Often players get wrapped up in worrying about things over which they have no control. The want to hit .400, make the All Star team, get a college scholarship and play pro baseball. The accomplishments are a product of the process not a given reward. Baseball is about the journey not the destination. I think a young man should play baseball to learn lessons in life, individual striving for excellence, discipline, a work ethic, dealing with failure and resilience.  The reason one works so hard today is to strive to have the maximum amount of success/fun possible tomorrow when he gets on the field to play the game again. That next game is all that is given. The idea that there is a big payoff down the road is beyond his control. The High School team may be very strong and the coach may not think he is good enough. College and pro scouts may say no. He can’t control their opinions. But today he is on a team. Tomorrow he has another game. He may get to play and he works to be ready to have success tomorrow if granted the opportunity.

As he works in his home training program, he will need to hit off the StayBack Tee in the garage or basement. He will need to throw a “pen” in the backyard with the aid of a Bullpen Buddy , Dad, you can help by catching his ‘pen” and throwing Pickleballs to him in the backyard. With the HANDS BACK HITTER , he will be able to develop a short and consistent stride on the ball of his foot, keeping his weight back, not blend his stride and swing and to execute properly, rotational swing mechanics when hitting the ball without any one to help.

Hard work in a home training program is empowering. When he steps into the box in a game, he is empowered with the knowledge that by golly, he has EARNED the right to have success. He has the mental edge. He worked to EARN the success/fun he will be enjoying TODAY. Baseball is about the journey not the destination. He may or may not play to all his dreams but when it is all over, he will be a man who has learned to work to be the best that he can be and those memories of the journey shared with Dad will last a lifetime