How Important Is Baseball Training?

Coach John Peter


There are essentially four places where youth baseball players and their families can get the information needed to improving ball players beyond their current or recreational level:

* Dad and his baseball knowledge from his own youth

* The player's youth coach(es)

* Continuous home training & use of training aids

* Paid coaches & lessons

Possibility #1
I have no doubt that an average baseball dad/coach can learn enough from the free information, tips newsletter and instructional articles that we give away at Baseball Tips to offer help to most young players to improve. This takes interest and time of both dad and player and makes for potentially lifelong memories!

Possibility #2
Youth coaches tend to be a player’s dad, so the opportunity and limitations tend to be the same as option number one.

Possibility #3
Backyard training is typically a joint effort where Dad sees the player’s continued interest in this great game and sees benefit in owning a few pieces of reasonably-sized baseball training equipment. He then grants his blessing to using some of the family backyard or basement for this purpose. This is where a player can learn to get the most quality repetitions and become more skilled most quickly… assuming that proper mechanics are being learned to begin with (no use in engraining bad habits…right?)

Possibiltiy #4
Paid coaches & lessons are where the most knowledge can be gained most quickly....especially if a parent will attend at least some lessons to learn what to help the player with and to reinforce and maximize the money invested in these lessons! It does cost money and those dollars are best spent as lesson packages with a set schedule and with a set plan of goals and a realistic timeframe.

So what's the best way?
All and all at once is the absolute best answer.
However, the reality is that most families will be limited by time, money or the motivation to follow through. So now that you know where the sources of this powerful information lie…it is like any other family decision and is based on you and yours.

It all works…if you can and will do it. But it is worth nothing if there is a lack of consistency or honesty about your own situation.

My Summary
I have had a lifetime of hearing parents who tell me how talented and athletic their young players are but an equal number of players who never flourish because these interested players are not offered the tools or the time needed to develop both the passion or the positive results that result from gaining knowledge and the positive experience that tends to follow.

The old days are gone…sandlot baseball has given way to many different organized sports and choices, all demanding time and effort.

If we truly want our players to stay in the game longer, we will need to influence them with any or all of options 1-4 above.

Life happens quick…so don’t miss an opportunity!

And remember…you may never be closer to your own child than you are at 60 feet away tossing a ball and having a simple game of catch!