Your coach...
DIDN’T make you sleep in.
DIDN’T make you skip reps.
DIDN’T make you go half speed.
DIDN’T make you have a bad attitude.
DIDN’T set your priorities,
But it’s IRONIC how many kids get mad at their coach when they don’t perform and then they don’t play!
‘27 CIF Custis Honeycutt (GA) goes first pitch hunting & doesn’t miss, lifting this one into the trees for a solo HR. Immense strength at impact. #SEElite@PG_Uncommitted
The man that loves walking will go farther than the man that loves the destination… it’s about the journey and willingness to put steps down.
Preparation doesn’t guarantee results, it guarantees growth.
Parents:
Your son doesn’t need a perfect baseball journey.
He needs adversity.
Bad games. Failure. Pressure. Disappointment.
That’s where confidence, toughness, and maturity are built.
Don’t rescue him from every hard moment.
DAMIAN LILLARD ON ACCOUNTABILITY
“I make sure that I’m on time to the gym. I get there early. I make sure I’m the most coachable. That shows I am accountable for myself, now I can hold other guys accountable.”
~via @Dame_Lillard @Eastbay
"Most people don't want to be pushed that hard.
They want to be pushed to their level of comfort.
You need coaches that push you outside your comfort zone because that’s how you grow and that’s how you develop self confidence and self esteem."
The #1 question dads ask me: “Coach, does my son have what it takes for college ball?” Answer after 35 years: Does he love baseball more than the highlight reel? Skills can be taught. Obsession cannot.
The 10 Truths Parents Rarely See
1. Coaches lose sleep.
2. Decisions aren’t personal.
3. Playing time is complex.
4. Culture matters more than stats.
5. Accountability is care.
6. Coaches invest emotionally.
7. Development isn’t instant.
8. Hard feedback is intentional.
9. Wins don’t tell the whole story.
10. Coaches remember kids forever.
Perspective matters.
The 10 Truths Parents Rarely See
1. Coaches lose sleep.
2. Decisions aren’t personal.
3. Playing time is complex.
4. Culture matters more than stats.
5. Accountability is care.
6. Coaches invest emotionally.
7. Development isn’t instant.
8. Hard feedback is intentional.
9. Wins don’t tell the whole story.
10. Coaches remember kids forever.
Perspective matters.
“You didn’t think that ball was fair?”
“I know you didn’t either because you didn’t jump 6 feet in the air and give me the look. I know you better than that.”
“Yeah, it was foul. Good call.”
Not everyone who walks with you is meant to stay for the entire journey. As your faith, purpose, and mission deepen, your circle will shrink. What remains isn’t a crowd, but a few that truly align with you. With each level of real commitment, the crowd grows thinner. So never forget: The pain of discipline is always less than the pain of regret.
Every HS kid I ask “wants to play” in college.
But so many don’t want: 20 hours of practice/weights 20 hours of class/study hall 0 hours of “social life” Some weeks: 6-7 days a week.
6am starts.
10pm ends.
Sooo...Do you REALLY want it?
The best thing you'll listen to today is Utah Jazz Head Coach Will Hardy talking about the tax of being a leader:
🏋 Leadership is not a position you hold—it’s a responsibility you carry. The weight isn’t in the title, it’s in the people who trust you with their time, energy, and belief.
📊 Before metrics, before outcomes, before strategy—there are humans. Leadership is a human-to-human commitment to see, serve, and develop the people in front of you.
✊ There is a tax on leadership. And it's paid in consistency, in hard conversations, in choosing standards over comfort. You don’t get to clock out from being the example!
The cost is of being the head coach is real... but so is the impact on every life you’re responsible for. 🌱⏩🌳
Your social circle is so important as an athlete. It can literally derail your entire athletic life. It can also elevate your entire athletic life. Choose your circle wisely!
If you want to know who someone is, look at the people they are surrounding themselves with the most!
Dan Hurley… Last 4 Years at UConn:
• 3 Final Fours
• 2 National Championships
• 125-27 record
You don’t like his tough coaching ???
Tough coaching wins games.
As an AD, I remind our coaches that building a strong culture is often addition by subtraction. One negative attitude can undo a lot of good. Protect the standard at all costs.