Tonight’s episode of Chalk Talk Wednesdays brings a fresh voice into the conversation as Coach JT and Campbell welcome Coach Mitch from the University of Denver club baseball team. In this powerful coaching roundtable, they dive into leadership growth, team culture, handling dual roles as a player-coach, motivating struggling athletes, designing high-impact practices, and the difference between a good team and a championship team. From leaving “the backpack” of life problems off the field to creating accountability systems for effort, this conversation gives coaches practical tools and mindset shifts to elevate their program. Whether you’re new to coaching or refining your leadership voice, this episode shows why vision, confidence, and off-field connection shape winners more than talent alone.
Timestamps
[00:00] Welcome Coach Mitch And Chalk Talk Wednesday Kickoff

[05:00] Coach JT On Vision Belief And Communicating Leadership

[07:30] Turning Hope Into Certainty Do Or Do Not

[09:20] Switching Between Teammate Mode And Coach Mode

[12:30] Gaining Respect While Leading Peers

[13:45] Motivating Struggling Players And Performance Anxiety

[15:30] Focusing Outward Not Inward To Reset A Player

[18:00] The Backpack Technique Leaving Distractions Behind

[20:10] How Mitch Designs Practices For Development And Consistency

[27:20] Making Practices Specific High Tempo And Purpose Driven

[32:00] Why Lobbing Throws In Warmups Hurts Game Performance

[35:00] Handling Star Players Who Don’t Practice Hard

[37:30] Rewarding Effort And Creating Internal Competition

[39:00] Raw Talent On The Team And Unlocking Potential

[41:00] When To Pull A Pitcher And How To Handle Resistance

[43:00] What Coaches Wish They Knew Before Coaching

[46:00] Smart Base Running Versus Fast Base Running

[47:30] What Separates A Good Team From A Championship Team

[49:20] Building Family Culture And Off Field Connection

[51:00] Closing Announcements And New Pack Coaching Resources

Quotes

• The team follows the belief of the coach. If the coach knows there’s more potential, everyone rises – Coach JT
• When you say I hope it means there’s doubt? Say I know and commit to it fully – Coach JT
• If I’m playing, I trust every guy on that field to make a play, even if he drops it once, I still believe in him – Coach Mitch
• Picture yourself back at practice, you’ve made that play a thousand times just go make the next one – Coach Mitch
• If a player carries mistakes from offense to defense, they’re focused only on themselves, not the team – Coach JT
• Get them to shift their focus to helping their pitcher or their teammates, and the mistake disappears – Coach JT
• Everyone carries a backpack of problems. Leave it in the dugout when you step on the field – Coach Mitch
• A championship team is a family, and families are built off the field, not in practice – Coach JT

Key Takeaways

• Players rise or fall to the level of the coach’s confidence clarity and vision
• Leadership requires switching roles clearly and earning respect through action
• Motivate struggling players by redirecting focus toward teammates not themselves
• Use tools like the backpack technique to eliminate mental distractions
• High tempo specific practices build real game readiness
• Reward effort not just talent to create healthy internal competition
• Hitting can be trained anywhere with creativity even without a full field
• Smart base running outperforms raw speed
• A good team has talent a championship team has family level trust
• Off field bonding is essential for creating true championship culture