Coaches
Nobby Shinya
Nobby Shinya, an experienced baseball coach and the CEO of High Heat Baseball, has been making significant contributions to youth baseball in the United States. Shinya, who began his journey in baseball in Japan, transitioned to the United States when he was 24. While initially working as a kindergarten teacher, his baseball experience led to him being requested as a coach for a local youth baseball team.
A Unique Coaching Style
Shinya places utmost importance on making training enjoyable for the players. His philosophy as a coach is to be an entertainer, ensuring that the young players find the drills fun and engaging. To create an interactive and diverse practice environment, Shinya uses innovative methods such as using two differently colored plastic balls during tee batting. The players are asked to hit the ball of a specified color, an exercise that not only keeps training from becoming monotonous but also helps improve bat control.
A Blend of US and Japan Techniques
Throughout his approximately 30-year career in the United States, Shinya has developed training methods that can be effectively applied to developing young baseball players in Japan as well. His expertise attracts numerous baseball personnel from Japan to the United States to learn from him. One of his notable students is Takuto Kikuchi, a baseball skill coach who studied under Shinya in the United States for over half a year starting from March 2018.
Making it Fun and Accessible
Born on April 26, 1968, in Kushiro city, Hokkaido, Shinya started playing baseball when he was in the fourth grade at his local school. He continued playing baseball through high school and university before moving to the United States. He started an academy in the United States in 2007. He believes that the role of a coach is to make players happy, and he hopes to create an environment where all children who want to become better at baseball or who find baseball fun can learn and grow.