Preseason Routines, Efficient Practices, Team Goals, & an Accountability Calendar

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Welcome to the Monday Morning Staff Meeting, a weekly newsletter where I share actionable ideas and help you build a quality baseball program through proven actions for player, program, and staff development.

Today's Staff Meeting at a Glance:

Player Development: Establishing Preseason Routines
Staff Development: Planning Efficient Practice
Program Development: Setting Team Goals
Take Action for a Quick Win: Accountability Calendar

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Player Development: Establishing Preseason Routines

With the season just around the corner, now is the time to ensure your players are building consistent habits. Preseason routines help players prepare mentally and physically for the grind of a competitive season.

Key Idea: Encourage players to develop a warm-up, cool-down, and recovery routine that they can carry into January practices and games. This routine might include stretching, dynamic drills, or mindfulness exercises to reduce stress and promote focus.

Action Step: Assign each player to develop their pre-practice routine this week. Dedicate 10 minutes of your next team meeting to share routines and establish team-wide consistency.

Coach Development: Planning Efficient Practices

The clock is ticking, and every minute of practice counts. Preparing efficient, high-energy practices will set the tone for the season and ensure your team is ready for competition.

Key Idea: Structure practices with a clear focus on game-like situations. For example, dedicate one segment to situational drills (e.g., runner on third, two outs) and another to team defense, ensuring players understand their roles under pressure.

Action Step: Create a detailed practice template for January, with each segment focused on a specific skill or scenario. Share the plan with your coaching staff for feedback before the season begins.

Program Development: Setting Team Goals

Every successful program begins the season with a clear vision. Team goals give players purpose, build unity, and guide your decisions throughout the season.

Key Idea: Set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals for both individual players and the team as a whole. Goals might include improving team batting average by 10%, cutting down on errors, or building stronger off-field relationships.

Action Step: Hold a team meeting to brainstorm and finalize three key goals for the season. Write them down, post them in the dugout, and revisit them regularly to track progress.

Take Action Today

Quick Win: Create an "accountability calendar" for January. Assign one player or coach to lead a warm-up, cool-down, or motivational talk each practice. This builds leadership skills and keeps everyone engaged from day one.

As the season begins, stay tuned for tips on in-game strategies, maintaining team energy, and fostering resilience during tough stretches.

Do you have preseason traditions or routines that work for your team? Click reply and share, and I’ll feature your program in a future edition!

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Pre-Season Arm Care Routine
Flat Ground Routine
Varsity Weekly Routine
Sub-Varsity Routine
Pregame Routine
Bullpen Routine
Postgame Routine
Game Evaluation Chart

High School Pitching Program