Build a Practice Games Drill Library Lineup Builder Toolkit Train Solo Articles The 4 Stages Season Plan About
Evidence-based · T-ball through high school

What actually works. Why it works. How to use it.

Make them want to come back tomorrow.

Build a practice plan → Browse drills
The Framework · 4 stages

Coach the age, not the calendar.

Free play dominates early. Specialization comes late. Most coaches reverse it.

See the full framework →
Play / exploration Specialization
T-Ball
AGES 4-6
Sampling
AGES 7-12
Specializing
AGES 13-15
Investment
AGES 16+
Play Specialization
Lineup Builder · 3 modes

A lineup that matches your philosophy.

Developmental, Balanced, or Win Mode. Rotate positions fairly. Never park the same kid in right field.

Try the Lineup Builder →
Developmental
Balanced
Win Mode
I1
I2
I3
I4
I5
I6
KK
P
1B
SS
P
2B
C
DM
SS
P
C
2B
P
1B
WB
1B
C
P
SS
RF
P
+ 8 more · auto-balanced across 6 innings
The stories behind this site

Not a marketing slogan. A confession.

A Confession · 8 min read
The Bear Story
A coach lit a pilot light in me when I was nine. It got me to pro ball. I still don't know if it pushed me or capped me. Neither does anyone.
Read →
For Coaches Who Feel It · 10 min read
The Kid in the Dugout Isn't My Son
Why your chest gets tight before a game you don't care about winning — and what to do with it.
Read →
01 / 04
"Your job is to make them want to come back tomorrow."
Read the philosophy →
Evidence-Based Coaching
What the research actually says
All Articles
Coaching Cues
The One Cue Rule: Why Less Is More
Science shows that giving a player two coaching cues at once makes both cues less effective. Here's what to do instead.
5 min read
Player Development
Why Kids Quit Baseball — and What You Can Control
The number one reason kids drop out of youth sports isn't losing. It's not having fun. A rec coach can change this in one practice.
6 min read
Practice Design
Stop Running the Same Drill 20 Times
Blocked practice feels like progress. Random practice feels messy. Research shows one of these actually builds skills that transfer to games.
7 min read
I coach ages...
Start with your age group
AGES 4–7
T-Ball
First-time players
Get a practice plan →
AGES 7–9
Little League
Most rec teams
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AGES 10–12
Majors / AAA
Advancing skills
Get a practice plan →
AGES 13+
Teen / HS
Competitive play
Get a practice plan →
Tool 01 · Build
Practice Builder

Answer 5 questions. Get a full practice plan built from the drill library. Print it. Run it. Done in under 60 seconds.

Build a Plan
Tool 02 · Browse
Drill Library

190 drills filtered by age, sport, category, and skill level. Full setup, coaching cue, and why it works for every single one.

Browse Drills
Tool 03 · Learn
Coaching Articles

Short reads on practice design, player development, and what the science actually says about teaching baseball to kids.

Read Articles
Solo Training
Training on your own? There's a section for that.

27 drills that work with one player — hitting off a tee, wall ball grounders, body control, pitching mechanics. No partner needed.

Train Solo →
The Games Library
The practices we actually ran.

Dodgeball warmups. 2-2 relay races. Tennis ball fly. Hat tag. Water balloons. Players vs. Old Farts. Real games, real coach voice, no textbook.

See the Games →
The Coach Toolkit · Free Downloads
Awards templates and scouting reports you can actually print.

Editable end-of-season awards deck (.pptx, 8.5x11) and a fillable scouting report PDF. Built for rec coaches. No accounts. No paywall.

Open the Toolkit →
Why DugoutLab
Not another coaching opinion site
190+
Ready-to-use drills
15
Research-based articles
Free
Always. No paywall.
Plain
No jargon. Coach-first language.