Youth baseball has become very good at asking parents to “Buy Now.”
Buy the team fee.
Buy the lessons.
Buy the tournament package.
Buy the uniform.
Buy the strength program.
Buy the showcase.
Buy the exposure.
Parents are constantly being told that the next investment is necessary for their son’s development.
But there is another question parents need to start asking:
What should have happened “By Now?”
That is the difference between “Buy Now” and “By Now.”
“Buy Now” is about the financial investment.
“By Now” is about the developmental return on that investment.
And if baseball programs are going to continue asking families to “Buy Now,” parents have every right to ask what should be different “By Now.”
Development Should Materialize
Development is not a promise that can remain permanently in the future.
If your son has been in a program for six months, a year or several years, something should be different.
By now, what can he do that he could not do before?
By now, what does he understand that he did not understand before?
By now, what can he execute consistently that he once struggled to execute?
By now, what can he correct without immediately needing a coach?
By now, how has he matured mentally, physically, technically, tactically and socially?
Those are development questions.
Winning games is not enough.
Playing in big tournaments is not enough.
Posting highlights on social media is not enough.
Receiving a new uniform every season is not enough.
Being able to say your son plays for a recognizable organization is not enough.
If development was part of what you were sold when you were asked to “Buy Now,” there should eventually be evidence of that development “By Now.”
Parents Need to Move From Customers to Co-Advocates
A customer pays for a service and waits to see what happens.
A co-advocate understands the desired outcome, knows the developmental plan, asks informed questions and works alongside the coach and program to help the athlete progress.
That does not mean interfering with coaching.
It means understanding what you are investing in.
Good coaches should welcome informed parents asking good questions. Accountability does not have to create conflict. Done correctly, it creates alignment.
The coach has a role.
The player has a role.
The parent has a role.
The program has a role.
Development works best when everybody understands the expectations.
5 Questions Every Baseball Parent Should Ask
Before you “Buy Now,” and especially after you believe enough time has passed to ask what should have happened “By Now,” ask these five questions:
1. What specifically are we paying for our son to develop?
Do not settle for broad words like development, training or exposure. Ask what specific skills, habits, knowledge and behaviors are supposed to improve.
2. How will his development be evaluated and measured?
If there is no assessment, there is no reliable way to determine improvement. Parents should know what success looks like and how progress will be measured.
3. What should he be able to do 90 days, six months and one year from now that he cannot consistently do today?
Development needs milestones. Everything cannot be about someday.
4. What is the responsibility of the coach, player and parent in producing those results?
Development is shared work. Parents should know what happens during organized training and what must happen away from it.
5. Based on what we have invested, what should we reasonably expect to see “By Now?”
This may be the most important question.
Not because every investment guarantees scholarships, rankings, starting positions or professional baseball.
It does not.
But a legitimate development program should be able to explain what growth the investment was designed to produce and provide evidence that progress is occurring.
‘Buy Now’ Should Eventually Lead to By Now’
Parents should not expect guarantees.
Baseball does not work that way.
But parents should expect clarity, competency, communication and accountability.
If I am continually being asked to “Buy Now,” there must eventually come a point when I can ask:
What should have happened “By Now?”
That question changes the relationship.
It moves parents from simply financing baseball to understanding development.
It moves them from consumers of promises to evaluators of progress.
It moves them from customers to co advocates.
Because spending more money does not automatically create a better baseball player.
Investment without evaluation can become expensive hope.
Before you “Buy Now,” know what you are buying.
After you buy, know what you should expect.
And when enough time has passed, have the courage to ask:
What should be different “By Now?”
Because evaluation leads to elevation.
Remember: Intelligence tops being smart.
For more information, visit www.diamonddirectors.com today.
If you found this inspiring and thought-provoking, or if you have any questions, comments or concerns, add me on Discord and let’s go deeper.
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 associate scout for the Cincinnati Reds. As founder and CEO of Diamond Directors Player Development, C.J. has more than 22 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 a track record of success that can work for you.
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