I wanted to share some quick thoughts with you in hopes to share philosophy and cast vision. This travel baseball landscape and youth sports in general has become crazy, unregulated, and out of control. Some argue that travel baseball (showcase baseball for that matter) is a detriment to the integrity of the game and how it is getting passed down to our next generation of athletes. 

Development:

The number one goal for any youth sports organization under the age of 16u should be primarily focused on development. First and foremost, developing the HUMAN. We happen to use baseball as a platform for that. Second, develop the baseball player. We call this long term athletic development (LTAD). LTAD places the primary goal on long-term benefits and having a desired outcome that may years from now. That is a paradigm I try to use when looking at how 706 Baseball Club works with youth players. Our goal is to prepare kids for the next level. It is future minded. 

Here is how I plan to implement a development plan for our athletes:

• Limit overall exposure. This is why we practice later in the fall and not start in August. Middle School players are beginning middle school baseball in January and it will be February-April and then travel ball kicks up. We need to give their growing bodies time to rest. Repetitive stress is the primary cause of little league elbow and little league shoulder. I feel it is my duty to monitor workload and volume over the course of the calendar year.
• Game Exposure. Playing games has a place and I find it to be very important. However, I look at games as tests for players to evaluate what they need to work on to develop. Player development is categorized into 2 buckets: motor learning and motor performance. Games allow players to perform their acquired motor skill in a chaotic environment. I find it most important in a pubescent, novice athlete to acquire motor skill. I can dive into this topic in another email. 
• Skill development (Motor Learning). November and December it is our goal to have our players participate in winter skill development sessions. We will have this 2 times per week. This will focus on arm development, defense skills, and speed. We are trying to teach kids how to create repeatable mechanics and move their arm and body fast in space. These sessions are planned for Tuesday and Thursday and will be located at Hillman-Rainwater. 
• Player Reporting. I tend to be data driven as numbers do not lie. I would like to implement a player reporting so parents and players see where the players are currently and help establish goals to progress them along the LTAD.
• Accountability and Patience. Development takes time. It takes a work ethic and time. My big recommendation for the youth level players are to find coaches that hold players accountable and strive to make them better. In time, the process will take care of the rest. One of the problems I see is that players/parents program hop in travel sports. Find the coaches that create a development focused environment and be patient in the process. Time is on their side, especially with the new recruiting rules. I am confident that you are at the right organization as we constantly are working to improve 706 and help these players. 

Vision Casting: 

As a way to ensure we can provide our knowledge and constantly be in a position to work with our players on their path of betterment, it is heavy on my heart and mind to try to open a 706 Baseball Club Indoor Facility. This would allow teams to practice indoors during inclement weather and winter without working around other teams. I also think this will be beneficial for our coaches and players as it would provide a place for individual lessons on an annual basis. For development purposes, it is my goal to outfit this indoor with technology like Trackman that would provide instant feedback to them as well create some context for goal setting. This would be exclusive to families of the 706 Baseball Club and I think it would be very beneficial for our local baseball players that aspire to make it to the next level. This all sounds good on paper and it’ll take some prayer and financial help to get this plan going.

Last thing: in life, we all get out of it what we put in. You can email me, text me, reach out if you’d like to get some input on your players’ development and help map out their LTAD.