Parents·October 9, 2026
One sport or many? What multi-sport actually does for a ballplayer
Basketball tryouts are this month and someone just told you your kid should specialize. A coach's honest take on the multi-sport question.
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Everything we've published tagged Parents. 43 posts so far.
Hitting·October 6, 2026Why the swing looks great on the tee and disappears in games
Every parent has seen it: a beautiful practice swing that vanishes against live pitching. Here's what's actually happening, and the ladder that fixes it.
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Parents·October 3, 2026Spring tryouts are in February. Here's the five-month runway.
October to February is 20 weeks — enough to transform a player or waste entirely. A month-by-month plan for arriving at tryouts ahead of the field.
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Parents·September 30, 2026How to watch the MLB playoffs with your kid (like a coach)
October baseball is the best free coaching clinic of the year. Five things to point out to your young player that have nothing to do with the score.
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Drills·September 27, 2026Rainy-season reps: keeping a swing alive through a Washington winter
From November to February, Washington baseball moves indoors or dies. Here's the minimalist home setup and the 20-minute routine that keeps a swing sharp until spring.
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Parents·September 24, 2026How to size a youth baseball glove (by age and position)
Most kids are playing with the wrong glove — usually too big. A coach's sizing guide by age and position, plus the break-in method that actually works.
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Mindset·September 21, 2026The car ride home: what to say after a game (and what to skip)
The ten minutes after a game shape how your kid feels about baseball more than the game itself did. A coach's script for the car ride home.
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Mindset·September 18, 2026Fall ball is for experiments
Low-stakes games are the best lab your player gets all year. Here's what to actually work on this fall — and why the scoreboard is the wrong measure.
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Parents·August 28, 202614U just went BBCOR: what USSSA's 2026 bat rule means for your family
As of January 2026, USSSA's national 14U events require BBCOR or wood — the 1.15 BPF stamp is done at that level. What it means for your bat budget and your hitter's numbers.
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Pitching·August 26, 2026Your kid watched the LLWS and wants to throw a curveball
Every August it's the same: two weeks of Williamsport breaking balls, then a 10-year-old in the garage asking for a curveball. Here's the conversation we have instead.
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Parents·August 24, 2026Robot umps are here. What the ABS challenge system teaches your kid about the strike zone
MLB's ball-strike challenge system went live this season — two challenges a game, settled by Hawk-Eye in seconds. Here's what it actually teaches young hitters and catchers.
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Hitting·August 22, 2026Torpedo bats for youth players: hype, help, or headache?
The torpedo bat made it from the Yankees' dugout to the youth rack in about a year. Here's what the shape actually does, what's legal for kids, and whether your hitter should care.
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Parents·August 20, 2026How to watch the Little League World Series with your kid (like a coach)
The LLWS runs August 19–30, and your kid is going to be glued to it. Here's what to point at, what to ignore, and how to turn great TV into better at-bats.
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Parents·August 18, 2026Baseball training in Puyallup: your real options, compared
Team practice, facility programs like Diamond Sports, private one-on-one coaching — what each actually gives a Puyallup kid, and how to match the option to the player.
Read More →- Parents·August 16, 2026
Big name, small garage: the Mariners training facility vs. 1-on-1 coaching
A big-brand facility has real advantages — and one thing the logo can't do. How to weigh name-brand training against a coach who watches every rep.
Read More → - Parents·August 14, 2026
Considering the Bulldogs? Run this development checklist first
Seven questions to ask the Bulldogs — or any baseball program, including us — before you hand over a season of your kid's development and a chunk of your budget.
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Parents·August 12, 2026Playing with the Tridents (or thinking about it)? How 1-on-1 training fits around club baseball
We're not a club and don't want to be. Here's how individual coaching fits around programs like the Tridents — and when club training alone is genuinely enough.
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Parents·August 10, 2026Looking at New Level 360? How to choose a baseball training program around Bonney Lake
Big training facilities and one-on-one coaching solve different problems. An honest guide for families comparing programs like New Level 360 with private training.
Read More →- Parents·August 8, 2026
How to get ready for Little League All-Stars in the Bonney Lake–Sumner area
All-Stars is a different game than the rec season that came before it. What actually changes, and how families around Bonney Lake and Sumner can prepare for next summer.
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Pitching·August 6, 2026When should my kid start pitching lessons?
The honest answer from a coach: later than the anxious timeline, earlier than never. What each age actually needs, and the red flags that mean stop.
Read More →- Parents·August 3, 2026
Travel ball vs rec ball: the honest tradeoffs
Travel ball isn't automatically better. Rec ball isn't automatically worse. Here's how to think about the choice honestly — and the questions every parent should ask first.
Read More → - Pitching·August 3, 2026
Arm care for youth pitchers: a simple before/after routine
Most youth pitcher injuries are preventable. Here's the 10-minute before/after routine every parent of a pitcher should know — and the warning signs you can't ignore.
