Working on driving to the gaps with efficient balance/power and overall crispy movements.
24-36: Live Batting Practice - Seeing the ball out of the hand against higher velocity. Working on lower half (legs and hips) to ignite our hands to start hitting line drives from pole to pole.
36-42: Throwing - Proper mechanics depending on position and arm strength.
42-52: Groundballs/Pop-ups: Working on true footwork and getting into the throw.
52-55: Slow roll ground balls/picks - Proper technique of backhands/forehands
55-60: Band work/ Cool Down
CONDITIONING (30 - 60 min)
- Includes ladder work, sprint resistant running, weighted balls (core circuit), side to side movements, cone drills, lunges, pushups, back work, scapular work (arm velocity training).
Clark Wright
Founder
Clark Wright was born and raised in New York City. His first passion as a young boy was baseball. He started playing baseball at the age of four and continued all the way through middle school and then Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia. His passion for the game continued to grow while playing in the Interstate Athletic Conference (IAC). He was privileged to play on the varsity as a sophomore and earn a position moving from short stop to second base. His most rewarding experience was being elected a captain of the team as a senior. His ability on the field allotted him to obtain first team all-conference and Most Valuable Player award.
Clark then went to the University of Georgia to pursue his love of baseball and history. He was able to work toward a starting position at second base as a freshman on the UGA Baseball Club Team. Playing for the Georgia Bulldogs was a special experience, especially when the team was ranked #1 in the country as a junior. This team had a bulldog mentality with players from all over the country and gritty transfers from Junior colleges to division three to division one. The Bulldogs made World Series appearances his sophomore and senior year. While playing he was a player-coach that began specializing in infield training and became head hitting coach his senior year. Clark has always loved playing but coaching, mentoring, and teaching other baseball players he finds even more special.
After his college career Clark returned to New York City to work for Yorkville Athletics as the Director of Baseball. As the Director of one of the largest little leagues in the country and running a baseball training facility he has worked with hundreds of players from all backgrounds ranging from Kindergarten to elite College NCAA players. Teams from all over the New York area would come to train at the Yorkville Baseball Academy. While at the facility he was co-trainers with 2006 World Series Champion and St.Louis Cardinals outfielder, John Rodriguez. After working with John for three years he was taught the art of "hand path" - the ability to have your hands get through the baseball in all scenarios. He also had the pleasure of working with other top MLB trainers in the area. Clark served as the Head Coach for eight seasons of a travel baseball team that traveled throughout New York. Over the four years the team secured two championships and a 77-24 record with top playoff appearances each season.
In 2017 Clark worked as the Hitting Coach and Infield coach for Team USA ELITE. The team went to top high school showcases throughout the country highlighted by the Perfect Game Tournament in which 400 of the best teams in the nation were invited. USA ELITE finished #14 (in the country. ) Clark worked beside legendary Coach Jason Ferber, a leader that has worked extremely hard to be a top high school showcase coach and trainer. It was a pleasure to develop some of the best players on the East Coast/ Nation along side him. Eighty percent of the team received top division 1 NCAA scholarships after the summer season completed; including top programs such as Louisville, University of Virginia, West Virginia University, Duke University, and Wake Forest.
The next stop for Big Dawg Training was Charleston, South Carolina. Coach Wright became the Head Coach of North Charleston High School for the 2018-2019 seasons. After recruiting some of the best athletes in the school the team had a twenty man roster. In the second season the team made the playoffs for the first time in a decade. The Cougars worked extremely difficult and bonded as a team to turn many heads in the state that never expected this program to be successful.
The brand next headed internationally to Hungary in 2019 for six months to coach and play for the Debrecen Tigers, a professional baseball squad 100 miles north of Budapest. Wright helped this team rise to the highest division in Hungarian baseball. The team was extremely in love with the game, which made the development a pleasure. Several of the players also competed in a top amateur tournament in Florida after the season. The Tigers are now making a push to be one of the best teams in Hungary and Europe long term. While in Hungary, Wright was elected the Hitting Coach for the U18 Hungarian National team that competed in the World Baseball Qualifier in Poland against several other countries including Russia, Austria, and Poland. The team helped increase the national ranking of Hungarian baseball in the world overall rankings.
Wright is now the Head Coach at Rabun Gap Nacoochee School in North Georgia. The team has graduated MLB prospects, division one and all collegiate levels. The Eagles have gone to back to back Final Four appearances in 2021 and 2022 while obtaining conference championships in each season.
During the summer of 2022 Wright was the hitting coach for the Real Ballers. The team finished in the Semi finals in the Arizona Perfect Game World Series. Real Ballers were loaded with high character players from all over the country that have committed to excellent programs. Wright was lucky to also train with Top Velocity learning their performance training in Louisiana, which is a proven pitching program that has helped hundreds of high velocity throwers.
Clark has now partnered with Stealth Sports Academy in Gainesville, Georgia where he trains players that want to go after their dreams.
2011- University of Georgia Baseball Club National Anthem at Playoffs
2017- Team USA ELITE tour, shown here at West Virginia University getting the closer warm to come in and throw gas.
