The Story of Jimmy: Why you *might* need a personal coach
Not a team coach, but one that looks specifically for your best interests.
Why You Need Your Own Personal Coach:
There's tons of reasons as to why this is the case, and if you’d live the clear cut reasoning with explanations you can skip to the second half of this newsletter. However, in my experience it’s more obvious when you see real world applications.
I'll be using a fake name here, but this story is about a friend, teammates and colleague of mine taken directly from my and his experiences as professionals and amateurs.
Jimmy’s Story
I guess we will call this guy “Jimmy”
Jimmy was the top recruit at his power 5 university coming out of highschool. In all reality, he never should have attended college in the first place. He threw 97, won multiple Gatorade player of the Year awards in multiple different sports and threw nearly double digit perfect games in highschool and broke almost every record available.
Not a single thing I just wrote is hyperbole. Not one thing. He was the most incredible HS athlete to ever come from his hometown, and was treated like a celebrity and justifiably so. He turned down nearly 3 million dollars out of highschool.
Don't ever do this please, it’s not worth the stress. Unless your family is already financially set, just save yourself the trouble and take 3 million dollars. It's shocking that I need to tell people this, but it happens WAY more often than you’d think, and it rarely turns out for the better unfortunately.
Every accolade that Jimmy earned he was deserving of. An unbelievable teammate, a super hard worker and one of the most welcoming teammates I've had in a locker room in high level athletics. Nothing that happened to him was self inflicted from poor decisions or laziness, keep that in mind as we keep going here.
Jimmy’s freshman year he is living up to all of the hype. He is the best player on a loaded team as a true freshman and deservingly earns a spot in the weekend rotation.
Everything was great.
Until it wasn’t.
No one was surprised that he was off to a hot start, but about a month into the season he felt a pop in his elbow.
Jimmy needed Tommy John Surgery and would miss about a year while he was rehabbing.
Jimmy, being the hard worker that he absolutely crushed every aspect of his rehab. He improved his strength, mobility and conditioning. He had zero setbacks and returned to throwing right on schedule.
However, Jimmy was throwing about 6 mph slower. He wasn't sure why, but he decided it wasn't the right time to focus on velocity and instead he focused on staying healthy and pitching well in game.
He finished his redshirt freshman year decently well, pitched mostly out of the pen to limit pitch count and felt good about it. He was excited to be back pitching and playing the game he loves.
Jimmy went off to summer ball to build himself back up. He listened to the coaches that were there and worked hard, he still hadn’t gained his velocity back.
Jimmy returns in the fall and struggles, his velocity is even lower and is struggling in the fall. His “stuff” had declined and was getting hit hard. He didn't feel like the same player he used to be and struggled mentally with this realization.
He didn't deserve it, and everyone felt for him.
Jimmy kept his head down and followed everything the team gave him. He even did his own research and worked diligently to try and get back to where he was.
His sophomore season was a disappointment and as was his junior year. He still however was good enough to get offered roughly 5% of what he was offered in highschool in the Draft, this was done strictly based on past potential.
He turned it down, hoping to get everything right going into his final season. Jimmy continued to work hard, and was confused why he didn't pitch as hard as he used to, he could throw a football 75 yards and long toss a baseball nearly 400 feet. BUt something was wrong on the mound.
His senior year was equally disappointing, and he signed for roughly $10k. Happy to be living his childhood dream, but crushed by the looming feel of total disappointment that surrounded his last 5 years.
In his first pro offseason Jimmy knew it was do or die time. He hired an outside coaching company, paid roughly $500 a month for an entire year. He was cautious to do this, as it was a fair amount of money but knew that he needed an outside perspective.
Jimmy’s new trainer put together a course of action for Jimmy and he went at it every day for his first offseason. Jimmy actually worked less than he used to beforehand, but did it on the right things.
Jimmy is now a year into pro ball and is skyrocketing through the minor leagues. He is almost throwing 100 and feels stronger than ever. Being on the cusp of the big leagues made him realize how worthwhile everything was, but he regrets not getting a coach sooner.
Main Takeaway:
In today's game, blindly working hard and listening to your team's coach isn’t enough. Obviously hard work is important, and without a work ethic you don’t have much of a chance.
However, it is near impossible to get an unbiased opinion of yourself.
This is the singular reason why I don't try to coach myself. I hired a trainer/throwing coach and he gives me all the feedback I need and I more or less blindly follow his guidance.
Because of this I've never been better than I am right now. And neither has Jimmy.
If you need/want coaching and don't know where to find the highest quality coaches please reach out to me.
I myself train players and have seen great success in the athletes I coach. I also have a list of coaches /trainers I trust with my life that will probably train my own son one day.
Don't waste the time you do have, there is nothing more valuable.
John Creel
Another video, from a friend of mine and fellow professional baseball player.
Whose mistake cost him millions of dollars.
Now, for the second half of the article, the more straightforward reasoning and explanations.
ClearCut Reasons + Explanations
Tailored Training and Skill Development:
One of the primary advantages of having a personal coach in baseball is the ability to receive personalized training. Unlike group practices or team training sessions, a personal coach can design a program specifically tailored to your strengths, weaknesses, and development goals. They can analyze your technique, identify areas for improvement, and create a customized training regimen to address those areas. This personalized attention helps accelerate skill development, leading to more efficient progress and enhanced performance on the field.
Individualized Attention and Feedback:
In a team setting, it can be challenging for coaches to provide individual attention to every player. This is where a personal coach shines. With a personal coach, you receive focused one-on-one attention during training sessions. They can observe your performance closely, analyze your mechanics, and provide immediate feedback and corrections. This level of individualized attention ensures that you receive precise guidance to refine your technique, improve decision-making, and optimize your overall performance.
Mentoring and Mental Skills:
Baseball is not just about physical skills; it also requires mental strength and resilience. A personal coach serves as a mentor, guiding you through the ups and downs of the game. They can help you develop a winning mindset, build confidence, and overcome challenges. Through personalized coaching, you gain insights into strategies, game analysis, and mental preparation techniques. Your personal coach becomes a trusted advisor, offering encouragement, motivation, and constructive criticism to help you excel both on and off the field.
Accountability and Goal Setting:
Setting clear goals and holding oneself accountable are crucial aspects of player development. A personal coach can provide the necessary structure and accountability to keep you on track. They help you define realistic goals, create a roadmap for success, and monitor your progress along the way. Regular assessments, feedback sessions, and performance evaluations with your personal coach ensure that you stay focused and motivated to achieve your objectives. With their guidance, you can establish a disciplined routine and maintain consistent effort, leading to continuous growth as a player.
Injury Prevention and Physical Conditioning:
Baseball is a physically demanding sport, and injury prevention is paramount. A personal coach can assist you in developing a comprehensive conditioning program that targets strength, agility, flexibility, and endurance. They can teach proper warm-up and cool-down techniques, monitor your workload, and identify potential areas of injury risk. By emphasizing injury prevention strategies and ensuring that your body is in optimal condition, a personal coach helps safeguard your long-term health and longevity in the game.
John Creel
Professional Pitcher and Trainer
