A little help - Baseball Coaching (1 Viewer)

[ledge4131]

Okay,

So, over the past two years I've been helping coach my son's baseball team. The other Coaches are parents of the kids on the team, so we have so good and not so good coaching going on. That is a separate conversation all together.

Early in the season last year, I scored a used Heater single wheel pitching machine on eBay for a song. We have been using it on the regular and it has stood up very well. I've been using it for outfield and hitting practice and from an efficiency standpoint, it really moves the practices along.

My son, is now hitting 60 mph fastballs off the machine. He is hitting hard line drives and has had some awesome success with every plate appearance. A couple of the parents have approached me to help with their child's batting; technique, transition, shortening the swing, extending through and beyond the impact area, etc. I've helped two others and with my son, they are all at the top end of the batting order.

Now that my son has topped out the max speed of the machine, do I take a leap and invest in a higher end machine? (ATEC M2, Jr Hack Attack, or BATA) One of the parents even suggested that I open up a mini camp and make some money teaching the kids how to swing and become better hitters. I've thought about it a fair bit, but I'm not sure what to do.

Here is my dilemma ...

Do I use up my vacation time and set up a mini hitting camp involving as many kids as I possibly can for a two week period in the summer (I only get a total of 4 weeks off in a calendar year), making some money and not getting "stuff" done around the house?

Do I just buy the bigger and better unit and continue to help my son and a couple of his friends?

I've only been coaching baseball for two years, and I'm no expert. However, I see the need and the potential to make some money, but I really just like helping a couple of the kids and I don't want to get into the racket of lawyers, insurance, employee's, and all the other crap that comes along with it.

If you were me, what would you do?

 

[monkeydog]

Get samples and then buy Paulsons.

 

[ledge4131]

Get samples and then buy Paulsons.

Ha ha! Done that already.

 

[trever]

If you have a passion for it, give it a go. But you sound like you feel obligated to do it, in which case I'd recommend that you pass, especially on the charging money part.

 

[Bill]

Focus on your son.

 

[moose]

Yep. Looking after kids for a few hours is totally different than all day for a week. Insurance, meals, allergies, medications. Nightmare.

Buy your kid a new machine or take the same money and send him away on a camp.

 

[jbriod]

IMO, I'd stay away from the headache of holding a camp. If you purchase a better machine then maybe just coach interested kids in small groups for a price. Private group lessons.

Hitting fast balls off a machine is just about timing the speed and good for teaching proper mechanics. Your son should start learning to visually adjust to diff pitchers motions and different types of pitches, then teach him more detailed mechanics like inside out hitting to opposite field. He'll grow up fast and need more experience with more pitchers. Otherwise he might just get used to seeing a machine and not get experience. Although just using to machine for warmups is always good.

It's like you pitching to him over the next few years, it might be good but eventually if he's going to get better he'll need to see more pitchers with diff arm motions. But I'm not a coach and it's your son. Camps are always good.

 

[liftapint]

I *totally* think you should buy an upgraded machine, and help your son be the best ball player that he wants to be. That's an amazing gift you can give him, which will be with him for a lifetime. DO IT.

As for the camp...nah. Use the time to spend with your own kid. Time with him will be worth way more than the few bucks you'll make on a camp. That said, if you really feel like you want to run a camp, go for it.

But DEFINITELY upgrade the machine, and help your kid goes as far as he can!!

 

[Ellasdaddy]

Take it from a teacher and someone who voluntarily helped coach a friend's kid's baseball and basketball teams: don't do this.

It detracts from your time and focus on your son, it opens you up to a world of problems, it will likely stress you out for more than 2 weeks, it could very well affect your relationship with the other parents and your son's relationships with teammates ("why isn't my kid hitting better?!")... Dealing with parents is number 1, 2 and 3 on my list of toughest parts of any job. I've had to remind parents that their kids aren't Bryce Harper or Lebron James. I've had to remind them that I dont get paid for the pleasure of coaching. I've had to stop parents from berating their 10 year olds. I've been cursed at for sitting a kid. I can't imagine what it would be like if any kid were injured seriously or had some sort of attack or allergy occurence. Oof.

Just maintain your status quo, upgrade your machine (If he's hitting 60mph now, buy a JUGS and never look back. It simulates 85-100 at 25') and have a blast with your son.

 

[ledge4131]

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. I purchased the ATEC Casey3G; because that's all that I can afford right now, with the view to help him and a couple of his buddies. So, I'll forego the whole camp business thing.

A couple of the parents have approached me asking what I've been doing with my son, and why is he hitting so well. I told them that I've put in the time, and I'm using this little rig to get his bat speed up. One of the parents suggested that I host a clinic / camp and I thought long and hard about it. Hence the question to all of you.

@ellasdad, @liftapint, and @jbriod, thanks for the advice.

 

[Sprinsd]

You could always scoot your current machine closer to the batter to simulate faster pitches...