First Lesson Approach (Beginner Pitcher)
1. Assessment Through Warm-Up
• I begin by teaching proper warm-up and arm care while asking the athlete questions to learn about their background, experience, goals, and body awareness.
• This allows me to evaluate movement patterns, coordination, and comfort level in real time.
2. Progressive Drill Work
• As the warm-up continues, I introduce drills tailored to the athlete based on what I observe.
• Drills are chosen on the spot to help the athlete begin developing efficient mechanics and feel for proper movement.
3. Throwing & Catch Play
• We then move into structured catch play together.
• During catch, I provide live feedback and simple cues to reinforce what was taught during drills.
4. Bullpen and/or Workout
• Depending on the athlete’s readiness, we finish with:
• A controlled bullpen session
• A strength or movement workout
• Or both
5. Wrap-Up & Direction
• The session ends with clear feedback, next steps, and guidance on what to focus on moving forward.
Lessons 11+ Approach (Advanced Development)
1. Continuous Learning
• Baseball is a game where there is always something new to learn, and at the advanced and elite levels, mastery takes time and consistent effort.
2. Building a Support System
• Our role is to act as the “pit crew” for the player — providing guidance, corrections, and support to tackle challenges as they arise.
• The goal is to ensure the player is always prepared to handle whatever obstacles or adjustments come their way.
3. Striving for Excellence
• Perfection is not the expectation; rather, the focus is on consistently striving to be the best version of themselves every day.
• Sustained growth requires maintaining good habits, reinforcing fundamentals, and continuing to build skill over time, because it is far easier to undo progress than to build it.
4. Long-Term Mindset
• These lessons emphasize developing independence, resilience, and understanding that improvement is a lifelong journey.
• Each session continues to challenge the player, helping them refine mechanics, mental toughness, and overall performance.
Lessons 4–10 Approach (Beginner to Developing Pitcher)
1. Progress Assessment
• During this phase, we begin to expect tangible results from consistent practice.
• Progress is assessed through observation of warm-ups, drills, throwing, and bullpen sessions, as well as performance in games outside of lessons.
2. Key Focus Areas
• Velocity: Is the player throwing harder?
• Command: Is the player throwing more strikes?
• Confidence: Is the player demonstrating more poise and comfort on the mound?
• While arm care, workouts, and warm-ups support these areas, the main measure of success is improvement in velocity, command, and mound confidence.
3. Reinforcement and Adjustment
• Lessons continue to reinforce previous adjustments and correct any new mistakes.
• Progress is gradual, and players earn the right to advance to more complex adjustments as they demonstrate mastery of the basics.
4. Consistency Over Time
• While noticeable improvement can occur in this time frame, continued, consistent work over a minimum of three months is essential for lasting results.
• Each session is designed to build understanding, skill, and confidence, ensuring steady growth in all areas.