Game-Theory Coaching vs Kid Development - Academy Youth Baseball Podcast EP 99 | Driveline Baseball

Game-Theory Coaching vs Kid Development

Host Deven Morgan kicks things off with quick housekeeping—new discount code, what’s on tap—and then reads a heartfelt email from a parent whose son thrived at a recent Driveline Youth Camp. The note sets the stage for a deep dive into why the Academy launched youth-only programs and how age-appropriate “snapshot → train → retest” cycles build confidence instead of anxiety.

From there Deven zooms out to the bigger youth-baseball ecosystem:

• Game-theory coaching vs. kid development – He dismantles the “just throw strikes / walks are triples” mantra and argues that victories built on walking weak hitters stunt real growth.

• Power on pint-sized fields – A look at bunting, barrel control, and how tiny 60-foot diamonds shape strategy—and too often push 1.6–1.8 million kids out of the sport every year.

• Chasing exit velocity the right way – Practical progressions for bat-speed gains without turning BP into injury roulette.

The middle third morphs into a full-on pitch-count reckoning: Deven recounts recent tournaments where 10- to 12-year-olds logged 153, 128, even 167 pitches in a single weekend because “there are no rules.” He calls on tournament operators to adopt universal pitch-smart limits and reminds coaches that “plastic rings aren’t worth real elbows.”

The episode closes on a personal note. With Father’s Day fresh in mind, Deven reflects on the mentors who shaped him, celebrates the messy joy of parenting through sport, and signs off with a simple challenge: tell the people you love that you love them—every chance you get.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction & housekeeping

02:00 Parent email — Youth Camp success story

04:24 Why we launched Driveline Youth Camps

09:06 Game-theory coaching vs kid development

14:16 The “Just Throw Strikes” fallacy

18:21 Pro-level approach: bunting, power, and contact

23:00 Let hitters hit — pitching-strategy talk

30:13 Training for power vs field dimensions

34:26 Why 1.6 million kids quit baseball each year

40:17 Chasing exit velocity the right way

50:12 Equipping players & over-use awareness

55:25 Tournament pitch-count horror stories

58:39 Plastic rings, real elbows — over-use culture exposed

01:04:57 Trophies vs memories — a coach’s reality check

01:07:35 Father’s Day reflection & sign-off

Links

Driveline Youth Development Camps

https://www.drivelinebaseball.com/academy-youth-baseball-camps/

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