Next Pitch Academy

09/14/2026

Amen! 🙌

Youth sports stopped being a Saturday activity and quietly became a second household budget.

The registration fee is often just the cover charge.

Then come the uniforms, equipment, team dues, tournament fees, private lessons, gas, hotels, restaurant meals, and concession-stand dinners that somehow cost $42 and still leave everyone hungry.

The cost is not only money, either.

It is the 5 a.m. alarm, the sibling sleeping under a blanket in the back seat, the vacation days used for tournaments, and nearly every empty square on the family calendar.

I understand why families do it. Sports can teach discipline, resilience, teamwork, and how to respond when things do not go your way. Kids find friends, parents find community, and some of those long tournament weekends become great family memories.

But we should also be allowed to admit that the youth-sports arms race has become a little ridiculous.

Not every 10-year-old needs to play 70 games across three states. A family should not have to choose between contributing to retirement and keeping up with another team’s travel schedule.

And no child should carry the pressure of believing every hotel room, private lesson, and tank of gas must eventually produce a scholarship.

A sport can be wonderful for a child and still become too much for a family.

Both things can be true.

The goal is not to prove how serious the adults are. It is to help a child grow, compete, make friends, and enjoy playing the game.

Youth sports should serve childhood.

Childhood should not be reorganized to serve youth sports.

08/28/2026

🚨 NEW COACH ALERT! 🚨🥎

We’re so excited to welcome Calista Stahlhut to the Next Pitch Academy coaching squad! 💙

Calista is a UIS senior pitcher and NJCAA All-American who is passionate about helping pitchers build confidence, improve their mechanics, and take their game to the next level.

She’ll be offering pitching lessons every Tuesday & Thursday beginning September 1, with lessons starting at 5:00 PM.

LESSON PRICING:
🥎 $35 — 30-minute private lesson
🥎 $20 — 30-minute semi-private lesson

📲 To schedule a lesson, reach out to Calista directly: (618) 960-3798

We’re thrilled to have her joining Next Pitch and know our pitchers are going to love working with her! Welcome to the squad, Calista! 💙🥎

08/06/2026

Nearly 15 years ago, Sydney Paulaskis-Lauher, now Vizi, walked into my pitching cage for her very first lesson. She was quiet, a little timid, and just starting to figure out who she was as a pitcher and as a person.

This past weekend, I watched Sydney walk down the aisle, and it was such a full-circle moment. The shy little girl I met years ago was now a beautiful, confident woman surrounded by so much love.

One of the coolest parts of the day was looking around and realizing how many former players and students were there celebrating with her. Softball has a way of bringing people together like few things can. It’s incredible to see how the lessons learned on the field become the foundation for success, confidence, friendships, and life long connections off the field.

Sydney is such a great example of that. She continues to give back to the game that gave her so much, such as coaching at the college level and working with young athletes through her summer travel team in Chicago. Watching her pour into the next generation is something that makes me incredibly proud.

Sydney, I’m so happy for you and Aiden and wish you both nothing but a lifetime of happiness. Thank you for letting me be a small part of your journey. ❤️🥎

08/01/2026

Love this Reagan Miles!

07/24/2026

A great podcast episode for all youth baseball/softball coaches and parents to watch!

These guys hit the nail on the head. We have the ability and responsibility to change the culture of youth sports in this town and I sincerely hope we can get enough great coaches and parents to band together to make it happen!

While you should watch the whole episode, I snipped my favorite section where they talked about my girl Mia Volpert and softball! Thank you Blake Helm and Kyle Welch for the shoutout!

Full podcast episode: https://youtu.be/d28R-V7fmv4?is=AXnKiz-9cLBPuI7O

06/26/2026

Love Sam Landry’s drop ball!

06/21/2026

My favorite catcher never caught me in a college game.

You’ll never find his name in a box score.

My favorite catcher has always been my dad. ❤️

Before I ever stepped into a college circle, before the wins, the awards, or the Hall of Fame, there was my dad.

