There’s nothing like having your speed program being called a joke.  But, that is what one softball coach considered our program when he found out we didn’t do our timing with a laser device.  Now, he didn’t just flat out say that, but my mom didn’t raise no dummy and I can read between the lines.

Basically it went down like this.

I am always trying to market and even though it might not be effective, email marketing can be quick and free.  I was scouring local softball travel teams to contact about our services.  It’s always a longshot and I need to do better follow up, but I figured it was a start.

My email to their coaches essentially said, “I have a former assistant who does speed training in Southern California.  All the softball teams that are worth a darn do training there because they want to be the best.  I have a great speed program.  If I can be of assistance to the success of your team, let me know.”

A few coaches politely responded, then we got one from Mr. Know-It-All.

“If you aren’t using a laser for timing then you can’t accurately record progress.  Any good program would be using a laser for their athletes.  Your program sucks.  I wouldn’t send any of my athletes there.”

Alright, he didn’t say the last two sentences, but that was the general message of his email.

I sent him a response telling him that it doesn’t matter what device we use for timing, as long as we are consistent on how we time, you will see the improvements.  A laser might get you more precise one way or the other, but it isn’t the end all be all on gauging progress.  He never responded back.

We aren’t timing these kids for a gold medal at the Olympics.  Does it have to be that precise?

I was at my daughter’s track meet and interrupted the whole meet because they didn’t have a laser to time the kids.  They were using … a stopwatch.  Gasp.  Well, the results are a moot point.  My daughter’s relay team did not get first place in their 4×200 relay because a laser was not used.

Give me a break!!

My client, Ben Hale, last year went to several football camps where he ran 40’s.  He popped a 4.48 at the Bowling Green camp and they ended up offering him a scholarship.  Ben told me that none of the camps he attended had laser timing.  It was all handheld.  I told him that they weren’t legit times and we should contact Bowling Green to take his scholarship away because he obviously ran a below subpar time.

Yeah right!!

If you want to pony up the money for me to get a laser timing system, that’s great.  I’ll give you my address so you know where to ship it.

Ultimately, how is progress measured?  If there is a consistent measuring system to record before and after results and you show better results, then you have made progress.

Would a laser help?  Sure.  Are our numbers maybe a bit off with the handheld watch?  Sure.  But, it isn’t going to change all the hard work the athletes are doing to get that speed improved.  That’s where the progress is seen.

Bottom line: I got plenty of athletes on video where you can see the physical changes and speed improvements with before and after video.  I got plenty of parents (and feel free to comment in the comment box below on how I helped your kid) who would swear their kid wouldn’t be where they are today without our training.

But, don’t worry.  I’ll go back and tell them that my training was a sham and all those improvements they made were false because we didn’t have a laser device.