Every year or two, WebBall runs a poll to see how coaches and players approach the task of setting goals. When we announced our 2010 survey, we received an email from a parent ...someone very goal-oriented in the best way possible. We share his approach here. Note: while much of this is specific to pitching, every player ...and supportive parent... should consider doing this.


This is more of a comment in regards to your vote on setting goals for the up and coming season. Setting goals have been a huge part over the past several years in my son's development as a pitcher. Our goals were sacred (not like a New Year's resolution). We both took them very seriously. We started with obvious goals, 1st pitch strikes, fewer walks, strikeouts and so on. These mini goals helped keep my son focused and I strongly feel as the goals were reached that this gave my son more confidence and a sense of accomplishment.

As each goal was reached we would set another. We decided instead of 1st pitch strikes to set a goal of more 1-1 counts, taking some pressure off of the 1st pitch. In doing this, his 1st pitch strikes soared in numbers.

I could go on and on about all the goals that were set and reached, Goal setting is a big part of every game for me and my son. I have a game check sheet this year on some new goals. Examples...

• How many times he walks the lead of hitter,
• How many times the lead off hitter gets on base
• How many times he fails to close out an inning after 2 outs,
• How many times he exceeds 15 pitches in an inning
• How many strikeouts he gets on a 1-2 or 0-2 count,
• How many times he lets the count go to 2-2 or 3-2 after going 0-2 or 1-2.

We decide before each game what the goal is for that particular game.

In the WebBall Insider newsletter when I saw that you were taking a vote on goal setting it did make me smile because of how it has been an ongoing challenge for my son and the success he has had because of his goals.


In closing I would like to say one more thing about setting goals. Last spring, before the season started, [my son's] pitching coach, during his last pitching lesson, asked what goals he had set for himself for the up and coming season. Keeping it real, Sawyer told him he wanted to hit a homerun. He hadn't done this yet.

His pitching coach said "why don't you make a goal to pitch a no-hitter?" [My son] looked at me and I looked at him because both of us knew that we set realistic goals and took them very serious. We stood there in silence looking at each other. The pitching coach said "you need to set your goals high". Then he turned and said to me "he is more than capable of doing this."

I was hesitant to agree with this goal. Coach, you know the rest of the story. Now you know why I smiled to myself when I read the newsletter today and you were asking for player's to vote on what their goals would be. Last but not least, we even set off-season goals. I keep a spread sheet on push-ups, tubing reps, med.ball, lunges and so on. My son looks at this sheet and we have calculated and set goals on how many reps he can get in during the off-season. It is just another way for him to visualize his accomplishments and give him the confidence he needs this spring. This way he can go to the mound and have fun because he knows he has put in the work.

The above is just one parent's story. And it may seem incredibly detailed and elaborate, and more than you can imagine doing with your own child. That's up to you. But when it comes to predicting who has a bright future - in both baseball and life - we know where we'd put our money.