Part 2 of the “Get to Work” Series
Most players say they want to get better. That is easy to say. But wanting to improve and working with purpose are two very different things. There is a big difference between doing reps and doing reps that matter. Purpose gives every swing, throw, and movement direction. It turns routine practice into growth. Without it, effort can feel busy but empty. You might be working hard, but not really improving.
Too many players show up to the cage or the weight room just to check a box. They hit, lift, or throw because it looks like work. They go through motions without knowing what they are trying to fix. That is why some athletes spend years “training” but never take a real step forward. Purpose starts with clarity. What are you trying to accomplish? Are you working on driving the ball to the opposite field? Are you cleaning up footwork behind the plate? Are you improving your first step on defense? Knowing what you are working toward keeps you locked in and gives you a reason to pay attention to the small details that separate average from excellent.
A good coach can point you in the right direction, but purpose has to belong to the player. The player has to want to understand the why behind the drill. When you start asking questions, when you start connecting the drill to game situations, that is when development speeds up. Kobe Bryant used to say that practice without purpose is just motion. He would break down every part of his training, how his foot landed, where his eyes were, what his next move would be. He did not waste time on autopilot. Every movement had meaning. That is what made him who he was.
In baseball, it is the same. Hitters who train with purpose can feel when their timing is off before the coach even says it. Pitchers who throw with intent can tell when their front side leaks. Catchers who block with awareness know when their body angle is wrong. Purpose creates ownership, ownership creates confidence.
If you are a young player reading this, stop and think about your last few practices. Were you really working, or just doing? Were you chasing progress or just surviving the session? The truth is, baseball rewards the player who trains with intent. Purposeful reps compound over time. They build muscle memory, awareness, and toughness. They create the type of player who does not panic under pressure because they have trained their body and mind to handle it.
So the next time you pick up a bat or glove, ask yourself, What am I trying to get better at today? Then go do it like it matters….because it does.
Get to work.
Behind The Diamond 