1 ON 1
TRAINING
LESSON CHANGES IN 2024
Hi! This is going to be a long ONE... hang with me! It's nothing terrible just some changes moving into the next year. I feel like you deserve to hear WHY I've decided to move forward with double lessons (meaning 2 athletes at same lesson slot for 45 min). I know that as you read this you will feel shocked, scared, and resistant. But let me explain the benefits to you and your daughter as well....
Lessons in between now and end of the year will be preparing everyone for double lessons starting Jan 1, 2024. I have to get everyone to a point that they have used all their previously paid lessons on their accounts before this will work properly. 30 min lesson packages will be turned off in November.
My game plan and why...
Lessons will be $65 for 45 min (or 4 pack for $240) with 2 athletes with a required 15 min warm up and arm care routine BEFORE lesson begins. So your daughters lesson will require 1 full hour. I know this will probably change some things in regards to week day time slots and school schedule. Please plan accordingly, I don't want anymore running through the door for lessons with 1 min to spare before we start. If your daughter attends lesson late she will STILL be required to do the 15 min prep / arm care routine resulting in 15 min of the 45 min lesson being lost. I will have targets set up if you are not comfortable catching for your daughter (no judgement! I promise) or if you or someone else dropping them off is not physically capable, we will have accommodations made. I will use the next 5 months to prepare your daughter in what she needs to accomplish in prep / arm care routine for her lesson so that the year of 2024 transition moves smoothly.
WHY #1: Catching every single one of my lessons is extremely demanding on my 37 year old body. I know you're probably thinking....."Oh come on Sondi! 37 is young!" And to that I say "You're right!" But calculating doing 4 hours of lessons equate roughly to 200 squats in 1 day! My 10 hour Sunday equates to roughly 600-800 squats, IN 1 DAY! I don't even want to add up how many that is per month! While yes squats are great for the legs, too much can be debilitating for me. My body screams at me constantly. Not to mention my arm and how many softballs I throw back and forth to each girl. And before you tell me ....."But I can just catch for you!" Hold on hear me out on my next Why's.
WHY #2: I am 1 of the ONLY female pitching coaches in Albuquerque area. The amount of young softball athletes that DESERVE to have the same information is in high demand. I want to leave a legacy here in NM and touching as many young lives as possible is extremely important to me. Having 2 people at 1 time maximizes my ability to share information without being involved in every single pitch physically.
WHY #3: Having another pitcher next to your daughter can bring out the competitor in her and push her in ways that create pressure to perform. I also love the option for younger girls being able to watch and mimic someone older or more experienced. And who knows, she could meet a life long friend!
WHY #4: Having the ability to move around your daughter during your lesson allows for me to see more angles than just the front. And although, I love seeing what the balls does from a catchers stand point, it slows down the lesson when I have to stop, get up, go to the side and watch her throw to the net while I move around her to see more. I want to maximize every opportunity to make our daughter better. And that also means for her MORE PITCHING during the session. If you choose to be involved in the lesson, by catching or assisting your daughter with drills, it will set you both up for success when you have to collaborate at home.
WHY #5: Last but not least! Adding an app to remind you and your daughter what to accomplish at home. The time during the 45 min lesson I can record and post the drills during the lesson to an app. It seems more parents and athletes are realizing when they leave a lesson, their daughters and themselves forget about what the focus was of our last session. Leaving many frustrated and also a little lost during the home practices.
LAST NOTE:
Hitting lessons will NO longer be available in 2024. If you do see me doing a lesson it's most likely a client who is on their last year of HS or currently in college. I do have a couple of recommendations for hitting coaches here in town.
I want to sincerely THANK YOU for your continued loyalty and understanding. If you have questions please feel free to reach out to me.
Always,
Coach Sondi
Welcome to 1 on 1 training! The most important part of my job is to create lasting pitching mechanics to maximize performance and reduce potental injury. The pitching motion can be extremely complex and difficult but with me teaching your daughter tips, tricks and drills to create lasting muscle memory she can sky rocket her success!
🥎What can I expect at our 1st lesson?
I will evaluate your daughters current knowledge and ability.
🥎Then move into analysis, showing her examples of what the motion should look like and where we can help her improve.
🥎Lastly, being sure she understands the drills she is sent home with to work on before our next session.
-
How long will it take my daughter to learn how to pitch?Athletes learn and develop at their own pace but the typical learning curve is 3 to 6 months of training. This “development phase” emphasizes basic mechanical movements, understanding of motion and problem solving. These three components will help your athlete make adjustments based on the softballs movement, location and what the athlete “feels”.o add a new question go to app settings and press "Manage Questions" button.
-
How long before "muscle memory" is ingrained in an athlete?"An athlete that practices regularly (2 to 4 times per week) for 8 to 10 months will retain muscle memory even after a typical 2 month break. Not everything will be perfect after 2 months of rest but 90 percent of the mechanical movement is retained.
-
How many times a month should I take my daughter to lessons?I request that I see my beginner students 1 time a week (4 times a month) or 1 time every 2 weeks (2 times a month). I usually see my advanced students 1 time a week to as little as 1 time a month. This decision is based on the athletes goals and act as “maintenance” sessions.
-
What learning techniques are used?I have a vast amount of ideas and drills to help train the body into making a particular movement. Depending on the athletes obstacle, I will incorporate work out bands, BOSU ball, balance disks, weighted softballs, among others. The idea is to stimulate muscle activation and muscle memory. If the athlete can feel it she can replicate it. Athletes tend to learn in 3 ways: 1) verbal instruction, 2) Watching movement in past tense (example; from a video) and 3) Watching movement happen currently (example; seeing themselves in a mirror).
-
What is video analysis?The most important tool I use for teaching softball techniques is video analysis. I record the athlete performing their current mechanics from various angles. I then play the video back to the athlete in order to discuss what needs improvement. I also have many examples of myself and other young athletes preforming the same motion from the same angles to help ensure the understanding of what needs to be achieved.