Help! My best player is seeing a private instructor!

Recently, I received an email from a friend who is facing the ever more common challenge of their players participating in private lessons during the off-season.  I used the word “challenge” instead of “problem” because I believe off-season programs have done wonders for some players.  I wish they existed when I was a kid!  However, challenges do arise especially when the following occurs:

• The instructor gives the impression that “only he” can fix whatever problem exists.
• The instructor’s opinion as to what needs to be fixed differs from yours.
• The instructor undermines your credibility as a coach.
• The player and/or parents “buy into’ the instructor’s mechanics that you believe to be flat-out wrong.
• The player goes to private lessons instead of your team’s off-season workouts.
• You start to hear things like “that’s not what my private instructor wants me to do
• The instructor’s advice kills the progress you’ve seen and developed with the player over time.

Challenges exist but private instruction is not going away.  People are making good money doing it so it’s not disappearing anytime soon.  The question then becomes, how do you deal with these issues?  Below is what I responded to the coach who asked for my thoughts on a player receiving different instruction than that given by the coach:

“Ultimately, it’s the player’s career.  He and his parents choose the instruction but you have the choice of playing him or not based on his performance.  If he gets outs, he’ll pitch.  If he hits the ball hard, he bats.  If he doesn’t, he doesn’t play.  Pretty simple.

I’ve run into this as well.  Same thing … “come to us and we’ll fix all your problems and make you into a D1 scholarship prospect.”  Parents fall for it a lot.  It’s very frustrating for coaches but that’s the AAU / private instructor world we face.

However, I’ve seen all kinds of “wrong” mechanics from hitters and pitchers that are successful so I rarely make a blanket statement about a certain way being right or wrong.

Hang in there.  I’d withold comment until I see the kid throw in games/scrimmages.  If he suffers, he usually will be open for suggestions.  Telling him his new way won’t work will probably just get him to prove you wrong and will not come for help because that will be admitting he was wrong. 

Be patient.  Let it play out.”