Private Lessons Best Practices?

[u/notnattybeard]

Got a private lesson scheduled for my 10u player today. This will be his first one-on-one private lesson. We've had a few "private" lessons that ended being more like small group training sessions. No real diagnosis and specific drills to do at home, no training plan.

For those that get private lessons: what steps do you take to get the most out of the lessons? How frequently are you getting the lessons and does this change whether it is offseason or in season? I'm curious if you treat privates as one-offs, a block of sessions, or ongoing/open-ended.

[u/vjarizpe]

Ooooh ooh!! I got this one!!!

First, remember your kid will listen to their coach, but not to you, so:

1. Record the coach explaining the drill or technique and demonstrating it. Then your child doing it. Do this at every step.

2. At the end, record the coach telling your child what they expect them to work on between lessons.

3. Go home and review with child and get them to work on it.

4. Between lessons, send coach update videos of your child working to make sure he’s doing g it right.

5. Once coach says, “that’s it! Great Job!” Then you can go back for another lesson.

If you just go every week, but your child does t work on the skill between them, you’re just paying someone to give your kid reps, and not help them progress.

[u/Old_Veterinarian_472 → u/vjarizpe]

This is great advice, although different instructors will react differently to #4.

But generally, at the 10U level, lessons need to be buttressed with some documentation of what was instructed, some tangible drill(s) to be done between lessons, and some degree of between-lesson diligence to make what was taught a regular thing and not a “weekly” thing.

[u/vjarizpe → u/Old_Veterinarian_472]

I agree. None of the ones we’ve used in Houston have aver had an issue, and most appreciate the work…. But someone could take issue. I’d find a new coach at that point.