3 Day Pitching Clinic in Chicago

Can anyone who went to this camp give an unbiased opinion. Was it worth the time and $?

I'll offer an opinion, but with the obvious caveat that I am highly biased in favor of Tom House's approach to coaching and mentoring young pitchers.

Four years ago, my son and I started regularly traveling to San Diego to attend Tom's pitching clinics--we've been to quite a few by this time. My boy is now 13 years old, he commands three pitches, he has never experienced pain or even soreness from pitching, he just made the transition to 60'6" in Babe Ruth Fall Ball, and he is loving every minute of it. I just cannot believe how confident my son looks when he pitches--when he gets the nod he trots out to the mound like a proud young stallion.

I've never met anybody before who works just the same with young kids as he does with veteran MLB pitchers, but Tom does that and he is great with all of them. He is a very charismatic individual and a deeply knowledgeable pitching coach and mentor, in my opinion.

In August I even organized one of Tom's clinics myself in the SF Bay Area--it was a hugely successful event. We limited the clinic to 32 kids in all for maximum face-time with Tom and his associate, Ryan Sienko: We had an older group of 14 - 18 year old pitchers and a separate younger group of 9 - 13 yo's. The younger set was a mixed group, most of whom were highly motivated and looking to get better, while a few are probably not going to pitch beyond LL; regardless, Tom treated everyone with respect and he was very much hands-on and enthusiastic with every participant at the clinic. It goes without saying that the motivated kids get the most benefit out of a mentor like Tom House. He is there for them, working directly with kids and their parents for the entire run of the clinic--this is no 'guest appearance' kind of thing.

The older group had some amazing kids in it, including a flame-throwing 6'8" 16 yo, I kid you not--we knicknamed him "Lurch" after the Addams Family butler. Every one of the guys learned a number of valuable things about their individual mechanics, about appropriate conditioning and strength training for pitchers, about mental/emotional management for pitchers, and even about healthy nutritional practices for athletes.

Since I hosted that one, I was able to learn that a substantial number of the kids are planning future visits with Tom in San Diego. We are also going to throw another of his clinics in the SF, Calif area in 2008.

Tom does not dilute his message for anyone, and he offers a great, well-researched program of pitching education. Parents and coaches are always welcome, in fact strongly encouraged, to learn right alongside their young athletes at these clinics. Between you and your son, you'll come away from this experience with tremendously valuable insights about pitching--very elite information from one of the best sources in the world.

laflippin- I am currently reading one of his books and wish I had this knowledge years ago. We have not been fortunate to have a clinic in the Chicago area lately. I think we will be heading to the one in Michigan in December. Thanks for your insight.