Function Over Form @TrainLikeGame

If only there was a theoretical framework where we could try to help our athletes figure out how to repeat the same outcome without having to repeat the same process (a sort of "repetition without repetition" approach). 🤔

Jared Wilson @JaredDWilson

2 days ago

Hate seeing pitchers struggle in big spots. Cal Poly pitcher has been nails all year. Struggled with command today and it boils down to his back foot. Pitch on the left is good pitch on the right is bad, where he was most of the game. It’s very hard to be consistent when you’re

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Youth sports is on life support. If you think it’s fine, you’re not paying attention. Kids age 10-12 are playing way too many tournaments and travel ball. Parents treat it like the World Series. They need less travel, more rest, fueling, and actual development. They’re 12 YO. The data backs it up: ❌70% of kids drop out of organized sports by age 13. ❌Professionalization (year-round single-sport focus, heavy travel/tournaments) drives overuse injuries, overtraining, and burnout. ❌Nearly 1 in 10 youth athletes experience burnout; up to 35% deal with overtraining. ❌Early specialization before 12-13 raises injury and burnout risks significantly. Multi-sport kids who rest and play for fun stick around longer and develop better. Let them be kids. Prioritize recovery, fun, and long-term health over trophies. The best athletes often sample multiple sports early and specialize later. Who else sees this?

Keep the Door Open I noticed my 7yo son do something unusual at a recent game, something he has never been ‘taught.’ This thread will attempt to highlight why viewing skill from a lens of emergence can keep the door open for stronger skill acquisition. 🧵

The range will lie to your face. You’re out there piping 300yd lasers, feeling like a Tour player… Then you get on the course: • Pressure • Awkward lies • Wind • Actual stakes Suddenly you’re 40 yards shorter and chunking 7-irons. Range form ≠ Course performance. Golf is a cruel game 😂⛳

Here are some examples!

Transforming Basketball @transformbball

4 days ago

1. Layup lines … space is not given in the game; space is only taken … (replace with 1-on-1 Around the Arc). 2. Mikan drill … removes the very information that guides real shooting behavior … (replace with 1v1v1 in the Smile). 3. Fast break pattern drill … turns the game

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Layup lines exist so it looks like something is happening. It isn't. No defense. No decisions. No game speed. Half the players. Double the reps. Add constraint. Now you're warming up.

The mental game separates good athletes from great ones. 90% of performance is between the ears: focus on controllables, bounce back from mistakes, and stay present. Physical talent opens doors — mental toughness keeps you in the room. What’s your biggest mental battle in sports? 👇 #MentalGame #SportsMindset #AthleteLife

@reidouse This is seen as not coaching by a lot of people but silence is definitely a very powerful tool to use as a coach.

“Sport isn’t just movement. It’s perception, decision-making, adaptation, & problem-solving under pressure.”

James Smith @TheUofStrength

4 days ago

Why do athletes often look “great” in training but different in competition? Because many drills remove the very thing that makes sport difficult: Context. Sport isn’t just movement. It’s perception, decision-making, adaptation, & problem-solving under pressure. That’s why we

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I’m convinced that no matter how you choose to live, people will tell you that you’re doing it wrong. Wrong priorities. Wrong work. Wrong relationships. Wrong whatever. Your entire life will change the moment you learn to smile, nod, and ignore every single one of them.

Don’t be afraid to test different implements or tools as an athlete. What works for everyone else might not work for YOU.

The number 1 issue I've seen since starting to coach youth softball/baseball? How long it takes in between innings. We waste an unnerving amount of time NOT playing the game and instead trying to figure out who should put the catchers gear on, where everyone should play, etc. We aim to get everyone out with pitcher warmups in 2 minutes or less (even if our pitcher only gets 1-2 warmup pitches). Routinely the opposing team takes 3-4 minutes. When you are squeezed to only play for 75 minutes, 1-2 minutes times 8-12 half innings is 8-24 minutes of wasted time. Our innings take 5-12 minutes on average, depending on quick outs or long rallies. That is around 2-3 half innings you are sacrificing of real in-game development because we are unprepared in between innings. Even in a small 12 game season, that is 24-36 half innings you don't play because it takes forever in between innings.

High school athletes: Stop camping out at Power 5 games on TV thinking that’s your only ceiling. Go watch the local D2, D3, NAIA, and JUCO teams play. That’s the level where most of you will actually see the floor — and where the playing time is real. Dream big. But scout honestly. Your future starts with eyes wide open.

I asked ChatGPT what would Barry Schwartz (author of Practical Wisdom) say about the cultural war in baseball. The claim was....this isn't a war on youth sports it's a war of maximization!!! A Beginner's Mindset is such a super power. #SchoolToo

BP is the most comfortable thing in baseball. That's the problem. Game pitches don't come in slow and grooved. Cut the feel-good hacks and add constraint — different counts, pitch types, competitive reps. Warm up like you're already in the game.

“Perfect form” is the most overrated word in the gym. Take a CLA approach instead: Throw constraints at yourself — different grips, stances, tempos, pauses. Explore 100 slightly ugly variations of the same movement. Your body self-organizes. You learn what actually feels strong for YOU. Form doesn’t have to be perfect… it just has to be yours.

@JoshChambers @Seahawks Great mindset.

As coaches, we are constantly balancing: Enough variability to challenge Enough stability to support learning

Coaching game-changer: Build a culture where failure isn’t feared… it’s EXPECTED and respected. When your athletes know they can swing big, miss, fall flat, and still be celebrated for the effort, magic happens. No fear = maximum effort. No shame = rapid growth. No limits = champions. Safe-to-fail cultures create fearless competitors.

What most parents think is athletic development vs what really is athletic development... ##LTAD