When Does the Game Start to Be Serious?

I have the pleasure of being joined by Shaun Larkin, Coordinator of Skill Development for the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team on this episode. Previously Shaun played professional baseball and then moved into coaching before completing a Master’s degree in Performance Psychology. In his current role Shaun oversees how practices are designed for players and how players are developed in terms of skill acquisition, motor learning and mental skills. 

We speak about how baseball has realised the importance of mental skills; sport psychology for tough times as well as good times; player development; the strain on young baseball players; the pressure put onto very young players in the US; helping young players to make their own decisions; coaches and parents creating experiences for players; the advantage of doing reps and practice-based evidence.