It was early October and we had a clear problem. We were leaving runners on in crucial moments. Not because of lack of skill. Because we weren’t converting the chances we actually got. So we built a practice around solving that one thing. Fifty minutes. That’s all we had before they had to leave.
At thirteen and fourteen, we’re competing for their attention against school, friends, and homework. A practice has to earn every minute. That means clarity on what we’re solving, a purpose we can point to, and an end time we actually keep.
The anchor
We start by naming what we’re solving. Not what we’re practicing. What are we solving. “We’re solving why we’re not converting the chances we’re getting.” “We’re solving the breakdown in third-base coverage.” We say it out loud. We write it on the board. We come back to it at the end.
The structure
Fifty minutes total. No more. No exceptions.
Minutes 0-5: Warm-up with movement. Not talking. Not stretching on the sideline. They know the routine. We repeat it every practice so they can run it without us.
Minutes 5-10: Individual or pair work specific to position. Infielders do infield. Outfielders do outfield. Basketball guards work with guards. Centers work together. Four reps each. Quick. Specific.
Minutes 10-40: The game. Full-sided or close to it. This is where the solve happens. We’re not teaching form. We’re watching them apply what they know under pressure.
Minutes 40-48: One correction tied to our problem statement. We show it. They do it three times. We’re done.
Minutes 48-50: Questions and close. Quick debrief. Out.
The math
Twenty-eight minutes of actual game time. That’s the real work. The rest is the structure that holds it. They’re at an age where they notice wasted time. They resent it. So we don’t waste it.
One problem. One focus. One solve. That’s the whole plan.