Fundamental Training

So as a coach, my slogan for my teams has always been to "Do your job, Do your best."

I'm sure some of you have seen this graphic floating around but this is what I'm talking about. Everyone has a job to do. Playing outfield is not a punishment. One can't sit there and just watch the play. I try to teach my boys to know what they are going to do if the ball comes to them, what to do if it gets past them, what to do if it gets past a teammate. Baseball is slow until it is not and then things happen very quickly.

The other day my son's 12u rec team was playing and one of the opposing batters hit a hard grounder that got past my son at shortstop and then the center fielder missed it and it rolled almost to the fence. The kid ended up getting an in the park home run on a ground ball because once it went past the primary defender, the secondary dfender was not ready and then they did not know where to throw the ball after that. The wheels fell off. The batter ended up driving in two runs as well on a ground ball.

So as parents and coaches, and this lesson applies to life and not just sports, let's try to teach our kids to do THEIR job, and to do THEIR best.

All we can do is give our max effort and the chips will fall where they will.

Summer is upon us and fall baseball season will be here before we know it!

Have you seen some weaknesses in your child's performance this past season? Holes in their game? Maybe they are moving up to a new league and need to learn how to pitch, or catch?

Give me a shout and let's get something on the books for over the summer so they can continue to progress in their skills and mechanics.

"Do YOUR job. Do YOUR best"

980-239-7879

$1/min for private lessons

I just spoke to a fellow coach and a former teammate of my son's who both were in a local, well known "travel ball" program and BOTH told me that the organization told them that they were NOT ALLOWED to play any sport while in season....

Keep in mind the "season" (if counting training) is basically 10 months of the year.

As a family we personally (since we have 3 kids) try to limit each kid to one activity at a time so they can be 100% committed to that activity BUT we encourage a diversity of activities across the course of a year.

It is interesting to see the MLB and former pro players speak out against the travel ball culture that has run rampant in the US and the need for better, local play with better coaching. I don't know what it's going to take to get us back to a sensible position in this Country regarding youth athletics but it seems ever since Tiger Woods came on the scene that we have lost our minds. And the ones that lose the most are our kids.

"Do Your Job, Do Your Best"

I'll just let this speak for itself...

I see TOO MANY Little League/youth coaches pitching "throwers" and ignoring "pitchers". The coaches get so enamored by "speed" that they somehow overlook the 50%+ of pitches that the catcher is snagging, blocking or chasing.

As a coach I LOVE to see a "thrower" on the mound....I adjust my batters position, give them timing cues and mix in some fake bunts and once I am in the "thrower's" head, thats it....game over. PLUS I know that the more the "thrower" throws (since he is all fastballs) that he will tire quickly and lose even more command control.

Give me a slower pitcher who can locate, mix up his delivery and throw some breaking balls any day over a pure "thrower".

Interested in some lessons for pitchers? Catchers? Batting? Hit me up.

$1/minute

Wesley Chapel, NC

Maybe a hall-of-famer can get through to some peeps....but PREACH it John!

I have a kid right now on my son's LL rec team who, after 3 seasons of baseball, could barely catch a ball, had a horrible swing and who's throwing mechanics were all proof that NONE of his coaches in the past had done ANYTHING to help him and he is not the only one either. I also know of another kid that played with my son at a more "competitive" level of play who was the same way and HE wasn't/isn't the only one.....but that team wins games and he can hit so let's ignore his arm path??

Too many coaches just want to win....even in rec league play. Their philosophy is to stick the "weak" kid in right field, put him in the bottom of the batting order, accept that he will strike out and, instead, focus on the talented kids who may actually win you a game....vomit....it makes me sick.

If your child is being neglected by his/her coach OR you simply want to move them to the next level of a skillset, hit me up and let's talk. No kid should be ignored and neglected. If a coach doesn't know how to COACH (not Manage a team, but coach), then they should find a mom or dad who does and let them help.

"Do YOUR job....do YOUR best" applies to coaches too.

I had the pleasure to do two, private lessons with Jack, one of my kiddos on my rec baseball team. I coached Jack years ago and have watched him grow as a player but he has always struggled in the box. After two lessons his confidence is way up, his mechanics and approach improved dramatically and he's been getting some hits or at least been competitive when up to bat.

You know, as a coach nothing annoys me more than seeing kids play a sport for years and never improve or have their flaws addressed. Too many coaches at the REC LEVEL are so worried about winning that kids who are average or below get stuck in right field and basically ignored. The fact is most coaches just aren't "coaches" but are managers but there are dads who would love to help if given the chance and my Lord, look at what one can learn just online nowadays. There is just no excuse anymore to NOT try and teach a kid.

But, so it is and that's why I jumped back in to coaching....for moments like seeing a kid put into action what he was taught and see success from it.

Thanks to Jack's parents for trusting me to coach him again and for paying for his lessons. The kid has a mind for the game and plenty of potential. Really cool to see....

It's been a minute since I coached Sam's baseball team...if I wasn't his head coach I would always gladly assist when given the opportunity.

Coming from a teaching background, coaching is something I Iove to do. I love breaking skills down for kids, analyzing movement and strategizing and nothing is better than seeing a kid improve at a skill. Perfection and winning are not my goals, nor is "having fun" but that happens naturally when you teach and lead kids to success, and by success I do not mean winning. Success is improving, is maximum effort and focus, is "doing YOUR job and doing YOUR best" (my team motto).

Glad to be back to coaching again and am blessed to have several dads helping out. That is what it's about....maximizing reps through multiple small groups and it is always good to see dads interact with their boy and others. Young boys need more male role models and our team is chock full of them.

Look out Cary, here we come!

Loaded up and ready to go with just some of the acutremean needed for a high school marching band show nowadays. 1 box truck, 1 cargo trailer, 1 utility trailer, 1 Gator, 1 truck bed and my get up....yeah....it's a production to say the least but Arim Williams Hicks and are glad to help in whatever way we can.

A big shout out to the Weddington High School Marching Warriors and the Pit Crew parents that make these events possible.