What's New for DREAM Team Softball in 2024-2025?
1) DREAM Team is all about Player Development, we are taking Development to a whole new level with our Player Progress Cards (and Parent Reports)! We have rolled this out in the Spring, but it's only getting better; our goal is to send automated email reports to parents that show the progress the player is making on the field but also in the cages & during skills assessments (Events & Combines)! Development at this age should not be measured solely by what is outcome-based, it's based on the work they put in on Rapsodo, Pocket Radar, and other Skills Assessments hosted by DREAM! The overall goal is to give parents reporting on how their player has progressed in all areas of development!
2) DREAM Team provides Teams and Training! Both our Teams and our Training initiatives (baseball and softball exercises) will be expanded in 2024-2025. "There's no TEAM without TRAINING" and we added Training Track as a complimentary option for each DREAM Team player.
The Training App will open new doors for each player to take their overall fitness & athleticism to another level! Whether they're 7U or 14U, there will be exercises loaded into the app for them to do at home & help them watch videos at home to help them train not only their softball muscles but also their mental muscle/IQ.
We will have Player Goals, a Player Leaderboard, a Player Journal, and we'll incorporate Player Rewards that they can unlock 🔓 in their Training Journey! This will show results for the players that put the time into the program, they will compete against their peers and teammates which will motivate them. For our younger ages, players will need parental permission and supervision. If the player has a wearable watch or device that has the Health app, it does integrate with our app platform to help keep them motivated in their progress! There will be a mixture of softball exercises and fitness exercises that will challenge them while keeping it fun for them to master so they can get their name on the leaderboard! Below are just a few screen shots of this exciting program!
Plus, we will send special invites to our players to introduce them to Player Training Academy sessions!
New to DREAM Team in the Spring, Our Pitching Machines will continue in the Fall to help our hitters gain fastball swing timing, help them recognize curveball spin, and we'll use the machine for catcher blocking practice as well as fielding practice.
What's New for DREAM Team Softball in 2024-2025?
2) There's a huge value to our instructional value (see Spring Savings Chart below); our organization DREAM Team believes in practice to improve player skills! Additionally, we are adding a FungoMan to our Field practices in the Fall:
One thing about DREAM Team cannot be denied, our players work and train hard because we believe that practice is where development happens.
In Spring 2024, DREAM Team practiced at least 2 times per week as a team plus our dedicated staff of coaches held:
- 2 Baseball Skills Combines
- 4 Baseball Instructional Workshops
- 7 Baseball Camps
- 2 Softball Camps
- 10 Training Track Workshops
- Summer and Winter Level Up Training
- A total of up to 86 dedicated, pre-planned practices over the course of 6 months that included many Rapsodo sessions.
After seeing how this training (even going beyond team practices) has accelerated the development of our players, DREAM Team is going ALL IN on player development even more this Spring!
This helps our players focus more on their own player development goals and not just on team accomplishments because ultimately the most important aspect of DREAM Team is Player Development. We have firmly stayed true to our DREAM Team Motto: "DREAM Big. Work Hard. Team First."
This Fall, DREAM Team will hold more field practices than even what was planned in the Spring season to help players improve their fielding skills, fielding communication & defensive responsibilities, and also for them to increase their situational defense awareness.
This does mean that the monthly fee will increase (since Training Track is now built in and not an option) this season for some of our members coming out of Spring, but there is a greater value (value shown below in the graphic) built into these training sessions and things that other organizations would charge as extra fees that is well worth the investment. This season is a great testament to that as our Postseason Survey results show that the overwhelming majority of parents love seeing the accelerated development of their player; this is why DREAM Team has a stellar client retention rate when compared to other softball organizations in the area. Our focus is in the right place: developing players!
What's New for DREAM Team Softball in 2024-2025?
3) DREAM Team is adding to Staff Coaches in the Fall to help facilitate our Training Track and Skills Assessments and will utilize Rapsodo Technology!
Rapsodo Pitching Report 🔥
Rapsodo Hitting Report âš¾
What's New for DREAM Team Softball in 2024-2025?
4) DREAM Team Sports Center is going to keep building new Player Development stations.
We now have a Mental Muscle room that can be used for players watching films and learning & this Fall more than ever our staff used this so that players can come in and learn from instructor-led film study, focus on pre-practice warmup routines, test their Softball IQ, chart their Sports Performance progress, check out the Big Board for this week's Challenge, check out videos in the Mental Muscle Room, & more! We'll also be utilizing Rapsodo, Pocket Radar, Driveline, and other best-in-class tech to help us drive innovative instruction & learning!
We want our players to want to come to the facility & be excited about their own development; the best motivator to a young player is when they prove "they can do it" to themselves.
What's New for DREAM Team Softball in 2024-2025?
5) Charted Pitcher/Catcher Bullpens for Kid Pitch teams.
