LESSON 1 OF 30 • SAFE, STRONG, AND IN CONTROL
Lesson 1: Your Starting Point
From AHD Scared of the Baseball Fix with BK, for baseball and softball hitters ages 12–21. Repeat any lesson whenever you need to.
Today's Lesson
Goal: Name what fear does and choose one safe first rep.
Today’s brave step: Tell a trusted adult or coach what feels hardest right now.
Watch five slow, predictable balls travel without swinging.
Use the AHD Hitting Processor in order: See It → Recognize It → Time It → Decide → Attack It. You always own the right to take and reset.
Why It Matters
Fear can make a hitter rush, freeze, pull away, or stop seeing the ball early. Confidence returns when you build evidence: calm eyes, an athletic position, a clear decision, and one safe successful rep at a time.
Coaching Cue
Feet set. Eyes level. I choose the next rep.
Today's Work
• See it / decide it: Watch five slow, predictable balls travel without swinging.
• Move or hit: Build and hold your athletic position for three calm breaths. Keep an athletic position through the rep: eyes level, knees bent, balance and body control through the finish.
• Reset between reps: Step out if needed. Exhale. Rebuild your athletic position. Begin the next rep only when you are ready.
• Choose an easier step: Use a foam ball or only rehearse the stance.
• Ready for the next step: Track ten soft balls from a comfortable distance.
• Repeat this day: always allowed. Readiness, not the calendar, decides when you move on.
Track It
Check-in: Rate readiness 1–5 and name one thing you can control. Rate your readiness from 1–5 before and after the work. A lower score is information, not a grade.
Safety: Stop for pain, dizziness, new vision symptoms, or panic that does not settle. Do not force exposure, use surprise throws, or turn a brave step into a toughness test. Stop and seek appropriate qualified support for pain, dizziness, new vision symptoms, suspected concussion/head injury, clinician-directed restriction, or significant distress that does not settle.