Book Private Strength-and-speed Lessons with Coach Matthew

After two seasons of junior college baseball at Los Angeles Harbor College, where Matt led the team in batting average both years (.356 & .357), Hibbert moved on to receive a preferred walk on spot on the Long Beach State Dirtbag roster. Heading into his senior season he received a full athletic & academic scholarship from the head coach. After his senior season, in which he led the Dirtbags in batting average (.293), Hibbert went undrafted. Determined to play professional baseball, Hibbert decided to sign an independent professional baseball contract and continue his playing career. Fourteen seasons later, Hibbert has played for 9 independent professional ball clubs playing in 700+ games. He won a league championship with the Sonoma Stompers in 2017 & has recieved two Defensive Player of the Year Awards. (2015 & 2017)

With 14 years of professional playing experience combined with an additional 10+ years of coaching, I bring a wealth of knowledge and insight to the development of athletes. I am committed to not only applying the lessons I’ve learned from my own career but also staying at the forefront of innovative training techniques and strategies. My approach is rooted in continuous learning, ensuring that I am always adapting to the latest advancements in athlete development.

In addition, I take a personalized approach to coaching by thoroughly assessing each athlete’s strengths and areas for growth. Through this process, we can create a tailored training plan that not only addresses areas of improvement but also enhances and builds upon their existing strengths. My goal is to foster a balanced, holistic development that maximizes each athlete’s potential and helps them excel both on and off the field.

1) Session Briefing & Objective Setting: Begin by clearly outlining the goals and focus areas of the session, ensuring the athlete understands the purpose behind each drill and how it aligns with their overall development.

2) Dynamic Warm-Up & Mobility Work: Engage the athlete in a dynamic warm-up designed to activate key muscle groups, followed by mobility exercises to improve flexibility, range of motion, and injury prevention.

3) Agility Training: Incorporate sport-specific agility drills to enhance quickness, change of direction, and reaction time, ensuring the athlete improves their on-field responsiveness.

4) Sprint Progression: Focus on developing sprint mechanics and explosiveness through a structured progression, targeting key elements such as acceleration, top speed, and proper running form.

5) Strength or Sport-Specific Skills Training: Depending on the athlete's needs, either integrate strength training exercises to build power and endurance, or focus on sport-specific drills that enhance technical skills relevant to their position.

6) Core Training, Cool Down & Static Stretching: Engage the athlete in core strengthening exercises for stability and balance, followed by a cool-down period that includes static stretching to promote flexibility and reduce muscle tension.

7) Post-Session Debrief & Success Planning: Conclude the session with a comprehensive debrief, discussing the athlete's progress, any areas for improvement, and setting clear, actionable goals to ensure success in the next training session.

My best coach/manager I ever had was Takashi Miyoshi, who was the manager of the 2016 Sonoma Stompers championship team. He was the first Japanese born manager in affiliated baseball and is currently a coach in the Dominican Republic for the Cincinnati Reds organization. He trusted my abilities, let me play my game, gave me confidence throughout the season and was there to light a fire under me when I needed that edge. Some sayings he said that will always stick to me were, "I am no ordinary man, and you should not strive to be one either" , "Apply pressure every time you step on that field" and "you are my guy! If you go down, I go down with you".

Athletes and parents should understand that skill development is not just a focus for me—it's a true passion. Witnessing athletes make tangible progress through consistent effort over time is incredibly rewarding. There’s nothing quite like seeing an athlete experience that "lightbulb" moment when everything clicks, and the joy of success lights up their face.

My ultimate goal is to help each athlete become more self-aware and self-reliant in their development—empowering them to be their own best coach. I believe that the athlete’s most powerful resource is their ability to trust themselves in the heat of competition. This trust is built over time and may not be fully realized overnight, but through incremental growth, we can achieve it—brick by brick.

The process is not just about improving skills; it’s about fostering the mental and emotional resilience that allows athletes to thrive when it matters most.