Why I Coach and Train Athletes

I left the school system almost 2 years ago to start Laird’s Training LLC. I coach for the Indiana Bulls Baseball Organization and train athletes in the North Central Indiana Area. My goal of starting my business was to build upon what I started as a part time job in baseball lessons and strength training on the side of my full time job ever since my baseball career was over. I have had an itch to do this for a long time and this first blog explains the reason behind my coaching and training of athletes.

I am a firm believer that everyone can benefit highly from strength training and playing sports. They both teach you how to win and how to fail. They teach you life lessons that you can utilize forever. The discipline and accountability that it takes to be successful in the weight room and in sports will transfer to anything in life. Those whom have not been a part of a team for so long that you felt like family do not understand. Those who haven’t worked hard in the weight room with a team to push each other to be the best they can be or to push those who need extra motivation from a brother do not understand. It is these feelings I still had when I got done playing that I had a desire to pass on as a coach. Coaching baseball gives me that great feeling of being a part of a team, but strength training athletes and working as a baseball instructor helps give me that feeling I had of achievement on the field myself even more. There is a great feeling and satisfaction you get from helping a young athlete build 25 lbs of muscle in an off-season, help them increase velocity on their fastball, or get stronger to increase the power at the dish. As a coach and former player whose playing days are long gone, being able to help young athletes not make the same mistakes you made as a player or help them learn little tricks to make them better gives you great satisfaction. It is those kids that listen to everything you say, are hard-nosed, and bust it as hard as they can to be the best they can be that make it worthwhile coaching.

As a coach and as an instructor, I teach and will always teach exactly the same way I used to play. Hard-nosed, blue collared, and a ‘never say never’ attitude. I tell all my teams, clients, and parents that I am very hard on athletes and highly demanding, but I WILL make you better if you listen, work hard, and put in the reps. Listening, being coachable, and actually putting in the QUALITY work is what sets my clients or players apart from the rest and coincidentally are the ones who make the greatest gains in the weight room and on the field. I love working with athletes, IF they truly want to get better, the ones who are there just to be there, are the ones that do not understand my coaching methods, and want to be told what THEY want to hear, instead of what should be said to them. I am always up front and straightforward with clients and teams, most parents and clients respect that and I will never change. After all, I started my business, to teach how I want to teach, and to help those who want to be helped, and who truly want to set themselves apart from the pack! As a coach and trainer, it is our job to tell them how it is, and how to get better!