I recently had someone ask me the three things that every coach should teach about hitting. That’s a very powerful question with lots of key words. Before I share my answer, let’s discuss the three key words in the question.
The words “coach,” “should” and “teaching” scream with accountability.
A coach is someone who’s willing and able to move people from where they are to where they should to be. Most of my clients have no idea what their potential is, so I have to access them and reveal it to them.
“Should” indicates obligation. Coaches doing the right things for their players should happen. It isn’t just a nice thing to do.
“Teaching” is supported by learning, while talking is good for hearing. A coach must be knowledgable in order to teach. Teaching is done according to learning by sight, sound and feel.
Ok, now we’re ready to answer that question – here are three things that every coach should teach you about hitting:
No. 1 – The importance of thank you
I can’t tell you how many young hitters I have encountered that possess a strong sense of negative entitlement. I remember getting into the industry of baseball lessons in the late 90s as a “so-called” professional. I had no idea what I was doing, and neither did my clients.
Back then, several kids in Atlanta wanted to train so that they could play at Georgia Tech and for the Atlanta Braves. They had lots of options with batting coaches, with travel ball becoming a new option.
Kids learned how to hit, pitch, and then they got strong and faster. They signed college scholarships – some even signed professional contracts.
But coaches failed to teach kids the importance of saying thank you. Saying thank you is a sign of respect for yourself and others. Without respect, you can’t accomplish and maintain anything significant in life.
No. 2 – How to think
Your brain is a muscle and we often fail to exercise it. We take the time to strengthen our bodies to hit home runs, make the high school team and get into a few showcases. But elite hitters know how to think critically. They can process information well.
I have read Stephen Covey’s masterpiece, “7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” The book has educated me on the importance of beginning with the end in mind, which is something I teach my clients.
As a hitter, getting a hit is the obvious goal. Well, what if you don’t get a hit? What do you need to think about? How do you respond? I will go into more detail about this in next week’s blog.
If you don’t know how to think, you must rely on luck in order to achieve success.
No. 3 – The fundamentals of hitting
Fundamentals are the basic things that you must do or have in order to achieve success. Some of the fundamentals of survival as a human being is consumption of bread, water and air. These aren’t “nice to haves.” These are “must haves.”
Here are the “must have” fundamentals of hitting in sequence:
It takes 3,000 reps per part to develop a habit, and another 3,000 reps per part to convert that habit to a skill. Skill pay the bills.
Remember: Good hitters don’t work hard; they work smart.
For more information, visit www.diamonddirectors.com today.
BIO
C.J. Stewart has built a reputation as one of the leading professional hitting instructors in the country. He is a former professional baseball player in the Chicago Cubs organization and has also served as an area scout for the Cincinnati Reds. As founder and CEO of Diamond Directors Player Development, CJ has more than 12 years of player development experience and has built an impressive list of clients, including some of the top young prospects in baseball today. If your desire is to change your game for the better, C.J Stewart has a proven system of development and track record of success that can work for you.
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