Welcome to another episode of Youth Baseball and Beyond. So this is your first year in travel ball? Congratulations. This is the episode for you. In today’s show we cover what you can expect this season from cost, to commitment, to league play, tournaments, and more.

If you’re looking for a specific topic, just jump to the chapters below:

00:00 - Introduction

02:30 - Avoid sticker shock

04:40 - Understand the commitment

06:00 - Indoor winter practices

07:00 - Awareness of team assignments

09:15 - Outdoor season begins after spring break

12:00 - Organizing your child’s schedule

13:50 - What to expect during the week

15:05 - Specialization of positions

18:50 - Leagues vs. Tournaments

22:45 - The structure of tournaments

24:30 - Pitch counts and advocating for your child

28:35 - Be prepared for entrance or parking fees

29:45 - Late night baseball

31:10 - Out-of-town tournaments

32:25 - Team bonding & creating memories

35:05 - There’s a travel program for you
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In the final part of our interview, Matt shares the qualities he sees in successful players, discusses the increase in arm issues at the youth levels and how modern metrics contribute to this.

00:00: Introduction

00:45: Common characteristics of successful players

02:35: Player self-reflection & coachability

05:15: Having a short memory

07:00: Being a good teammate

08:35: Why the increase in youth arm injuries?

09:35: Quantity and quality of throws at the youth levels

10:25: Nobody cares how hard you throw ball 4

11:20: Adding a variety of activities to the routine

12:30: Bo knows

14:15: The effect of modern-day metrics

17:45: Removing the human touch in evaluations

19:55: What Matt reviews when evaluating pro players

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In part 2 of our 3-part interview, Matt Shepardson, Deputy Commissioner of the Frontier Baseball League, discusses the humble beginnings of his club and what organizations can do to improve their coaching, how leaders can develop and institute an organizational vision, and what he would do if the baseball gods granted him the title of “youth baseball czar.”

00:00: Introduction

00:55: Humble beginnings

05:00: How organizations can improve 

06:30: Individual coaching growth

07:25: Helping organizations gain a vision

13:20: Becoming the Youth Baseball Czar

15:40: Monitoring the “arms race”

17:40: Honestly leveling your team

18:50: Mandate play & letting kids be kids

19:45: Travel investments into rec programs

21:20: The “tyranny of the urgent”

Next week we conclude our interview with Matt as he shares the qualities he sees in successful players, discusses the drastic increase in arm issues with our youth players, and how the modern metrics high level coaches use can impact player health.

Keep up-to-date with our podcast by clicking that follow button and you’ll be notified each Wednesday when we drop new content.

In this episode we interview Matt Shepardson. Matt is the Deputy Commissioner of the Frontier League, an independent professional baseball league, while also serving on the board of the Illinois Hawks Travel Baseball and Fast Pitch Softball Organizations. Previously, he coached the Joliet Slammers, where he won the 2023 Frontier League Manager Of The Year.

In Part 1 of our interview, Matt shares his thoughts on the overall state of youth baseball today and his experiences on setting up a club for success.

00:00: Introduction

01:20: Matt shares his view on the current state of youth baseball

03:45: What’s causing this “low point” in kids understanding baseball?

05:55: Balancing accessibility of the game vs. high-level training

08:25: Incorporating technology into training

11:40: Coaching the coaches

17:55: Keeping the bar raised high

Don’t let poor communication undermine your season. Clear communication is a cornerstone of any good team.

In this episode, Kevin and Nate share how to effectively communicate with parents before, during, and at the end of a season. Learn different tactics and tips on how you can set yourself up for success.

00:00: Introduction

01:35: First contact

04:40: Making your pre-season meeting accessible

06:50: Organizing & holding your pre-season meeting

10:25: Playing time discussions with parents

15:32: Sharing season logistics at pre-season meetings

16:35: Communication during the season

19:45: Creating a newsletter 

22:40: Team vs. Club communication 

23:35: Communication with unhappy parents

28:35: End-of-season discussions

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In the famous words of Allen Iverson, "We're talking about practice."

Learn how (2) championship coaches create a practice plan - starting with the why, to the who, to the what, to the how.

Looking for ways to have your players improve their baseball IQ on their own? Kevin & Nate offer some tips to help your players continue their learning at home and on their own.

00:00: Introduction

03:30: Why create a practice plan?

06:04: Personalizing practice for your players

10:55: Effectively using assistant coaches

13:30: Creating your practice plan & timing

15:10: Practice atmosphere & setting expectations

20:04: Importance of self scouting

21:44: Ending practice

26:15: Practicing at home and improving baseball IQ

31:42: Life lessons away from baseball

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