Just Be Coachable

Two Kids, Same Feedback | Different Results

I've seen this play out a hundred times in the bullpen. Two pitchers, same advice.

I tell both kids: "Lock in on your target before you start your windup. It'll help you throw more strikes."

Kid #1 nods. Next pitch? Same wandering eyes. Same result.

Kid #2 hears the advice. Immediately locks in on the catcher's glove. Throws a strike. Looks back at me: "Like that, coach?"

Guess which one will be throwing more strikes next week?

The difference isn't arm strength. It's not mechanics.

It's coachability.

🚩 Red Flags vs ✅ Green Flags:

What Coachability Actually Sounds Like

Coachability has nothing to do with talent. It's 100% mindset.

Most people think coachability means being quiet, well-behaved, never questioning anything. That's not coachable. That's passive.

Coachable is simple: Do you take feedback or fight it?

⚡ This Week's Play: What Being Coachable Actually Looks Like

It's about taking feedback and using it. A coachable player doesn't just hear feedback, they apply it.

They don’t shut down when a coach says, “Try it this way.”
They don’t argue. They don’t make excuses.

They listen.
They adjust.
They get better.

Coachability is about willingness:

The kid who is open and curious, keeps improving.
The kid who nods but sticks to their old habits, plateaus.

Kids learn coachability at home first. We’ve got to teach it, model it, and reinforce it.

💡 Parent Tip: They're Not the Expert (And That's Okay)

Here's what your kid needs to hear from you:

“You’re not supposed to know everything. That’s why you have a coach.”

Too many kids think needing help means they're not good enough.

That's backwards.

The best players on the planet (in any sport) stay coachable. Just like Steph Curry.

What You Can Do:

After practice or a game, ask your kid:

Don't ask if they agreed with the feedback. Help them see feedback as fuel, not criticism.

Try this for one week and see what changes.

🧢 Coaches Corner: Coachability Is a Skill You Can Teach

You can't coach talent. But you can coach coachability.

Here's how:

1. Recognize Effort and Adjustment

If a kid tries your feedback, acknowledge it:

"Nice adjustment on that last swing, much better."

It doesn’t need to be a lecture, just reinforce the behavior when you see it. Kids will repeat what gets noticed.

2. Make It Okay to Mess Up

Kids won't be coachable if they're scared of being wrong.

Celebrate the effort, even when the result isn’t perfect. Coachability grows in confidence.

3. Model It Yourself

Ask other coaches questions. Seek advice. Show you’re still learning.

If you want coachable players, be a coachable coach.

⭐ Pro Tip: The Best Players Are Always Learning

Having a locker next to four-time World Series champ Orlando “El Duque” Hernández in Port St. Lucie taught me this better than anything.

One day I asked him about his pre-game routine, how he prepared mentally before taking the mound.

He didn’t brush me off.
He explained everything, step by step.

What stood out?

Consistency.
Same routine. Same focus. Every single time.

The kid who thinks they already know everything eventually gets passed.

The most successful players are the most coachable players.

So if your kid is shy about asking questions or thinks admitting they don't know something makes them look weak, flip that script.

Asking questions is a strength. Being coachable is a competitive advantage.

And here's the secret, most successful people love sharing what they've learned. They remember when someone helped them climb. When your kid asks for help, they're not bothering anyone, they're giving someone a chance to pass it on.

The kid who wants to learn will always outlast the kid who thinks they already know it all.

🧠 Mindset Rep: The Next Question

This week, after every practice or game, ask yourself (or have your kid ask themselves):

"What's one thing I'll do differently next time?"

Not what went wrong. Not who to blame. Simply, what will I change?

That's coachability in action. Always looking for the next rep, the next chance to improve.

Ask Coach Steve

Got a question? Hit reply and ask me anything—about coaching, parenting, player development, expectations, or keeping kids in the game.

Let’s figure it out together.

Help me keep more kids in the game. If you found this helpful, please forward it to another parent or coach.

Thanks for being here. See you next week Inside the Dugout.

-Coach Steve-

Steve Holmes
Founder, Inside the Dugout
2006 MLB Draft | All-American | Youth Coach | Dad