The nature of baseball and softball has changed, with more kids and families trading in summer vacations for select sports and weekends spent at the ballfield. With this evolution has come a greater need for personal strength and conditioning trainers, as well as hitting, pitching, catching and fielding instructors to help these athletes reach their fullest potential. While this growth presents exciting opportunities, it has led to a surge in facilities offering lessons and training services to aspiring athletes.
With more options available, evaluating and choosing an instructor who can truly meet your athlete's unique needs becomes crucial. A skilled trainer can provide specialized guidance in all aspects of the game – whether it's fine-tuning a swing or gaining more speed as a pitcher – ultimately helping your athlete excel and maximize their potential. So, how can you determine who is qualified to instruct your child – but most importantly – who is actually investing in your athlete in the right ways?
1. Do Your Own Research
We live in a beautiful age; finding what you need is just a fingertip and a click away – and baseball and softball trainers are no different. With Facebook groups dedicated to certain sports and regions, it's quite simple to ask and quickly receive various answers when looking for an instructor. While word of mouth is one of the best references, it's important to do your own research when weighing your options.
One great place to start is the potential facility's website – do they have bios for their instructors? This is a great way to learn about who will work with your child. Whether looking for physical training or skill-based instruction, pay attention to the professional's experience and credentials – just like you would any other service. You wouldn't take your car to be repaired by someone without the proper training and skills, so why would you want to trust your athlete with someone that isn't equally qualified? While these aren't the only important factors, because of course, someone with 10 years of experience may be more in tune with the current trends and mechanics more than someone with 20, having a bit of background information allows you to make a more educated decision.
Now that you've got a good idea of what facilities you're considering feel free to reach out to some of the people who recommended an instructor to find out what their experience has been. This could be something as simple as asking the individual what areas the instructor has focused on with their child or more complex, like what their teaching style is and what their athlete enjoys most about working with that particular trainer. Parents love sharing with others how their kids have evolved their skills, so most are happy to talk about the instruction they've been receiving. Don't be afraid to ask for any good and even not-so-good experiences to further refine your choices.
Keep in mind when selecting the right facility for your child to train at – most importantly – you find someone your athlete can gel with. Every trainer has a different style of instruction – even if they're teaching the same mechanics – so finding someone who connects with your child and speaks to them in a way that they understand and allows them to grow is critical to the process. Your athlete simply won't be able to better their skills if they don't feel comfortable asking the trainer questions or for more clarification – no matter how good that person is – and this is something that comes down to instruction style.
2. Ask the Right Questions
Once you have narrowed down your options, make a list of questions that are important to your child's growth. Are there specific areas they're looking to hone, or are they experiencing a plateau and looking for a new way to forge ahead? Any good instructor is happy to talk through your concerns or questions, as it gives us insight into what your athlete needs most and how we can best serve their requirements. Remember, these lessons should be customized to your child's individual needs – not just a collection of drills pieced together to keep them busy – so the more the trainer understands your child (both athletically and personally), the better they can serve you.
3. Beware of Empty Promises
When it comes to helping your aspiring softball or baseball player grow and develop their skills, it's important to be real with your expectations. Rome wasn't built in a day and your child certainly won't pick up 10mph on their fastball – or double their batting average in one night. These sports require skills that are acquired through consistent repetition and proper mechanics – things that cannot be achieved in one or two sessions. If you are considering a camp, clinic or program that only lasts a few weeks and promises to "get you more velocity" or "drop X-amount of time on your home to first," be weary. If helping your child throw or run faster was something that could be achieved – and maintained – in a four-week program, don't you think every trainer would offer it and every athlete would do it?
4. Understand the Process
Ask about the process the instructor follows because, as the saying goes, anything worth doing is worth doing right, and acquiring the skills needed to succeed in baseball and softball require a strong foundation. When building a house you don't start with the roof first, you start at the base -- and baseball, softball and conditioning are no different. Your swing, pitch and throw all work best if you start from the ground with the right mechanics and then work up to the top.
If your instructor can't explain why you're doing a certain drill, what mechanic your athlete is focusing on and what the end result should be – look for someone else. If your athlete doesn't know why they are doing a particular drill or working on a specific skill set, they're less likely to improve because they simply cannot buy into a process they don't understand. Great past players can make great instructors, but it isn't always a recipe for success, especially if they never understood the process of developing mechanics or fixing bad habits. Look for someone that is educated and confident enough in their philosophy and coaching style that they can break it down for you.
5. Go with Your Gut
At the end of the day, if you still can't decide between a handful of trainers, schedule a trial session and see what the experience is like. Watch how your child responds to the instruction – do they seem engaged and interested? Do they feel a little bit challenged? Your child should walk away from a new lesson feeling excited because the instructor has tapped into something different with your athlete. Pay attention to how they interact with not only your child, but the other people in the building. Do they have a good repertoire with the other athletes and families? Facilities that provide a family feel to their business means they've been doing this together for a while, which also means you can expect the same instruction and experience from everyone in the building. This also suggests they've retained their athletes long enough to build these relationships with families, which is a great indicator that they're doing something right!
When in doubt, don't be afraid to trust your gut instinct, you know your child best, and how they feel after working with an instructor should build them up and get them excited again – not leave them confused, less than or just another number. The best instructors are passionate about what they do – and who they are doing it for – and you should feel that during your first lesson.
Are you looking for personal training, softball, baseball or soccer instruction in Southwest Ohio? Learn more today about the Elevate difference. Our instructors have a wealth of experience, ranging from past and current college players to college coaches. You can schedule your private lesson today with Elevate Sports Training by calling (937) 848-1990.
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