Youth baseball is expensive. Parents are stressed. Coaches are stretched thin. And everyone is chasing tournaments like they’re the only development path.

In this Christmas Eve special edition of Unleashing the Baseball Mindset, Dr. Stull and Coach Dylan Gautreaux respond directly to a parent's comment and tackle a topic that keeps surfacing: misaligned expectations in youth baseball. Not to blame parents, but to reframe what “ROI” should really mean at 9U–13U: player development, resilience, and long-term growth.

Coach Dylan breaks down the reality behind the “money grab” narrative, the true costs of running teams and facilities, and why many coaches are actually operating at a loss. Then the conversation shifts to what really moves the needle: fundamentals, mindful repetition, solo practice, and learning to love the process over results.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why the “tournament every weekend” culture is a societal issue, not just a parent or coach issue
• How comparison + social media + FOMO drive families into nonstop travel ball
• The hard truth: tournaments can build experience, but they don’t replace development
• Why “playing more” (tournaments) often means getting fewer quality reps (and sometimes getting worse)
• What parents should expect instead: a development plan, communication, and a clear process
• The real economics: practice fees, facility overhead, travel, and why many coaches “make negative money”
• How great coaches build autonomy: video feedback, at-home work, and skill acquisition outside team time
• A key mindset shift (with a Mookie Betts reference): love the process, don’t chase outcomes
• Why learning to fail—and normalize failure—is essential in a sport built on failure

If you’re a parent navigating travel ball, a coach trying to protect development time, or an athlete wanting to level up, this one will challenge how you think about tournaments, training, and what “support” really looks like.

Question for you:

Are tournaments helping your player improve—or just filling the calendar? Drop your experience in the comments.

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