A Level Should Never Become a Label

Every Young Baseball Player Deserves a Place to Develop

There is something about youth baseball that we believe needs to change.

Too often, we put titles on kids before we really get to know the player.

“Travel ball player.”

“Rec ball player.”

“School ball player.”

“B-team player.”

“Elite player.”

“Developmental player.”

Those descriptions may help adults organize teams, leagues, and competition. But to a young player, a title can begin to feel like an identity.

And that can have an effect on confidence.

At The Factory Sports Training of Georgia, we want to look at youth baseball differently.
Whether a child is playing baseball in the backyard, recreation baseball at the local park, school
baseball, homeschool baseball, or competitive travel baseball, there is something they all have in
common:

They are kids who want to play baseball.

And we believe that desire deserves to be encouraged.

Kids Develop at Different Speeds

One of the biggest mistakes we can make in youth sports is assuming where a player is today determines where that player will be tomorrow.

Kids grow at different rates.

They mature physically at different times. They develop coordination differently. Confidence can come early for one player and much later for another.

Some players are naturally aggressive. Others need time before they become comfortable competing.

Some players may struggle at 8, 9 or 10 and take tremendous steps forward at 12 or 13.

That is why we believe the question shouldn't simply be:

“Is this kid good enough?”

A better question is:

“Where is this player today, and what environment will help them develop?”

That is a very different way of looking at youth baseball.

Baseball Already Has a Development Model

Professional baseball understands that players develop at different levels.

Major League Baseball organizations don't expect every professional player to begin in the Major Leagues. Their systems include different developmental levels, including Single-A, Double-A and Triple-A.

Moving through those levels is part of development.

Being at one level doesn't mean a player is a failure.

It means that is where the organization believes the player should be right now to continue developing.

Why shouldn't we bring some of that same philosophy to youth baseball?

That is the direction we are taking at The Factory Sports Training of Georgia.

The Factory Development System

Our goal is to create opportunities for players at different stages of their baseball journey.

Not every child who comes through our doors needs to immediately play on one of our highest-level travel teams.

And that's okay.

We want to develop a system where players can be evaluated, trained, coached, challenged and placed into an environment appropriate for where they are today—while giving them a pathway to where they want to be tomorrow.

Think of it as a developmental ladder.

A player may begin in one Factory program, develop his skills, gain confidence, become stronger mentally and physically, and eventually move into another level.

The level identifies where we should begin developing the player. It does not define the
player.

That distinction is important.

Confidence Matters

We have to remember that we are working with children.

When a young player constantly hears that other kids are “elite,” “select,” “premier,” or “higher level,” it can be easy for that child to conclude:

“Maybe I'm just not good enough.”

That's not the message we want young athletes receiving.

We want them thinking:

“This is where I am today. Now let's work.”

There is a tremendous difference between those two mindsets.

The first can cause a player to give up.

The second gives a player something to work toward.

At The Factory, we want coaches to get to know the kid behind the uniform.

What motivates him?

What does he enjoy about baseball?

Where does he struggle?

What skills need development?

What does he do well?

How does he respond to coaching?

What happens to his confidence after making a mistake?

What are his goals?

Once we understand the player, we can do a much better job helping him find the right place to
develop.

There Is More Than One Path Through Baseball

We also want families to understand something important:

A player does not have to choose travel baseball to be part of The Factory.

We are developing opportunities for players who continue playing recreation baseball.

We want to work with school players.

We want opportunities for homeschool players.

We want to help players who want additional training outside their current teams.

And we want to welcome the child who may not even know where he fits yet—he simply knows that he loves baseball and wants to learn.

That child matters to us too.

Maybe he has never played organized baseball.

Maybe he was cut from a team.

Maybe he didn't make the travel team he hoped to make.

Maybe he lost confidence somewhere along the way.

Or maybe he simply wants to get better.

Bring him to The Factory.

Let's meet him.

Let's see him throw.

Let's watch him hit.

Let's talk with him.

Let's learn what he enjoys about the game and determine where we can help.

Then let's build from there.

Development, Not Labels

We want The Factory to become a place where players understand that advancement is earned through development—not determined by a title someone gave them when they were 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 years old.

There should always be another goal.

Another skill to develop.

Another challenge.

Another opportunity.

And another level to work toward.

Some players may move quickly through our developmental system. Others may need more time.

That's okay.

Our responsibility isn't to compare every child to every other child. Our responsibility is to help each player become better than he was yesterday.

Does Your Child Want to Play Baseball?

Then we would like to meet them.

Whether your player currently participates in:

• Recreation baseball
• School baseball
• Homeschool athletics
• Travel baseball
• Individual baseball training
• Or simply has a desire to learn the game

…there may be a place for them at The Factory Sports Training of Georgia.

Visit TheFactorySportsTraining.com and click “Join Factory Sports” at the top right of the website.

Complete the information, and a member of our team will contact you to arrange a time for you and your player to visit our facility.

Come see The Factory.

Meet our people.

See our indoor training facility and baseball field.

And most importantly, let us meet your player.

Because before there is a team…

Before there is a level…

Before there is a uniform…

There is a kid who wants to play baseball.

And sometimes all that kid needs is someone willing to give them a place to start.