I write a lot of my blogs hoping young players will read them. The reality is many won’t. So, parents, this one is for you. If your son truly wants to become a collegiate or professional baseball player, wanting it is only the beginning.
Engagement leads to education. Education leads to empowerment.
Education is learning what needs to be learned to do what needs to be done.
Empowerment is receiving the responsibility and authority to do it.
Here are five things I believe every parent should make sure their son has:
1. Get Him Evaluated and Scouted
Travel baseball exposure is not the same as professional scouting.
If your son wants to play professional baseball, he needs evaluation from someone who understands professional scouting, the scouting scale and how to write a legitimate scouting report that can be shared with professional organizations.
You cannot develop what you have not accurately assessed.
2. Get Him Good Coaching
Coaching helps a player understand what should be done.
Great coaching develops technique, teaches the game, identifies deficiencies and provides instruction.
But coaching alone isn’t enough.
3. Get Him Counseling
Counseling helps a player think about what should be done, why it matters and how he will do it.
Baseball will test his confidence, discipline, identity, decision making and ability to respond to failure.
Players don’t just need stronger swings and arms. They need stronger minds.
4. Get Him Training, Not Just Practice
Practice and training are not the same.
Talent is what you do well.
Habits are what you do well repeatedly without thinking.
Skills are what you do well repeatedly without thinking while under stress.
Training converts talent into habits and habits into skills.
And baseball ultimately rewards skills.
5. Build His Baseball Board of Directors
Your son needs more than one person in his corner.
Build a small team of people who can provide scouting, coaching, counseling, training and advocacy. One person may fill multiple roles, but finding someone exceptional at all of them is rare.
The most important question isn’t simply:
“Can you help my son?”
Ask: “Do you care about my son, and why?”
Concern and care are different.
Concern thinks about someone.
Care takes action.
When I truly care about a young man and believe he has the potential to play college or professional baseball, my involvement doesn’t stop with instruction. It can include making calls, creating connections and advocating for him when appropriate.
Because coaching develops the player. Advocacy creates access.
Parents, your job isn’t to know everything.
Your job is to help your son build the right team around his dream.
And it starts with one question for him:
How great do you truly want to be?
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.
