Building a Culture of Accountability �Through Constant Competition�

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Brad Duvall, Head Baseball Coach

Hereford High School

Showcase Era Athletes are Different

Players have lost the ability to compete

• Fewer 3 sport athletes
• Fewer practices in a year
• Score doesn’t have the same meaning

All for what result?

• Me vs. We Mentality
• Show dog vs. Work Dog

OBJECTIVE

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How can we break them of the bad showcase habits?

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Season Timeline

INTRO

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How do we remain sharp in each phase of the season and keep morale, focus and energy high?

Everything Is a Competition�And �Everyone Is Accountable To Someone Else

From winter workouts through the final pitch of the season

learn who takes PRIDE in what they do!

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INTRO

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Winter Limitations

• In Maryland, offseason practice is restricted, and the weather is challenging, so you must be creative.
• We are restricted from practicing as a team outside of our spring season.
• No baseball specific activities with more than 2 players at a time with coaching staff present
• No use of school equipment (pitching machines, indoor mounds, baseballs, etc.)
• No use of school facilities without permit through a local rec program

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WINTER

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How Do We Compete in The Winter

• We lift as much as possible
• 3 days a week at minimum from the end of football through March 1
• Many of our guys lift 5 days a week
• Multiple Sport Athletes
• Dealing with basketball, wrestling, football, track, etc.
• Training Teams – Super Bull Challenge
• Teams of 5-6 players
• Divide up evenly across grades
• Compete to show growth
• Hold each other accountable
• Rewards for winning team
• Updated standings posted biweekly
• They get to pick the design of a practice T-Shirt with winning team’s names on it
• Other benefits throughout the season

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WINTER

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How Do We Track Progress?���Winter Lift Reporting Form

WINTER

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March 1st through Tryouts

• The season officially begins in Maryland!
• Competition is natural at this time, so we really focus on the accountability part!
• Offset tryout times
• Divided up positionally
• Easier to evaluate in smaller groups
• Pairing upper class leaders with freshman during tryouts.
• First true taste of leadership with younger guys
• Builds a mentor relationship
• Player led accountability (expectations, warmup phases, set up, clean up, etc.)
• They compete over how many guys from their tryout group made the program
• They try to talk their guys up to the coaching staff throughout the process
• Freshmen feel welcomed into the program by older guys looking after them
• Quickly learn which guys have the ability to lead and which don’t

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TRYOUTS

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Jake Coleman – 2022

“every freshman’s favorite senior”

Current Corporal in the USMC

The Team is Set, Now What?

• The fun starts! Individual competition rises throughout the team!
• Everyone is trying to figure out where they stand
• How do I earn time?
• Who else is playing my position?
• It is already there, harness it and use it for good!
• Small groups within the team strategically chosen
• 4 groups of 5 for 20 players
• Compete in groups for everything!
• Which group has all their members ready for practice first?
• Which group took care of their field duties first?
• Who got the most bunts down in practice?
• Throwing competitions in warmups
• Bullpen competitions between pitchers
• Catchers competing to buy strikes for pitchers in pens
• The more they compete, the more ready they will be to compete when it matters!

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PRESEASON

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Keeping the Focus!

• Grind of the regular season
• Playing 3-4 games a week
• Positions are becoming solidified
• Backups start to get restless about not playing
• Starters get complacent
• Wins and/or losses begin to mount
• How do we stay locked in?
• Maintain small (4-5 players) groupings
• Sometimes we rotate weekly, sometimes we keep them for the entire season

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REGULAR SEASON

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Earn Your Reps in Practice�Find a great team manager

• Compete in Drills
• Get the most bunts down
• Run the bases with intent, take a lead properly, work your pitch flight reads, etc.
• Catchers compete to win strikes in bullpens
• Fastest double play turn

REGULAR SEASON

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• Compete in game-like situations
• 2 Pitch (work on specific outcomes)
• Move 2B and RF to left side for oppo work
• Live Fungo Situations
• Fewest runs allowed
• Most consecutive “clean” plays
• Hack Attack Contact Game – Crank Velo or Sharp Breakers
• Avoid the strikeout
• Foul off the most pitches

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• The winning “team” gets rewarded
• Every practice has a score with winners and losers
• Can’t keep track of everything – Have an objective every day!
• Develop positive baseball related consequences instead of punishments
• Extra round in the cage
• Hit live on the field while the rest are in the cage
• Practice in shorts
• Anything that motivates YOUR players

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Focus on the Process in Games�

• Value non-traditional but positive outcome stats in games
• What is going to make your team more successful?
• Where aspects of the game do you need to improve?
• Quality at bats (QAB%)
• 2 strike in play
• 1^st pitch strikes
• Quick results (pitchers) – 3 or fewer pitches
• Catcher bases saved
• “Good Eat” – Defensive player makes a good decision on a non-throw
• “Free Bases” – Compilation stat that almost always = win

REGULAR SEASON

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• Create simple charts for your managers or players not in the lineup to maintain
• Compile and post after games
• Kids love seeing how they did
• Also provides the coach non outcome related tools for player evaluation
• Highlights deficiencies for practice planning
• Keeps players focused during games

Reap The Reward�

• Playoff Time!
• Peak at the right time
• Short sprint to the finish
• A lot going on for spring seniors
• Be ready to compete against someone else

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POST SEASON

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My Responsibility As A Coach

• Learn from the great ones
• Avoid overcoaching
• Let the player’s training do the work
• Put them in positions to be successful based on the standards from the season
• Review the season and ADAPT/ADJUST!

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• If You Did It Right
• The players will be comfortable with high stress situations
• A positive culture with teamwide expectations will be established
• The team is focused on finding ways to win, not fear of failure
• Players have developed a mutual respect
• Everyone feels like they contributed

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Thank you!

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• Questions?

CLOSING

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