Private Instruction FAQ's

Lessons

Where are your lessons held? Are they indoors or outdoors?
Can Headfirst send a coach to our house for lessons?
What happens if it rains?
Can I do hitting, pitching, and fielding, all in one lesson?
How many lessons do you suggest for a youth baseball player?
What equipment does my child need for a lesson?
Can I request a specific coach for lessons?
What is the earliest age a player should receive a lesson?
Should I seek a regular private lesson or the video analysis program your company offers?
How do I pay?
What does the instructor do during a lesson?
Who are the instructors?
Can parents watch the lesson?

Team Practices

If I request a Headfirst coach for my team practices, am I guaranteed to get one?
How does Headfirst organize and manage team practices?
Do Headfirst coaches attend my team's games if they run our practices?
How do I secure a Headfirst coach for my team's practices?
How should I handle payment for team practices?
What about rainouts and make-ups?

Lessons

1. Where are your lessons held? Are they indoors or outdoors?
Our lessons are conducted at one of several locations in NW Washington, DC including Guy Mason Field and Friendship Field (Turtle Park) in Georgetown and St. Albans School near the National Cathedral.

2. Can Headfirst send a coach to our house for lessons?
Headfirst Baseball rarely sends coaches to a player's house for private instruction. It is more efficient for our coaches to schedule their lessons at consistent locations where they can schedule multiple lessons on the same day.

3. What happens if it rains?
Parents and the Headfirst coach always exchange mobile phone numbers in the case of rain. Lessons may be cancelled up to one-half hour before the scheduled start of the lesson, and is usually a joint decision. These cancelled lessons are always rescheduled.

4. Can I do hitting, pitching, and fielding, all in one lesson?
Absolutely. You can divide your lesson time up to cover as many subjects as you like. Obviously, the more subjects one covers in a lesson, the less detailed the instructor can get. More specialized lessons are usually better suited for older players in the range of 12-18 years old.

5. How many lessons do you suggest for a youth baseball player?
We suggest that players receive lessons in blocks of three. Three meeting times will allow the coach to better understand the player, diagnose his or her flaws, and make accurate corrective suggestions. Obviously, the corrective effect of private instruction becomes increases with each additional lesson.

6. What equipment does my child need for a lesson?
Your child should wear comfortable pants or shorts and athletic sneakers. A bat and glove are recommended for lessons, but not required. Also, we suggest you bring a water bottle for your child, since private workouts can be tiring. Parents might also want to bring a notebook to take notes on drills and instruction the coach provides the player.

7. Can I request a specific coach for lessons?
You may request a specific coach for private lessons. However, please keep in mind that if you request specific days and times for these lessons, the coach you request may not be available during those times. It is the Headfirst Director of Lessons' responsibility to match up each player with a compatible coach based on the Director's assessment of availability, personality, energy, and strengths.

8. What is the earliest age a player should receive a lesson?
Headfirst Baseball believes players are ready for some type of private instruction when they turn 6 years old. For those players of ages 6,7, and 8, the instruction tends to revolve around general athletic and baseball principles and fundamentals, and introducing such mental concepts as confidence, dealing with failure, alertness, and anticipation.

9. Should I seek a regular private lesson or the video analysis program your company offers?
The video analysis option is a great one for more advanced players ages 12 and up. However, these video lessons are more diagnostic in nature, rather than more performance of physical repetitions. Since video is effective at locating mechanical nuisances hidden to the naked eye, video is preferable for players who have graduated from instruction emphasizing basic skills and mechanics.

10. How do I pay?
We ask that payment is made at the conclusion of each lesson. While we prefer personal checks made out to Headfirst Baseball, we also will accept cash payment.

11. What does the instructor do during a lesson?
Our instructors are trained to motivate, teach and drill baseball (and more generally athletic) skills in a language and style “at the level” of their athlete. After questioning the player(s) regarding his or her goals, past performance, current ability, and mental approach, our coaches tailor the lesson to the individual needs of the player(s). Some lessons address the mental side of the game; some target the physical technique involved; while others mesh the two.

12. Who are the instructors?
Our instructors are professional educator/coaches who played and/or coached the game at its highest levels including professional, college, and high school baseball. What they all have in common is a deep love of the game and passion for working with young athletes.

13. Can parents watch the lesson?
Parents may watch the lessons, ask appropriate questions, and take notes on drills performed or instructions given. However, we ask that parents do not get involved with the actual instruction unless asked to do so by the coach. Coaches are also encouraged to speak with parents before and after the lesson to sum up the lesson and answer any questions remaining.

Team Practices

1. If I request a Headfirst coach for my team practices, am I guaranteed to get one?
Occasionally, due to an overwhelming amount of requests, we are unfortunately unable to provide a coach for your practice slot. The Headfirst coaches are first asked to coach all of our Headfirst Gamers Teams (Headfirst coaches and organizes youth and select league teams ages: 6-7U, 8-10U, 11-12U, 13U, 14U, 16U, 18U). Then the coaches are assigned to coach other teams' practices on a first come first serve basis. Priority is given, however, to those teams that have participated in the team practice program in the past. After that, priority is given to those teams who return this application to the office on a first come, first serve basis. So, while we try very hard to fill each request, we cannot promise that we will be able to coach your team.

2. How does Headfirst organize and manage team practices?
Headfirst Baseball has a certain style and approach to teaching and coaching the game of baseball. Headfirst Baseball will organize and run your team practices. This will include all coaching, instruction and lesson planning. However, this will not include Headfirst providing any baseball equipment. Each team is responsible for providing their helmets, baseballs, bases and/or other equipment that you want the team to use throughout their practices. The Headfirst coach assigned to your team will coach with a positive approach and attitude. The coach will do his or her very best to maximize each player's attitude and talent while doing so in a positive environment, very similar to how Headfirst runs and organizes its Headfirst Gamers programs. Each week, the coach will bring an energized lesson plan to the practice field and demand respect, hustle and a positive attitude from the players.

3. Do Headfirst coaches attend my team's games if they run our practices?
Headfirst coaches usually do not attend the team games, however, the Headfirst coach will encourage feedback from the head coach or parent to help identify what the players need to practice in the upcoming practice time based upon their performance in the past game(s).

4. How do I secure a Headfirst coach for my team's practices?
Before we can assign one of our professional instructors to coach your team practices, it is important to obtain some more information from you. Attached is an application for you to complete. We would appreciate it if you please answer each question carefully and complete all of the questions prior to emailing (we prefer emailing this document back to us) or mailing the information back to the Headfirst office. Please do not return this paper back to us if you have not yet received a permit for your team practice (we need a copy of the permit). Headfirst cannot assign a coach until a permit and field location are secured. Again, thank you for your interest in the Headfirst Baseball program. We are honored that you want one of our coaches to run your team practices and we are excited to being working with your team this season.

5. How should I handle payment for team practices?
The price for a team practice is $200 per hour for one Headfirst professional coach. Typically the head parent or coach will collect money from all of the other parents to fund the team practice. In return, the head parent will provide Headfirst with credit card on this form to pay for the first half of the season. The credit card will be kept on file until the end of the season; we will then charge the remaining balance to the credit card at that point to complete the difference.

6. What about rainouts and make-ups?
Of course there may be a day or two where there will be inclement weather. If this is the case and heavy rain or thunderstorms set in, the practice will most likely have to be cancelled or postponed. We will rely 100% on the team coach or parent to make this final decision regarding the cancellation. We ask for a final decision to cancel a practice by 2:00 pm. We will take into account rainout dates and we will refund any money at the end of the season due to a cancelled practice. We will attempt to attend make-up practices at the end of the season if the Headfirst schedule allows.

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