At LTJBSA, our mission is simple: develop complete players—physically, mechanically, emotionally, and socially—that are ready to compete well beyond their graduation from youth baseball.
âšľ Evaluating Growth
We focus on player growth from every angle, not just short-term success:
- Repeatable mechanics and skill development
- Game and situation understanding
- Emotional maturity
- Confidence and resilience
- Peer development and belonging
- Long-term habits that translate as the game gets faster and the field gets bigger
These principles align with the American Development Model (ADM) and Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) research emphasizing age-appropriate progression and foundational skill stability.
🥎 Sustainable Mechanics
A player may look advanced for their age. But looking advanced does not automatically mean their mechanics are stable enough for the next environment.
Early physical maturation can create temporary competitive advantage. As adolescence progresses and peers physically catch up, those early advantages diminish. Mechanical stability—not early size or strength—is what compounds over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Isn’t playing up better for reaction time?
It’s a common belief: seeing faster pitching and harder hit balls will improve reaction time. Occasional exposure to higher speed can help players understand game tempo. But games are not where development volume happens. In a game, a player may get 3–4 at-bats, see 6–10 total pitches, and field 2–3 balls. That is not enough repetition to build advanced mechanics.
Development happens in practice. In practice, a coach can deliver 25–30 swings in a controlled setting, hit 20–30 hard ground balls, pause and correct footwork, break down throwing mechanics, and adjust timing and sequencing. Practice allows for repetition, feedback, and correction—which is how reaction time truly improves. Game exposure shows speed. Practice trains players to handle it.
Won’t my player fall behind if they don’t play up?
Development is not linear. Players who build strong foundational mechanics early often surpass early physical maturers once physical differences normalize. We are playing the long game.
What about emotional toughness?
When the youngest player is placed on an older team, they face increased physical and emotional demands. If frustration surfaces, coaches may need to correct coping behaviors older players have already developed.
That correction can become individualized rather than team-based, unintentionally reinforcing the feeling of “I don’t belong here.” On age-aligned teams, emotional growth can be addressed collectively, strengthening belonging and resilience.
Other towns allow it. Why doesn't the LTJBSA?
As a feeder program aligned with our local high schools, we focus beyond short-term wins. Our curriculum and rubric were developed with input from local high school coaches to ensure readiness for the next level. Success is measured by preparation for high school baseball—not early acceleration.
What if my player isn’t challenged?
Challenge can mean taking on additional responsibility within your own age group—key defensive roles, leadership opportunities, and situational decision-making.
Leadership is a skill. Learning to elevate classmates and peers prepares players for the expectations they will face at the high school level.
Does playing up increase injury risk?
Youth sports medicine research shows that increased throwing intensity and workload during growth periods can elevate risk of overuse injury. Age-based progression helps regulate pitching distance, field size, and workload appropriately.
Our alignment with local high school coaches helps ensure we protect long-term arm health and physical development.
Are we holding players back?
No. We are sequencing development. Deep, steady progress comes from mastering each layer before stacking the next.
đź”´ The Bigger Picture
Our goal is not to produce a dominant Little Leaguer. Our goal is to produce confident, mechanically sound, emotionally resilient high school players—and beyond.
360° Development means building long-term athletes—intentionally.