A former college pitcher himself, he understood the game—but more importantly, he understood me.

He worked three jobs to give me opportunities he never had. Yet no matter how long his day had been, he never complained he was too tired to catch me.

Some nights he would get off work at 8:00 and rush to make it to my lesson by 8:30. Other days he’d race home before dark so we could throw in the driveway before the sun went down.

Bucket after bucket.

Pitch after pitch.

He was always there.

Looking back, I don’t remember every bullpen or every lesson.

But I remember exactly how he made me feel.

I felt supported.

I felt believed in.

When I doubted myself, he never did.

He constantly reminded me that I had a God-given gift and encouraged me to keep chasing my dreams, even when I wasn’t sure I could.

And when my softball journey eventually took me farther than I ever imagined, he always told me that watching the joy I experienced through this game was one of the greatest blessings of his life.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized the greatest gift he gave me wasn’t the 15+ hours a week he dedicated to coaching my teams.

It wasn’t the countless hours of catching.

It was his time, his sacrifices, and his unwavering belief in me.

Happy Father’s Day to every dad, grandpa, and bucket dad.

Your daughter may not remember every lesson you taught her.

But she’ll never forget how you made her feel.

My Dad’s wedding speech will always hold a special place in my heart: https://youtu.be/L69lldMoBGQ?is=_Ca8Hj5GKJWVdN_P

06/17/2026

Happy Birthday to our amazing hitting coach, Sarah Gray-Belcon! 🎉🥎

Sarah is truly one of the best hitters I have ever had the privilege of playing with. Her knowledge of the game, passion for helping athletes grow, and dedication to every player she coaches are second to none. The love she has for softball and for developing the next generation of players shines through in everything she does.

Please join us in wishing Sarah a very happy birthday if you see her this week! 🎂💙

06/10/2026

Amen! So grateful for all the coaches and teachers in my daughters’ lives. The time and passion they pour into them is greatly appreciated!

Coaching youth sports is more than working on batting orders, field positions, and designing plays.

It’s more than managing schedule changes and coordinating with other coaches, league officials, and parents.

It’s more than carting around game bags, buckets of balls, and extra equipment everywhere you go.

It’s more than taking phone calls and answering emails from parents while on vacation, during a lunch break, or at a birthday party.

It’s more than scheduling time with your family and date nights with your spouse around tournaments, games, and practices.

It’s more than volunteering countless hours of your free time for the benefit of the kids.

It’s more than spending time learning what motivates each player and how to coach in a way that brings out their best.

It’s more than trying to let the passive-aggressive (and sometimes outwardly aggressive) comments from parents and spectators roll off your back.

It’s more than trying to find a way to balance fun with learning.

It’s more than finding the strength to be the team’s cheerleader when everyone’s hopes are dashed.

It’s more than a winning season.

So much more.

The truth is, we need those coaches more than we need wins.

We need those coaches who make our kids feel seen.

We need those coaches who can support our kids as they learn important life lessons.

We need those coaches who can help our kids find confidence when it’s nowhere to be found.

We need those coaches who can model winning humbly and losing gracefully.

We need those coaches who are willing to donate their time, hearts, and souls to our kids.

We need those coaches who are willing to step up to the plate, take the field, and run onto the court no matter the price.

Because it’s about so much more.

Shared with permission from Changing Perspectives with Jenni Brennan

06/06/2026

Next Pitch Academy T-Shirt Order Form is live! 🎉

Gear up and represent Next Pitch Academy in style!

We’re placing a mass order for our academy t-shirts, and we’ve got multiple colors and sizes available! Order form closes on June 22 and shirts will be available for pickup by July 13!

Gear up and represent Next Pitch Academy in style! We’re placing a mass order for our academy t-shirts, and we’ve got multiple colors and sizes available so everyone can find their perfect fit. Whether you're at lessons, games, or just out and about, these shirts are a great way to show your NPA...