Every athlete wants to know what college coaches are looking for beyond statistics and physical ability. For those who have coached or recruited at the college level, what's something younger athletes and their coaches often overlook?

I wanted to introduce myself and send a quick note. I am one of the co-founders of VisionX Sports, but I also run a baseball organization and have been coaching the past 20 years. I’m excited to be a part of this group, and about the conversation on Monday. One or both of our doctors will also be on the call and we are looking forward to the discussion, educational opportunity, and answering any questions that people may have about vision training and visual performance. Have a great weekend and I look forward to talking with you all on Monday!

COACHES, HAVE YOU EVER HAD A PLAYER WHO JUST WOULDN'T BUY INTO WHAT YOU WERE TEACHING? You introduce a new drill, a different approach at the plate, a mental performance routine, or a better way to prepare... And the response? "Coach, I don't need that." Sound familiar? 😂 Here's something I've learned over the years: Before athletes can change how they perform, they often have to change what they're willing to believe and try. That's where THE 4 STAGES OF BUY-IN, a framework taught by mental performance coach Brian Cain, comes into play. Every player moves through these stages at different times. And coaches? We go through them too! 🔴 STAGE 1 — "IT'S NOT FOR ME" The athlete believes talent, mechanics, and physical training are enough. They resist new ideas because what they're already doing feels familiar. "I don't need visualization." "Journaling isn't going to help my swing." "I've always done it this way." COACHING LESSON: Don't immediately mistake resistance for a bad attitude. Start by helping the player understand why the new approach might matter. 🟠 STAGE 2 — "IT MIGHT WORK FOR OTHERS" Now the athlete begins noticing that successful players use mental performance tools. They see athletes practicing: ✅ Visualization ✅ Breathing and focus routines ✅ Performance journaling ✅ Process goals But they're still thinking... "That's great for those guys, but I'm not sure it'll help me." COACHING LESSON: Share examples, demonstrate the process, and let players see how others benefit. 🟡 STAGE 3 — "I'LL TRY IT" 🔥 THIS IS WHERE THE BREAKTHROUGH BEGINS! The athlete stops debating and starts experimenting. They commit to: ⚾ Five minutes of visualization 📓 Writing in their Performance Journal 🎯 Following a daily Success Checklist 🧠 Practicing a pre-pitch reset 🤝 Working with an accountability partner They don't need to believe in everything immediately. They just need to be willing to test it consisten

COACHES, PLAYERS & PARENTS — HERE'S A QUESTION FOR YOU... What if the secret to becoming a better ballplayer wasn't working harder, but getting crystal clear on what you need to do EVERY SINGLE DAY? We talk about wanting to: ⚾ Hit for a higher average 🔥 Throw harder 🏆 Make the starting lineup 🎓 Earn a college scholarship 💪 Become a more confident competitor But here's the problem... Those are OUTCOMES. And outcomes aren't always within our control. What we CAN control is our preparation, effort, attitude, focus, and daily habits. That's where the SUCCESS CHECKLIST comes in! 🔥 WHAT IS THE SUCCESS CHECKLIST? It's a simple, personalized list of daily behaviors that move you closer to becoming the player — or coach — you want to be. Instead of waking up thinking: "I need to become a great hitter." You wake up thinking: "What are the five things I need to execute TODAY?" No overwhelm. No guessing. Just intentional action. 📋 HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF A DAILY SUCCESS CHECKLIST ☐ Complete 5 minutes of visualization. ☐ Listen to a mental performance lesson or podcast. ☐ Complete focused hitting, throwing, or defensive work. ☐ Take care of mobility, recovery, and nutrition. ☐ Write in your Performance Journal. That's it! Your checklist might look different depending on your age, position, goals, and training schedule. The secret isn't having the longest checklist. It's consistently completing the right one. 🎯 THE 80% RULE: CONSISTENCY OVER PERFECTION Here's something I want every athlete to understand: You don't have to be perfect to make progress. Set a goal of completing your checklist at least 80% of the time. If you have five daily habits, that's 35 opportunities to execute over seven days. Complete 28 of them, and you've reached 80%! And if you fall short? Don't beat yourself up. Ask yourself: What got in the way? What can I adjust? How can I improve next week? That's how you build accountability without creating fear of failure. 🏆 WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM CY YOUNG WINNER CORBIN BURNES?

COACHES, PLAYERS & PARENTS — HERE'S A SIMPLE HABIT THAT CAN CHANGE THE WAY YOU APPROACH THE GAME! We spend countless hours working on swings, throwing mechanics, fielding, strength, and conditioning. But here's a question... How much time do we spend intentionally training the mind? One of my favorite mental performance tools is something incredibly simple. 📓 A PERFORMANCE JOURNAL. No fancy technology. No expensive equipment. Just a notebook, a pen, and a commitment to getting better every day. The purpose isn't to write a novel. It's to build two habits that help athletes develop: 🎯 INTENTION BEFORE PERFORMANCE 🧠 REFLECTION AFTER PERFORMANCE Here's how it works. 🔥 BEFORE PRACTICE OR GAMES: SET YOUR INTENTION Before stepping onto the field, take a few minutes to write down: 1️⃣ DATE & LOCATION Where are you training or competing today? 2️⃣ YOUR 3 KEYS TO KEEP IT SIMPLE What are the three things that help you perform at your best? Examples: • See the ball early • Trust my training • Compete one pitch at a time 3️⃣ YOUR 3 AFFIRMATIONS Choose three statements that reinforce the athlete you're becoming. Examples: • I am a confident, disciplined competitor. • I trust my preparation. • I respond positively to adversity. 4️⃣ YOUR ONE-WORD FOCUS Choose one word that represents how you want to compete. ATTACK. SMOOTH. COMPETE. PRESENT. AGGRESSIVE. 💡 IMPORTANT: Your three keys, affirmations, and one-word focus don't need to change every day. In fact, keeping them consistent helps reinforce the habits and identity you're developing. 🏆 AFTER PRACTICE OR GAMES: REFLECT & GROW When practice or the game ends, take a few minutes to answer: ✅ 3 WINS What three things went well today? Remember, a win doesn't always show up on the scoreboard! 🙏 3 GRATITUDES What are three things you're thankful for from today's experience? 🔄 START – STOP – CONTINUE START: What's one thing I need to begin doing? STOP: What's one habit or behavior I need to eliminate? CONTINUE: What's working that I should keep doing?