It seems like yesterday I was coaching him in 5 & 6 year old coach pitch! And now he’s an adult! Take my experiences and help shape the ones you still have left!
Great stuff, Kevin. If youth coaches focused on at least some of these, A) kids would have have a more enjoyable experience and B) our jobs as high school coaches would become a lot easier!
Thanks, Alex! Yes, you're correct. It's very difficult to nail all of these - in fact, most won't...not even me even though I've recognized it. But doing the best way can can yield huge returns! Thanks for all you do!
Kevin, in my opinion this is very well said and I enjoyed the blog and podcast. My only disagreement is that not all teams have the same goals and desires. I think it's important for a coach to communicate what type of team they wish to build to the parents. I've seen Community, Developmental, Competitive or even Elite teams, The approach can not be the same for all these teams. Thanks for the great content
Hi Wes, thanks for the comment! Absolutely agree with you, not all teams have the same goals. One reason I didn't mention communication is because I actually was an over-communictor as a younger coach. I do however have a future podcast in the works talking about coach-parent and coach-player communication! Stay tuned!
My son just turned 11 at the beginning of July. He has been playing a year up since he was 5. In the spring of 2019, Fall 2019, and Spring/Summer of 2020 he played on a travel team on the north side of Houston. The coach called him his "Swiss Army" player. He could just plug him in where he needed him. By the end of this summer I could tell he wasn't have fun any more. He was actually cut from the team he had player for for 3 season (another story). So I signed him up to play league ball again with some of his friends. He is having a fun again. He making other around him better. There is no perfect formula that fits every kid. Mine wants to play other sports besides baseball 24/7. He likes basketball and probably will like football. We'll see.
Thanks for sharing, David! That's also a great example of how a seemingly bad experience/event turned into a great thing! Also, I am a huge proponent of other sports. We need to develop athletes, not baseball players. Thanks again for commenting!
As to #10 I tried really hard to do this when I coached my daughter playing all sports (soccer, softball, basketball) around that 7-10 year old range and I met so much resistance to this concept it was truly disheartening. I believe this is the best way to develop every player especially at those young ages.
That's the biggest reason young kids quit playing. They don't have fun standing out in the outfield never getting to do anything. As I said in the podcast, there's a way to do it. I'm not advocating randomly moving players around. But there are ways to get kids experience at multiple positions and keep their interest in the game! Thanks for reading/listening and commenting, Mark!
This is fantastic and timely, as I am in the middle of this right now with my 12yr old son and his baseball team...trying to balance the ever-narrowing tight rope of winning vs teaching kids how to play winning baseball...truly feel there is a difference. The longer I have been at this the more I see and relate to all of your points...the window is closing fast and my opportunity to make a positive impact with my son is slipping away quickly. I would much rather be able to enjoy the game when he is grown and it be a place we will always have a bond. Thank you so much for all you are doing for the game, for us as coaches/parents. Keep up the great work and have a blessed day!
Justin, thanks for the comment. Totally get you - it's a fine line you mentioned between winning and teaching winning baseball. It takes time, but is well worth it! Thanks again for reading/listening!
I kind of disagree that kids should not be cut or not selected for a select team by way of a tryout. This is coming from a dad of an 8 year old who was not selected for a select team the first time he tried out. I knew he had some pretty decent skills, he knew it. But he had a bad a try out and didn't make it because the coaches didn't know him as well as I knew him and as well as he knew himself. However, following that failed tryout, he still wanted it and he worked his tail off for a year - based on feedback from the coaches - and he made the team the next year. It was a long and frankly lonely and frustrating year for both of us, helping him to get better - especially seeing how well he performed in rec that year. But if he had made the select team that first time, I don't know if he or I would have ever worked so hard to help him get better. We also both learned a ton that we will carry forward, to my son's advantage, as long as he plays baseball - and the life lessons will never go unused.
Fantastic ideas! These 10 philosophies will serve as a great reminder for me and other coaches. I try to use these ideas when coaching...but you’re right winning can get in the way. Thanks for putting this together. Much appreciated. I will definitely follow this podcast and share with others.
