Top 3 Traits of a Great Baseball Instructor

What Makes a Baseball Instructor Stand‌ Out?

Naturally, a couple of the most common traits of a baseball instructor or coach are a strong passion for baseball and experience. Let’s face it, a person is not going to be giving baseball lessons if they do not have either of these two qualities. So, for the purpose of this article, we’re going to take a look at three key qualities that make an instructor truly stand out.

1) Adaptability

Having an understanding that not all players are the same, both cognitively and physically, and the ability to adapt ‍teaching‌ methods to‌ suit individual players’ needs and learning styles is crucial for effective instruction. A standout instructor can assess each player’s strengths and weaknesses and tailor their⁢ approach⁣ to help them ‍succeed and grow as athletes.

2) Time Management

As we know, most private lessons are an hour long. A great baseball instructor actually maximizes the use of that time, emphasis on the word “actually.” Here’s what I mean…there are a lot of baseball drills that are “eyewash” and are not transferable to true player development or game situations. These drills are simply used to waste time and give the appearance of “working hard.” A lot of times, they involve gadgets, trinkets, or gimmicks. With that said, there are many excellent training aids such as a pancake training gloves for infielders or Hecostix (used for developing object tracking and hand-eye coordination) with legitimate purposes.

3) Communication

Here is a key quality that may seem obvious, but let’s take a deeper look. A coach can have experience as a player at the highest level, but if they do not know how to communicate complex concepts in the simplest forms to players, they will not be effective. On the other side of that coin are coaches that may not have attained a high playing level and/or not have acquired a deep knowledge of the game. These coaches tend to hide that deficiency with trendy buzzwords with vague explanations.

A coach who takes the time to have meaningful conversations with a player is invaluable. On the surface, observing a private instructor and player “chatting” during a lesson may seem like the aformentioned time management issue. However, if the chat is content focused, it is far, far from an issue. Many times, coaches either want to assess a player’s understanding of what is being taught or feel a need to take a deeper dive into concepts. Let’s take a quick look at hitting for example. Hitting invloves so much more than just a swing. There are MANY coaches out there that basically give “swing” lessons (not always a correct swing either). Yes, swing mechanics are vital, but so is having an approach and ability to adjust. Learning these types of concepts come through conversations.

Teaching the fundamentals of baseball can be challenging, and it requires a good, planned approach to ‍work with players of all skill levels. A​ great instructor is able to explain techniques ⁣and strategies in a⁤ clear and‌ concise manner, allowing players to learn at their own pace without feeling rushed or ‌overwhelmed.