By Rick Assad
For many, baseball is a way of life, and it is for longtime Burbank resident Angel Villagran, who played the game as a member on the Burbank High varsity team as a pitcher and a third baseman and is currently coaching young baseball players and is also a personal trainer.
This being the start of summer, it’s also travel-ball season.
“Right now, I am heavily focused on coaching travel baseball. The organization I recently started is called 818 Elite Baseball, and we are a nine-and-under travel baseball team based in Burbank,” said Villagran, who began coaching the sport in 2015. “We are a young team with some of my players being first year travel-ball players. The beautiful part of this new experience is getting to coach with my younger brother Steven Villagran, and a good friend of mine, Paul Frias. I always wanted to coach my younger brother while he was in high school, but instead he chose to go to a different school, which in the long run turned out to be a good decision. Paul is a former teammate and someone I have always appreciated. We have experience coaching incoming freshman teams together in our early days and now get to reunite to help shape younger ball players.”
Playing is fun and coaching is likewise enjoyable for Villagran, who began his coaching career on the staff of Craig Sherwood’s Burroughs’ team and then joined the staff at Cal State University, Northridge, as an undergraduate assistant where he was mentored by Greg Moore, Dave Serrano and Eddie Cornejo.
“Being a baseball coach is very satisfying and rewarding. I take a ton of pride in being able to coach the youth. I was fortunate to have many great coaches that have positively impacted my development during my youth and I want to give that back to all my athletes,” he said. “Getting to watch my players have fun competing brings a lot of joy into my life. There is a great sense of pride when I see my players enjoying the game I love.”
When Villagran, who privately trains athletes at his AV Sports Performance, was toiling on the diamond as a player it was one thing, but being in the dugout is something else. Which does he prefer?
“I enjoyed competing as a player, but I find myself having more fun as a coach,” he admitted. “Coaching is something that comes natural to me and being able to share my knowledge and impact my players in a positive way is extremely rewarding.”
Villagran said he enjoys training athletes because it allows him to work one-on-one.
Villagran wants to impart his knowledge of the game to younger fans because it’s worthwhile.
“A couple core lessons I work to instill while coaching my baseball players are teamwork and perseverance. Baseball is a team sport that requires all players working together to achieve a common goal,” he said. “My coaches and I lead by example and demonstrate teamwork by allowing our players to collaborate during parts of practice.”
Just like anything we attempt, grasping the rudiments allows one to prosper.
“It will always be about the fundamentals and having fun. Everyone wants to be associated with success but often lose sight of the fundamentals it takes to achieve success,” Villagran stated. “I’ve learned that players tend to lose joy when they get caught up in the wins and losses.”
Villagran’s outlook on how to teach the game has changed.
“My philosophy has evolved over time into focusing more on the process and controlling the things we can control. Coaches and players are results driven, often wanting things to happen instantly,” he said. “Those expectations can cause some anxiety. I, and with the help of my coaches, strive to create an environment where my players can feel comfortable to be themselves and unlock their full potential.”
In a moment of reversal, Villagran has garnered lessons from his players.
“I learn from my players all the time. I truly believe I learn as much from my players as they do from me,” he admitted. “They constantly challenge me as a coach, but more importantly as a person.”
Because the players are young, is it more difficult to teach them such a difficult game as baseball?
“I don’t find teaching youngsters to be difficult. At times it can be challenging, but I embrace those challenges because in the end it makes me a better coach,” Villagran stated.
Villagran, who graduated from CSUN with a degree in exercise science, added: “We give them the space to learn from one another and listen to each other explain a specific task,” he noted. “I understand baseball is a difficult sport and may not come easy to some ball players. This is where we discuss the process and explain to our players the importance of perseverance and supporting one another’s efforts.”
What are the ingredients that make for a successful youth baseball coach?
“There are many factors that go into being a youth baseball coach,” Villagran acknowledged. “To me, patience is one of the most important skills to have. Understanding that every athlete has different learning styles and having the patience to cater to their style makes all the difference.”
Baseball is a thinking man’s sport.
“The mental strategy of the game has always been appealing to me. I embrace competition, and love developing a mental and physical plan to win in every facet of the game,” Villagran said. “This is something that drove me as a player and drives me even more as a coach because it is my responsibility to teach.”
What happens when a player isn’t doing so well on the field?
“It really depends on the situation, but this is where my playing experience comes into play because I am able to relate to what they may be feeling,” Villagran said. “Of course, you want to be positive and encouraging, but sometimes being honest is more effective. Players always want the truth, and I always want to keep it real with them in hopes they do the same with me.”