Read More → - Parents·August 3, 2026
When to start private baseball lessons — the honest answer
There's a right age and a wrong age, and the parents asking the question are usually asking too early or too late. Here's how to tell.
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Parents·August 2, 2026What 11U select baseball actually looks like in Pierce County
Thinking about making the jump from rec to select around age 10–11? Here's the honest picture — time, money, travel, and the questions to ask before you commit.
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Hitting·July 31, 2026Why does my kid keep rolling over to the pull side?
Weak ground balls to shortstop, over and over. Here's what rolling over actually is, why it happens to almost every youth hitter, and the fix we use in the garage.
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Parents·July 29, 2026Getting ready for select baseball tryouts in the South Sound
Select and travel tryouts across Pierce County happen fast — often one weekend in August. What evaluators actually watch, and how to be ready for it.
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Parents·July 29, 2026How to use fall ball in Bonney Lake to get ahead for spring tryouts
Fall ball signups are open around Bonney Lake and Sumner right now. Here's how to use those eight low-pressure weekends to show up to spring tryouts ahead of the pack.
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Hitting·July 15, 2026Reading your kid's swing video like a coach (without coaching them)
You filmed your kid hitting. Now what? Four things to look for — and four things to NEVER bring up at home.
Read More →- Hitting·July 8, 2026
High Schoolers Can Use Lighter Bats Now: The New BBCOR Rule, Explained
The NFHS just expanded high school bat options beyond the -3. Here's what USA BBCOR and the new -4/-5/-6 drops mean for your kid — and when it actually kicks in.
Read More → - Hitting·July 1, 2026
5 backyard hitting drills for kids 5–8 (just a tee and 15 minutes)
Five drills you can run with a tee, a wall, and a quarter hour after school. No coach required — just consistency.
Read More → - Parents·June 29, 2026
How much practice between games is actually enough?
Three hours on Saturday? Twenty minutes a day? The honest answer is age-dependent — and the right amount is probably less than you think.
Read More → - Mental·June 26, 2026
Failing 7 out of 10: what 'good' actually looks like in baseball
If your kid hits .300, they're an elite hitter. That means they fail 70% of the time. Here's why parents need to understand the math before they get mad in the car ride home.
Read More → - Parents·June 19, 2026
Off-season training for a 10–12 year old (without burning them out)
The off-season is where 10–12 year olds make the biggest leaps. Here's the 12-week template that builds the swing — without making them sick of baseball by spring.
Read More → - Parents·June 14, 2026
So My Kid Didn't Make All-Stars. Now What?
An honest take from two coaches on what All-Star selection actually measures, what to say to your kid tonight, and how to use the next eight weeks.
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Mental·June 9, 2026Tryout prep: how to actually be ready
Tryouts are 90% nerves, 10% skills you didn't sharpen in time. Here's the 3-week plan that lets your kid show up confident — for Little League, travel ball, or high school.
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Hitting·June 5, 2026Soft toss done right (and the four ways most parents do it wrong)
Soft toss is the most-used and most-misused home hitting drill. Here's how to set it up so it actually improves the swing instead of building bad habits.
Read More →- Drills·May 29, 2026
The 9 Best Youth Baseball Drills for 7-9 Year Olds
Nine field-tested drills for 7-to-9-year-olds — fielding, hitting, baserunning — plus a quick-reference matrix and a FAQ for coaches and parents.
Read More → - Parents·May 28, 2026
How to Pick the Right Baseball Bat for Your Kid
Most kids are swinging the wrong bat. A coach explains how to size one, what stamp to look for, and what doesn't matter as much as the marketing wants you to think.
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Drills·May 28, 2026How to Run a 15-Minute Backyard Practice
A simple three-block format that gets kids more useful reps in 15 minutes than most parents manage in 45.
Read More →- Parents·May 28, 2026
Understanding Bat Stamps: A Parent's Guide to Buying the Right Bat
Confused by USABat, BBCOR, USSSA, and USA Softball stamps? A parent-friendly breakdown of every common bat certification — what it means, which leagues require it, and how to avoid a game-day surprise.
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Mindset·May 25, 2026What Most Parents Get Wrong About Coaching Their Own Kid
A coach's honest take on the seven mistakes that turn backyard practice into a fight, and the simple framework that fixes most of them.
Read More →- Drills·May 24, 2026
5 Backyard Baseball Drills for Kids 9–11
Five backyard drills for the 9–11 age group. Same garage philosophy as the 5–8 version, but the reps get sharper, the cues get smaller, and the kid starts owning the work.
Read More → - Drills·May 24, 2026
5 Backyard Baseball Drills for Kids 5–8
Five baseball drills you can run in your backyard with kids 5–8. From a coach who runs them every week. No equipment beyond a bat, ball, and glove.
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