If asked to name the most important quality colleges seek in recruits, what would you say? Strength, speed, batting average, pitching speed? None of the above. In a recent conversation with a recruiting consultant, she said there is a heavy emphasis on character. All things being equal, this is the difference maker. In other words, …
Are there times when we keep a student from taking it to the max? Absolutely. That may surprise you, but there is a good reason. My total focus is on development, with planning designed specifically for her. If an 11-year-old tries to throw as fast as a varsity player, but her body has not developed …
“Now that you know my story, go create your own.” Have you ever thought about what you would say to the next athlete who gets your uniform? “You will make thousands of mistakes, but that is how you learn”. These quotes came from 12U travel players in Nebraska. As they moved to the next age …
Lily had a great game in the tournament on Saturday. She faced 18 batters, striking out 15. This past weekend, I received so many texts and emails about our pitchers who started strong. Then, I waited, knowing what would come. Fully half of them are new to me. Dominance is a new experience. There is …
A student came to a lesson exhausted. Her team had played in an “all night tournament”. Doesn’t that sound fun? Perhaps, on the surface. I tell our Certified Instructors that we have three rules in our organization: 1-It is about the kids 2-It is about the kids 3-It is about the kids. Today, I stand …
One of the hardest things for me to learn was that great pitching is not a “look”, not a rigid set of movements, and that every kid should arrive at the perfect place in a way that is unique to her. If an athlete is trying to look like someone else, if she is measuring …
If you have followed softball for long, you know the familiar story. Many of the pitchers who were burning it up in 12-U have fallen by the wayside. We often hear people talk about a pitcher who seemed to have all of the gifts early in her career, but came to realize she didn’t have …
The first time we met, I wasn’t very impressed with her. This kid wasn’t big, strong, athletic or fast. She spoke softly and was very polite. She struggled to grasp the form, had no natural speed, and I began to wonder if her parents were wasting time and money on lessons.
