At National Pitching Association, we’re dedicated to helping young athletes achieve their baseball dreams. Julian Harris has been a member of the NPA family for a few years now, honing his skills through targeted coaching provided by myself and other members of our team.
Through this guidance, Julian has developed a strong foundation in pitching mechanics and arm care, as well as the mental toughness needed to succeed at the collegiate level. We’re all incredibly proud of Julian’s journey and excited to see him dominate on the mound for the West Michigan Broncos!
Here’s what Julian has to say about his experience with NPA. For more of Julian’s story, read the full interview here.
Mechanics and Mental Strength – NPA Pitching Instruction
Excerpt from interview conducted by Todd Starowitz, NPA.
Todd: How did you first connect with Greg Wright?
Julian: My dad knew Greg through some of his work.
Julian’s dad: When Julian became a freshman, more and more people kept mentioning the name Tom House. Working in the field, I kept hearing a lot about NPA and people told me to call Greg. I knew of Greg, but I didn’t really know him.
When it looked like Julian’s future was going to be in pitching, that’s when I knew I needed to connect with Greg. Julian had been hurt with a dislocated kneecap, and when he first started coming back, we connected with Greg.
Todd: Why did NPA resonate with you?
Julian: I’m a cerebral kid and wanted to know why my bicep tendon was hurting. Was I lifting wrong? Was it my mechanics? NPA provided the answers, and they made sense to me. It showed me what was happening from top to bottom.
I figured out quickly that NPA is the best program for arm care. I stuck with that, and the arm care, coupled with the huge velo jump, gave me all the confidence I needed in the world in the program.
I learned to get muscular endurance and sat at 90 instead of touching 90. Last fall, I was up to 94 and 95 before being diagnosed with cancer, and that set me back for a couple of months, and now I’m back to 91 and 92.
Todd: How did you begin working with NPA?
Julian: I was doing a little bit of NPA as a freshman, but I was doing something else, so I got away from it. At that age, I wasn’t very mature and didn’t understand the NPA stuff. I was doing Driveline and throwing plyo-balls.
After my sophomore year I began doing NPA protocols with NPA Coach Greg, who coaches in Michigan. I found the NPA stuff fascinating. I’m a student of the game and got into all the little details involved with the NPA program.
The mechanical things were very interesting, and I worked hard at it for three months, and my velo jumped eight miles per hour. I was then really locked in because I was seeing the benefits. I just kept learning.
Greg and I worked five days a week. We began using the NPA performance app that provides all the workouts from Tom, (NPA Vice Presidents) Robert Ambrose, and Dean Doxakis as well as other NPA coaches. Getting to see those workouts was super cool.
Todd: When did you first get to work directly with Tom House?
Julian: Last summer I got the opportunity to fly with Greg to an NPA clinic in Colorado and that’s when I first met Tom, Robert, and Dean.
The clinic was amazing and fascinating. I tried to take in Tom’s thoughts throughout the weekend. I fell in love with the NPA program and the mental side of things, and I took what I learned there and carried things over. Last fall, before my cancer diagnosis, I went to San Diego and worked with Tom, who was teaching the NPA coaches new protocols. I was one of the athletes who attended with my coach, Greg.
We trained for about eight hours every day, and it was terrific. It was scorching hot that week, about 105. I was dying, but it was great.
Todd: What is the influence that Tom and the other NPA coaches have had on your development?
Julian: My pitching coach, Greg, his son had died, and (Robert) Ambrose came to see Greg and check in on him. Robert joined Greg and came to watch me pitch at the facility. I worked with Robert for about three hours and had a great time. I made a great connection with him.
I’ve also learned so much from Tom. It’s almost a blur. The biggest thing that Tom teaches is the mental side. I’ve learned biomechanics, but the mental side is huge.
I can trust Tom because he’s working with the best pitchers in the world. I see that and I’m absolutely bought in. Tom teaches consistency and how to be a step past my peers. It’s so much to digest, but it’s awesome.
Youth Pitching Lessons That Produce Results – NPA
If you are a youth pitcher looking to take your pitching to the next level, our expert coaches offer personalized instruction to develop your mechanics, velocity, and control. Find an NPA coach in your area to schedule a lesson or sign up for a membership.