Great advise thanks, I help coach my sons team my three things I believe in is I love the kids, love the sport and love coaching. My son is very capable of playing multiple positions but the coaches give him chance’s rarely. I tell him just stay positive, productive and the prize is at the end. Long story short the politics in baseball is ridiculous. I tell my son just worry about what you can control. I’m there for all the kids, not to go to bat for my son if the coach can not Evaluate talent well he’s hurting the team and the player’s development. Regardless I do a lot of one on one with my son He has a strong work ethic a Multi sport athletic. In closing it’s what you do when no one is watching, that makes you great. Thank for your time and god bless to you and your family.
Man this is really helpful! My son literally cannot wait to get into Silverdale athletics and is very interested in baseball and already loves football and basketball. I’d love to know your thoughts on channeling what to focus on. He is 7 years old in 2nd grade. Thank you
Hey Michael, thanks for the question. I ran through these pretty quickly in the written version, but I went into quite a bit more detail on the podcast. Take a listen and let me know if you have questions. I really just felt like these were the ones that stood out the most to me as I reflect over the past 14 years of him playing and me coaching!
an athlete interested in competing and putting in the work to be good
the time to be a coach
I feel truly blessed to even be part of this conversation.
I have coached my son since he was 4 (baseball) and he is now 13. Its been wonderful. Yeah there have been successes and failures and challenges and drama, but would not change it for the world.
My perspective comes from this - One of my life long best friends is a head coach of a very successful high school varsity football team in the area. He was a great athlete himself, having played at the college level.
He has two children. A girl first, then a boy. They are both in college now.
Try as he might, the boy was not interested in sports, even though his dad was a coach. Just not wired that way. It was tough to watch and made me realize the list above.
Having a "son like ourselves" is not a right - it is a rare privilege and I am eternally grateful.
Great stuff, Kevin. If youth coaches focused on at least some of these, A) kids would have have a more enjoyable experience and B) our jobs as high school coaches would become a lot easier!
Thanks, Alex! Yes, you're correct. It's very difficult to nail all of these - in fact, most won't...not even me even though I've recognized it. But doing the best way can can yield huge returns! Thanks for all you do!
Kevin, in my opinion this is very well said and I enjoyed the blog and podcast. My only disagreement is that not all teams have the same goals and desires. I think it's important for a coach to communicate what type of team they wish to build to the parents. I've seen Community, Developmental, Competitive or even Elite teams, The approach can not be the same for all these teams. Thanks for the great content
Hi Wes, thanks for the comment! Absolutely agree with you, not all teams have the same goals. One reason I didn't mention communication is because I actually was an over-communictor as a younger coach. I do however have a future podcast in the works talking about coach-parent and coach-player communication! Stay tuned!
Everyone should become familiar with USA Baseball's LTAD program. I have gone through several conferences with them and clinics and it is something that I try to adhere too. Is is something I am perfect at following, NO, but it has opened my eyes and changed my coaching philosophy. https://www.usabaseball.com/news/topic/general/usa-baseball-releases-long-term-athlete-development-plan-255218542
Thanks for sharing, Kevin. To be totally honest, I have not, but I'm going to look into this later in the week.
Great read! Spot on! I heard a Baptist preacher say one day when he was preaching, its either an amen or oh me....definitely an oh me on this one.
Thanks for listening/reading, Robert!
My son just turned 11 at the beginning of July. He has been playing a year up since he was 5. In the spring of 2019, Fall 2019, and Spring/Summer of 2020 he played on a travel team on the north side of Houston. The coach called him his "Swiss Army" player. He could just plug him in where he needed him. By the end of this summer I could tell he wasn't have fun any more. He was actually cut from the team he had player for for 3 season (another story). So I signed him up to play league ball again with some of his friends. He is having a fun again. He making other around him better. There is no perfect formula that fits every kid. Mine wants to play other sports besides baseball 24/7. He likes basketball and probably will like football. We'll see.
Thanks for sharing, David! That's also a great example of how a seemingly bad experience/event turned into a great thing! Also, I am a huge proponent of other sports. We need to develop athletes, not baseball players. Thanks again for commenting!
