Time to Review the Season! Do You Know How?

As the Spring 2025 season winds down, we take a moment to pause. Not just to breathe—but to reflect. For our athletes, parents, and coaches at 806 Drive Baseball, the end of a season isn’t just about standings or trophies. It’s about growth. It's about learning. It’s about health—mental, physical, and emotional.

Since we decided to form 806 Drive Baseball, we wrote blog posts that helped guide us on topics like nutrition, the mental side of the game, and how to choose the right bat. We drew insight from the wisdom of Joe Maddon and Bob Tewksbury, as well as the biomechanics-backed approach of Tom House. Now, we return to those lessons to answer the question: What did we learn?

What Were the Weaknesses Coming In?

Whether it was inconsistent fielding, low confidence at the plate, lack of stamina, or challenges with the mental side of the game, every player walked into Spring 2025 with something to improve. And that’s a good thing.

Bob Tewksbury, former MLB pitcher and mental skills coach, reminds us in 90% Mental, “You can’t fix what you don’t acknowledge.” Acknowledging weakness isn’t defeat—it’s the first step in becoming better. As a team, we identified areas for growth early on and leaned into them with intention.

What Were the Goals, and How Did They Change?

Some players started the season with goals like “hit more home runs” or “be the best shortstop.” But as the season matured—so did those goals. Players began to understand that baseball is a game of inches, and growth comes from mastering the little things: making the right read on a fly ball, being a vocal leader in the dugout, showing hustle even when things aren’t going your way.

Joe Maddon wrote in The Book of Joe, “The process is fearless. The results are fleeting.” Many of our athletes shifted from results-based goals to process-based ones—learning that consistency, effort, and attitude matter more than stat sheets.

How Did Their Bodies Change?

Youth athletes, especially at the 12U level, are growing—fast. Some had major growth spurts this season. Others battled sickness, overuse injuries, or found themselves juggling school, family, and sports. These changes impact performance and need to be considered when reviewing progress.

Nutrition became a major topic on our blog for a reason. Staying fueled on long tournament weekends and hydrating properly in the West Texas heat are foundational to performance. What we put into our bodies directly impacts how we play, and this season reinforced that for all of us.

Friction Is Where Growth Happens

Tewksbury said, “When things are going well, that’s not when we grow. It’s when things are hard that we discover who we are.” We faced tough losses this year. We had kids in slumps, games that got away from us, and weather that didn’t always cooperate. And every one of those moments was an opportunity.

The idea of a season review isn’t just for pro teams. Youth players benefit from this reflection even more. Learning to look back with honesty, accountability, and self-love creates resilient athletes and, more importantly, strong individuals.

Use this offseason to ask: What did I struggle with? What am I proud of? Where did I mature the most? What moments made me better—even if they hurt?

The Perspective of Time

Tom House, a pioneer in pitching mechanics and co-founder of Mustard, once said:

“I cannot tell you how meaningless it is to be good at a sport before puberty. Do not compare. Do not care. Just learn to love the game.”

This couldn’t be more true for our 806 athletes. Whether you’re a star now or still finding your rhythm, the goal is long-term growth, not early stardom. Youth sports aren’t about peaking early. They’re about building habits, character, and love for the game that lasts a lifetime.

What Now?

Take this time to breathe. But don’t stop reflecting. Parents—talk to your athlete about what they loved, what challenged them, and what they want to improve. Coaches—journal your season. What drills worked? Where did you connect most with your team? What can you bring into the fall?

We’re incredibly proud of the heart, hustle, and humility this team showed. And now, it’s time to gear up for the next chapter.

Fall 2025 Tryouts Are Here!

We’re excited to announce 806 Drive Baseball’s 12U Fall 2025 Tryouts on:

June 26th at DBAT Amarillo

If you’re ready to join a team focused on development, teamwork, and a growth-first mentality, we want to see you there. Sign up today by filling out our form:

👉 https://tinyurl.com/806Drive

Let’s keep growing. Let’s keep learning. Let’s keep driving.