Better in March than October
For over 25 years, we've opened every season kickoff meeting by asking families the same question: what is your most important goal for your experience this season? The same answer comes back every year. Development. When we ask what they mean by it, it sounds like this: my athlete should be better in March than in October, and I should be able to see it.
Winning isn't on the list. Families will forgive a losing season inside a well-run experience. They won't forgive a season where their kid ends with the same swing he started with.
Right now a lot of coaches are building their winter plan: cage nights, a lifting block, a throwing program. Most of those plans look the same for every player on the roster. Twelve kids, one list.
But twelve kids don't have one problem. Two of your hitters are late because their hips and shoulders can't separate yet. One can't catch up to velocity because he isn't strong enough. One of your pitchers looks great in the bullpen and falls apart on the mound. The same list of drills gives each of them the wrong amount of the wrong thing.
HOW WE BUILD IT
Assess first. Before the winter plan is written, every player gets an honest look across the areas that drive development: strength, movement and mobility, mechanics, the mental side of the game, and whether practice transfers to competition.
Group by root cause, not by position. Players with the same lowest area work together at the same station. The team work still happens. The individual work is aimed.
Retest before spring. Same assessment, same questions. Now "better in March than October" isn't a feeling. It's something you can show a family.
That last step matters more than most coaches think. A family that can see their kid's development asks different questions about playing time, and is a lot less likely to go shopping for another team next summer.
We built two free self-assessments you can use for step one: one for hitters, one for pitchers. Fifteen questions each across five areas, printable, about 15 minutes. Each one shows the player's lowest-scoring area and helps him set a four-week plan around it. Send the links to your families and every player gets his own copy.
P.S. Still planning your preseason parent meeting? The Coach-Parent Partnership guide has the kickoff agenda, the expectations worth putting in writing, and a communication plan that keeps most problems from starting. Free.
Train with purpose. Develop with a plan.
Jordan Reyes
Athlete & Coach Support Specialist
Homebase Sports Co.
Email: info@homebasesportsco.com
Phone: 479-259-1789
Website: www.homebasesportsco.com
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