by Eric A. Thomas
Spread the news! Here is an opportunity for your child to get one-on-one baseball tutoring. Kindred notes that as baseball and softball share the same basic skills, he is open to those interested in advancing softball fundamentals as well.
Area coach Joe Kindred is offering up his knowledge of the sports via private tutoring lessons. After hearing from several interested parents, he started up what he is calling “Your Baseball Coach.”
Sessions are available for age 5 through high school. Hitting, throwing, sliding, fielding or whatever baseball skill the student wishes to improve can be the focus. “What will set these tutoring sessions apart from others will be a heavy concentration on character development, work ethic and developing a true love for the game,” he remarks.
Kindred brings 26 years of experience as a baseball coach along with his lifelong love for the sport to the lessons. His coaching career includes time as assistant coach at each of Millikin University, MacMurray College and Niantic-Harristown. Also, he has held head coaching positions at Routt Catholic High School, Our Saviour School, both New Berlin Junior High and New Berlin High School, and is the currently head coach for North Greene’s junior high and high school both.
His exposure to the game of baseball goes back as far as he can remember. Two older brothers greatly influenced him in his younger days. “My older brother, Bill, coached me while I was in elementary and my brother, JH, influenced me while growing up in Waverly,” Kindred reminisces.
Kindred tells, too, about a neighbor in Waverly who had a daughter that married a professional baseball scout with the Philadelphia Phillies by the name of Gary Nickels. He remembers how during the late ‘70s, he would occasionally bring back items of apparel such as hats or t-shirts and one time, he gave Kindred a baseball signed by hall of famer Mike Schmidt, third baseman for the Phillies. “Nickels most likely never realized the positive impact his interaction made with the little kid across the street,” remarks Kindred about himself. “I shared many cool stories with my friends growing up. It was awesome to know an MLB baseball scout.”
For Kindred, baseball has been fun all his life and he wants that to spill over during the sessions. “I really think it’s important for them to have fun at learning and improving as they play,” he adds. For the young kids, especially those starting at five, it will be important to keep it fun and feed off their interests.
“My oldest son is five years of age, and we play when he wants to but, I always follow his interests,” shares Kindred. He thinks when a student is high school age, however, and especially when the school season begins, players should be focusing completely on working with their school coaches. “For that age range, once the spring season has begun, I will most likely suspend private lessons out of respect for the other coaches,” Kindred states.
The lessons will be taught at one of two locations, depending on availability. The first is a private location, and the second is at Jamison’s Future Swings Sports Complexes.
The commitment that Kindred and Adam Jamison, owner of Future Swings, have regarding the youth of the area and game of baseball is strong. Kindred is happy to be making the connection with Future Swings as it will be great to work with kids at improving their skills using great local facilities.
Ultimately the goal is not just to focus on the physical part of the game but also to assist kids in the mental focus of the game. “I want the students to play well but also to have a perspective of being mentally prepared while having a love of the game … which will lead to being successful and getting the maximum enjoyment,” he concludes.
Most sessions are one hour. There may be times where someone is available for 30 minutes and Kindred will be flexible. Scheduling will be based on schedules for both the student and the coach.
To schedule tutoring, check available workout times and confirm fees, call or text Coach Kindred at 217-720-6835. You can also reach him through email at josephkindred22@gmail.com or find out more information by searching “Your Baseball Coach” on Facebook.
Kindred adds that private lessons with him through “Your Baseball Coach” are backed by years of actual high school and college baseball coaching experience, plus a desire to make your lessons count. He really wants to “focus on helping kids get better” and says it’s just been a lot of fun so far, noting that he looks forward to this summer and growth with his business.
