Lesson 3: The AHD Coaching Sequence

Learning Objective

Apply the AHD coaching sequence and the diagnostic chain to a real hitter instead of giving random corrections.

About 20 minutes, including the applied work.

Today's Lesson

“The purpose isn’t to name more faults. It’s to fix the first one that matters.”

AHD coaches use the same sequence with every hitter: Assess → Diagnose → Build Roadmap → Train → Reassess. Assess what is really happening across all four pillars. Diagnose the priority. Build a short roadmap. Train it with purpose. Then reassess with video and game evidence. This protects hitters from random corrections and gives parents a process they can follow.

Inside the swing, the diagnosis follows a chain: Symptom → Checkpoint → Root Cause → Correction → Cue → Drill → Reassess. Start with what you see, the symptom. Find the checkpoint where it shows up. Trace the root cause back to where it begins. Choose one correction, give one short cue, match it with a drill, and reassess. If the symptom is gone, you found the right cause.

Why It Matters

Coaches without a sequence react to whatever happened last swing. A fixed sequence makes your coaching consistent, explainable and measurable.

Today's Work

• Write the sequence (5 minutes): put both the coaching sequence and the diagnostic chain on a card for your bag.
• Late, off-balance and frustrated (15 minutes): write how you would handle a hitter who is late, off-balance and frustrated using every step of the sequence.
• Philosophy paragraph (5 minutes): write one paragraph committing to develop the athlete, the hitter and the swing together.

Track It

Which step of the sequence do you usually skip? Where in the chain do your corrections usually start?

Next: Lesson 4, Assess Before You Instruct. Module 2 starts here.