What does “development” mean for the Flyers?
When our founding board of directors formed the Flyers, the top goal was to build an organization around development.
When we talk about development, we start with two of our guiding principles:
Development is our most important goal, even over winning. Our goal is to help grow successful people and outstanding players. Helping players reach their potential requires a holistic approach that involves baseball skill, strength, mobility, intent, mindset, resilience and more.
Helping players reach their potential requires a holistic approach that involves baseball/fastpitch skill, strength, mobility, intent, mindset, resilience and more. It is our job to prepare our players in all of these areas.
Development is more than simply hitting, throwing and defensive work. Development involves coaching in strength and mobility. Development involves mental preparation and growth.
To start with, development requires hard work and practices. Flyers teams are expected to spend a significant time practicing. If your team plays mostly games, development is suffering. Development happens at practice, on your own and in the weight room.
But practice alone won’t get players where they need to be.
Development is practice with intent and intensity.
Development is pointing out areas for improvement and providing a plan to get better.
Development is teaching the fundamentals of the game.
Development is teaching players how to play the game properly.
Development is teaching players how to compete on every pitch.
Development is teaching players it is a long road of ups and downs – and how to navigate that road.
Development is guiding players through the process and doing everything possible to mitigate injuries by preparing them physically and avoiding overuse.
Development is ensuring players are given the opportunity to recover properly.
Development is teaching players the importance of nutrition and physical training off the field.
Development is teaching players that everything they learn in baseball can be applied in all aspects of life
Beyond that, we expect our coaches and staff to ALSO develop. The game is constantly changing and so are the players. We expect our coaches and staff to be students of the game and of coaching.
The challenge for all coaches is recognizing that every kid is different and they are constantly changing physically, psychologically and emotionally. The challenge is keeping them focused. The challenge is keeping it fun. The challenge is teaching players to do things for themselves and lose their dependence on mom and dad. The challenge is the parents and helping them through the process of what’s important and what is not important.
Through all of these challenges, we must stay focused on development. Development should always be the priority.
This is a long explanation that can be boiled down to one sentence: Development is constantly striving to get better in a systematic way.