As to #10 I tried really hard to do this when I coached my daughter playing all sports (soccer, softball, basketball) around that 7-10 year old range and I met so much resistance to this concept it was truly disheartening. I believe this is the best way to develop every player especially at those young ages.
That's the biggest reason young kids quit playing. They don't have fun standing out in the outfield never getting to do anything. As I said in the podcast, there's a way to do it. I'm not advocating randomly moving players around. But there are ways to get kids experience at multiple positions and keep their interest in the game! Thanks for reading/listening and commenting, Mark!
This is fantastic and timely, as I am in the middle of this right now with my 12yr old son and his baseball team...trying to balance the ever-narrowing tight rope of winning vs teaching kids how to play winning baseball...truly feel there is a difference. The longer I have been at this the more I see and relate to all of your points...the window is closing fast and my opportunity to make a positive impact with my son is slipping away quickly. I would much rather be able to enjoy the game when he is grown and it be a place we will always have a bond. Thank you so much for all you are doing for the game, for us as coaches/parents. Keep up the great work and have a blessed day!
Justin, thanks for the comment. Totally get you - it's a fine line you mentioned between winning and teaching winning baseball. It takes time, but is well worth it! Thanks again for reading/listening!
I kind of disagree that kids should not be cut or not selected for a select team by way of a tryout. This is coming from a dad of an 8 year old who was not selected for a select team the first time he tried out. I knew he had some pretty decent skills, he knew it. But he had a bad a try out and didn't make it because the coaches didn't know him as well as I knew him and as well as he knew himself. However, following that failed tryout, he still wanted it and he worked his tail off for a year - based on feedback from the coaches - and he made the team the next year. It was a long and frankly lonely and frustrating year for both of us, helping him to get better - especially seeing how well he performed in rec that year. But if he had made the select team that first time, I don't know if he or I would have ever worked so hard to help him get better. We also both learned a ton that we will carry forward, to my son's advantage, as long as he plays baseball - and the life lessons will never go unused.
Fantastic ideas! These 10 philosophies will serve as a great reminder for me and other coaches. I try to use these ideas when coaching...but you’re right winning can get in the way. Thanks for putting this together. Much appreciated. I will definitely follow this podcast and share with others.
These are a lot of things my wife tells me, who would have thought lol. Thanks for sharing.
Great advise thanks, I help coach my sons team my three things I believe in is I love the kids, love the sport and love coaching. My son is very capable of playing multiple positions but the coaches give him chance’s rarely. I tell him just stay positive, productive and the prize is at the end. Long story short the politics in baseball is ridiculous. I tell my son just worry about what you can control. I’m there for all the kids, not to go to bat for my son if the coach can not Evaluate talent well he’s hurting the team and the player’s development. Regardless I do a lot of one on one with my son He has a strong work ethic a Multi sport athletic. In closing it’s what you do when no one is watching, that makes you great. Thank for your time and god bless to you and your family.
Man this is really helpful! My son literally cannot wait to get into Silverdale athletics and is very interested in baseball and already loves football and basketball. I’d love to know your thoughts on channeling what to focus on. He is 7 years old in 2nd grade. Thank you
Are there reasons why you chose these? I'm curious to the details of why each one.
Hey Michael, thanks for the question. I ran through these pretty quickly in the written version, but I went into quite a bit more detail on the podcast. Take a listen and let me know if you have questions. I really just felt like these were the ones that stood out the most to me as I reflect over the past 14 years of him playing and me coaching!
Think about it... We are not guaranteed...
any children
a boy
an athlete
an athlete interested in competing and putting in the work to be good
the time to be a coach
I feel truly blessed to even be part of this conversation.
I have coached my son since he was 4 (baseball) and he is now 13. Its been wonderful. Yeah there have been successes and failures and challenges and drama, but would not change it for the world.
My perspective comes from this - One of my life long best friends is a head coach of a very successful high school varsity football team in the area. He was a great athlete himself, having played at the college level.
He has two children. A girl first, then a boy. They are both in college now.
Try as he might, the boy was not interested in sports, even though his dad was a coach. Just not wired that way. It was tough to watch and made me realize the list above.
Having a "son like ourselves" is not a right - it is a rare privilege and I am eternally grateful.