I stepped down after two & half years of coaching underneath the HoJo Elite / Showtime imprint…read more During that time I coached two of their HoJo Elite travel baseball teams (different age groups) through five fall/summer seasons. I met many amazing players and families during that tenure; a vast majority I still speak with today. Through the ups & downs of wins & loses, the instruction and development remained consistent. The environment I created at practices & games always facilitated the best to come out in players, and their parents took notice. I can truthfully say that every player showed personal growth within their baseball capabilities by each season's end. Unfortunately, after the numerous hours spent on the field, at the facility, and traveling, getting compensated by the program was never easy. I was classified as a "pro coach" by HoJo Elite and paid a coaching stipend for each fall/summer season. I was told the stipend would be paid upon the conclusion of each season. However, it usually arrived two to three months after, if not much later. I was also an employee & private trainer at the Showtime facility as well, and usually lost work availability due to the scheduling demands of coaching their two travel teams. This created a financial situation that was hard to manage. One fall, I was able to request month to month payments of the stipend. This helped out greatly, and I requested the same be done moving forward. The program agreed, and to my unpleasant surprise I received no amount during any of the pay periods promised last season. I sent a cordial response to management that I would be stepping down after the completion of each team's season due to the lack of income I was receiving. Instead of allowing me complete both seasons and receive pay, HoJo Elite removed me from coaching responsibilities. The players and their parents were devastated upon hearing the news. The players wondered why I was abruptly gone all of the sudden. It appeared as though I'd abandoned the players, which was far from the truth. Luckily, this decision did not hinder any friendships I had made with the former players & families. To this day, I still haven't been paid for my coaching over the past season, for either team. My experience with the program was not a pleasant one to say the least. I'm disappointed that the services provided to players in order to development & enhance their performance was striped because management could not support their own. With a price tag that doesn't come cheap for its players & families, I urge caution in what you're truly purchasing. In my experience, the exceptional instruction was not compensated as promised, even after player fees were collected. I hope that's not the case with the other teams. Too often today, facilities oversee numerous youth travel teams solely to collect a dollar amount. They promise you instruction, development, and exposure - but at the end, they're more preoccupied with their overhead. If you are a parent, paying for those very things, I hope the amount you pay for a pro coach is justified and rewarded. I make my living as a coach. It's my primary occupation. Without compensation, I cannot provide a service. A service that helps players not only become better, but grow in life experience & teaching. A service that places the players first. One that is appropriately priced, budgeted and worth its weight in expertise. Please tread carefully when selecting a home for your son, as quality coaches & mentors are becoming rarer due to the misuse of appropriate funds.