In the Spring, our DREAM Team pitchers and catchers (overseen by Coach Charlie Letourneau) have had individualized work built into their Team Practice, but we want to build in more time for specialized bullpen work so that pitchers and catchers can work together more in practice PRIOR to when they're in the game. Catchers can work on their technique and pre-pitch signs just like Pitchers who will work on their bullpen progressions so they can feel confident going into their next game or tournament.
Plus, we will work with pitchers and catchers outside of team practice so that we can have a laser focus on our bullpen sessions. We want to help each pitcher to identify their pitch types, be able to repeat (starting with a four seam fastball) their delivery successfully, be able to gauge the change in pitch speeds, and throw strikes in a pitch sequence called by the catcher (overseen by the coach). Our goal is to have a roving pitching instructor on staff with DREAM Team to help keep track of balls and strikes (incentivizing pitch command; glove side and arm side) during bullpens.
Additionally, pitch counts for pitchers and even catcher throwbacks will be kept in game. DREAM Team does pitch count our pitchers to ensure that they don't throw too many pitches as player safety is our biggest concern. During the era of youth travel softball, some organizations do not have guidelines for pitch counts which is dangerous for young pitchers; conversely, DREAM Team takes arm care very seriously and will continue to keep a count on pitches thrown and workload.
What's New for DREAM Team Softball in 2024-2025?
6) New uniform designs!! 🔥
For those that register for the year long season, we will be unveiling a full custom uniform that includes a custom jersey and pants! Check out the initial designs, we're excited to have a fresh new look in 2024!!
What's New for DREAM Team Softball in 2024-2025?
7) A focus on private instruction. One-on-one instruction helps players learn the correct technique and builds confidence in their skills.
We want to include (for those that join our 1-Year program) two included Training Track lessons in the Fall. Our goal is to focus on really making sure players are grasping the mechanics of hitting, pitching, fielding, and baserunning. Player training is so vitally important and one on one instruction is the most effective way to train players the right way to play the game!
What's New for DREAM Team Softball in 2024-2025?
8) Rapsodo Sessions will continue to be a focus in the Spring with an emphasis on players building their Rapsodo RapScore.
Rapsodo is the industry leader in ball tracking as it relates to hitting the ball harder or pitching with more movement/velo and we want parents to be "in the know" about Rapsodo and how to access their player's video sessions and statistics. DREAM Team offers Rapsodo Training for Pitchers and Hitters.
RapScore uses Rapsodo’s existing HITTING and PITCHING technology to quantify a player’s personal metrics, and utilizes the principles of the 20-80 scale to rank players amongst their peers and evaluate performance. RapScore’s pitching algorithm compares an individual’s pitch metrics to the ideal form of that pitch type. At the end of the session, a player’s RapScore is calculated based on dynamic weighing of the pitches thrown. Hitting RapScore is determined using a player’s max and average exit velocity as well as launch angle throughout a certified session. These session metrics are compared by the athlete’s level and accurately placed on the 20-80 scale.
What's New for DREAM Team Softball in 2024-2025?
9) Player development through new opportunities will be an emphasis within the program.
Players will get opportunities to grow and develop and even though each player will have a base team that they play on, they may be invited to join a tournament team one weekend to play (or more) or have other opportunities of growth. DREAM Team really is different than most organizations in this regard as most organizations will try out players for 1 hour preseason, put them on a team all season, and never seek out opportunities for the player to grow. Player development is not static, it's a dynamic process that happens over time so DREAM Team will continue to look out for each player to help them continue to grow in the game and partner with parents on a game plan to do so.
What's New for DREAM Team Softball in 2024-2025?
10) All current DREAM Team Players who register for the year-long program by May 22nd, will receive a free winter camp!
DREAM Team is thrilled to unveil two distinctive winter camps, each meticulously designed to foster the growth and development of your player during the fall season. By securing your player's registration by the pivotal deadline of May 22nd, you unlock the opportunity to select between our two innovative camp experiences: the Feast Mode Camp and the Game Crazy Christmas Camp.
These camps, spanning two days and running from 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM each day, are not your average softball clinics. Besides honing their hitting, fielding, and throwing skills, players will have the chance to engage in a friendly yet competitive MLB The Show tournament with our coaches. This incorporation of video gaming into the camp not only makes the learning process fun but also introduces players to strategic thinking and team collaboration in a digital format.
Both camps promise an enriching experience, complete with engaging activities tailored to cultivate a deeper love for the game, enhance skill sets, and foster camaraderie among players. Our seasoned coaches, with backgrounds in professional softball and youth sports development, are committed to providing personalized attention to each player, ensuring they leave the camp with improved abilities, boosted confidence, and lasting memories.
Remember, the opportunity to participate in these transformative camps is exclusive to those who register by May 22nd. So, don't miss out on the chance to give your player the edge they need for the upcoming season. Let's make this fall a season of growth, development, and fun for your young athlete!